Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this file which includes the original illustrations. See 43085-h.htm or 43085-h.zip: (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/43085/43085-h/43085-h.htm) or (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/43085/43085-h.zip) Images of the original pages are available through Internet Archive. See https://archive.org/details/meissonier00barbuoft Masterpieces in Colour Edited by--M. Henry Roujon MEISSONIER (1815-1891) * * * * * _IN THE SAME SERIES_ REYNOLDS RUBENS VELASQUEZ HOLBEIN GREUZE BURNE-JONES TURNER LE BRUN BOTTICELLI CHARDIN ROMNEY MILLET REMBRANDT RAEBURN BELLINI SARGENT FRA ANGELICO CONSTABLE ROSSETTI MEMLING RAPHAEL FRAGONARD LEIGHTON DÜRER HOLMAN HUNT LAWRENCE TITIAN HOGARTH MILLAIS WATTEAU LUINI MURILLO FRANZ HALS WATTS CARLO DOLCI INGRES GAINSBOROUGH COROT TINTORETTO DELACROIX VAN DYCK FRA LIPPO LIPPI DA VINCI PUVIS DE CHAVANNES WHISTLER MEISSONIER MONTAGNA _IN PREPARATION_ GEROME BOUCHER VERONESE PERUGINO VAN EYCK * * * * * [Illustration: PLATE I.--THE FLUTE-PLAYER (In the Musée du Louvre) Meissonier's erudition was such that it enabled him to combine the skill of the artist with the utmost fidelity in details of costume. In the _Flute-player_, the artist predominates. This figure, with foot slightly raised in the act of beating time, is admirably life-like.] MEISSONIER Translated from the French by Frederic Taber Cooper Illustrated with Eight Reproductions in Colour [Illustration: IN SEMPITERNUM.] Frederick A. Stokes Company New York--Publishers Copyright, 1912, by Frederick A. Stokes Company [Illustration: May 1912] The · Plimpton · Press [W · D · O] Norwood · Mass · USA CONTENTS Page Introduction 11 Early Years 16 First Success 30 Etchings 32 Paintings 36 Military Paintings 61 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Plate Page I. The Flute-Player Frontispiece In the Musée du Louvre II. Les Ordonnances 14 Tommy Thierry Collection, Musée du Louvre III. The Confidence 24 Chauchard Bequest, Musée du Louvre IV. 1814 34 Chauchard Bequest, Musée du Louvre