The Sun.
London, England, 1835-12-28 00:00:00

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ANDRIEN, THE MEDAL ENGRAVER

The French papers some time ago announced the death
of M. Andrien, the celebrated medal engraver, a. man
highly considered as an artist. The following 'are a fey.,
details of his life :

M. Bertrand Andrien, Medal EngravereChevalier cf
the Royal Order of St. Michael, and a Member of the
Academy of Fine Arts of Vienna, was barn at Bolide:lux,
the 4th of Nov., 1761. At an early age he evineed a
genius for engraving, and his first steps in that art pro-
mised brilliant success.. At that epochs medal 'engraving.
had lost the eclat it enjoyed under. VariMand Dupre. A
false dry style, with stiff and incorrect designs, hati suc-
ceeded 'the naivete and faeility of design admired in the
works of the most esteemed artists, lie had to struggle
aeainst bad taste, but that-could not, deter one wliti bad
cherished the beauty and Graces of the antique. Arrived
very venng in Paris, his first coup announced the restorer of
medal engraving, and during forty years the public saw sprirg
from his hands a great variety of
.productions, which the
c ainoisseurs have, placed among the chefs ci'ouvres pf the
namisluatique of all countries .and all times. Selected by
the Government of Bonaparte to • execute medals of the
most memorable events, his talents were associated with all
the glorious actions which' consoled the French nation, re-
ligion, and arts, during their misfortunes, and when the re-
storation brought France to see better days, Andrien ap-
peared inspirod by a new ardour to enrich medallie history
with works relating to the descendants of St. Louis
published in the space of three years a great number of
medals, aMong which we may. distinewish Minerva, seated
distributing crowns, the medal of to Equestrian Statue of
•Henry IV., that of the Yneeine, and that-of l'Etude ; that
of the re-establishment of 1:- o• and that of France in
mourning for the 20th of March,
•• He finished, about a month before his-. death; the
great medal that Count Cambrol de Volvie, Preleet
of the Seine, ordered- him to execute • for the city of
*Paris,. on the occasion of the birth of the Duke of
Bandeaux. The model of this medal was presented'
to the French F,tig en the .oth of September, 1822.
L'lcr period he finished, it* under bodily suf.-
Tering and afilietions, whiolt had caused his family and
friends upwards of two years time greatest alarm. A sad
preseatiment of death made him constantly believe that he
was executiug his last work. Ho always thought this medal,
consecrated to a city, in the bosani of which his reputation
had first arisen, would to titillate nobly his career as an artist.
He- wished to quit the prof:asion, and to leave to others the
care of treading in-his steps. Andrien enjoyed, with well-
merited and ineentestible reputation, the esteem of all great
artists. Honoured by the goodness of Louis the Eighteenth,
who conferred on him the Order of St. Michael, beloved by'
his friends and family, of which he was the joy ; his temper
was amiable, and, with health, Le might have passed many
happy days—but alas ! the inscrutable decrees of Pi ovidence
did not order it so. This amiable and excellent man ex-
pired at the age of Gllycars.

Poor LAWS.—To the labours and concluding re-
port of the Commissioners of Irish Poor Inquiry, the
eyes of the country, are naturifly directed ; nor is it all-
cult to anticipate the. nature of the promised report—a
unanimous recommendation of poor laws. The question .
of " poor laws" for Ireland is not one of yesterday, although
the necessity of such a measure is now more generally
admitted. In the year 1640, a "bill" passed the Lords
and CoMmons of Ireland which received the Royal assent,
viz.—'• An Acte for the .lieliete of Poor Orphans, and
such Lame Old Blinde aria, impotent Persons as are poore
and not able to worke, and for the.punishment of Rogues,
V:lgahonds, sturdy Beggars, and setting them to worke."

This Act, embodying the wise principles of the 43d of
Elizabeth—on-41,g, as is supposed, to the unsettled state a
country at the time, and the rebellion which broke out
about that period—slag: r• in7e, promulgated : and from this
extraordinary ornisL;ion may be traced the. direful misery
and destitation of the great mass of the people of 'this
country. The Irish House of Commons subsequently
evinced a strong desire to lessen the grievances of the
poor, by passing various acts for the maintenance of houses
of industry ; and subsequently also, in November 1 772.
Dublia Freeman,