Repository: UIHistories Project: Book - Gregory Art Collection Catalog (Gregory) [PAGE 6]

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until the seventeenth century no great names appear among the painters of France. Nicolas Poussin, (1684-1666) who lias been called the French Raphael, may lie regarded as the founder of the French school. In the reign of Louis X I V the French academy of art was established at Rome, and a galaxy of great names in art appeared in France. Claude Lorraine, (1000-1082) the master of landscape painting; Eustache Le Sueur, Charles Lebrun, (1619-1690) the court painter of Louis X I V ; Pierre Mignard and Rigaud, the French Van Dyck, are among the most famous representatives of this school. Carl Van Loo (170o-17(V>) is considered by some the last of the old French school. After the revolution there was a revival of art, which produced what may be called the later French school. At its head stood David, (17481826) the great historical painter. The names of Jean Gros and Francois Gerard are the most illustrious of his school. Prudhon and Gericault were cotemporary artists with David, although they did not. follow his style. At a later date we And the uames of Ingres, Delacroix, Ary Scheffer, Delaroche, Rosa Bonheur, Gerome and others, chief among the artists of France, and many of their paintings may be seen in the Luxembourg, the modern Louvre of Paris. Of painting in England little can be said previous to the eighteenth century. There were few artists of note until the time of Sir Joshua Reynolds, (1723-1792) who is famous for his portraiture and historical works. Among other artists of the last century Copley and West take a high stand, and are generally classed in the English school, although Ameiicans by birth. The famous English painters of this century have been Sir Thomas Lawrence, a portrait painter, Wilkie, Etty, Turner, the most original of landscape painters, Leslie, Mulready, Landseer, Herbert and others. Within late years a school of artists entitling themselves " Pre-Raphaelites," has sprung up in England, whose chief representatives are William Holman Hunt, Millais and Dante Gabriel Rossetti. They, according to Ruskin, " oppose themselves to the modern system of teaching, and paint nature as it is around them, with the earnestness of men of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries." A M E R I C A N SCHOOL. In America there were no painters of note until the beginning of this century. Malbone, Gilbert Stuart and Allston, were the first artists of any great ability who practiced their art at home. Thomas Cole (18021848) founded what may be called the American school of landscape painting. Since the middle of the century American art has received an active impulse, and many illustrious names are found among our artists. Colman, Inness, Dana, Elliott, Healy and Gray are prominent American painters.