71, The Undutiful Son, certainly
oversteps it. Each of these became the theme of extravagant eulogy and
didactic preachments by Diderot, his literary protagonist, who hailed
him as a French Hogarth making Virtue amiable and Vice odious. An even
more equivocal note is struck (L. wall) in 372A, The Milkmaid; and
372, The Broken Pitcher, where as Gautier acutely remarks, the artist
contrives to make Virtue exhale the same sensual delight as Vice
had done, and to suggest that Innocence will fall an easy victim to
temptation. Madame Du Barry was much attracted by the latter picture
and possessed a replica of it. Other works and studies, R. wall, by
the artist are in this room. 368, end wall, Severus Reproaching
Caracalla, was painted as a diploma picture. But Greuze essayed here a
flight beyond his powers: to his profound disgust the Academy refused
to admit him as an historical, and classed him as a _genre_ painter.
No survey of eighteenth century French painting would be complete
without some reference to Claude Joseph Vernet (1714-1789), the famous
marine and landscape artist, whose paintings of the principal ports of
France are hung in the Musee de la Marine on the second floor. Here we
may distinguish among some score of his works: 921, The Bathers; 923,
A Landscape; and 932, A Seascape: The Setting Sun, all on the L. wall.

[Illustration: EMBARKATION FOR THE ISLAND OF CYTHERA. _Watteau._]

[Footnote 218: Coresus, a priest of Bacchus at Calydon, whose love was
scorned by the nymph Callirrhoe, called forth a pestilence on the
land. The Calydonians, ordered by the oracle to sacrifice the nymph,
led her to the altar. Coresus, forgetting his resentment, sacrificed
himself instead of her, who, conscious of ingratitude, killed herself
at a fountain.]

[Illustration: GRACE BEFORE MEAT.

_Chardin._]

It will now be opportune to make our way to the La Caze collection. We
pass out from the end of this room and descend the Escalier Daru to
the first landing; then ascend L. of the Victory of Samothrace to the
Rotonde, pass direct through the Salle des Bijoux, and turn L. through
Room II. to

ROOM I.

The La Caze collection. We note on the R. wall, an excellent Lenain,
548, A Peasant Meal, and some admirable portraits by Largilliere,
484-491, of which the last, Portrait of the Artist, his Wife and
Daughter, is a masterly work. Among the fine portraits by Rigaud,
791-795, that of the Young Duke of Lesdiguieres, stands pre-em