Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1847-10-30

has attempted to give list in his Description DIES antiques
du Muscle Royal de France The modern history of the
may be much more briefly dispatched.
After the downfall of the Roman Empire Of the West gem
engraving may have continued be partially practised in
Constannope but every where else in Europe have
gradually sunk back into the rude aphabetc continuance which
it in Moses's time. Apparently almost equally ceased
in the East except for the cutting of aJraras and other
snans Some Of these had only the defensive virtue of
lets others Gas those of the Gnoscs supposed
upon the soul with kind Of religious efficacy while third
sort endued with magical power all those nhabi-
ans Of the invisible world who dwell (be it said without of
ence) other place than heaven These gems usually
had craven upon them that exercised speL
cial compusion gen and those other spirits Of less polite
designation, and were possibly sgnetngs of the devil One
Of this famous in many rabbnca legends and Arabian
tales, Solomons seal That wise monarch was seems,
accustomed to asten up with it demons in packages
kes much bottle up wine. Another instance Of such
rings that historical Of Gyges, the Lydian shepherd
who, making himself invisible by its assistance suppanted
King CANDIDATES. in his bed and on his throne.
In this loss Of the art of cutting gems, however, their pre-
cious material did to be esteemed their
workmanship Still they valued rather by the monks
than by the terate monarchs and warriors that they
thus be safely transmitted to times when they
more began to be initiated.
Vittore Psanelo FIorentne Tuscan, who lived about
l4O6, the eldest gem-engaver of modern times
little later 43s) the display of gems upon the person of the
Emperor Paoogus while attending the Council of Florence
renewed the taste for them in Italy The fortunate discovery
of fine antiques Florence and elsewhere afforded
des and the munfcence of the Medici patrons that the
art revived by Psaneo soon sprang up again, along with
painting and stauay. Giovanni dele Cornoe ohn of the
Carneans and Nannid Prospero dale Carnoe Forentnes
with Dominica Compagnie del Camel Manese, had alrea
dy by the end of the century carried their great excel
ence As engavers then rarely affixed their their
works, however, know with certainty but single piece
by the first Of these scuporhe famous head of the monk
Savonaroa, on carnelian in the Forentne Museum OF
Dominica, head of Ludovco Sforza Moro, cut ruby
in the collection To these succeeded Bernardo dele
Cornioc Valerie Vcentno Pietro Maria da Pesca Niche
lno who ourshed about the time of Leo x The last
has been supposed the engraver of the admirable seal
ring of Michael Angelo "a carneian about the antiquity of
which there much debate.
AS Of the period, and of arts closely akin we may
here refer the famous cups and other minor carved utensils
in metal of Benvenuto Cen many of which subjects of
his inventions and vie with the best antiques of metal
also the works of Valerie Be and Of the five Saracch in
glass The crystal box of the former cut for Clement VII
present Francis l. of France, and now in Florence
and Albert Bavarias crystal helmet by the latter sin
gular and renowned pieces of skill.
Milan also produced famous gem-engravers Jaco
po da Trezza who executed for Philip H. in 1884, the adm
rabe tabernacle of the Escuria Another Mlanese John
Anthony de Ross produced in 1870 the surprising
work Of modern times, the stone now in the Floreunc
Museum of seven inches in width which represented
the Grand Duke Cosmo, his wife, and children.
The first gem-scuptor of times is perhaps Bern, of
Milan, Roman. Cervara and Gomeli at Rome, Putinati
Milan him reputation The history of the art in
Germany with Daniel Engelhard of Nurem-
berg (ded 1912 -oers of Distinction Nat
ter, Pchler Marchant Facius, and Hecker. They are
however, comparatively recent and probably not quite
PARABLE except by their countymen the authors Of the Con-
-IcOn, (from whom draw part of our nfor-
nation to the great ancient the Italian masters of
the We conclude from the ludcrous national par
taty of the following phrase in the Lexcons article gem
sculpture It is still pacsed lin Germany with great
cess by several artists and by Polish Jews Nth particular
Skill but only for coats Of arms" o. This is almost il
should say that stauary aourhes in this country, epe
cay small plaster casts of Washington, Napoleon, and
Queen Victoria hawked about the fifty cents
piece The French have pctensions the having pro
duced any gemengraves and the English (see Penny Cy
copedia) boast only the of Brown and Marchan Is
the latter the same whom the Germans claim
this is Platos version Of the tale of Gyges the less
supernatural Of Herodous. This is in the first book OF
the Muses., that in the Republic