Vanished halls and cathedrals of France . ation. But by farthe most interesting building in Valenciennes was theHotel de Ville, which though lately restored (1868),dated from the seventeenth century, the period of theSpanish occupation. The fagade was quite imposing,consisting of a row of Doric columns, upholding a rowof Ionic columns, which supported a number of caryatidesand a sort of open gallery above. Carpeaux designedthe sculptures ornamenting the pediment, which repre-sented the Defense of Valenciennes. This building was occupied by the Musee of Paintingsand Sculpture, which was really
Vanished halls and cathedrals of France . ation. But by farthe most interesting building in Valenciennes was theHotel de Ville, which though lately restored (1868),dated from the seventeenth century, the period of theSpanish occupation. The fagade was quite imposing,consisting of a row of Doric columns, upholding a rowof Ionic columns, which supported a number of caryatidesand a sort of open gallery above. Carpeaux designedthe sculptures ornamenting the pediment, which repre-sented the Defense of Valenciennes. This building was occupied by the Musee of Paintingsand Sculpture, which was really one of the most im-portant and extensive collections in France of examplesof the Flemish school of painting. Here I saw in 1910a large number of beautiful original drawings, and acollection of Flemish tapestries of incalculable were nine or ten rooms devoted to the Flemishmasters, and to mention only a few of the treasures theycontained, I note here: Hell-fire; Breughel, ToilDevoured by Usury; Jordaens, Twelfth Night; Van 116. ^-i. ^: «u •> •*?;?. VALENCIENNES Balen, Rope of Europa; P. A. da Cortona, Herodias;Seghers, St. Eloi and the Virgin; Neets, the younger,Church Interior; Vinckboons, Forest; Van Aelst, StillLife; Van Mieris, Pan and Syrinx; Al. Adriensis, FishMerchant; Van Goyen, Landscape; Velvet Breughel,Landscape; Van de Velde, Sea Piece; Van Oost, Adora-tion of the Shepherds; Pourbus (younger), Marie deMedicis; Brouwer, Tavern Scene; Wouverman, Hunt-ers; Teniers, Interior of Grotto; Rubens, Descent fromthe Cross; Guido (*?), St. Peter; Metsys, Banker and HisWife. The fate of this remarkable collection of Flemish andSpanish paintings is at present shrouded in mystery. Itis said, and denied variously, that they were removed toParis before the German army arrived. I understandfrom reports in the newspapers, which may or may notbe authentic, that this old Hotel de Ville was entirelydestroyed by British shells early in the war, and that thevenerable Mai
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, booki, booksubjectcitiesandtowns
