Nature having endowed Michael Angelo Buonarotti and Pierre Puget with the same tastes, it would appear that she had also given them the same dispositions. Both were of violent tempers, and possessed the most haughty minds, that neither flattery nor interest could induce to bend. In short both seemed to make a sport of changing the direction of their studies; alternately taking up the chisel, the pencil, and the compasses.

Pierre Puget was born at Marseille, October 31, 1622. His father, Simon Puget, a carver, at first placed him with one Roman, a galley builder. But the pupil soon perceived that his master could teach him nothing, whilst Roman, astonished at the youth's talents, left him the direction of his works. An employment of this kind could but ill-suit Puget his wishes were directed towards Rome. Without consulting his relations, or calculating his means, and barely seventeen years old, he left his native city, and bent his steps towards the country of the arts. Scarcely was he arrived at Florence, than he was forced to stop there, to seek a livelihood by his work, but he experienced several denials. Young and a foreigner, the ateliers were shut against him. An old carver, was, however, moved at the plain touching narrative of the young artist, and by the tears,

which his destitute state caused him to shed. This old man's protection, made him obtain some work from the Grand Duke's sculptor; but it was little worthy of Puget: he finished it in less time than the other workmen could have done, and showed so much superiority, that the Italian sculptor, soon perceiving the young frenchman's merit, took him into his house, and boarded him at his own table.

After a year's abode in Florence, our young sculptor left that city to go to Rome. The reputation then enjoyed by Pietro Berettini excited in Puget the wish of receiving instructions from him. The art which he saw that painter exercising, seemed to have more attractions for him than sculpture. Then taking up the pencil, he, in a few months, made such astonishing progress, that his works served as a pretext to the master for reproaching his other pupils their allowing themselves to be thus surpassed by a foreigner, who, in a manner of speaking, had had no other instructer than nature. It is even affirmed that he so well imitated the manner of Pietro da Cortona, that one of his pictures passed for some time as being by his master.

Having spent two years at Rome, Puget came back to Florence, in 1642, with Berettini, whom the Grand Duke had called to paint the ceilings of the Palazzo Pitti. But Puget did not remain long in that city. He returned to his native town, after an absence of four years.

Some officers of the Royal Navy having visited Puget were struck with the beauty of the plans he had drawn for the ornamenting of ships. They communicated them to the superintendant of the marine departement, and the sculptor was called to Toulon. It was then he invented those galleries which give so much grandeur to large ships, that foreigners imitated them immediately; and they have since constantly been adopted in the building of ships.

The active mind, with which Puget was endowed, caused

him to be remarked in whatever he undertook. He became eminent as a naval architect, by the building of several ships, and by the invention of machines to unload vessels, and to draw the timber out of basins. It was he also, who introduced the use of cranes, two of which were set up, at Toulon, under his immediate directions.

Puget's pictures are but little known out of his own country; yet he painted one, of upwards of twelve feet, for Ann of Austria, representing the ship he had just built, and which, in 1646, was named la Reine. He painted for the church of the Jesuits, at Aix, an Annunciation, and a Visitation. The former of these pictures is still at Aix, in M. de Fons-Colomb's cabinet. He painted, for the cathedral of Marseille, three other pictures, which are now in the Museum of that city. The Baptizing of Constantine, and that of Clovis; also a Christ supported by Angels, a picture of a striking effect, well composed and finely coloured.

He painted also several easel pictures, among which are remarked a David, after Guido's manner, an Infant Jesus in the Manger, a Flight into Egypt, a saint John the Baptist, a saint Denis, a Bacchanal, and a picture representing the Education of Achilles by the Centaur Chiron.

Puget had various opportunities of showing his talent in civil architecture. It was he who planned the Ride at Marseille, but, the Triumphal Arch, he had designed to be at the end of the walk, was left out. He had also made a design of a Mansion House for Marseille, and had begun the dock yard at Toulon ; but this work being suspended, a fire destroyed the part he had built, and another Architect was entrusted with the construction of one upon a different plan. Puget built also several private bouses, both at Toulon and at Aix, for the marquis d'Argens he built two houses for himself: one at Marseille, in the rue de Rome, over which was this motto: Niuno lavoro

senza pena. His other house was in the country, at a small distance from town, and is built in the style of an Italian Villa. He also began the churches of la Charité and of the Capuchins, which were finished by his son.

Puget did also several works at Genoa, such as the grand altar, in the church of St Cyr; the Canopy to the grand altar of Santa Maria di Carignano, and finally the church of the Annunciade, which he did not terminate; but the model, executed by him, is seen in the sacristy of the present church.

In 1657, Puget falling dangerously ill, gave up painting under the idea, that the intense study it required was injurious to his health. He then gave himself up wholly to sculpture, which he had looked upon, until then, only as a secondary art, and which he had exercised only for the profit that he derived from it.

The two Tritons that support the Mansion House at Toulon, were the first subjects than engaged Puget's chisel. They were much admired by Lewis XIV, in his journey through Provence; and, in 1659, Fouquet wished to see the sculptor and to employ him in adorning his gardens at Vaux-le-Vicomte. But as there was no marble at Paris, and the grandeur of the superintendant did not allow any other substance to be used, the sculptor set off for Carrara, that he might himself choose the blocks he should want. When he was arrived at his destination, he could not remain inactive, therefore whilst the marble was being shipped, he made in the very quarry, a statue of Hercules sitting, and resting after the conquest of the apples in the garden of the Hesperides. This statue, which is often called the Gallic Hercules, was afterwards purchased by Colbert, and placed in the gardens at Sceaux : it is now in one of the halls of the Chamber of Pairs. Puget was still at Genoa, when he learnt Fouquet's disgrace : fearing he should then have no work at Paris, he accepted the offers that were

made to him at Genoa, and did two colossal statues for the dome of Santa Maria di Carignano: the one represents the blessed Alexander Paoli, bishop of that church; the other is a St Sebastian, a figure that is very justly admired. Puget did also three statues of the Virgin, one for the chapel of the Lords of Carega; another for the Albergo dei Poveri, or Poor House; and the third for the senator Lomellini. This one was bequeathed, by the last descendant of that family, to the Brotherhood of St Philip, where it is now seen.

Whilst the Michael Angelo of France was obliged to exercise his talent at Genoa, Colbert was inviting to Paris the famous Bernini. This artist, on landing at Toulon, saw the tritons of which we have spoken, and could not help testifying to the minister his astonishment that a man of so remarkable a talent should be allowed to remain out of France. Perhaps the real motives might be known, if it be remembered, that during Puget's residence in Paris, Mazarine made some useless efforts to detain him there; and that Colbert, who, no doubt, had been charged with that negociation by the cardinal, had been disgusted at the haughty manners of the Provençal artist. Perhaps, also, the minister might wish to keep away a man, who appeared strongly attached to the superintendant Fouquet. However, from the observations that were now made, Puget was recalled to France, received the title of director of the carved-works for ships, and a pension of 3600 franks, or L. 150.

Puget left Genoa, after a residence there of eight years. As soon as he arrived at Toulon, he was commissioned to construct the gallery for the ship le Monarque; this work was so much admired that the duke Beaufort declared himself Puget's patron. But fortune was once more adverse to the sculptor; the admiral having been killed in his first sally, our artist lost a protector who might have saved him the subsequent vexations with which he was annoyed.