We are surprised at finding no mention made of the manufactory this town must have possessed from the fifteenth century: Francisque Michel discovered in a manuscript of the National Library (fonds de Blancs-Manteaux, No. 49) an inventory of the tapestries belonging to Anne de Bretagne, in which these interesting indications are to be found: 11 January, 1499. "Ung autre inventoire oil sont contenuz autres tappiceries de Milan * * * que la dicte dame luy a commandé (of Jehan Le Fevre, her tapestry weaver) donner a plusieurs esglises en Bretaigne." 6 September I507-"Inventoire de la tappiccrie rapportée de Milan, appartenant a la dicte duchesse de Bretaigne, estant en la tappicerie du chasteau de Bloys".

These inventories, quoted in detail by M. Le Roux de Lincy in the Bibliothèque de l'école des Chartes, clearly prove that the Milanese establishment was in full working order at the beginning of the sixteenth century. How is it that Vasari makes no mention of it ? How is it that these works, then general, are forgotten at the present day?

Florence

Florence , Vasari tells us, had a tapestry manufactory established towards the middle of the sixteenth century by Cosmo de' Medici. Salviati and Bronzino furnished cartoons for the Flemish workman, who is mentioned in the catalogue as Jean Rotter, but who is designated by the Cavaliere Gentili, Italianising his name, under the vocabulary term of Giovanni Rosto, which is expressed by a rebus representing a piece of roasted meat on a spit with the inscription FATTO IN FlORENZI, and BRONZINO FlORENTIN, on the two tapestries exhibited. VENICE had its manufactory as well as NAPLES, and in the latter city was still preserved a few years ago a piece of tapestry of the battle of Pavia, which is declared to have been executed from cartoons by Titian, with border by Giulio Romano and Tintoretto, and to have been presented by Charles V. to the Marquis d' Avalos.

As for TURIN, the Milan Exhibition gave several pieces belonging to it, dating only from about the year 1830. There may very probably exist others of an earlier date.