exactly copied, and these are pointed out in the accompanying
criticisms. These drawings alone cost the French government 400,000
francs.

The engravings were executed by the most distinguished engravers of
Europe, without regard to country, among whom it is sufficient to
mention Raffaelle Morghen, the Chevalier von Mueller, and his son C. F.
von Mueller, Bervic, Richomme, Rosaspina, Bartolozzi, Gandolfi,
Schiavonetti, the elder and younger Laurent, Massard, Girardet, Lignon,
Chatillon, Audouin, Forster, Claessens, etc. Stanley says that proof
impressions of Bervic's masterpiece, the Laocooen, have been sold in
London for thirty guineas each. There are many prints in these works
not less celebrated, and which are regarded by connoisseurs as
masterpieces of the art.

Nor was this all. Napoleon summoned Visconti, the famous antiquary,
archaeologist, and connoisseur, from Rome to Paris, to assist in getting
up the admirable descriptions and criticisms, particularly of the
ancient statues. This department was confided to Visconti, Guizot,
Clarac, and the elder Duchesne. The supervision of the engraving and
publishing department was entrusted to the Messrs. Robilliard,
Peronville, and Laurent. These works were published in numbers of four
plates, atlas folio, at the price of 96 francs each for the proofs
before the letter, and 48 francs for the prints. The first number of the
Musee Francais was issued in 1803, and the last in 1811; but the Musee
Royal, which was intended to supply the deficiencies of the Musee
Francais, was not completed till 1819; nevertheless, it was Napoleon's
work, though consummated in the reign of Louis XVIII.

The Musee Francais was originally published in five volumes, and
contains, besides the descriptions and criticisms on the plates,
admirable essays--1st. on the History of Painting, from its origin in
ancient times down to the time of Cimabue; 2d. on the History of
Painting in the German, Dutch, Flemish, and French schools; 3d. on the
History of Engraving; 4th. on the History of Ancient Sculpture. The
Musee Royal was published in two volumes. A second edition of the Musee
Francais was published by the Messrs. Galignani, in four volumes, with
an English and French letter-press, but both greatly abridged. The
letter-press of the Musee Royal has never been rendered into English.
The plates were sold by the French government in 1836, since which time
a small edition has been printed from both wo