DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.61252#0034
XXX GENERAL INTRODUCTION.
disfigure them or to sell them; he only cared nothing
about them. Many were locked up during his whole
life, and inaccessible. His son, the wretched Philippe
Egalite, had neither’ taste nor scruples nor conscience.
To raise money for political purposes, in the beginning of
the French Revolution, he sold, first, the Italian portion
of his pictures for 750,000 francs (18,5007.), and then the
Flemish and Dutch pictures for 350,000 francs, about
90007., something less than half their value. M. Laborde
de Mereville, the purchaser of the Italian portion, con-
veyed his pictures to England, where, being without any
resource, he mortgaged them for 40,0007. The Dutch
and Flemish pictures were brought over later, 1798, by
Mr. Slade. The history of the gallery subsequent to its
arrival in England, is given at length in the introduction
to the Bridgewater Gallery, p. 81.
Then followed the plunder of Italy, i. e., the French
plundered—we purchased. The public plunderers have
since been obliged to disgorge; whereas we, who only
excited to plunder, and paid for plunder, have the law on
our side, and retain as wealth what our wealth acquired.
I use the word we, but the truth is, that we, in our national
capacity, as a government, did nothing. The French
commissaries, the bankers and English consuls at Rome,
Venice, and Genoa, were those who paid and profited.
The best and most immediate result of the importation of the
Orleans Gallery was, that it spread everywhere an interest
about art—it made pictures a profitable speculation at the
very moment when an opportunity offered for pursuing
those speculations, such as the world had never beheld since
the invasion of Greece by the armies of Mummius. For
though Napoleon affected to confine his exactions to national
or royal treasures, the fortunes of nobles and individuals
became so insecure, that pictures, as the most moveable
property, were first converted into money : convents and
disfigure them or to sell them; he only cared nothing
about them. Many were locked up during his whole
life, and inaccessible. His son, the wretched Philippe
Egalite, had neither’ taste nor scruples nor conscience.
To raise money for political purposes, in the beginning of
the French Revolution, he sold, first, the Italian portion
of his pictures for 750,000 francs (18,5007.), and then the
Flemish and Dutch pictures for 350,000 francs, about
90007., something less than half their value. M. Laborde
de Mereville, the purchaser of the Italian portion, con-
veyed his pictures to England, where, being without any
resource, he mortgaged them for 40,0007. The Dutch
and Flemish pictures were brought over later, 1798, by
Mr. Slade. The history of the gallery subsequent to its
arrival in England, is given at length in the introduction
to the Bridgewater Gallery, p. 81.
Then followed the plunder of Italy, i. e., the French
plundered—we purchased. The public plunderers have
since been obliged to disgorge; whereas we, who only
excited to plunder, and paid for plunder, have the law on
our side, and retain as wealth what our wealth acquired.
I use the word we, but the truth is, that we, in our national
capacity, as a government, did nothing. The French
commissaries, the bankers and English consuls at Rome,
Venice, and Genoa, were those who paid and profited.
The best and most immediate result of the importation of the
Orleans Gallery was, that it spread everywhere an interest
about art—it made pictures a profitable speculation at the
very moment when an opportunity offered for pursuing
those speculations, such as the world had never beheld since
the invasion of Greece by the armies of Mummius. For
though Napoleon affected to confine his exactions to national
or royal treasures, the fortunes of nobles and individuals
became so insecure, that pictures, as the most moveable
property, were first converted into money : convents and