14. Conservatoire des Arts et Métiers.
This establishment is situated in the Rue St. Martin, No. 292,
in the vicinity of the Porte St. Martin, facing the new Square des
Arts et Métiers. Admission on Sundays and Thursdays, 10—4 o'clock,
gratis; on Mondays, Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays 1 fr.
The collections of the *Conservatoire des Arts et Métiers,
the Polytechnic of Paris, are probably the most extensive of their
kind in Europe. The edifice which contains them once belonged
to the wealthy Benedietine Abbey of St. Martin des Champs, secularized
in 1789. A portal erected in 1848—50 bears an inscription,
on the side next to the court, which records that the
abbey was founded in 1060, that the establishment of the conservatoire
was decreed by the Convention in 1794, and that the collections
were commenced in this edifice in 1798.
The lectures, which are public, embrace geometry, mechanics,
chemistry, physical science, the arts of spinning, weaving, dyeing
and printing, natural history as connected with commerce, the
laws relating to commerce etc.
The vestibule of the basement story is adorned with a relief
by Ruxtheil, representing Dædalus and Icarus, and with busts of
Laplace, Vaucanson etc. Then a small gallery to the l. containing
every variety of grain, seeds etc, and numerous casts of
vegetable products. Farther down is the Salle d'Echo, a species
of whispering gallery, which contains a fine model of the "Danube"
packet-boat. In the rooms to the l. collections of weights
and measures of different countries, artificial jewels, different
species of marble etc.; the short flight of steps leads to a collection
of clocks, telescopes, also views of mines etc.
The Salle des Filatures, a gallery contiguous to the Salle d'Echo
on the r., contains weavers' looms and other machines, with specimens
of manufactures. An historical interest attaches to this gallery
from the fact that the "Montagnards", an extreme republican faction
of the National Assembly, assembled here under the protection of
artillery-men of the National Guard on June 13th, 1849, after the
suppression by General Changarnier of the demonstration against
the expedition to Rome. The object which the meeting had in
view was to excite the populace to a new insurrection. Their deliberations
were, however, soon interrupted by the entrance of a
detachment of soldiers, when they immediately took to flight. Ledru-Rollin
and others escaped by the windows into the garden.
The third room, as well as the spacious hall adjoining, contains
agricultural implements, anatomical sections of the horse, a collection
of seeds and other articles connected with farming.
The visitor retracing his steps in the third room, next enters
(to the r.) the former Chapel, now occupied by numerous large
machines of various descriptions, which are set in motion by steam
power on Sundays and Thursdays.
The first floor, beginning to the l., contains models of steam-engines,
workshops, water-wheels, wind-mills; printing and lithographic
presses; optical and musical instruments; mirrors, a camera
obscura; Chinese manufactures and instruments; specimens
of turning; staircases and bridges; an Indian temple; railway and
adjuncts; cranes; machinery used in iron-founderies; locksmith's
work; minerals; chemicals; glass, pottery, porcelain and fayence;
scientific instruments; a powerful electric machine; a large mirror
broken in a singular manner by an earthquake at Guadeloupe;
electric telegraphs; air-pumps; sugar-refining apparatus, porcelain
manufactory, pottery, brick-works; paper-manufactory; astronomical
instruments; mills; pumps; gas-manufacturing apparatus.
In the window-niches are placed a variety of printing-presses,
among which are those employed in 1790 in printing the "assignats"
or paper currency of the Revolution, entitling the holder to a
share of the secularized ecclesiastical (subsequently royal) estates,
but after Robespierre's fall utterly valueless.
What was once the *Refectory of the ancient abbey, a beautiful
Gothic structure erected about the middle of the 13th cent.
by Montereau, the architect of the Sainte Chapelle (p. 96), has
recently been judiciously fitted up as a Library (20,000 vols.).
The vaulted ceiling is supported by seven lofty and graceful
columns, the capitals and bases of which are gilded. The library
is accessible for students only, from 10 to 3 o'clock daily, except
Monday, when it may be inspected by the public.
The neighbouring church of St. Nicolas des Champs possesses
a Gothic portal, but the interior contains nothing worthy of note.
St. Merry, at the S. end of the street, see p. 107.
