by Henry James, A Little Tour In France — Chapter XXXVIII
“ On the other hand, the statuettes that surround the base of the tomb are of even more exquisite workmanship: they represent weeping women, in long mantles and hoods, which latter hang forward over the small face of the figure, giving the artist a chance to carve the features within this hollow of drapery, - an extraordinary play of skill. ”
by Henry James, A Little Tour In France — Chapter XXXVIII
“ One asks one's self how all this decoration, this luxury of fair and chiselled marble, survived the French Revolution. An hour of liberty in the choir of Brou would have been a carnival for the imagebreakers. The well-fed Bressois are surely a good-natured people. I call them well-fed both on general and on particular grounds. Their province has the most savory aroma, and I found an opportunity to test its reputation. I walked back into the town from the church (there was really nothing to be seen by the way) , and as the hour of the midday breakfast had struck, directed my steps to the inn. ”
by Henry James, A Little Tour In France — Chapter XXXVIII
“ But the monuments of the church of Brou are not the noblest that one may see; the great tombs of Verona are finer, and various other early Italian work. These things are not insincere, as Ruskin would say; but they are pretentious, and they are not positively naifs. I should mention that the walls of the choir are embroidered in places with Margaret's tantalizing device, which partly, perhaps, because it is tantalizing - is so very decorative, as they say in London. ”
