Meissonier, his life and his art . l be more profitableto look at the results he obtained in their entirety. What could be moresignificant in itself, or better calculated to confute certain pretentions whichsome among us would fain exalt into a system of aesthetics. Strange in-novators are in our midst, who, sincerely or not, acclaim the absence ofimagination, taste, and science as an actual sign of artistic progress ; who,under the pretext of rejuvenating art, practically renounce its most elemen-tary principles, and despise its most useful traditions, and whose so-calledteachings, if the\- e
Meissonier, his life and his art . l be more profitableto look at the results he obtained in their entirety. What could be moresignificant in itself, or better calculated to confute certain pretentions whichsome among us would fain exalt into a system of aesthetics. Strange in-novators are in our midst, who, sincerely or not, acclaim the absence ofimagination, taste, and science as an actual sign of artistic progress ; who,under the pretext of rejuvenating art, practically renounce its most elemen-tary principles, and despise its most useful traditions, and whose so-calledteachings, if the\- ever came to be accepted, would bring about the downfallof our national school. That the danger is rather apparent than real I hopeand believe ; but is it not significant that we should be obliged to notify suchattacks, and to defend not only Meissoniers authority, but that of the greatFrench masters who preceded him, against them . The two are, indeed, inseparable. Strongly personal as our illustrious See pp. 75-77, 210 of the tex. 36o APPENDIX confreres work was, it bears the stamp of the inspiration and methods peculiarto the French genius. If wc consider onl)- tlie nature f)f the subjects chosen,and the forms by which tliey are rendered, it would be difficult to draw a parallelbetween Mcissoniers ccuvrc, so familiar in character for the most part, and thatof our earlier historical painters. Yet did not these predecessors of the master
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