nesanger_, Walther von der Vogelweide, who, according to some
accounts, was born (c. 1170) at a farm above Waidbruck, to the north of
Botzen. Botzen is the busiest commercial town in the German-speaking
portion of Tirol, being admirably situated at the junction of the
Brenner route from Germany to Italy with that from Switzerland down the
Upper Adige valley or the Vintschgau. Hence the transit trade has always
been very considerable (it has four large fairs annually), while the
local wine is mentioned as early as the 7th century. Lately its
prosperity has been increased by the rise into favour as a winter resort
of the village of Gries, on the other bank of the Talfer, and now
practically a suburb of Botzen.

The _pons Drusi_ (probably over the Adige, just below Botzen) is
mentioned in the 4th century by the _Peutinger Table_. In the 7th to 8th
centuries Botzen was held by a dynasty of Bavarian counts. But in 1027,
with the rest of the diocese of Trent, it was given by the emperor
Conrad II. to the bishop of Trent. From 1028 onwards it was ruled by
local counts, the vassals of the bishops, but after Tirol fell into the
hands of the Habsburgers (1363) their power grew at the expense of that
of the bishops. In 1381 Leopold granted to the citizens the privilege of
having a town council, while in 1462 the bishops resigned all rights of
jurisdiction over the town to the Habsburgers, so that its later history
is merged in that of Tirol. (W. A. B. C.)

BOUCHARDON, EDME (1698-1762), French sculptor, was esteemed in his day
the greatest sculptor of his time. Born at Chaumont, he became the pupil
of Guillaume Coustou and gained the _prix de Rome_ in 1722. Resisting
the tendency of the day he was classic in his taste, pure and chaste,
always correct, charming and distinguished, a great stickler for all the
finish that sand-paper could give. During the ten years he remained at
Rome, Bouchardon made a striking bust of Pope Benedict XIII. (1730). In
1746 he produced his first acclaimed masterpiece, "Cupid fashioning a
Bow out of the Club of Hercules," perfect in its grace, but cold in the
purity of its classic design. His two other leading _chefs-d'oeuvre_ are
the fountain in the rue de Grenelle, Paris, the first portions of which
had been finished and exhibited in 1740, and the equestrian statue of
Louis XV., a commission from the city of Paris. This superb work, which,
when the model was produced, was declared the finest