According to documents collected by M. Muntz in the archives of the Barberini palace, the cardinal of that name sought to introduce the manufacture of Arazzi into Rome in the year 1632, and caused information of every description, of a nature calculated to further his project, to be collected in Italy, France, and Flanders. Nevertheless, it was only in 1702 that a manufactory was established by Pope Clement XI. in the hospital of San Michele in Ripa. Cavaliere P. Gentili especially mentions, amongst the productions of this establishment, some small pieces destined to be offered by the Sovereign Pontiff as presents to the ambassadors accredited to his court. These pieces represent the blessed Virgin, or the apostles St. Peter and St. Paul. In 1760, however, a large work was executed; it was a copy of the Cenacolo of Leonardo da Vinci, from a tapestry presented by Francis 1. to Pope Clement VII., on the occasion of the marriage of his son with Catherine de Medicis. Some years later, seven large tapestries were manufactured for the Paclina chapel of the Quirinal, the models being pictures of Domenichino, Carlo Maratta, and Salvator Rosa, but the execution betrayed an absolute decline. Under the pontificate of Pius VI., about the year 1775, the director, Felice Cettomai, slightly raised the manufactory, which events caused to be closed in 1796.

Leo VII. re-established it in 1823, but able workmen were wanting, and it was only in 1830 that they could resume the tapestry with subjects, until then abandoned for ornaments. Eraclito Gentili, father of the Cavaliere Pietro, wove a Madonna after Murillo; he became director under Gregory XVI.

The conquest of Rome by the Italians diminished the manufactory; the director Eraclito Gentili was dismissed, and replaced by the drawing master of the hospital, who endeavoured to form workmen from among the children of the hospital establishments, and keep up the manufacture.

A small workshop has been provisionally opened by the Cavaliere Pietro Gentili at the Vatican, where old tapestries are repaired; and it was by means of the information here obtained by him, that M. Paliard was able to recover the Coronation of the Virgin.

However valuable these indications may be, they are insufficient to enable connoisseurs to recognise the true derivation of Italian tapestries. Everyone still remembers the three pieces representing Lot and his daughters, Abraham, Hagar, and Ishmael, and Hagar and Ishmael cast forth, subjects of the sixteenth century and executed with remarkable taste, not only indicate a pure Italian style; but the second, Abraham, Hagar and Ishmael, bore the signature Co. 1O. GA, purely Italian, recalling the monograms of the maiolica artists of the duchy of Urbino. Hence the difficulty of referring with any probability this charming piece to any one of the workshops hitherto known.

Another tapestry, belonging to Devers, reviver of the art of ceramics in relief, represented a subject of ancient history. An emperor was depicted wearing the radiated crown, and receiving some old men dressed in classic costume. Though the style was somewhat feeble, yet this tapestry still showed a certain grandeur, and the border with its caryatides, masks, trophies and fire-pots (braseros), still recalled the fine Italian taste. It bore the escutcheon of the Mocenigo family : is this alone enough to prove it of Venetian workmanship?

As to Mr. Juglar's piece, forming part of a series illustrating the history of Samson, while everyone admired its lofty style, and the firmness of its drawing, nothing could be detected in it warranting us to refer it to Ferrara, rather than to Florence or any other school.

The uncertainty is still further increased when we come to determine the origin of the tapestries that may have been executed in Italy by Flemish artists. A proof of this is well seen in the case of those exhibited by M. Chavannes in the History of Costume. The borders presented a disposition analogous to that described by us in the history of Diana, with certain discrepancies, strengthened by various coats of arms, all of which are Italian. In the "Pastoral Pleasures" the groups also denoted the Italian taste, and lastly in the " Combat of the Romans and Sabines," besides these indications, appealing more to the mind than to the eye, a warrior showed his shield inscribed with a cipher or monogram closely resembling those of the maiolicas, and in which will some day be recognised the signature of an artist. The owner meantime warmly protested against the opinion expressed by some that these curious pieces were to be referred to Brussels. He pointed out that they never bore the usual mark of the two B's, and he supplied us with the tracing of this sign embroidered upon the margins of the hangings exhibited, and still better preserved on a third piece not exhibited: "the Rape of the Sabines." We must admit having been much struck by the presence of the Cross in this monogram. It now seems to us a proof admitting of no further question, when compared with the cipher on the hanging of the Milan "Pentecost," and had we seen this, we would perhaps pronounce M. Chavannes' tapestries to be of Ferrara workmanship.

This is but another instance of an obvious truth. It can only be by such gatherings, affording opportunities of comparing and contrasting the tapestries possessed by amateurs, that we shall ever succeed in clearing up the history of Italian tapestries.