Page 43 - Revolution Republique Empire Restauration
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Fig. 7
Fig. 6 family this is not a view of contemporary Florence;
instead it is the Tuscan capital during the time of her
native neo-classical style.The sphinx-shaped supports own glorious republic. Moreover, instead of a
of the arm-rests, known as chimeres, are a wholly framed canvas Gauffier paints this Florentine
French motif and at this date are difficult to imagine panorama as a wall-hanging painted in tempera on
in Italy.37 canvas, in the manner of a pala, and in this manner
succeeds in conferring an air of antiquity upon this
Not only did Gauffier design furniture specifically ‘historical landscape’ which is arguably less an
for this portrait, but also being a peerless landscape expression of nostalgia than a comment on the obso-
designer, he apparently could not resist including a lescence of the Italian state. In order to play to the
garden landscape in his panoramic view of Florence. ‘back rows’, as it were, Gauffier simplified the
It is important to point out however, that though Florentine skyline practically to the point of
being included in a group portrait depicting an abstraction. He abstracted his view of the city down
ambassador of the young French Republic with his to Brunelleschi’s dome and the mediaeval silhouette
of the Palazzo Vecchio.These two powerful symbols,
respectively of church and state, are separated by
the hill of Fiesole, possibly to make a final comment
that here, like everywhere, the blind power of
nature governs all.
37.We are grateful to Enrico Colle for drawing our attention to this point.
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