A ; Descriptive Catalogue (with -remarks and anecdotes never befors published in english) OF SOME \ PICTURE S 3 OF THE DIFFERENT SCHOOLS, PURCHASED For His Majesty THE LATE KING OF POLAND ; Which will be exhibited early in 1802, At the Great Room, . No. 3, IN BE RN.ERS- STREET, The third Door on the right , from Oxford-Street. By NOEL DESENFANS, Esq. LATE CONSUL GENERAL OF POLAND} IN • ^GREAT-BRITAIN. i VOL. i, Containing the Italian, Venetian, Spanish, and French Schools,, THIRD EDITION, REVISED AND CORRECTED. LONDON': May be had, at Five Shillings the Two Volumes, of Cadell and Davie^, Strand ; Hookham, Old Bond -street ; Hookbam, - New Bond-street;' Lackington, Allen, and Co. finsbury- square; Jones, Pater-noster-row; Black and Barry, Leadenhall-street. •EXTON, TYP. GREAT PORTLAND-STREET. / 1802. Index to the Pictures. — o * a No. Albano, Francesco » • 6, 7, 8 Amiconi, Jacopo ; * • 29 Borretini, Petro da Cortena S *7> *8 Bassan> Giacomo . • 3 8 Bordone, Paris ' » « » 42 Bourdon, Sebastian , • ' 59 Both, John I . . 121 Berchem, Nicholas 122, 123,124, 125, 126 Backhuysen, Ludolf « . 1565 157 Brouwer, Adrian * • .167 Bonnaert, John . » . >7 l Bourgeois, Francis 176, 177, 178, 179, 180, 181, 182, 183, 184 C Caracci, Annibal ♦ * i l 3 2 Castiglione, Beneditto » • 21 Cignani, Carlo . . > 27, 28 Casanova, . « » 52 . Coques, Gonzales • • * 104 Champagne, Philip de . ♦ ,107 Cuyp, Albert 142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148 Caton, Charles « * t . VOL. I. B I^okrc, Carlo „ , j j Bguw, Gerard , 327, 12 8, 429 Dewitt, Zinanuel ^ : 0 £ Buc^ Le o , , t6 4 Ferrl„ Cero , „ . 19 Ferg, Francis Pad! „ a . $g Fufell, Henry- , , „ 80 Feuquieres, James » 0 , a 10 Guercino, Giovano Francesco „ 44,15,16 Giordano, Luca , 0 % 22 > Giorgione, idel Caflel Franco » „ 3^ Guido, Reni . „ 3»4jS Ho r uSei-n, Hans • , ; « - 73 Hobbima, 'MindernoY.it % «, m Buy sum, John Van * , „ 137 Beyden, John Vender e . 140,141 Bugtenberg, John Vaa , . 165 J Jordaens, J«mes „ « 102, 103 Jaxdin, Karel du « 130, 131, 132, 133 X Lutte, Benedefcfe® „ # 24 Laura, Filippo . ; 2 ^ Lorraine, Claude * „ 60, 61, 62, 63, €4 I/iBglebacis, John „ ; ?4 LputhoSxjurg, P&lip James de . 81, $2 Index, ASota, Frances so ' » *3l Mora-tti, Carlo . . o. SP- Murillo, Bartholomew Stephen- 47, 48,. 49, 50, 5a Mrgnard,. Peter . * gS Mief, Jarx Grovarmi Delia Vlie- Northootej. James. <, • *7 z t *73 ; Ostade, Adrian » » «• 75- Qstade, Isaac » • • » 7^ 77* 7^ Opie, John » »■ » f Poussin, Nicola 53, £% 55' 5$ 57> 5® Poussin,. Caspar » » - $1 Pynaker, Adam ♦ Poelemberg, Cornelius » ^S- Potter Paul . - »1» • tJ.O.t .V^^ ..; ; :*- i ;V'.' " - ; * * '» . ' ,■„''' ';.'T;'",' Rosa, Salvator * * - *<>i *** 12 ' Romanelli, Giovaru Francesco ♦ • 2Q Rembrandt » - * 7 2 Rubens,. Peter Paul . S& &4* 85, 86> 87,, &S Ruysdael, Jacob * - Reynolds, Joshua,. «■ . •• 186, 1S7 Sart'o, Andrea del «■ •> 9 Sacchi, Andrea . ■ • ■ a ®* Spagnoletto, Giuseppe Ribera . 4$ Stella, James. » • * ®& Index* Series, Dominick * ; ^ 0 Swanefeld, Herman . 108, 109 Stuart a 7 s Tiepolo, 5 f 3 3 j34 Titian, , 35 Tintoretto, Giacomo , , ^5 Teniers, David 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, too, lot Terburgh, Gerard . . , jg g Veronese, Paolo ' S « « ^9, 40 Veronese, Alexander ; t ■ 41 Velasquez, Don Diego , 43? 44) 45 Vernet, Joseph , ' ^ t Vandyck, Anthony 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94 Vandermeulen, Anthony Francis 105, 106 Vanharp, . . t ig4 Vanderveldt, William # 14 g } Vandervelde, Adrian ' , * 162,163,164 Vlieger, De . ; . , . l66 Vanderwerf, Adrian . , jg^ W Watteau, Anthony »■ ; gg^ ^ Wouvermans, Philip 114,115, 116, 117, iifcug^o Weeninx, J. B. . . 13 3 Wyndrits, John . . v 15 3 and Vandervelde, Adrian i i 5 g - and Lingleback, a X Q Q z Zuccarelli s * 8 '3*>33 PICTURES J£T was in 179Q> immediately after the French Revolution, at that epoch when the Emigrant Nobility brought into Eng- land, their most precious effects to be dis- posed of, that Stanislaus Augustus sent here a commission for purchasing a Collection of Pictures, in order to add some to those his Majesty was already possessed of, and. to present the different Artists in Poland, with ■ the other part, as models and specimens of Painting ;* for his Majesty having a most refined taste of the fine arts, was fond of them, and had at heart, their rise and pro- gress in his country. In consequence it was recommended to us, to act with such caution as to purchase none but Originals and fine Pictures of the 2 different Schools, when we should meet with them, at a liberal hut not extravagant price ; and it is on that principle that they have all been gradually purchased, both at public Sales and by private Contract. But not- withstanding a Collection may consist of good Pictures, they cannot all be of equal merit and equal value. As his Polish Majesty was particularly desirous of possessing none but pure pictures, we "were also instructed, to prevent any damage, not to have them cleaned, which, as the visitors of the Exhibition xcill see, has been punctually observed with the exception of a few zohich, after they were bought, were found to have been painted upon, although we had used the best of our know- ledge against purchasing such ; fortunately they had been so without necessity, and arc now an ornament to the Collection. The public affairs of Poland were ?nuch deranged, and the Empress of Russia am 3 Keii us the King of Prussia had already invaded the Polish territories, when this icolkction, though far advanced* was yet far from being compleated* Howev-er we went on in our pursuit , to render it worthy of a Sovereign, ora\ all chance of an exhibition* and it was with tliat viezv that we continued to make our purchases to the very last spring* when it was expected that the late King of Poland? s family would send for the Cabinet ; ut which time some of our friends being desirous to see it before the exportation, saw about half of the pictures, as tliey could not ail be shewn for want of room. But previous to that epoch, and soon after Ms Majesty s demise, we applied to the British Government for their protection and interference in our behalf With Paul the Emperor of Russia, that as principal pos- sessor of the Polish estates, and bound of •coarse to discharge their and the late King's- Debts, his Imperial Majesty would bt \ I 4 pleased either to take the Collection y and re~ imburse what it had cost, or to defray the expences of a public sale by auction, and us of our losses, if any xc ere sustained. As soon as Lord Grenville, then Secretary cf State for Foreign Affairs, had perused our memorial, and the different letters cfhin Polish Majesty's Prime Mi) lister on the subject of this collection, his Lordship sent them to Lord Whitxcorth at St.Petersburgh. but unfortunately the harmony xchich 'till then had subsisted between that Court and the Court of London, was on it's decline, and soon after his Excellency returned home 9 Llowever on the accession of A lexander to the imperial throne, ice renexced our appli- cation, and requested Lord Whitxcorth to remit to us our papers, in order to lay before his Imperial Majesty the proofs of our just claim ; but his Lordship ansivered, that after his departure from St. Petersburgh, the archive had been destroyed to prevent it's falling into the hands of the Russian Go* vernment, at that time inimical to this eduntry, tind that he was afraid all our papers Jtdd shared the same fate* However his Lordship was so hind as to write to Russia for further inquiries ; but last September, we received the following letter 3 which put an end to our expectations, and made us then determine to submit the pictures to the public ie The inclosed will confirm to you Ki what I had apprehended concerning € De Piles and Felibien ; hut such as we have not. taken from them 9 we have no authority to warrant, as they only come from common report. We aim also at rendering this catalogue more useful, by introducing it in a nexo form ; for fan ordinary one, in which the subject of a picture, is merely mentioned^ must be deemed useful, surely that xvhich describes it at large, will become much more so, since the collector who receives if, will be better ii formed : for want of that in- formation, he is sometimes led to a sale xvhere he finds himself disappointed, and the fear of another disappointment i prevents his attending a few days after, the sale, in xvhich are the very objects he is in search of 9 As some of the pictures represent saints, cr their deeds, zve have inserted an abstract €>f their lives, taken out of their legends, and though most men are conversant with my- ihology, as some of the visitors may not be familiar with it, we have used the same precaution about poetical subjects, for how can we judge whether an artist has done justice to the hero of his performance, and given him a proper expression and character, if we are totally unacquainted with him ? But however good our intentions may be, we are almost sure of blame, was it but for the novelty of the catalogue, since some men ws a blue drapery. ITALIAN SCHOOL. 3£ Her right hand is extended across her breast, the other is elevated ; and her eyes are lowered, as if contemplat- ing the face of our Saviour.- — Candour, goodness, dignity, and modesty, pre- vail over every feature of her's, and heighten her beauty, v This picture, for it's high finishing, colouring, and expression, will al- ways be deemed one of the finest of the master. It comes from the ca- binet of Prince Rupert. ON CANVAS. GIOVANO FRANCESCO GUERCINO, Born at Cento, near Bologna, 1590,. No, 14. Two Cupids in a Landscape. It is only under that nick-name the author of this work is known, for his real name was Barbieri, and he was called Guercino da Cento, from an ac- cident which happened to him, some 40 ITALIAN SCHOOL. weeks after he was born ; his eyes were then perfectly good, but he was put out to nurse, when, one day, being -asleep in his cradle, a sudden noise, which by chance happened, awakened the child in so great a fright, that he became squint-eyed, and remained so all his life. The picture represents a landscape* with two cupids who are bending and trying their bows, to be certain of their execution. The eldest is standings and bends his bow with his hands ; but the youngest has one knee on the ground, and bends his bow on the other. It is a work which, for force of co- louring, is equal to Carravagio, and from the expression, drawing, and con- tour, will always pass for one of the fine productions of Guercino. ON CANVAS. ITALIAN SCHOOL, 41 BY THE SAME. No. 15. St. John in the Desart* The young fore-runner of our Sa- viour, is a half-length, large as life, and receives into the cup he holds, the water which gushes from the rock. The design is perfect, and the figure, the most descriptive. ON CANVAS. BY THE SAME. No. 16. Narcissus, Tiresias had foretold that Narcissus should live 'till he saw himself. The fatal moment is arrived, and the un- happy young man, overcome with thirst on returning from the chase, comes to drink at the fatal spring. VOL, I. I 42 ITALIAN" SCHOOL. It is a figure as large as life, drawn with equal correctness and freedom, and in an attitude the most difficult in the art. ON CANVAS. PIETRO BERRETINI DA GORTON A, Born 1596. No. 17. Religion sent to Men. This artist was only twenty years old, and still a pupil of Andrea Commodi, when he made that excellent copy of the celebrated picture of Julio Romano, in commemoration of the conversion of Constantme, to the Christian faith, which has ever been considered as equal to the original. The idolatrous Emperor had vowed to embrace christian jsm, if lie gained the victory over Maxentius. — Victory was his, but instead of fulfilling his vow, he contented himself with presenting ITALIAN SCHOOL. 43 his palace of Latram to the Pope ; and ' very shortly after, his persecution of the Christians, was not only as violent as before, but he even made sacrifices of his wife Fausta, and his son Crispus, upon which Pope Sylvester fled from Rome. Constantine was soon afterwards af- flicted with a leprosy, (such as the Almighty had frequently punished guilty Sovereigns with) and he applied for cure to the heathen priests, who di- Cortona. rected him to bathe himself daily, in the warm blood of infants, so that the matrons of Rome, were in consequence, thrown into the same consternation as those of Bethleem, -had be,en in, under the reign of Herod. — It is pre- tended however, that St. Peter and St. Paul, touched with pity, descended from heaven, and visiting the Emperor in the night, promised to cure him, on con- dition of his becoming a Christian. The following day, Pope Sylvester was recalled, and Constantine, dressed in white robes, entered the baptismal 44 ITALIAN SCHOOL. fount, which is said to have been en-* lightened from heaven, with divine rays, and that in the midst of them, the Em- peror saw our Saviour extending hjs arms towards him, and at the instant of his receiving baptism from the Pope, he was cured of his leprosy. Julio Romano has treated this su- perb subject, in a manner worthy of his superior genius, and the copy which Cortona made of it, laid the foundation of his great fame. In the picture before us, the sky is open;, and presents a choir of angels and cherubs, in the midst of whom, Religion, in the form of a virgin, is just descended on the earth, at the very moment when two young women were going to be sacrificed to idols. On the right of the picture the in- cense is already burning at the entrance of their temple, when all at once, thun- der from heaven, falls on the idols and the sacrificator himself. On the left, another priest, whose forehead is bound with leaves, is seen advancing with the ITALIAN SCHOOL. 45 victims led by soldiers : but at the re- port of thunder, and the sight of the idols overturned, some fall postfate, others frightened and_ surprized dis- perse, whilst Religion, with her eyes fixed on heaven, is offering up thanks. This performance is of a clear and brilliant tone of colouring, and of the best time of the master. ON CANVAS, • BY THE SAME. No. 18. A Battle. The artist has taken his design in the midst of an action, and painted it with . , - Curtona that fire and spirit which are so neces- sary to the subject. We seem to see the rapid motion of the men and horses, ' their ferocity and evolutions, with that truth of expression, which is not to be found but in the works of great mas- ters. The whole is executed with bold- ness, and most vigorously coloured. ON CANVAS. 46 ITALIAN SCHOOL, CIRO FERRI, born at Rome, 1634. No. 19. The Finding of Moses. This Artist distinguished himself in historical as well as portrait painting, and executed with the greatest success, that of Raffaello, the most celebrated singer of his age, Who himself directed the composition of the picture, in which he is singing, with a music-book in his hands. A choir of angels are making a con- cert above his 'head, where St. Cecilia appears in the midst of them, as if angry, and with contracted brows ; a label is coining out of her mouth, and on it are written two lines, which we cannot give a better translation of, than the follow- ing : Silence you ?ioisy , young Castrato, And let me hear great Raffaello ! This superb performance was sold us, as being the work of Cortona, whose ITALIAN SCHOOL* 47 pupil this master was ; but the propri- etor was not probably, so well ac- quainted as we are, with the excellen- cies of Ciro Ferri, whose pictures have always held the highest rank. He has given us, in this, a composition of eighteen figures, most correctly drawn, firmly executed, and with the truest expression. Pharaoh's daughter, accompanied by an old governante, and the principal officers of her household, and attended by her women, guaitls, and slaves, ap- pears on the border of the Nile, from whence has. just been drawn Moses, whose mother is suckling him, on her knees before the princess, whilst her sister, who is likewise kneeling, is holding the basket from which they have taken him; a girl is pressing •forward from behind her, to see the infant. The princess is dressed in white,, with a blue drapery, her hair turned up under a net- work, fastened by a clasp of gold,, enriched with strings of pearls, 48 IT A LAN SCHOOL. which falls over her forehead ; a light violet coloured gauze, running under her chin, attaches on the crown which she wears. Around her are her women, one sup- porting her train, and another carrying a favourite spaniel ; on her right is her principal officer, attended by a slave, Ciro 1 who is holding a brace of greyhounds* and by two boys who are carrying long fans made with white feathers, in the Egyptian manner. The guards are on the left, at a short distance from the princess, one of whom is holding a beautiful white horse, bv the bridle, and on the opposite side of the Nile, are several other figures, co- lumns, monuments, and different build- ings scattered over the landscape. ON CANVAS. ITALIAN SCHOOL. 49 GIOVAN1 FRANCESCO ROMANELLI, Born at Viterbo, 1617. No. 20. Theseus defending the Women against the Centaurs. Plutarch asserts that Periander of Corinth saw a Centaur ; and St. Je- rome, in his life of Paul the hermit, assures us that a Centaur was also seen by St. Anthony ; Pliny however goes farther, for he says that he himself saw one which had been brought into Rome from Egypt. Plutarch and St. Jerome/ from their well-meaning credulity, have only reported what they had heard, but as to Pliny ! — he has now taught us how to appreciate his authority. It is well known that in countries, where riding was not in practice, those who first appeared on horseback, were supposed by the simple inhabitants, to be of a different species, and thought to . VOL. I. K 50 ITALIAN SCHOOL. be half men and half beasts. Hence the origin of Centaurs. A Hottentot in the midst of a review of cavalry, in Hyde Park, would thinK himself sur- rounded by Centaurs ; and so the Indi- ans thought, not more than three cen- turies ago, when the Spaniards, after the discovery of America, sent troops to invade them ; for the Incas and their people believed that the horse and man were but one creature. No doubt is now entertained respect- ing the existence of the Centaurs, and they are universally acknowledged as fabulous monsters— the subject of this picture, is their Battle with the Lapithce, in consequence of the brutalities which the Centaurs, when intoxicated, had offered to the women, at the nuptials of Pirithous with Hippodamia, to which they had been invited. In the fore-ground, aCentaur lies ex- tended at the feet of Theseus, who is on the point of piercing with his lance, another attempting to carry off one of the women. A third Centaur is be- ITALIAN SCHOOL. 51 hind him hearing in his arms, a Lapi- tha3 woman who has fainted, while t wo others are in a supplicating posture, in the fore part of the picture. The secondary objects form a conti- nuation of the sanguinary conflict be- tween the Lapithse and the Centaurs ; the old King Ixion, the father of Piri- thous, is seen protecting the newly betrothed Hippodamia, whilst Pirithous himself is seen performing feats of va- lour, and dealing destruction on the monsters with whom he is surrounded. Such is, in every respect, the merit of this work, that it may rank with the best productions of Cortona. ON CANVAS. I ■ BENEDITTO CASTIGLIONE, born at Genoa, 1616. No. 21. A Landscape, Cattle, and Figures'. This artist did not only distinguish himself as an excellent painter, but also 52 ITALIAN SCHOOL. as an excellent writer, and was still very young, when he published a most vio- lent pamplet against Perrier, in defence of Dominichino. Perrier was a French artist, who used both to paint and engrave, and had set his heart on visiting Italy, but was so poor that he could not defray the ex- pences of the journey, 'till at last he met at Lyons, with a blind man who was going to Rome, and offered to be his guide, by which industry he sup- ported himself all the way, on the alms that were given to his master. Soon after his arrival in Italy, Per- rier became acquainted with Lanfranc, who gave him some instructions, for which the French artist paid very dear, since it was at the expence of his own reputation, Dominichino at that time, had just finished his famous picture called * fess that such works will carry the name of Zuccarelli to posterity. One represents a view in Italy, in the very height of summer. Near the cen- tre is seen a cascade shedding it's water to the right and left ; on one side, are some old trees, and two young women, one of whom is standing with a baket in her hand, whilst the other is seated with a. child in her arms ; on the right VOL* h N 74 ITALIAN SCHOOL. a man crosses the water with a herd of eows ; and in the second ground, towards the centre, there is a house, near which some women, who have been washing, are hanging linen on lines to dry ; build- ings, and some other small figures, are also seen in the second ground. Zuccardii. The other picture offers the view of another landscape, but in the depth of winter; the principal part is occupied by a river frozen over, upon which are seen several people, some skaiting, others walking, and a sledge drawn bv mules. Upon a piece of ground, on the right, a tent is raised in form of an inn, x, ith a sign and standard displayed; within, are people round a table, eating and drinking, and a lire, near which two wo- men are standing, is on one side of the tent, and on the other, some old trees covered with snow, and near which a j nan is leading two oxen yoked. Again we distinguish on the second ground, to the left, some buildings and trees, and on the right, a village at a remote distance. ON CANi'AS, ITALIAN SCHOOL. 75 BY THE SAME, No. 32. Large Landscape zvifh Cattle and Figures. Thi s work unites the most interest- ing scene with one of the finest compo- sitions. In front of the picture, and towards the right, a young shepherd has seated himself, and plays on the pipe, his dog lying behind him, whilst three girls, who are opposite, seem to listen with equal pleasure and attention ; one of them is seated, and leaning on the ground, and the others are standing ; the youngest rests himself on the shoulder of her companion, with her eyes fixed on the shepherd, in a kind of extacy ; three goats lying down, occupy the centre of the picture. In the second ground is a hill crown- ed with trees, and ornamented with buildings beautifully scattered, and producing the most enchanting effect. 76 ITALIAN SCHOOL. At the foot of the hill is a cascade, and a sheet of water, in which a coun- try man is angling ; a woman is stands ing near him on one side, and on the other a milk woman passes with her cow. A smiling country, luxuriant trees, and a serene captivating sky, add tQ the charms of this picture, which pre^ sents us with aU that nature has most lovely and simple. ON CANVAS, Venetian School TIEPOLO, bom at Venice, 1694, No. 33. Sketch of an Altar-Piece. In the centre of a fine piece of archi- tecture, the virgin descends oif a cloud, carrying the infant Jesus ; on her right, is the defender of the celestial throne, the angel Michael who fought and van- quished Satan ; and on her left, Gabriel the angel of peace ; we see also, at her feet, St. Catharine, whose sword and palm of martyrdom, are placed by her side, on the cloud. This celestial group appears to the Pope St. Gregory, who is on his knees, dressed in his richest pontifical habits ; St. Lawrence, whose hands are joined in prayer, and is in the habit of a dea- con ; and to St. Francis, whom we know by his extreme leanness, his humility, and by the simple and coarse vestment 78 VENETIAN SCH00E. of his order ; be is standing, and lias just laid down his crucifix, to do ho- mage to the infant Jesus. Let the judges of the art stop but two minutes before this picture, and they will agree that Tiepolo holds a rank amongst the first masters. ON CANVAS. BY THE SAME. No. 34. Coriolanm in the Camp of the Vokcians. It would be ridiculous in us, to give the detail of an history so universally known, we shall therefore confine our- selves to the description of the picture. It is composed of sixteen figures : on the left is the tent of Coriolanus, in which the young hero appears sur- rounded by 'his new friends the Vol- scians . He is reclining with his left arm, on the shoulder of his lately acquired ally, Tullus, and a negro boy is near, holding his helmet. VENETIAN SCHOOL. 7§ His mother, wife, and son, followed by the Roman matrons, approach him from the right of the picture, and are supplicating on their knees, and at- tended by a standard-bearer, mounted on a beautiful white charger ; — the firm ally of the Volscians appears however inflexible. The figures are correct and spirited, and the most perfect harmony reigns throughout the whole work. TITIAN, born at Fruili, 1480. ' No. 35. The departure of Adonis for the Chase. , Through what a fatality must the iirst chef d'ceuvres of art, those works which have cost so many difficulties, so much study and labour, fall into the hands of men, who like the cock that found a jewel, know little or nothing of their worth ! how many superb pieces m VENETIAN SCHOOL. of architecture, pulled down by the hand of avarice and folly ! and how many capital pictures, which should have carried their authors to immor- tality, are daily ruined by ignorant dealers, and loggerheaded collectors ! Such must have been the fate of this, which had been daubed in different parts, if a French emigrant, who is ex- tremely~fond of painting, had not out of mere love to the art, removed the new paint it was covered with, with a skill and patience which cannot be too much commended. The whole sky was painted upon* which makes us imagine, since it is now evident that it had not received the least injury, that whoever had done it, thought Titian had not sufficiently finished the sky, when in fact Titian, and other great artists, have always painted the skies of their landscapes, remarkably thin, to render them light and transparent. We have ordered this picture to be placed very low in the exhibition room* VENETIAN SCHOOL. 81 that every one may inspect it minutely, and witness it's perfect restoration* At the same time, the public will see, by the extraordinary merit of the perform- ance, how justly entitled Titian is to his truly great fame. Felibien, in his Enfretiens sur les Ouv~ rages des PeintreS) informs us that Titian has repeated this subject with some al- terati&ns; which repetition, after having been long in a palace in Rome, was im- ported last year, into this Country, and is now in a first-rate collection* On the fore-ground of a large land- scape, Adonis in his huntsman's cap and dress, is seen holding three dogs and his lance, and comes at the moment of his departure for the chase, to take leave of Venus who endeavours to re- tain him, , but in vain, as Diana, who appears in the sky, is pouring her influ- ence over Adonis. Near them, under some trees, the in- fant Cupid lies asleep, ON CANVAS. VOL. t. o 82 VENETIAN SCHOOL. GIACOMO TINTORETTO, born at Vatic$i$&x> No. 36. The Angel appearing at the Judgment Day. " In a moment! in the twinkling of an eye! at the u last trump I for the trumpet shall sound." Si. Paul to the Corinthians, ch. xiv. v. 62. The angel at the last day, a figure of natural size, is seen sounding the trum- pet, which he holds in his left hand, and raising the right, to command the gene- ral resurrection ; the lower part of his body, is bound with a light drapery, of a red colour, and which falls on his knees ; his wings are extended, and in the immense space of the air, he flies round the world, to announce the orders of the All-powerful. This figui£, which is drawn in that fore-shortening, artists know so well the difficulty of, is correctly drawn, and painted with so much fire and freedom, that it must rank among the chef d' oeuvres. of that truly great master. ON CANVAS. VENETIAN SCHOOL. 83 GIORGIONE, born at CaM-Franco, 1478. No. 37. Strolling Musicians. This is again one of those pictures where art knows so well how to imitate nature, that we believe we see the reality, arid never has Giorgione rival- led Titian with more success than in this work. We see strolling figures, of half length, large as life; and on the right of the picture, a woman in a red robe, tied with a girdle, one of her arms ex- tended, playing on the tambourine ; on the left is a youth of fourteen or fifteen years of age, who attracts also our at- tention, in playing upon the bagpipes, and we see between them, an officer who has stopt to hear them, resting his hand upon the hilt of his sword, and who seems to take pleasure in hear- ing their music. It is impassible for an artist to give more expression to his figures, or to 84 VENETIAN SCHOOL. \ cover a canvas with more natural and seducing colours. ON CANVAS, GIACOMO BASSAN, bom at Bafano, 1510, No. 38. Joseph of Arimathea laying our Saviour in the Sepulchre, This is a composition of seven figures. Joseph having obtained from Pilate, permission to inter Christ, hastened to profit by it, and came the same evening, with Nicodemus, for the ne±t day was the sabbath, to render him the last duty. We see Joseph raising our Lord, with the sheet, whilst Nicodemus hastens to descend the ladder to assist in laying him in the Sepulchre. St. John and the three Marys, who are come to embalm him, assist at the mournful ceremony, and as it was late, a flambeau enlightens this scene of woe, which the painter has treated with great force of colouring. ON CANVAS. VENETIAN SCHOOL. 85 PAOLO VERONESE, born -at Verona, 1530. No. 39. Saint Catherine, St. Catherine is ranked amongst the virgins and martyrs, and was the dangh- ther of a. King; but the legend does not mention his name ; however it is known that he was a Pagan, and her mother, one of those faithful Christians of the primitive church, who, to avoid persecution, were under the necessity of professing their faith in secret. She took care to bring up Catherine in the true religion, from her earliest infancy, and the young princess became as famed for her learning as for her mo- rals ; but less prudent, or more zealous than her mother, she was not satisfied with a secret practice of her principles, which for fear of her father, had been recommended to her, but both openly avowed it, and sought to dispute with the Pagans in defence of her religion. *' VENETIAN SCHOOlr Surprised and affronted by her coo- duet, the King had Catherine brought before him, and commanded her to adore the false gods, and marry a Pagan, which she declined on account of her faith* and because she had made a vow of chastity; which has caused many artists since, to paint her marriage with the infant Jesus. Having resisted the mmt and threat- cnings of her father, the princess set out for Alexandria, the metropolis of Egypt, where she publicly instructed people in the true religion, and had many public disputes in defence of it, with the ablest philosophers of that city, 'till at last she was delivered up to the executioner, and suffered in the twenty-fourth year of her age. St. Catherine is represented sitting* dressed in purple, with a crown of gold on her head, and the palm of martyr- dom in her hand. A figure full of ex- pression, most correctly drawn, and painted with uncommon spirit. ON CANVAS. VENETIAN SCHOOL. BY THE SAME, No. 40, The Marriage vf St. Catherine, The Virgin Mary dressed in red and a blue drapery, is immediately in front of the picture, whilst the infant Jesus stands on her knees, supporting himself Vwonesu by his left hand, and holding her veil with his right ; he stoops towards St. Catherine who is prostrating herself before him, in the act of adoration. As a King's daughter she wears a crown of g Id, ornamented with pre- cious stones ; her drapery is alternately shaded with green and purple, and she wears the nuptial robe, which descends to her feet, and which is of the purest white, the emblem of her virginity, and over it flows her flaxen hair, with a fas- cination that justifies the expression of connoisseurs, as it really forms a pre- cious compound of gold and silver . 88 VENETIAN SCHOOL* T3ic young virgin holds the martyr's palm in her rjght hand, her left being extended towards the infant, to whose worship she has dedicated herself, while her eager wishful eyes evince the hap- piness she enjoys. A landscape enriched with a brilliant . /- eronese 1 sky, adds to the beauties of this picture, in the centre of which a nuptial crown of thornless roses, is suspended over the head of the self-dedicated virgin. ON CANVAS. ALEXANDER VERONESE, born at Verona, 1600. No. 41. Judith with the Head of Holof ernes. The figures are as large as life ; Judith is clothed in those most luxurious gar- ments with which she had adorned her- self, the better to seduce the enemy of the Almighty; her hair braided with rubies and pearls, is buckled with art, and her bosom uncovered. VENETIAN SCHOOL. 89 At this moment, the holy and strong woman is victorious, and gives to her servant the head of Holofernes, which she has just struck off during his sleep ; but in the midst of her triumph, she remembers the dangers she has to fear; she still is in the tent of Holofernes, and surrounded by his soldiers; therefore she departs with that precaution and prudence which the greatest heroes know how to connect with courage. In the mean time the servant of Judith, receives into the sack, the head of the tyrant, and casts upon her mistress, a look of fear and admiration. The connoisseurs will find that the execution of this work, corresponds with the beauty of the composition. ON CANVAS. VOL. I. VENETIAN SCHOOL. PARIS BORDONE, born at Treyigi, 1513. No. 42. Venus and Adonis. We have but few works of this mas- ter, in England, for they were mostly kept in Italy 'till the invasion of it by the French ; he is the author of the ce- lebrated picture known by the title of " Uaventure de Venice," the following singular historical trait gave rise to the jubjeet. In the night of the twenty-fifth of February, 1:339, the sea rose in such a manner, as to threaten Venice with destruction. An old fisherman, quite disheartened by the danger, was quit- ting his boat, when three strangers came and bade him take them to St. 'Nicholas del Lido, which the old man, on account of the tempestuous weather, and dreading to be overset, refused; hey however pushed off, and compel- VENETIAN SCHOOL. led him to take the oars; his exertions overcame the violence of the storm, and they reached the port in safety. Arrived at the mouth of the har- bour, they shewed him a large vessel, which they informed him, was tilled with devils who had agitated the sea during the night ; soon after having passed it, the vessel was no longer visible, and they assured him it was sunk by virtue of some mystic words they had pro- nounced. The turbulence of the sea abated, and one of the strangers landed near the. church of St. Nicholas, another near St. George's church, and the third at St. Mark's place, where the poor fisherman, notwithstanding the fright he had been in, demanded his fare. Assemble the Doge and senators, said the stranger to him, inform them that through thy means, the city of Venice has been delivered from the ruin which threatened it this night, and demand thy reward from them; but, replied VENETIAN SCHOOL. the old man, they will look upon me as an impostor ! upon which the other tak- ing a ring from his finger, gave it him, adding, shew them this ring as a pledge of thy veracity, and know that my companion who first quitted thee, is St. Nicholas, who is honoured by you mariners ; the other St. George, and I am Mark, the Evangelist, the pro- tector of this republic, and so saying he disappeared. p. Bordone, In the morning the fisherman, who was universally known in Venice, and much esteemed for his probity, de- manded audience of the council, was admitted, and related what had hap- pened, confirming what he was advanc- ing, by the production of the ring which he had received, and after mature con- sideration, a considerable pension was assigned to him ; then the council went in procession, and deposited the ring among the relics, in the church of St. Mark, where it is seen to this day. Some may imagine, that the after- supper frolic of three midnight rakes, VENETIAN SCHOOL. who, careless of the danger, amused themselves during the storm, may have given birth to the " Aventure de Venice and we will not pretend to decide be- tween those incredulous and the faith of the Doge of Venice, of 1339, who besides, was aided by all the senators ; and it is well known, that in every coun- try, a senator is always, if not a first-rate genius, at least a very, very sensible man. p t -Qoriomt The line Picture of Paris Bordone, in this collection, represents the death of .Adonis, arid Venus weepmg over him. He lies extended on some fragments of ruins, covered with a blue drapery, while Venus, who is in yellow, beside him, raises her eyes to heaven, lament- ing his loss. ON CANVAS. Spanish School. DON DIEGO VELASQUEZ, Born at Seville, 1594. No. 43. A Mastiff chained. How is it that the faculties of the mind, attain superior excellence, with- out the heart improving in like propor- tion ? We, on the contrary, see this frequently corrupt and degenerate, whilst the other soars to perfection ; and the annals of the fine arts, too often present us with impressive examples of this fatal truth. In the army, navy, and many other professions, emulation is excited by a laudable ambition, and it may be now and then, the case in the career of arts ; for some painters have been, and some are, at this day, actuated by the same principle ; yet one must in justice say, that by ; a singular fatality, instead of SPANISH SCHOOL. fliat noble 'emulation, the painter is often susceptible of a govelling envy and a degrading jealousy, which (strange at it may appeal ) not only augment as he acquires perfection in the art, but also arm his cruel tongue against the meri- torious works of his brother artists, as they did the cruel hand of Cain, against his brother AbeL Woe be to the youth, who with every generous sentiment and aspiring abili- Vdasquez. ties, enters on this thorny path ! for the rising merit of a painter, is as insuffer- able to the eyes of another, as the sun- beams are to the eyes of the owl ; and instead of offering him help and encou- ragement, the very veterans of the pro- fession will,onhis first appearance,pursue and brow-beat him as a hornet approach- ing a hive, to rob the bees of their honey; so that the inexperienced candidate has «ot only to surmount the accumulated difficulties of the art, but also a host of artists, and unprovoked enemies ; and with them, injustice and jealousy, whose serpents and vipers are already pouring . their poisons on his early works. 96 SPANISH SCHOOL. Will it be credited, that even so- great a master as Velasquez, could be jealous of his own slave, a young mu- latto who had the charge of grinding Jus colours, and preparing his palette ? Pareja, (which was his name) havim* frequent opportunities of seeing him paint, had initiated himself (unknown to his master) into that art to which his natural inclination led him, and he passed the best part of the night, in Vaiasqucz. learning to draw, and in day time, his leisure hours in painting portraits. But Pareja, aware of the haughty pride of Velasquez, and sensible that he -would take offence at a man in so inferior a station of life, having em- braced his profession, was continually in dread of a discovery which however, he was not able to avert. The more merit Velasquez found in his slave'* works, the more his jealous}^ and anger were inflamed ; but fearing, should he discharge him, that the new artist, by having more opportunities for application, would make a more rapid SPANISH SCHOOL. 97 progress in the art, he determined on keeping him, and assigned him so much work, as to leave him no leisure for painting ; but the slave always fulfilled his task, and continued to paint por- traits, which Velasquez, apprized of the place where they were concealed, had VcUsq frequently the curiosity to examine ; and their merit raised his envy to such a degree, that at last his slave was be- come his torment. The King of Spain, who was an un- • common admirer of painting, frequently resorted to the apartments of Velasquez, to see his works ; and as he went there one day, in his absence, Pareja, wearied with working in secrecy and dread, seized the opportunity of placing one of his pictures before him, and prostrating himself at the monarch's feet, he in- treated him to obtain his master's par- don, and his leave to paint. Philip the Fourth, who was possessed of a greatness of soul, found himself in- terested by the merit as well as the fate VOL. I. Q 98 SPANISH SCHOOL. of his unfortunate supplicant, and made Velasquez give him his freedom ; but Pareja, who saw how dearly the forced sacrifice cost his master, whose resent- ment was at it's height, determined on never leaving him, and at length, by his constant attentions and attachment, overcame the jealous disposition of Velasquez. There is in this work of his pencil, such truth, and it is executed with such freedom and spirit, that like Alcibiades* dog, which has j ustly passed to posterity as a chef d'aeuvre of sculpture, this will stand the test, and pass also as a master- piece of painting. In a court-yard, a dog is chained, with some meat brought in a dish be- fore him : unfortunately his chain is too short, and he makes vain efforts to reach it. ON CANVAS* SPANISH SCHOOL. 99 BY THE SAME. No. 44. The Resurrection , a Sketch for an Altar~ 'Piece at Madrid. When Sir Joshua Reynolds saw this picture, he was thrown into an enthu- siasm which cannot be described, as it was in his opinion, one of the most spi- Vdasq ritcd and meritorious sketches he had beheld ; and on being represented, that some of the figures, hands and feet were far from being correctly drawn, he answered that such a thing was not to be expected in a sketch, as their being marked, was sufficient to shew what an effect the large picture would have, and he added, that if all the parts were equally terminated and correct, it would be no longer a sketch, but a finished picture-— let us describe it ! Heaven is just opened, and in the midst of night, it's light is for a few 1UU SPANISH SCHOOL. moments, dissipating darkness; and our Saviour, with the standard of faith in his hand, ascends triumphantly, amidst the cherubs and angels. The tomb is in the centre of the pic- ture, and though most painters, who have treated this subject, have repre- sented it open, Velasquez has left it Velasquez, closed, conformable to the scripture, that it remained so 'till the next morn- ing, when an angel came, and rolled away the stone : — " And behold there was a great earthquake, and the " angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came, " and rolled away the stone from the door of the se- " ?" lch ™>" St, Matthew, chap. Xxviii. BY THE SAME. No. 45. St. Francis Xaverius presented to the Holy Trinity. However eminent the talents of ait artist may be, we find ourselves revolted SPANISH SCHOOL. 101 at their attempting to represent the Deity, under the form of an emaciated old man, with a long heard, and white locks, and wrapped up in cumbrous drapery, as expressive of old age. We are surprized that our ancestors did not decry such liberties, and mark them with pointed censure. We may be asked under what form should God be represented ? and we un- equivocally answer, under none ; for al- though we, keep those pictures in which r^V*** such licence has been taken, merely for their merit, as fine specimens of art, we trust, that neither our cotemporaries or posterity will fall into a similar error. St. Francis Xaverius, surnamed the Apostle of the Indies, was born in Na- varre, a country tributary to Spain, and was educated in one of the most cele- brated universities; where he became extremely learned. He was still a youth when he made the acquaintance of St. Ignatius, the founder of the so- ciety of Jesuits ; but as their maxims differed, and St. Francis, Xaverius was 102 SPANISH SCHOOL. remarkably proud, St. Ignatius, who wished to convert him to his principles, adopted the means of flattering him into a compliance with his views, by excessive praises of his intense know- ledge and learning, That flattery was successful ; the two Saints became intimate, and set owt to- gether for Italy, where they made a vow of chastity. They were however shortly after obliged to separate, for John the Third, King of Portugal, wishing to send some Christian missionaries into India, applied to Pope Paul the Third, who among a number of other Jesuits, named by him for that expedition, in- cluded St. Francis Xaverius. Soon after the nomination, they quit- ted Rome with the Portuguese ambas- sador, and although his Excellency had furnished Xaverius with a horse for the journey to Lisbon, he declined making um of it, prefering the fatigue of walk- ing ; and in every inn at which they ne- cessarily stopped, during the route, he assisted the ambassador's servants in 103 SPANISH SCHOOL. the most menial offices, as well as ill cleaning the horses, and frequently gave up to another the bed which was pre- pared for him, chusing rather to be with the grooms, and pass the night in the stable. On the arrival of the mission at Lis- vdas 1 bon, and while waiting for the ship which was to take them to India, the King appointed one of his palaces for their residence ; Francis Xaverius however declined the offer, and prefer- red sleeping in the workhouse, and to subsist on alms till his departure. It is impossible for us to follow St. Francis Xaverius to the Indies, through China, and the different voyages he made to other places , nor can we enu- merate the many miracles he has per- formed. We shall only observe that Pope Paul the Fifth placed him in the calendar of saints in 1619, and that Gregory the Fifteenth, his successor, canonized him in 1622, to the infinite joy of Spain, who had to boast of a new Saint of their own nation. — It was SPANISH SCHOOL. at that period that Velasquez flourish- ed, and he has commemorated the event by several pictures. This represents the Holy Trinity in refulgent beams of glory/ surrounded by a choir of cherubins and angels ; the Holy Ghost is there in the figure of a dove, glancing celestial rays on St. F rancis Xaverius who, in the habit of his order, is kneeling on the left of the picture, his arms extended, and his head raised towards the Holy Trinity, to which the Virgin Mary, who is sit- ting at the right hand of our Saviour, appears to present him. At the bottom of the picture, are two angels, one offering up to heaven, the religiously inflamed heart of St. Francis Xaverius, whilst the other pre- sents the Saint, with a branch of white lily, as a reward of his chastity. The fire and spirit of Velasquez, are strongly evinced by this work.— The touch is firm, and the colouring flow- ing and harmonious. ON CANVAS. SPANISH SCHOOL. 105 GIUSEPPE RIBERA, called SPAGNOLETTO, Born atXativa, 1589* No. 46. Seneca, dictating his Will* As Hogarth, the celebrated engra- ver, called one day on Sir Joshua Rey- nolds, he was obliged to wait some little time, and was shewn into the parlour, where he found by the fire-side, a gen- tleman who looked at him, but neither got up nor opened his lips. Soon after, Hogarth withdrew into an antichamber, and taking his pocket- book and pencil, he was sketching him when Sir Joshua came. " For these * 5 six months,'* said the engraver, i( I 108 SPANISH SCHOOL. But the wise and religious artist, who no doubt was affected himself by his own work, has taken care to relieve us in some degree, for at the very moment that, fatigued and exhausted, the ty- rants have left our Saviour in the ut- MuriUo. most misery, he has, like another Par- megiano, and with no less power, intro- duced two celestial beings, two fervent angels who are comforting Christ, and sympathising in pains. It was, as it is well known, in sub^ jects of devotion, that the devout Mu- rillo excelled. ON CANVAS. BY THE SAME. No. 48. Our Saviour bearing his Cross, This picture offers a composition of ten figures. Now we see him in the last stage of his sufferings, in his way to Mount Calvary, insulted, loaded with SPANISH SCHOOL. 109 imprecations, dragged and beaten by his savage and barbarous executioners, while his mother in pangs and agoniz- ing, together with his distressed and faithful disciple John, are following him in the tumult and horror he is sur- rounded with. Such trials, such bitter adversities are more than human nature can bear ; and already weakened by a fast of forty days, by a long imprisonment, by his flagellation, and an excruciating wreath of thorns, our Redeemer can no MuriUo. longer support himself, and falls under the weight of his cross — but making a last effort, he raises his head, and turn- ing his eyes towards heaven, he im- plores the assistance of his celestial Father, while by a secret impulse of her duty, and in an effusion of pity, Veronica falls on her knees, and offers him her veil, to wipe his sacred face. It is thus thai Murillo has treated this most difficult subject, which many have attempted, which few have well done, and in which he has been sur- SPANISH SCBOCKL. passed by none, either for colouring drawing, spirit, or expression ; and we must add that it is composed, both with that grandeur and simplicity, which so solemn and so awful a spec- tacle requires. ©N CANVAS.. BY THE SAME. No. 49. St. Joseph returning from his work, zcith the Infant Jesus and the Virgin Mary. The Infant Jesus clothed in a grey drapery, is walking between St. Joseph and the Holy Virgin, who is covered with a scarlet garment and blue dra- pery, with sandals on her feet, and a veil on her head, holding one of the lands of the infant, whilst St. Joseph holds him by the other, and carries an axe on his shoulder, as returning from his work. It is after a prejudice of which we no where find the origin, that painters have 5?AN£«H- SCHOOL. Ill riot ceased to represent St Joseph as a carpenter, for it is not proved that he ever learnt or exercised that trade ; on the contrary, Julius Africanus, that writer who lived in the beginning of the third century, "and whose veracity we have no reason to suspect, not only tells us that he hath known himself some relations of St. Joseph, but he assures that he worked in iron, a term made use of then, to signify a smith. It is certain therefore that we have no kind of authority to make a carpenter of him. All that we know possibly of St. Joseph, is that he was a just man, who descended from the royal family of David, and that he lived in Naza- reth, where he exercised a trade, for in those times, the descendants of Kings lived by the labour of their hands, ON CANVAS, 11£ sfANisii sciioot BY THE SAME. No. 50. A Landscape with Cattle and Figures. This is deemed a great curiosity, not only as an uncommon good picture, which part we leave to the connoisseurs to judge of, but on account of the scar- city of Murillo's landscapes. It represents a country in Spain, en- riched with- trees and a stone building, detached from a very silvery sky. On the right, in the fore- ground, is a large well, with a trough at a small dis- tance, to water the cattle, and on one side of the well, are two women, one of, whom holds a bucket, and shews the handle of it to a countryman who is at the opposite side, with a long pole and a hook, as if desiring him to let down the bucket, and bring water for her. On the left, in the second ground, a shepherdess and her dog are following a SPANISH SCHOOL. 113 flock of sheep advancing towards the Well, and on the third, near the build- ing half in ruins, are seen a man and woman conversing together. ON CANVAS. BY THE SAME. No. 51. St. Mart m relieving the Poor. The legend informs us that St. tydf+fotilio. tin became Bishop of Tours, and per- formed a great many miracles ; was born in Lower Hungary and educated at Pavia in Italy, where his family had settled. His father who was in the army, distinguished himself, and being made a brigadier, did all he could to instill in his son, an early taste for the profession of arms ; but the youth, who only breathed piety, had it in abhor- rence, and wished for nothing but the church, which made him shelter him- self in a monastery. Vol. i. s 114 SPANISH SCHOOL. However when he had attained the age of fifteen, the brigadiers, with his father at their head, came and' forced him from his religious retreat, made him take military oaths, and he was entered in the cavalry. Notwithstanding St. Martin had felt at first, so much reluctance for the pro- fession of arms, he submitted to his fate, and determined not only to remain a stranger to those vices and extravagan- ces that usually attend it, but also to set his follow soldiers, the example of hu- mility, piety, patience, chastity and charity, which, last virtue he possessed in so eminent a decree, that the neces- sitous were secure of assistance, while he had any thing to bestow. One day, as our young warrior was taking a ride in the neighbourhood of Amiens, he met a poor man naked and begging relief. It was then winter, and the season very rigorous, notwithstand- ing which, several had passed the miserable object, without taking notice of it ; but though Martin had already SPANISH SCHOOL. 115 given all the money he had, and was reduced to his arms and clothes, such was the tenderness of his heart, that he divided his cloak between the beggar and himself, which made those who passed by, divert themselves at the figure of a soldier half clothed. This picture was imported into this country about forty years ago, by Mr. Blackwood, of Soho-square, together with a Holy Family, a St. Francis, and the Infant Jesus asleep, all by Murillo. Mur iiie, They were purchased by Sir Lawrence Dundas, who placed two of them in his town-house, and sent the two others to Moor Park . After his decease, the Earl of Ash- burnham bought the St. Francis, Mr. Agar the Infant Jesus, Mr. Thelluson the Holy Family, and the St. Martin came into this collection. ON CANVAS, 116 SPANISH SCHOOL. CASANOVA. No. 52. A Halt of Cavalry. The composition presents fifteen figures and fourteen horses. In the centre of the picture, is seen an officer mounted on a white charger/ and by his side, another who has alighted to open his portmanteau. On the fore- ground, two cavaliers are extended on the grass, whilst to the right, another upon his horse, holds their's by the bridles. On the second ground, the horses are already in motion, and announcing the filing off of the corps ; and we see on the third, that the march is already commenced. The pictures of this artist, as a pain- ter of battles and horses, will pass to posterity in celebrated cabinets,amongst the works of WouvermanSjHu^tenburg, and Bourguignon. French School. NICOLO POUSSIN, born at Andily, 1504. No. 53. The Holy Family at the passage of the River Jordan. This picture is mentioned by Felibien, in his eighth discourse on the works o£ painters, in the following words: — Poussin painted a Flight into Egypt for Madame de Montmor, who some time after, became Madame de Chante/ou by a second marriage, Sfc. for whom he likewise, painted a Samaritan Woman. The first object in the centre, is a waterman who is advancing his boat to receive the Holy Family. The ass hsur already entered, and StJoseph is kneel- ing on the edge of the boat, lifting the blessed infant into it, while his head is turned, as if seeking for the most suit- able place for him ; the Virgin stand on the right, waiting to enter. 118 FRENCH SCHOOL. Oil the opposite side of the river we easily distinguish Egypt, by it's burnt and barren soil, and by it's ruins and pyramids ; a group of angels carrying a cross, are hovering on the clouds at the moment that St. Joseph lifts from the ground, the infant, whose profile only is seen; his head is elevated to- wards heaven, and his looks are fixed on the angels and the cross which ap- pears to have rivettcd his attention. It is said of the scientific Poussin, that he never introduced into his works, any superfluous objects should we then ask why this celestial group and cross ! is it merely as an ornament to the work, and to occupy a space? The cross points out to us, that this is the Holy Family, and as that cross is seen only by the child, it serves as the Harbinger of his sufferings, of his pas- sin^ from cross to cross till that on which he finally expired. The present is the first he experienced, driven so very young into a necessary and preci- pitate flight, to avoid the persecution FRENCH SCHOOL. 119 of his enemy; the murdering, merciless Herod. Could this subject have been treated with more art and wisdom, and is it • possible that any other painter should have carried colouring to a higher pitch, in a work so solemn and so awful? When Mr. Gavin Hamilton, who had passed the best part of his life, in collecting for the most celebrated ea- binets in Europe, saw and examined this picture, he was so pleased with the colouring, that he exclaimed, " it was pure gold and silver." Notwithstanding the superior merit of Raphael and Foussin, some young collectors do not seek for their works, or when they do, it is more for their names, than from a relish of their pic- tures, because they are unacquainted with the beauties of the outline and the correctness of drawing. They find a dryness in Raphael, and too much severity in Poussin, instead- of gay glittering colours, and a soft exe- cution ; so that being more pleased 120 FRENCH SCHOOL. With the glare of .china or the gaudy colours of afan, than with thegreat works of art and genius, they search for such pictures as have a nearer resemblance to fans and china, and we ought not to be surprized at it, for notwithstanding the acknowledged superiority of wine over milk, a child prefers milk to wine. Those young judges will have it that more merit is attributed to Raphael and Poussin, than they really possess ; let us therefore recur back to the age in which Poussin flourished, and see, on tracing this great man in his career, whether the artists and connoisseurs of his time, were of their opinion. He lived at a period, when painting was most pursued, and consequently most understood: it was in the time of Rubens, Vandyke, Guido, Domini- chino, Guercino, Albano, Claude, Ve- lasquez, Murillo, and many other cele- brated masters who, notwithstanding the jealousy common to artists, did however admire and praise the work of FRENCH SCHOOL. 121 Poussin, whose commissions were more numerous than he could execute ; and without mentioning all the palaces and principal collections he contributed so highly to enrich, we will enumerate only those of his admirers who were the most eager for his works. Cardinal Richelieu, prime minister of France — the celebrated Cardinal Barbarini, whose taste and knowledge have stamped the collection of his name with renown— the famous Chevalier del pon ^ Pozzo, — Mr. Gillier, the first connois- seur of that age— and the Marquis de Vogtiera, that scientific antiquarian, whose collection of medals and paint- ings, was so extolled — M. de Cambray, the well known writer on the fine arts - the celebrated Marquis de Seignelay —the president de Thou, another first- rate amateur — Mr. Lumague, M.Scar- ron, Mr. Poyntel, Mr. Raynon, whose names hold the most illustrious rank in the annals of painting — M. de la Vrilliere, Secretary of State— M. de VOL. \. T 122 FRENCH SCHOOL. Maura}-, superintendant Of the finances — M. cle Noyers, the French Meeenas —nearly all the Sovereigns of Europe, and the superiors of the different mo- nasteries-r-in short, all those men of taste and genius,- coteniporaries of Pous- sin, were those who most sought to pds- sess his works. A Mowing however, improbable as it is, that those great characters may have been influenced by his friends, or par- ticular patrons, what could have induced the great men of the following age, to the same partiality, since the bigottcd patrons of Poussin, were no more ? and why at the present day more than ever, is there that avidity for those of his work's which remain, for time, the de- stroyer of all things, has deprived us of many of them ? It is because judgment and reason are the same in every age* and that the rules of art and true taste, are immuta- ble. As invariably as the rule that makes two and two amount io four, a good composition, correctness of design, FRENCH SCHOOL. 123 spirit, transparency, natural colouring, just expression and true contour are required to form a good picture; they are assembled in those of Poussin, and conspire to make his works sought for bj all the true connoisseurs. BY THE SAME, No. 54. A Landscape, mth Orion, and several other Figures. Some will have it that the giant Orion, who was a renowned huntsman, having endeavoured to seduce Aerope, p ou ji, wife of King Oenopion, was by him de- prived of his eye-sight ; but Diodes reports that this was done by Diana, who once entertained such a fondness for Orion, as to resolve to make him her husband, but soon after was of- fended at his attempting her chastity, and boasting of his superior skill in the chase, FRENCH SCHOOL. Vulcan however pitied Orion, and after receiving him kindly at Lemnos, <*av him for a guide, one of his faithful servants, named Pedalion, who con- ducted him to the palace of the sun, where Apollo restored Orioi} to his sight. Fclibien mentions also this perform- ance in the following words : — " II are crossing barefooted, and preceded by a large herd of cows, sheep, and goats ; and on the same side, there is a hill, richly embellished with trees of the finest form, against a* warm and lovely sky : edifices and some ruins are also seen upon the summit of the hill On tlie rigfai of the picture, there is another group ; a man sitting on the water-side, is preparing to pass, and leans on his stick, while extending one of his leg 5 towards a young girl who is on her knees, taking off his stockings ; near her is a basket of linen ; and on other side, a woman waiting. 144 FRENCH SCHOOL. On the second ground, is seen a river towards the centre, and to the right, trees, some ruins and a terrace, the sum- mit of which is covered with an edifice, and high mountains arc perceived in the distance. Of all the masters, the works of Claude. Claude are those that have been the least copied ; in fact, Avhen we consider the precious tints and enamel of this ' picture, we cannot be surprized at it, for he has rendered it perfectly inimi- table. f&'jfaLtA^ Rt+f^rt&>€<>t& BY THE SAME. No. 62. A Landscape with Figures. Vide Lib. di Verita. In the centre of the picture, an old countryman plays on his bagpipes, as lie walks, and behind him, two girls are carrying linen, which they appear to FRENCH SCHOOL. 145 have been drying : to the right of the picture, another countryman, carrying his spade on his shoulder, is crossing a bridge ; and more retired, a flock of sheep are grazing on a hillock. The landscape is enriched with trees, shrubsandflowers,and presents through- out, that calm serenity which captivates the soul ; whilst the declining rays of the yet vivifying sun, recal the lustre of it's meridian. BY THE SAME. No. 63. A Landscape with Figures. Vid. Lib. di Verita. The right and left are occupied with groups of trees, of the finest forms and most exquisite leafage ; and the fore- ground offers to our view, a river upon which are boats with figures. VOL. i. y 146 FRENCH SCHOOL, On the high road," which is oiji this side, we see a young man leading an ass, on which are a pack saddle and panniers ; a little further are two yp$w girls, one of whom is leaning her hand on the shoulder of her companion, seated on the bank of a river, convers- ing together • and on advancing more Claude, to the right, we find another group of figures? one of which is lying down, and appears asleep on a red cloak spread upon the grass, whilst a man and woman are drinking and caressing : near them two figures are seen, and a man who is looking through a spying glass. On the second ground, we see a hill covered with trees g at the foot of which is a water mill, with the house of the miller : .on the third is a shepherd with a flock of sheep grazing ; and at a dis- tance, houses 'and mountains, which seem to unite themselves to a sky, whose transparency is perfectly in harmony with the rest of the picture, which, it will be allowed, is one of the best of Claude, ON CANVAS. FRENCH SCHOOL. BY THE SAME. No. 64. Landscape icith Cattle and Figures. The severest criticism will not im* peach our assertion of this work being one of those chef d' 'mures of the art, to which Claude owes the high reputation CU he enjoys > for the best judges, as well as the most minute scrutineers, have agreed that very few of his pictures have surpassed this* It is one of those happy compositions* which unite the most lovely scenes in nature with the successful efforts of ge^- nius ; so that this great master, by the power of his magic pencil, has presented us nature itself in a work of art, by which the mind and the eye are equally gratified. In one of those beautiful days we sometimes see in England* and which are so frequent in Italy; the mind 148 FRENCH SCHOOL. eagerly explores a landscape, whose serenity and calmness invite the fatigued peasant to rest; and whose exquisite beauties are bitterly regretted by the idle and opulent inhabitants of cities. In the front of the picture, the ehrystal wave plays sportively on the bosom of a sheet of water, of an en- chanting effect ; a road is on this side of it, in which a girl has just stopt an ass she is mounted upon, and is alight- ing with the assistance of a young pea- sant, while some goats finely scattered, are browsing near them, on the same road, and banking the Water : on the other side, some noble oaks of the most luxuriant growth, whose venerable and extensive branches forming a vast and refreshing shade, are beautifully reflect * ted on the limpid surface. In the centre, a majestic hill crown- ed with buildings and verdure, is also reflected in the water ; whilst the dis- tant mountains form a commanding back-ground, and are through the em- bosoming vapour, skillfully detached FRENCH SCHOOL. 149 from a Tery harmonizing sky, winch, free from the burning rays of the sun, presents an atmosphere uniting warmth with comfort. JAMES STELLA, born at Lyons, 1596. No. 65. St. Joseph in his last Moments. The world stands indebted to the celebrated Cardinal Barbarini, for the preservation of this artist, who shortly after his arrival at Rome, where he was unknown, destitute of money and re- sources, and in want of every thing, was thrown into prison, in which he must inevitably have perished, had not the Cardinal afforded him relief. Stella had with some charcoal, drawn the figures of the Virgin and Child on the wall of his prison, when a judge of the art, who used to visit, out of cha- rity, one of the prisoners, chanced to 150 FilENCH SCHOOL. *ee tire work, and after minutely ex- amining it, was so struck with it's sin- gular mcri^, that he spoke of it, to Cardinal Barbarini, who went to see it, aftd immediately released the artist whom he patronized ever after. The other prisoners considered Ji [$ deliverance as a miracle operated through the intercession of that Virgin, to whom Stella in effect owed his en- largement; they therefore paid her ho- mage, and the gaoler raised her an altar, at which the prisoners to this day oiler up their prayers. This picture represents St. Joseph «t extreme old age, and at Ms last me* incuts; he is in bed, listening with the greatest attention, to our Saviour who is seated near consoling and pre- paring him for eternity. The virp is also there, afflicted and weepi^t the approaching dissolution of her hus- band. ' Angels inhabit with them, that holy abode, from which all appearance of luxury is banished, and one of them U FUEycH SCHOOL. 151 kneeling at the foot of the bed, whilst two others, with joined hands, and impressed with awe and respect, are standing behind hini. On the right, a white cloth covers a tabk\ on which some fruits are spread ; and towards the top, a choir of angels are floating on a cloud, united in prater. — «QK CANVAS. ' PETER MIGNARD, born at Troyes, 1610. No. 66. Two young Princes, in the Character of Huntsmen. It was at the demand of Lewis the 14th, that this painter quitted Rome, where he was much employed, to re- turn to Fi ance ; his father s name was Moor , but Henry the 4th seeing him one day, with six of his sons ; > all offi- cers, well made, said, these are not 152 FRENCH SCHOOL. Moon; they are Mignards* and the name remained with the family. Mignard painted ten times and at different epochs of his life, the portrait of Lewis the 14th ; the last time the King sat to him, he said, you must find me grown old! Sire, answered Mig- Mtgnard. ° nard, I only see a few more campaigns traced upon the face of your Majesty. The picture represents two young huntsmen, the natural sons (we are told) of Lewis the 14th, by Madame de Montespan, who were afterwards legitimated. They are in a landscape, and the eldest, who carries a lance, is resting himself near a tree, whilst the youngest, holding a bow in his right hand, is resting with the other on the shoulder of his brother. On the right of the picture, a white horse is seen held by a negro ; and on the fore-ground are lving, a hare and a doe, which the young princes have just * A word which signifies a favourite, a very hand- some man FRENCH SCHOOL* 153 brought from the chase. The whole is well coloured and most exquisitely finished. ON CANVAS. GASPAR POUSSIN, born in France, 160a. No. 6Y. A Landscape with Figures* View in the Environs of Tivolt. As the King of Poland was particu- larly desirous that the works of this master, should serve as models to the landscape painters of Warsaw, we were recommended to purchase as many of them as we could find ; they are how- ever so scarce, that this is the only one we were able to procure. On the day we purchased this, to- gether with some other works of the different schools, we wrote to inform his Majesty of it. He was then hold- ing a diet at Grodno, and on the eve of vol. r. z 154 FRENCH SCHOOL. losing part of Poland, which made him answer, " Je vous remercie de tout mon coeur, car apresent mon bonheur n'est phis quen peinture'* As the French word peinture is equi- vocal, and signifies both painting and fiction, his Majesty made use of that expression, to imply that his pleasures should in future, be confined to pic- tures, and at the same time, that his hap- piness was become but a mere fiction. The picture represents a small upright landscape, painted with uncommon spi- rit/and free from that defect which has been so frequently reproached to Gas- par, of being too green. ON CANVAS. ANTHONY WATTEAUX, bom at Valenciennes, 161 1. No. 68. Le Bal Champetre. In his last illness, Watteaux had re- tired to Nogent, a village near Paris, FRENCH SCHOOL. 155 and as his life was despaired of, the curate of the place, came frequently to visit him, and always brought a large crucifix carved in ivory, which he used to lay down on Watteaux's bed, while he was praying or making his exhorta- tions. At the very first visit, the curate had Wat *'«v** remarked that Watteaux was constantly turning his eyes from the crucifix, which he took for a bad omen of the patient's faith, and being determined to clear up at last, his suspicions, he told him to kiss the crucifix. — That I never could, answered Watteaux, for 'tis so ill made, that I am quite in a rage, with the sculptor.— Hz expired a few minutes after. Voltaire used to say of this artist, C'est le plus maumis peintre que Taievu en grand, et k meUleur que J 9 aie vu en petit. He is the worst painter I have seen in large, and the best in small. Watteaux had commenced as a por- trait painter, in which line he did not continue long, for want of success, 156. FRENCH SCHOOL. though he made an excellent portrait of Pelisson with the spider. Peiisson was a writer, who having given offence to government, was thrown into a cell of the Bastille, where, as was usual during the reign of Lewis the 14th, the prisoners were debarred the visits of their friends, and lived on bread and water, without the comfort of any book whatever, pen, ink, &c. After a few months of confinement, Watteaux. life was become insupportable to Pelis- son, till at last he got acquainted with a spider, which he had rendered fami- liar, by frequently giving crumbs of bread to the insect, which used to spin down as soon as he was at his meals. From that period, Pelisson's suffer- ings were in some degree softened, as the care of his spider, was to him both an employ and an amusement : he con- sidered that he was no longer alone, and found comfort in that thought. It however happened one day, that the gaoler brought the bread and water later than usual, and he was still in the FRENCH SCHOOL. 157 cell, when the spider spun down ; im- mediately Pel isson threw it a few crumbs, but the sight highly offended the gaoler, who loaded the prisoner with reproaches for so vile an amusement, as he called it, and with one of those large keys he was holding in his hand, he unmercifully killed the poor insect, which for the first time, made Pelisson shed tears. This picture is known by the name of Le Bal de Watteaux, after an engraving Watteaux. which is in the port folio of every print collector. On a beautiful spot embellished with trees and a water spout, a superb struc- ture supported by pillars, and orna- mented with marble statues is divided into arches, opening to an extensive view ; in the centre, between four co- lumns, a splendid buffet is covered with fruits and wines, and decorated with silver vases. About seventy figures are assembled on the lawn, comprizing ladies, gentle- men, musicians and children. The dancers are in the first division on the right, and the musicians are 158 FRENCH SCHOOL. ranged on an ampitheatre, in the oppo- site ; more retired and surrounding the refreshments, are the rest of the com- pany, some standing, and others seated and the whole offers a coup d'ail truly enchanting. Surprized some years ago, to find but few pictures of this master, in English collections, we asked Sir Joshua Rey- nolds whether the collectors of this country rejected them! " I wish, (re- wa plied he) cc it was so, and that they " would let me have them, for Wat- 'f teaux is a master I adore. He unites " in his small figures, correct drawing, " the spirited touch of Velasquez, with " the colouring of the Venetian school; ' ' but, (added Sir Joshua) Watteaux is lit- " tie known to us ; his works being cx- " tremely dear on the Continent, the " brokers and dealers bring us over " copies of his pictures, or those of his " imitators Lancret and Paterre, which " they impose upon us as originals.' 1 FRENCH SCHOOL. 159 BY THE SAME. No. 69. The Marriage, In a fine landscape, executed quite in B 7 ****"*- the manner of the Venetian artists, Watteaux offers here a composition of ■fifty-six figures, in varied attitudes, and all painted with astonishing spirit. Towards the centre of the picture, a large piece of red drapery, upon which hangs a crown of flowers, is suspended between two trees, behind the young bride who is seated at a round table, with her lover by her side. The notary is also occupied in drawing up the con- tract, and on the right, as well as on the left, their friends are diverting themselves, some sitting on the grass, and others dancing to the sound of a viol and bagpipe. Watteaux has painted himself in a corner of the picture, with his children and his friend Rysbrack. • N CANVAS," 160 FRENCH SCHOOL. DOMINICK SERRES, born at Auges, about the year i 720. No. 70. A Sea Piece. This is one of the most delicate works, that we have seen of this mas- ter, who has written himself the follow- ing inscription on the back of the pic- ture : — " D. Serves, Bath, 1788. Lord Rod- ney carrying the Ville de Paris into Port Royals Jamaica*' ON CANVAS. JOSEPH VERNET, born in France, 1710. No. 71. Landscape xvith the Viezv of a Setting Sun. If there is an artist at times unequal to himself, it is Vernet who sometimes FRENCH SCHOOL. 161 offers us productions near to Claude, and sometimes such as rank him among landscape painters of the greatest medi- ocrity. His misfortune was similar to that of Zuccarelli, for quitting Italy, , where by painting small pictures, he had acquired a brilliant reputation which he did not sustain when he re- turned to France, for there, he began to lose the true taste of colouring, and the perpetual adulations of his country- men, made him believe himself capable of whatever was most difficult in the art : — from that period, he would sel- dom paint any but large pictures, with- out considering that the touch must then be different from that of small ones, and that he who excels in the one, often fails in the other. However, as the reputation of Vcrnct was established, he was so fortunate as to enjoy it for a long time, and with the continual praises of a people who had then a vitiated taste of colouring, he received the same honours for his bad vol. r. 162 FRENCH SCHOOL. as for his good works — -those even of his latter days, have brought incredible sums. But now that he is no more, the veil is fallen off, aiid for some years that his works have undergone a more just scru- tiny, his large pictures are reduced to the value of oiled cloth, fit only to be walked upon ; whilst his easel pictures, and his fine productions of Italy, will rank his name amongst those of great masters. This offers us a composition of seven- teen figures, and upon the foreground a larse river which loses itself in the dis- tance, where we distinguish a bridge over it, and a town to the left. ' The river is covered with small ves- sels, boats of fishermen, and a ferry boat ; also to the left, upon a piece of ground which advances some way in the river, are trees of the finest forms, and of the brightest leafage ; whilst to the right, on the fore-ground, the picture is embellished with fishermen and wo- FBENCH SCHOOL 163 men coming with baskets, to cany away the fish. On the other side of the river, to the right, is a chain of mountains, on the summit of which we discover a piece of architecture, and from the centre of those mountains, gushes a cascade, the noise of which we seem to hear as is falls foaming into the river. Towards the centre of the picture, the setting sun is seen reflecting it's last rays on the limpid flood, through that warm and light vapour which en- velopes i t towards the end of a brilliant and peaceable career. End of the First Volume* Exton, Printer, Great PortIaiid-stree£ A Descriptive Catalogue (with remarks and anecdotes never before published in english) OF SOME PICTURES, OF THE DIFFERENT SCHOOLS, PI' R CHASED For His Majesty THE LATE KING OF POLAND ; Which will be exhibited early in 1802, At the Great Room, No. 3, IN BERNERS-STREET, The third Door on the right, from Oxford-Street. By NOEL DESENFANS, Esq. LATE CONSUL GENERAL OF POLAND, IN GREAT-BRITAIN. VOL. II. Containing the German, Flemish, Dutch, and English Schools. SECOND EDITION, REVISED AND CORRECTED. LONDON: May be had, at Five Shillings the Two Volumes, of Cadell and Davies, Strand; Hookham, Old Bond street; Hookkam, New Bond-street; Lackington, Alien, and Co. Finsbury- square; ]ones, Pater-noster-row ; Black and Barry, Leadenhall-street. tX TON TYP. GREAT PORTLAND-STREET. 1802. German School. REMBRANDT, born at Leyden, 1606. f No. 72. Jacob* s Dream- We are surprized that the Rev. Mr. Pilkington, who mentioned Rembrandt in his account of painters, should have omitted the most interesting details of the life of this artist, whose conduct was a perfect image of his pictures — a com- plication of wiidom and folly — a. strange mixture of oeconomy and prodigality. He was the son of a miller in easy circumstances, and quitted his father's mill early, for the advancement of his education. It has been asserted that he neither knew how to read or write, which is however, a false and unaccount- able prejudice, for after having learnt those first elements, he was placed at Leyden to study Latin. He was after- wards five years, with two different 2 GERMAN SCHOOL. painters, under whom his progress was rapid, and turning his thoughts to his fortune, he established himself at Am- sterdam, where he married, and soon amassed a considerable sum of money, by means of his pictures and the en- gravings he made, as well as by his pupils, who used to pay him large pre- Rcmbrandt. miums for his instructions ; besides which, he always took care to re-touch the copies they made of his works, and then sold them as if entirely his own productions. He was sometimes so capricious, that being once employed in painting the portraits of a whole family, in a large picture, he took a fancy to introduce his monkey and cat into it; and as those objects were unpleasant, his em- ployers requested him to efface them, but rather than consent to do so, he kept the performance. His avarice was such, that he em- ployed his own son to sell his prints, as if he had stolen them, so that many would be glad to purchase, in the idea GERMAN SCHOOL. 3 that a thief always sells under value : and his pupils were so we i acquainted with his greediness, that the frequent- ly amused themselves in deceiving Rem- brandt, by placing in his way, cards painted and in the shape of money, which he always caught at with avidity. At one time, having on his hands, a considerable number of his own pic- tures,and copies of his pupils, re-touched ed by him, as well as several port-folios of prints and designs, he determined Rcmbrandt > on disposing of them by public sale, but being aware that the works of an ar- tist never sell well in his life time, he set out on a short journey, and procured a letter to be written to his wife, that he had caught a fever which had sud- denly carried him off ; and of his hav- ing given orders, shortly before his death, that every thing, except his household furniture, should be sold. His afflicted widow was immediately in mourning, and conformably to the last directions of her departed husband, made a sale by auction, which was no vol. ir. B 4 GERMAN SCHOOL. sooner over, than Rembrandt returns, surprizes and causes laughter through the town of Amsterdam. At length by a singular revolution, this artist from the most rigid oecono- my, became as prodigal as he was be- fore the opposite, and being in the Rembrandt, habit of frequenting auctions, his bid- dings for the drawings of the old mas- ters, were so high, that no one dared oppose him. His conduct was the same with respect to his own prints, which he always bought up that they might be scarce. He was at last however, reduced to such a state, as to become a bankrupt, and fled from Amsterdam to the service of the King of Sweden, who Continued long to employ him. When we behold in the work before us, the angels descending the ladder, and Jacob asleep in modern dress, we cannot help lamenting that Rembrandt had never studied the antique costume ; but as some men will unite the greatest imperfections with the greatest virtues, so has this astonishing artist made up GERMAN SCHOOL. 5 for his defects, by the most exquisite beauties which are in this cabinet pic- ture, for it is impossible not to be struck with the singular force of colour- ing which reigns tforpugh the whole, and not to admire the magic hand which has traced that mysterious lad- der, and which by creating an immense volume of air, has created an immense distance from the earth to the sky, and a landscape of many miles in the com- pass of about two feet. HANS HOLBEIN, born at Leyden, 1606. No. 73. Portrait of a Alan. We are ignorant who is the person this picture represents, but it is one of the fine productions of the master. ON PANNEL* 6 GERMAN SCHOOL. JOHN LINGLEBACH, bom at Frankfort, 1625. No'. 74. The Fortune Teller. This artist passed part of his days in Italy, where formerly, from- the. hard- ness of the German language, which contrasts so strongly with the softness of the Italian, they entertained a preju- dice that the Germans had little or no feeling. While Linglebach was at Rome, a chair-woman, who used to come to his lodgings every morning for hisv house- hold work, had once during his absence, and hi arranging his painting-room, the misfortune of knocking down from his easel, a picture he was about finishing ; however it fell flat on the floor, and re- ceived no other injury than that of a little dusthaving stuck to the paint, which did not alarm the servant, as she had fre- quently seen her master wash off with a spunge, the dust from pictures he had formerly painted. GERMAN SCHOOL. 7 She immediately fetched one, and after dipping it in water, rubbed this, whose colours went off in the twinkling of an eye ; and at that moment returns her German master who, to his maid's surprize, without making her the least reproach, sat calmly to work and re- paired the picture. That which is called the Fortune Tet- ter, is most highly finished and of a firm execution. It represents a view m Rome, on the right of which, are a line edifice and three marble pillars, part of which is hidden by a terrace, and below, on a bench, is seated a youth of about fourteen, to whom a gypsey is telling his fortune, whilst an old man who sits on the ground, is listening and looking at them. On the left of the figure are some fragments of broken columns, and on the second ground, two men, a woman and a child are reposing upon steps lead- ing to a palace, opposite to which is an equestrian statue. > ON CANVAS. 8 GERMAN SCHOOL. ADRIAN OSTADE, born at Lubeck r i6to. No. 75. The Interior of a Room, with Figures* This master began his career, by painting in the style of Teniers, of which however, his friend Brouwer. soon dis- suaded him. We have seen at the Hague, one of his early works in that manner, full of merit ; it represents a maid scouring and washing pots at the door of a public-house, while the land- lord is at the window, holding a mug of beer. Under the picture is written Signa mihi certce pocula Imtitice. The attention in this, is first attracted by a corpulent Dutchman about sixty years of age, dressed in blue and yellow, wit h a slouched hat, and leaning with his elbow, on the frame of an open window, through which we see a beautiful land- scape. He is seated with a pipe in his hand, conversing with a woman who sits GERMAX SCHOOL. $ also nearly opposite to him, dressed in a red corset and a white old-fashioned bonnet. She holds a jug and a glass into which she has poured some beer, which she is going to drink. This exquisite little picture has always passed for one of the finest productions of Adrian Ostade. ON PANNEL. ISAAC OSTADE, born at Lubeck, 16x7. No. 76. A Landscape xoith Figures. The astonishing effect of this singula? cabinet picture, is produced by the most ' exquisite colouring. A Dutch gentleman and his lady, attended by a page, are taking a walk, and on tlia declivity of a hill crowned with trees, a beggar is asking charity. He is seated with his dog, and barefooted, with a red cap on his head, and his hat ex- tended. 10 GERMAN SCHOOL. A cart, filled with people, appears to be driving towards a distant village, the steeple of which, is seen imely de- tached from a sky lowering with rain. The works of Isaac Ostade are but little known in this country, where they attribute to him such trash, such paltry imitations, that were his fame not so well established, it might suffer by it. On the Continent his works are I. Ostade: sought for with the greatest avidity, and are every where as dear as they are scarce. BY THE SAME. - No. 77. The Interior of a Village. The right of this, presents a view of an open country, from whence are seen returning to a village, a man and a woman with cows, goats and sheep; the woman carries a bundle in, her hand, and the man a basket upon his back. GERMAN SCHOOL. 11 On extending our view farther, we find old houses covered with straw ; the first, an inn, is surrounded with trees, and the most considerable is on the left. Behind it, is also seen the steeple of the church ; a woman is at work at the door of this house, towards which a young man seems running ; and there is ano- ther standing between some trees, and looking upon the road. The fore-ground of the picture, is covered with moss, herbs and leaves, some green, others tinged with yellow, which has a most piquant effect; and the whole together presents the truest image of simple and rustic nature. ON CANVAS, BY THE SAME. No. 78. , Dutch Boors Merry-making. The composition presents ten figures. In the interior of a rustic room ; in the VOL II. C 12 GERMAN SCHOOL. middle of the picture, near a table which is in the centre of the room, is seen an old Dutch woman of great cor- pulency, seated upon, or rather in an old basket, the cover of which has sunk down under her ; she is speaking to a peasant, whose hand she presses in her's with tenderness, whilst in the /. Ostade. other she holds a pot of beer. On the other side, a woman is leaning on the table, with a glass in her hand, while a young man is standing behind ; her husband is sitting near, with a jug of beer between I lis legs, and one of his arms resting on the back of a child's chair : these three are laughing at the amorous scene which 'passes before them. Behind them, a man mounted on a bench, is tuning his violin ; whilst to the right, a little boy lying down on a bench is playing with a dog ; and on the same side, sitting down round a fire, are three men warming themselves. ON PANNEL. GERMAN SCHOOL. 13 FRANCIS PAUL FERG, bom at Vienna, 1689. No. 79. Two small Landscapes with Figures. ' It is well known that this artist died in London in the greatest misery, and wanting bread. Those of our cotem- poraries who have mentioned him, have attributed his misfortunes to ill con- duct and an indiscreet marriage, which however was not the case. On his arrival here from Germany, Fcrg earned a comfortable subsistence by his works, and having become at- tached to a poor but virtuous girl, he married her, and they lived together esteemed by all who knew them. As the artist was one day, taking into the city, some small pictures painted on copper, which he had put into his pocket, a tile blown by the wind, from the roof of a house, fell on his head, and he was carried to his lodg- ings, insensible and in a doubtful state ; 14 GERMAN SCHOOL. he however recovered his health, but was never capable of painting after- wards, as his head frequently failed him. We owe the above anecdote to Mr. Labre, who lived in the same bouse with Ferg, and King Theodore of Cor- sica, whose fate was hardly more happy than the artist's. They are the smallest pictures of this master, we ever recollect to have seen, and are painted with " surprizing spirit and delicacy. One represents a cluster of trees on the right, and a man with his dog, on a rising ground, whilst another mounted on a white horse, rides in a highway, running through the cen- tre of the picture ; several trees orna- ment the left side, and distant moun- tains from the back- ground. The other is composed of several figures, in the fore-ground and centre, amongst which is a man on horseback who appears to have stopped out of curiosity. A finely executed tree rises on the right with a woman seated at GBRMAN SCHOOL 15 it's foot. A monument is raised on the left, and several trees backed by mountains, form the retired parts of the picture. ON CANVAS. HENRY FUSELI, Esq.- B orn in one of the German Swiss Cantons. No. 80. Prince Arthur s Vision. Vide Spencer's Fairy Queen. This fine work offers a composition of six figures. In it are seen Prince Arthur covered with his armour, and asleep, and the Fairies who present themselves to him in his dream. The whole is painted with uncom- mon spirit, and most beautifully co- loured. ON CANVAS. GERMAN SCHOOL. PHILIP JAMES BE LOUTHERBOURG, Esq. Born at Basle. No. 81. A Battle between the Russians and Turks-. This chef d'ceuvre of art, is too well known to need any description ; it was painted for Catherine the Second, Em- press of Russia, to whom it was not sent for reasons unknown to us. We made the purchase of it, about twenty years ago, and have put the picture into this collection, at the desire of the King; of Poland. ON CANVAS. BY THE SAME. No. 82. A Landscape with Cattle and Figures. This picture, which is of an exquisite execution, represents the view of a GERMAN SCHOOL. IT beautiful country, in one of those fine summer days, in which we are sometimes unexpectedly surprized by a storm. . The right of the picture, is occupied by three cows, two of which are lying down, whilst the other is standing under a tree, to shelter herself from the rain which begins to fall : a fourth cow, spotted yellow and white, on this side, towards the middle of the picture, is also standing near her calf which is lying down. Louthtrbom The obscurity of the sky and agita- tion of the trees, upon which the wind blows with fury, announces the violence of the storm. Upon the right of the picture, a young girl is thrown down by the wind, with a basket of eggs she was carrying, and they are scattered on the grass, whilst a man, whose hat is carried away by the wind, assists to raise her. On the second ground, a lady mounted upon a white horse, accompanied by a gentleman, is riding with great speed, followed bv a servant and a dog out of breath. 13 GERMAN SCHOOL. On the third ground, we distinguish an edifice and some trees, but the rain and obscurity permit not the eye to penetrate into the distance. ON CANVAS. Flemish School Sir PETER PAUL RUBENS, bom at Cologne, 3 577- No. cT3. Saint Ignatius, Although Rubens w^s born at Co- logne, where his father and mother, inhabitants of Antwerp, had gone for a short time, he has always been ranked in the Flemish school. He ended his days in that city, where he was buried in St. James's church, in a chapel be- hind the choir. On his tomb are the following lines : — Ipsa suos Iris, dedit ipsa Aurora colores. Nox umbras, Titan, luminaclara tibi. Das tu, Rubenius, vitam mentemque figuris, Et per te vivit, lumen et umbra color. Quid te, Rubeni, nigro mors funere volvit ? Vivit, victa tuo, picta colore rubet. We present in this, one of the most capital performances of that great mas- ter, which he executed for the church VOL. II. D 20 FLEMISH SCHOOL. of the Jesuits at Antwerp, where it remained "till the suppression of their order. St. Ignatius, according to the Legend, was born in the castle of Loyola, in the province of Biscay, about the year 1491, and sent by his parents, at a very early age, to the Spanish court, as page ubcns. to Ferdinand the Fifth; but his high mind and independent spirit, soon in- duced him to quit that situation, and enter himself into the army. Gaming was not among his vices, but a warm votary to pleasures, he was following them with an eagerness usual at his age, when an accident occurred w hich induced him to forsake them for ever. The French, at that time at war with Spain, attacked Pampeluna, where St. Ignatius was then in garrison. The siege was carried on with ardour, and St. Ignatius was not only wounded in his left leg, but his right was broken by a ball. In this state he was carried to Loyola, in the environs, and the vio- FLEMISH SCHOOL. 21 lence of the fever which followed in consequence, reduced him beyond hopes of recovery. / He lay at the last extremity, on the eve of the feast of St Peter the prince of apostles, and as Ignatius had always held that Saint in the highest venera- tion, on the very day of the feast, the fe- ver left him ; but as St. Peter had only cured him of the fever, without re- storing to him the use of his legs, he was obliged to remain in the castle. Rubens The unskil fulness of the surgeon un- der whose care he was, gave him reason to fear he should be lame for life, the fractured bone having been ill set, to avoid which he determined on break- ing it a second time, so as to have it properly set ; he always however conti- nued a cripple. Confined to his room for so long a period, Ignatius had recourse to read- ing to amuse his time, but there being neither novels or romances at Loyola, he was obliged to read the lives of Saints, a work which affected him to 22 FLEMISH SCHOOL. such a degree, that he resolved to do penance, and to become a Saint him- self, by travelling to the Holy Land, barefooted and mourning in sackcloth ; he was then about thirty years of as*e. As soon as his health permitted, he set out on his journey, in spite of the • opposition and intreaties of his elder brother and his friends, and lie repaired to Mount Serrat, a place celebrated for the resort of Pilgrims, where he stripped himself of his clothes, which he gave to a poor mendicant, put on sackcloth and procured a ba<> suitable to the vocation he had adopted ; then fastening round his body, an enormous chain, he paraded the town in his new attire, mocked and insulted by the in- habitants and passengers. St. Ignatius perceiving that he had been looked upon as a madman, re- joiced at it, and affected to be so in the extreme, hoping that groups of children would gather and throw stones and mud at him, that his mortification might be the greater. The earth FLEMISH SCHOOL. 23 was the only bed he indulged himself with ; he knelt for seven hours daily, drank nothing but water, and eat the bread which he procured by begging from door to door, and he was either by himself, or others, flogged three times every day. He at length accomplished his vow Rubens. of reaching the Holy Land, and on his return, he travelled with St. Francis Xaverius, to Rome, where he entered into holy orders, and founded the So- ciety of Jesuits ; he preached much, underwent many persecutions, accom- plished surprizing miracles, and died at the age of sixty-nine. He was sainted by Pope Gregory the Fifteenth, at the pressing solicitations of the Em- peror, the Kings of Spain and France, and many other Princes. ©N CANVAS. 24 FLEMISH SCHOOL- BY THE SAME. No. 84. Saint Barbara. St. Barbara is in the centre of the picture, ascending the leads of. the fatal tower in which she is to be sacrificed. 1 She is dressed in blue and purple, and her light drapery and beautiful flaxen hair float in the wind. Her right arm is extended, and she holds in her left hand the palm of mar- ls ' tyrdom, which in turning, she appears to shew in triumph to her executioner who is immediately following her. He is dressed in red and green, a turban on his head, armed with a drawn sword in one hand, and his other uplifted with violence and visible impatience to seize his victim. Many pictures said to be of R ubens, are as much the work of his pupils as of himself, particularly large historical pictures; the small cabinet ones are generally of his own pencil. ON PANNEL. FLEMISH SCHOOL. 25 BY THE SAME. No. 85. The Angel Gabriel. The figure is as large as life, in a drapery of light green silk and white muslin. The angel descends from heaven as the messenger of peace, hold- a palm branch in his right hand, and a Ricbi wreath of olive in the other. It is well known that this picture is also solely by the pencil of Rubens. It was painted for the Jesuits' church at Antwerp, where it continued for a con- siderable period of time. ON CANVAS. BY THE SAME. No. 86. The Tribute Money. {l Jesus said unto him, (Peter) go thou to the sea, " and- cast a hook, and take up the fish that first *i cometh up, and when thou hast opened his mouth, " thou shalt find a piece of money." St, Matthew, chap. XVU. V. 20j 27. 26 FLEMISH SCHOOL. The composition of this picture, is of seven figures as large as life. On the sea-shore which is scattered with shells, the disciples are standing, except Peter, who is seen in profile, in the fore-part of the picture ; he seems to have just di awn the net, and continues on his knee, on the ground, his head turned to look at the piece of money which one of the disciples has just taken out of the fish he holds in his left hand. The Rube™. ^ me drapery in which this last is clad, has partly fallen from his shoulders, so that part of his body is uncovered ; be- hind him a young woman dressed in red, carrying a basket of fish, on her head, stops through curiosity. In the mean time the other disciples are eagerly pressing forward, to examine the coin, and manifest equal admira- tion and surprize at the new miracle wrought by our Saviour. We plainly recognize the portrait of Rubens in the second figure, on the tight hand, but we cannot refrain from regreting that this great artist permitted FLEMISH SCHOOL. %J liis pupils to share scr largely in his works of this size ; therefore notwith- standing the rich colouring and impos- ing composition of this, we frankly confess that we do not consider it as entirely the production of Rubens's pencil. ON CANVAS, BY THE SAME, No. 87. A large Landscape, with ixvo Kainbows i Cattle, and Figures. It is universally acknowledged that this master was equal to Titian in land- scape painting, but it is impossible to behold the extraordinary performance before us, without acknowledging also that in this line, Rubens has made Titian his model, for the major part of it, recals to our mind, the Prince of the Venetian school, and proves to us that without becoming a servile imitator, an vol. iu E FLEMISH SCHOOL. artist may improve by the works of an- other, whose taste he imbibes by accu- rate observations, and whose beauties he conveys by study to a style and manner of his own, owing to which wc now enjoy, as it were, in this perform- ance, the combined powers of two very eminent masters. Rubens. To the right of the picture is seen a hill covered here and there with trees, principally on the summit ; most of those trees are in fine verdure, and others are despoiled of their leaves and branches, by the wind and the hatchet. On the same side is seen, towards the bottom of the picture, a rivulet over which is, a bridge, and on this side is advancing, playing on the flute, a shep- herd followed by two cows and a large flock of sheep. The centre presents a rich pasture of the finest verdure, and mountains be- yond, whilst on the left; and on this side, we see some young trees and an old willow lopped, shooting out fresh branches, and the root of which is dis- FLEMISH SCHOOL. 29 covered in parts, from apertures ; the light of the sun strikes on one side of the sky, whilst the other announces rain, and presents two rainbows. There is a fine print taken from this picture, called the Two Rainbows of Ru- R*k*** hem. It comes from the cabinet of Prince Rupert. ON CANVAS, BY THE SAME. No. 88. A Portrait. W e know not from what cause, but almost every female portrait of this master's hand, is misnamed and called the wife of Rubens who was never married but twice. If it happens that the picture is not like Helena his first, 'tis then called his second wife, and if it resembles neither, they will have it that it is Rubens's third, fourth, or fifth wife. It was under that denomination 30* FLEMISH SCHOOL. this was sold us, although it is the por- trait of Mary de Medicis, Queen to Henry the Fourth of France, and mo- ther to Lewis the Thirteenth. That princess being endowed with a refined and exquisite taste, wasvfriendly to the fine arts, and became the patro- ness of Rubens, who by her order, exe-r cuted all those grand works which are in the Luxembourg palace at Paris. She is seen half-length, as large as life, and full face ; her head is adorned with a diadem of precious stones, with large pearls in her ears ; — she is dressed in the fashion of the sixteenth century, when they wore those large puckered sleeves which gave an air of grandeur to women, and added still to their charms, by that raised ruff which left part of the bosom uncovered. She has on her neck, a row of pearls, and two others fastened below her shoulders, falling with elegance on her breast — in her bosom is seen a rose of the most precious stones, and her gir- dle is of the like jewels intermixed with FLEMISH SCHOOL. 31 pearls. She -holds a fan in her hand, and there is on her countenance, a smile of benignity. A crimson curtain is in the back- ground of this superb work, painted with the chastest colours that ever came from the palette of this great master. Sir ANTHONY VANDYCK, born at Antwerp, *599- No. 89. The Assumption. Authors differ in opinion, concerning this event, for some pretend that the Virgin Mary has never paid the last tribute to nature, but was carried alive by angels, to heaven. Others will have it, that after her decease, she was brought by the surviving disciples of our Saviour, to a tomb where the three Marys repaired with flowers and per- fumes, when on a sudden the Madona FLEMISH SCHOOX, revived arid was carried away on a doud which descended to the foot of the tomb, and it is in conformity to the last opinion, that the subject before us, is treated. We are told that this picture was in the celebrated collection of Chevalier Verelst, commonly called k malade ima- ginaire de Bruxelks, who attributed it to Rubens ; and there is so much of that great master's colouring, in the perform- Vandyck. an ce, that we are not surprized at the mistake. But the fact is, that the whole is by the hand of Vandyck, when he was in the school of Rubens, for in as much as we are sure that it was not painted by Rubens, we say with equal certainty, that it is not the work of any other of his disciples, with whose taste and pen- ciling we are well acquainted. The picture is composed of fourteen figures. Upon the fore-ground is a tomb, around which are the three Marys and the disciples of our Lord, amongst whom it is easy to distinguish FLEMISH SCHOOL. 33 St. John, as being much younger than the others. They are arranging the flowers upon the winding sheet, with which they intend to wrap the body of the blessed Virgin, when ail at once, it was carried away. The Marys, and those of the dis- ciples who are nearest the tomb, being occupied, do not at first perceive it : those who are behind, first witness this great event, and in the moment of their surprise, we see them extending their Vandyck. arms towards the Madona, who already surrounded with angels and cherub ins, goes distinguished from other mortals, to enjoy in body and soul, celestial hap- piness. © N CANVAS. BY THE SAME. No. 90. A Holy Family* It is universally known that Vandyck possessed even in his youth, those ta- 34 FLEMISH SCHOOL. lents which are requisite for historical painting, and in which he so highly dis- tinguished himself, that Rubens appre- hensive of finding a formidable rival in him, persuaded his pupil to devote him- self to portrait painting, as a sure road to riches and reputation. Notwithstanding Vandyck was still very young, he was frequently solicited to paint for different convents and churches, and an adventure that hap- pened to him, furnished Rubens with the opportunity of disgusting him with historical painting. Vandyck had been engaged in an ab- >bey near Brussels, to paint a Descent from the Cross, for the great altar-piece of the church, which, owing to his love of the art, and thirst after reputation, he executed in a most masterly manner. The monks however, did not approve of the picture ; nothing is so difficult as to please the idle and ignorant. The abbot and the greatest number of the monks, criticized the finest parts of the performance, and concluded by offering .the artist half of the stipulated price. FLEMISH SCHOOL. 35 Vandyck piqued carried off the pic- ture, arid retired to his friends at Ant- werp, but in a short time it was known at the abbey, that some artists and the best judges of the art, considered the Descent from the Cross as a chef d'oeuvre, and worth more than ten times the sum they were to have paid for it, upon which the monks sent to the painter for the picture, which he refused, and it was soon after purchased by the King Of Spain. Vandyck. However, he did not immediately quit historical subjects, as he painted after, ;for the parish church of a village near Ghent* a Holy Family which has also drawn the admiration of every one* Vandyck during his residence in En-* gland, married the daughter of Lord Ruthen, Earl Gorre; but he was at that time, in love with another woman, whose portrait he inserted in that per- formance, and it is the sketch of it, that is here offered to the public. Near a pillar, on an elevation, in the centre of the picture, the Virgin dressed VOL. II. F 36 FLEMISH SCHOOL. in red with a blue drapery, is sitting and holding the Infant Jesus on her knee, on which he is standing, with one of his arms thrown round her neck; two an- gels are descending from heaven, bear- ing him a crown, and St. Joseph dressed in yellow, is standing on the fight, lean- ing on his stick, whilst on the left of the picture, St.. Francis and another young brother of his order, are rendering ho- ina^e to the Infant Jesus. ON PAN N EL. BY THE SAME. No. 91. Portrait of himself. \ When this artist, at the instance of Charles the First, came to London, he was accommodated with apartments at Biackfriars, and a house was given him near Gravesend, for his relaxation and the reception of his friends. It was from thence that this picture came, after FLEMISH SCHOOL. 37 having remained incorporated there in the partition, over the chimney of the saloon, till the house, after repeated repairs, was some years since, demo- lished, the foundation having given way. Mr. Woolmer, to whom we are indebted for this anecdote, then became the possessor of it, and we purchased the same from him, to enrich this col- lection. After the many likenesses and the different engravings of Vandyck, we Vand y ci > have no hesitation in asserting this to be also his portrait, nor does the fire and the spirit with which it is executed, permit a doubt of it's being of his own hand ; it is besides in the attitude of an artist studying from the looking glass. OK CANVAS. BY THE SAME. No. 92. Venus arriving to the relief of Adonis. It is at the moment when Mars jea- lous of his successful rival Adonis, * 38 FLEMISH SCHOOL. wounds him at the chase, under the form of a wild boar. Venus alarmed by his cries, darts from heaven, on a cloud, but arrives too late; inflexible fate! the cruel Atropos has cut his thread of life. Vandyck had quitted the school of Vandyck. Rubens, and no longer painted in his manner, when this cabinet picture was executed. In the fore-ground, the young hunter lies naked, and extended on a blue drapery, one end of which conceals the wound he has received, and' his horn lies at his side. On his right, is the goddess dressed in red, with a light yellow drapery floating in the air; she is kneeling, her hands and eyes raised towards heaven, supplicating the gods to restore her unfortunate lover to life. ON CANVAS, FLEMISH SCHOOL, 39 BY THE SAME. No. 93. Portraits of Lord Stafford and Bishop Laud, in one picture. Lord Stafford is to the right of the Vandyck, picture, his head uncovered, dressed in black, and decorated with the order of the garter; Bishop Laud has on, the square cap and his sacerdotal habits. These figures are in small, but we should mention that we have put the picture under Vandyck's name, because it is in his style, and don t know any other we could attribute it to ; we are certain of it's being an original, or we should not have purchased it ; but we cannot say positively that this is the work of V andyck, as we never have seen any of his portraits, in so small a size. ON PANNEL, 40 FLEMISH SCHOOL, BY THE SAME. No. 94. Portrait of the Reverend Mother of a Nunnery. It was customary in friaries, as well as nunneries, to have in a room appro- priated to that purpose, the portraits of their superiors ; so that as soon as a ■dyck. m0 nk or sister nun was elected such, they used to sit for their pictures ; and of course, on the suppression of so many monasteries in France and Flanders, many of those portraits have been cir- culated through Europe. The superior of an abbey, was called the lady ab- bess, and wore a golden cross ; those of the convents were called reverend mothers. This is a superior of the Franciscan order, which was divided into three classes of nuns, the black, grey, and white ; she is painted in full face, dres- FLEMISH SCHOOL. 41 sed in a black gown and veil, with a white lappet on her breast ; a cord of discipline, is tied round her waist ; and she holds in one of her hands, which are remarkably fine, the lower end of her veil. This picture is engraved. OS CANVAS. DAVID TENIERS, born at Antwerp, x6io. No. 95. A Landscape with Figures, Such was the admiration with which Sir Joshua Reynolds beheld the works of this artist, that he was accustomed to say, hoxcever great Raphael may have been, the world will perhaps one day, see such another, hut it will never behold a second Tenters. This is the celebrated work of Teniers so well known, under the name of the Column, given to it on account of that column being a prominent object in the picture. It is erected, to shew the 42 FLEMISH SCHOOL. boundary of the territory of Antwerp, bordering on that of Ghent, having se- parate jurisdictions ; the letters S P Q A are engraven on the column. Twenty-two figures form the compo- sition, four of whom are placed for- wards, near the monument, which is to the left. More retired there is a group near a thatched cottage, and the body of the picture is made up by figures which are dancing and otherwise amtis- Teniers. « 5 g themselves. The back-ground is filled up by other small figures. A village church, some cottages and trees are finely detached from an enchanting sky. This was formerly in the collection of Duke de Valentinois, and it unites all the powers of Tenders, transparent colouring, an electric touch, with a composition as interesting as it is varied \ and the figures are painted with that ease and spirit which his imitators have never been able even distantly to ar- rive at. ON CANVAS. FLEMISH SCHOOL. 43 BY THE SAME* No. 96. The Four Seasons. We have seen offered to the public, Other small pictures of these subjects, which in truth, were not copies, but that Teniers, have been attributed very unjustly to young Teniers, by those who having but a superficial knowledge of the art and of masters, are subject, from a resemblance of style, to confound his works with those of his father, known upon the Continent by the name of old Teniers. The true judges of painting, easily see, in spite of the style, the difference be- tween the pictures of the father and son, and how much young Teniers has sur- passed the other in works which unite in a degree of finesse and perfection, all that is most piquant. We present these as the original pictures mentioned in the VOL. IIv o 44 FLEMISH SCHOOL. works of Tenters, and from which the engravings have been made. The first represents the spring, under the figure of a gardener, who is carrying in a pot of earth, an orange tree in flower ; at a distance is seen a building in a parterre, where other gardeners are at work. Tenters. The second offers us, summer under the figure of a reaper, who holds a scythe ; and the distance, a field of corn, where numbers of men and women are gathering in the harvest. The third, to represent autumn, is a man near a few barrels, upon which are some grapes. He is crowned with vine leaves, a bottle of new wine in one hand, ' and a glass in the other : at a distance is a vineyard, where men are gathering grapes. The fourth, as winter, shews us an old man, suffering from cold in a coun- try where the snow is failing. He is dressed in fur, leaning with one hand, upon his stick, and holding in the other, a foot stove. On one side are men FLEMISH SCHOOL. 45 skaiting; and at a distance, a village covered with snow! ON PANNEL. BY THE SAME. No. 97. A Landscape with Figures. The scene represents a rugged moun- tainous country ; in the centre of it, is a cross erected in memory of some unfor- tunate man murdered near the spot; there are some figures, and in a bye- road in the fore-part of the picture, a robber is attacking a passing traveller, whose dog runs on before him. The colouring .and efTect are of that style which has stamped the name of Teniers with the celebrity he enjoys. ON PANNEL. BY THE SAME. No. 98. The Sports of the Crescent, This work offers a grand and fine composition of thirty-two figures sur- 46 FLEMISH SCHOOL. rounding a public-house in a village, to which hangs the sign of the crescent. There, are assembled together a num- ber of Flemish peasants, on one of those Sunday afternoons, where according to the custom of their country, they ad- journ from the church to the public house, — On the right, close to the house, is seen a group of men and wo- men, sitting at a table, drinking, and eating ham, whilst those who are within, are looking at them from the windows — others stand at the door, drinking and conversing together, while the maid is going in ; and towards the centre of the picture, another group are diverting themselves, and drinking, seated round a tree, at the foot of which, a peasant intoxicated, lies asleep.. The fore-ground presents a bowling- green surrounded with benches, pots and barrels, where are the players and spectators. To the left, on the second ground, is a piece of water, with ducks swimming, and a small house covered with thatch, FLEMISH SCHOOL. 47 near which a young man seems courting a girl. On the third ground, also to the left, we discover an excellent piece of land- scape, with a man driving cows near some houses perfectly detached from a most lovely piquant and silvery sky. ON CANVAS. BY THE SAME. No. 99. A Landscape with Cattle and Figures. The sandy fore-ground of this pic- ture, is divided by a limpid, silvery stream that runs across. The right presents a bank covered _ ° 1 I enters. with trees, and on the left, a peasant is advancing, bending under the weight of a sack which he carries, supported by his stick, whilst his dog frisking before him, seems to turn, to reproach his master for the slowness of his pace. The next prominent objects are a shepherd collecting his scattered flock ; FLEMISH SCHOOL^ and at a short distance from him, two men who seem to meet by accident, are in conversation together. The second ground, towards the right, represents a village, the residence of the inhabitants of the Canton, and the high road conducting to it ; and far retired, another village is distinguish- able. A pure and silvery sky, perfectly in unison with the other parts, contributes to render this, one of the most desirably productions of Teniers's pencil. BY THE SAME. . No. 100. A Descent from, the Cross. Very few amongst us, are unacquaint- ed with the superior talents of Teniers, in the different lines of landscape, cat- tle, conversations, pastorals, sea views, or the amusements of cottagers, but his FLEMISH SCHOOL. 49 historical pictures, in which his abilities shone with equal lustre, though well known to connoisseurs, are too scarce to have afforded an universal knowledge of them. The present work was done by Te- niers, evidently in the style of Paul Veronese, and we call on the warm- est partizans of the Venetian school, to say whether Veronese himself ever ex- Tenets. celled it, when in fact all the requisite qualities for an historical picture, are united in this. Our Saviour, borne by Joseph of Arimathea, is laid on the lap of the virgin, who lias swooned away, and fal- len into the arms of the faithful disciple John, and of one of the holy women near him. Mary Magdalen has thrown her- self at the feet of Christ, which she em- braces with a mixture of grief and respectful tenderness, while the other Mary appears dissolved in tears. Such is the expression of the figures, and so much truth pervades the whole, that the incicdulous atheist, himself 50 FLEMISH SCHOOL* must feel moved at the sight of it. But amidst the poignant sorrows which the picture recals, it offers a kind of conso- lation, by reminding us that at the worst stage of the world, when people we e >o cruel and unjust, a few at least have commiserated and served to the last, the only good and spotless man. BY THE SAME* No. 101. A Landscape with Figures. In this picture, nature seems reno- vated by one of those fine days of au- tumn, when the silvery, azure sky, and pure air allow us to see the distant fall of a shower. We view a pretty country house, sur- rounded by trees, the entrance of which is across a bridge, thrown over a st ream, clear as crystal, reflecting the building and the sky, which heightens it's tints to silver. Flemish school. 51 In the centre, a majestic oak spreads it's wide extended branches, inviting the passing weary traveller to repose* while on the right, and immediately in the foreground, is seen the owner of the mansion, returning from an airing with his greyhound. He is dressed in scarlet, edged with fur, and his hat is ornamented with a plume of black feathers. He has stop- ped to speak to some gypsies, the oldest of whom, having laid on the ground her stick, and a basket of wares, is telling him his fortune, while two other gyp- sies, the youngest an infant, wait be- hind,. expecting her return. In the mean time, the hag, whose dress and features recall Hecate to our mind, has laid her grasp on the young man's hand, and examining it's lines, with seeming attention, is predicting with an air of mystery, all that will be- fall him. The other objects, and likewise to the right, are figures with thatched house* VOL, II. H 5% FLEMISH SCHOOL, thrown into the back •ground. A rising mist forms a beautiful contrast to the silvery sky, and gives warning of an ap- proaching shower, which appears to have already begun in the distance. ON CANVAS, JAMES JORDAENS, bbrn at Antwerp, 1594. No. 102. The Basket of Grapes. Jordaens, when very young, was in- tended for the church, by his father, a silversmith of Antwerp, who had a large family; because one of his uncles, possessed of a good living, had promised to resign in his favour ; and accordingly he w r as sent to the grammar school ; but after he had been there two years, the masters took it into their heads, to make the boys perform a play, as it was their custom to treat now and then, the city of Antwerp, with some passage taken from the scripture. FLEMISH SCHOOL* 53 The passion was the subject of this; and the part of Pilate's wife was given to young Jordaens,who however declined it, because he would not be dressed in woman's clothes ; oh which the part of St. Peter, was given him, and after the scholars had learnt by heart, and frequently rehearsed the whole, it was publicly performed. The play went on well, in the begin- ning, and till the latter end of the third act, when St. Peter, who was to have J°rjacns. given a sham Cut to Malchus's ear, either through clumsiness or some other accident, effectually cut off part of his Schoolfellow's ear. Immediately the boy shrieked out, and cried, which made every one ap- plaud him for performing, as it was sup- posed, his part so well ; but as soon as it was discovered that he was really hurt, his friends and the masters got on the stage ; all the actors and spectators were thrown into confusion ; and as young Jordaens heard himself univer- sally blamed, he stole away and went 54 FLEMISH SCHOOL. « home ; so that there was an end to the performance, which could not go on without Malchus and St. Peter. From that time, Jordaens could never - be persuaded to return to school, and was after that, placed with Vanoort, a painter of considerable merit, who had instructed Rubens, but though, some authors have asserted that Rubens and Jordaens were bound to Vanoort, at the same time, we must point out the little probability of it, since Rubens was. near eighteen years older than Jordaens. They tell us also, that Rubens was too great a man to be jealous, but they forget that the greatest men are, as others, subject to great weaknesses ; and Rubens became so jealous of Jor- daens, on account of his colouring, that in expectation of making him lose his taste of painting in oil, he secretly con- trived to have him employed in paint- ing cartoons for tapestry, for the King of Spain ; Jordaens however, preserved the talent of colouring, and soon ac- quired fame and great riches ; but he FLEMISH SCHOOL. never equalled Rubens in painting his- tory, as his figures wanted that elevation of character which is so necessary ; and it was, says the author of his lite, in sub- jects that wanted not greatness of ex- pression, that he excelled, such as his satyr and man Mowing hot and co/d, his basket of grapes, Sfc In a journey which Sir Joshua Rey- nolds made to Flanders, fifteen or six- JwW teen years ago, he bought at Antwerp, this celebrated picture, under the name of Jordaens's basket of grapes, and after he had enjoyed it some time, we ob- tained it of him, and it was with this picture, we began the present collection. W e see at the door of a cellar, the entrance of which is decorated with sculpture, a woman carrying a basket of grapes, and behind her, a large par- rot on it's perch — a man advanced in years, and a young servant maid, who holds a lighted candle in her hand, have already entered the cellar, to prepare for the depositing of the grapes, and are in the inside, waiting near the entrance ; 56 FLEMISH SCHOOL. so that we see the fictitious light strike upon those two, whilst that of the day shines upon the woman remaining with- out, with the basket, which makes that piquant contrast so difficult for the art to produce. The old man seeing that the servant's hands are occupied, profits of the occa- sion, and takes the liberty of putting his upon her bosom, which makes them all laugh. ©N CANVAS. yordaens* - BY THE SAME. No. 103. Jesus appearing to Mary Magdalen and his Disciples. " Jesus said unto her, touch me not, for I ?m not " yet ascended to my Father." John, chap. xx. v. 17. We cannot but feel the deepest regret, on beholding this picture, that Joidaens did not confine himself to painting his- tory in small size, for we do not find in FLEMISH SCHOOL. it, that heaviness and want of expres- sion, as in his large historical ones; on the contrary, the expressions are so ac- curate, and the prevalent beauty of the whole, is so great, that we are surprized Jordaens ever quitted this style. Christ covered with a red drapery, and bearing his cross, is on the right of the landscape ; Mary Magdalen is op- posite to him, her hands raised, and in Jordan the attitude of approaching him ; whilst some of the disciples near her, struck with admiration and surprize, are ador- ing their divine master. We are taught that Mary Magdalen was alone, when our Saviour appeared to her, after his resurrection ; but as he shortly after, appeared also to his disci- ples, perhaps the artist has taken the liberty of uniting both these events ; — we are ignorant whether upon that point, the Roman Catholic and Protes- tant belief is the same. ON PAN N EL. OS FLEMISH SCHOOL. GONZALES COQUES, born at Antwerp, 1618. No. 104. William the Third on Horseback. This artist, who upon the continent, is named the little Vandyck, is so esteemed, that his works are highly prized. When William was Prince of Orange, he often employed Gonzales, to whom he gave as a mark of his esteem, a gold chain to which hung a medal with his bust. The Prince is in armour, holding in his hand the mareschal's staff, and mounted on a white horse. ANTHONY FRANCIS VANDERMEULEN, Born at Brussels, 1634. No. 105. A Landscape with Horses and Figures. The greatest part of this master's works, are in France, where they are Flemish school* 59 much admired, not only for the excel- lence of the landscape, but also for his figures and horses which have a supe- rior merit. It was by a singular acci- dent, that his talents were brought forward. There came from one of the provin- ces, to Paris, a man so much resembling Lewis XIV. as to be quite a deception. Vandtrmukn If he went to church, to the public walks, or the theatres, he drew all eyes on him— they believed they saw the Kins himself. He was the talk of the whole city of Paris, and at last> they spoke of him to his Majesty, who be- came desirous of seeing him, and he was introduced at the levee* Lewis XIV. was himself struck with the resemblance, and after having given a favourable reception to the stranger, he humorously said, It is thought that we resemble pach other very much: did your mo~ ther ever live at court An the time of Lewis XIII? no Sire, answered the other, but my father did. This sally pleased the King, and it is not necessary to add VOL II. I 60 FLEMISH SCHOOL. that the stranger was soon after, pro- moted. As it was generally believed then, that the King had taken pleasure in see- ing the resemblance of his features, in another every one began to seek in their family, for some brother, nephew, or cousin who should resemble his Majesty ; they brought them to imitate the man- ner and gestures of the King; they copied his dress, and from the four quarters of the kingdom, there arrived daily at Versailles, resemblers of the Kihej. From that momentj the chissel of the sculptor, presented only the features of Lewis XIV. in the busts of Alex- ander and Scipio, and painters no longer represented Jupiter, but with a large wig and in silk stockings, or boots and spurs; nay, to this very day, that god may be seen in that attire, painted by Lebrun, on a ceiling a Versailles. Though his Majesty had sometimes the weakness to be pleased with flattery, he was a prince of so great capacity,. FLEMISH SCHOOL. 61 that he soon found it was carried so far on this occasion, as to become ridicu- lous, and he began to be disgusted with it, when they spoke to him of Vander- meulen of Brussels, who, they assured him, resembled him very much, which in fact was the case ; / care not said the King angrily, if he resembles me, I only want to knoiv if he can take a good resem- blance of my horse. But for fear of Q2i\- Vandermeulen ling a painter of mediocrity, he charged Mr. Colbert, his minister, to procure first, some pictures of Vandermeulen, and as they were found to possess in- finite merit, the artist soon followed his works to Paris, where he was appointed painter to the king, and where he mar- ried the neice of Lebrun. The picture we now speak of, repre- sents a landscape, in which are seen a great number of people, going to join the army. The right offers an inn, at the door of which several officers, on horseback, have stopped with their domestics, to take some refreshment. On the left, is seen, a high road, upon 62 FLEMISH SCHOOL, which are some horsemen, foot soldiers and a chariot ; we discover also a viU lage, at a great distance. ON CANVAS, i BY THE SAME. No. 106. A Spy taken before Lezvis XIV. r No kin g ever experienced more trea- ndfrmeuien ~ A chery, than Lewis XIV. his plans were almost always disconcerted; because his secrets were exposed ; and all the pre- cautions he took to conceal his designs, were useless, for they were always known ; a circumstance so adverse to the prosperity of his government, gave him the greatest uneasiness, as his se- crets were only safe in his own bosom ; he no sooner uttered them, than they were known to his enemies : and what- ever passed in his council, was divulged even before it was broken up. Lewis XIV. was either far from being loved, FLEMISH SCHOOL. 63 or his enemies were dangerous indeed, from their cunning and means of intel- ligence. As the King was commanding in per- son, the siege of a town before which he had been some time, a spy was taken, charged with a letter, informing the enemy of the meditated plan of attack. The King ordered him to be brought,, . . . Vandirmtukn into the camp, and interrogated him himself, without being able however, to discover the authors of the letter. The spy suffered death, and disdained to betray his employers, so that the traitors remained about the person of the King, undiscovered. Vandermeulen, who was in his Ma- jesty's suite, commemorated the event, and introduced it in this picture, with the portraits of the different Nobility who attended Lewis. The King's tent is raised near some trees, on the left ; he is just coming from it, surrounded with the body of cour- tiers, who used to follow him to the army; by officers on foot and horse- FLEMISH SCHOOL* back, by his pages and guards, one of whom is reading the letter found upon the spy who is brought before him, surrounded by a guard of armed soldiers, his hands tied behind him, and his coun- tenance expressive of the certain fate awaiting him ; he is followed by a croud of men and officers on horseback, who occupy the right of the picture. A regiment of cavalry is in the more retired part, and the back-ground is. formed by the besieged town, OH CANVAS. PHJLIP DE CHAMPAGNE, born at Brusseb, 1602. No. 107. An Emblematical. It is but seldom that this kind of sub- ject is to be met with by this master, whose time was principally occupied in portrait painting; he was particularly successful in female heads, and ap- pointed principal painter to the King of France, when Lewis XIV. was very FLEMISH SCHOOL. 65 young; — he frequently had the honor of painting the Queen mother. It happened that some ladies of the court, paid him a visit in his painting room, some few days after he had finished a portrait of her Majesty ; and they had no sooner looked at it, than it underwent a severe criticism, for it had not, in their opinion, the most distant resemblance of the Queen — one found Cham P a s ne - fault with the eyes — another said that the lips were too large — in short the whole picture was decried. The artist being the only person pleased with it, resolved not to spoil it through complaisance; but aware of the consequence of prejudice, and mis- representation, he informed the ladies that he would do his endeavours to correct any faults, if they would have the goodness to point them out sepa- rately, which they did. Champagne then took his pallette with a dry pencil, and pretending to dip it in colour, he re-touched with it, different parts of the portrait. 66 FLEMISH SCHOOL. In proportion as Champagne pro- ceeded with the dry pencil, over the particular places which the ladies had found defective, the faults gradually va* nished in their sight, and the artist, without his august model, but merely by the directions of his visitors, in a few moments, produced the most perfect resemblance of the Queen Dowager. His merit was then extolled to the skies, r k and he had the satisfaction of keeping hampagn?. 1 P the picture exactly in the same state they had first seen it. .The present one is emblematical of the vanity of human grandeur — Time flies away, holding in his left hand, a scythe, and in his right, an iron chain ' attached to a car he is dragging after • him, and in which an old man is stand- ing up, supported by his stick, while some women near him, are tearing their hair in the agonies of despair, and look- ing towards heaven, where nothing Lut destructive angels appear to them. On the front of the picture, are scat^- tered pieces of armour, helmets, Car- FLEMISH SCHOOL. 6j dinals' bonnets, patents of nobility, skulls and books, which are mouldering into dust. HERMAN SWANEFELD, born in Flanders, 162©, No. 108. A Landscape with Figures. , How sweet a task it is to praise I — then how unceasingly painful must be the office of the slanderer, a description of men who breathe only defamation on the living and the dead ! — but like the policy which condemns the criminal to a public execution, that it may serve as a warning lesson to others, the faults of our predecessors are held out in the most glaring deformity, that it may caution our cotemporaries to avoid them. Grea t men, as has been already remark- ed, are subject to great weaknesses, and VOL. ,11. K 68 FLEMISH SCHOOL. we have before observed that Lanfranc was jealous of Dominichino, Velasquez of his slave, and Rubens, although a warm patron of themerits of Brouwer, Teniers, Poelemburg, and other artists who were Smnefiid. nQt in his own line of painting, was however jealous of Vandyck and Jor- ' deans. Nay indeed, some artists have Carried their jealousy to so monstrous an excess* that in a fit of that passion, Andrew dal Castagno murdered his rival Vetiano. We have now the un- pleasant task of remarking the same weakness in Claude, with regard to Swanefeld. Swanefeld by his sweet conciliatory manners, and a taste similar to that of his master, for study and solitary walks, had gained the friendship of Claude, who saw him with pleasure, surpass his other pupils, and he frequently employ- ed him to put figures into such of his pictures as he himself did not. Swane- feld however never was so employed, without exciting in Claude, emotions of envy and regret, and that great man, FLEMISH SCHOOL. 6§ whose fame rung throughout Europe, could not support the idea that any of his pupils should excel him, even in the least thing ; so that in hopes of render- ing himself independant of their assist- ance, he constantly, 'till an advanced age, went to study as a boy at the aca- demy, which however was not to his discredit. In proportion as the reputation of Swanefeld was increasing, it raised the swanejeid* most violent jealousy in Claude, who though confident of his own superior powers, feared that the public was not so, and his jealousy became excessive, when he saw the works of his pupil, exported from Rome into foreign coun- tries, and the same prices nearly paid for them, as for his own. There is but one step from jealousy to suspicion; and Claude began to sus-* pect that Swanefeld secretly copied his works, or at least, different parts of them ; and to that suspicion we are in- debted for his book, entitled Libro di Verita, in which he has inserted the 70 FLEMISH SCHOOL. greatest part of Ms works, so that any plagiarisms might be discovered; and on the back of each drawing, he wrote the name of the person for whom the picture was painted. As Claude however was too just to condemn his friend on mere suspicion, he continued his attachment to him, and his envy did not cause their sepa- ration $ they frequently visited each Swanefdd. other, and often met in their country rambles, where they examined together, the different effects of nature. The landscape before us, presents on the left, a rising ground crowned with several fine old trees, and a pea- sant who is guarding some cows graz- ing near him. A river runs at the foot of the hill, forming a cascade on the right, and flow- ing to the fore-ground: a man and a boy are on the bank, returning from angling. On the rights a man and woman ad- vance over a tract of sand, which is backed by a range of trees, and varied herbs and shrubs, which, combining with FLEMISH SCHOOL. . 71 a fascinating and harmonious sky, add fresh beauties to the performance. «N CANVAS, BY THE SAME. No. 109. A Landscape with Figures, This is one of those cabinet pictures, which at first sight seduces the eye by it's picturesque composition and mie ^«^« colouring, and ensures our admiration, after a close examination. The fore-ground is occupied by a high way, in the middle of which, are two figures, a woman carrying a bundle on her head, and a man accompanying her. The next objects to the right, are two men fishing in a river which runs through the centre of the picture, and at a distance are rocks, finely spread with roots and briars. In the fore-ground, on the left of the picture, which is enriched by the stump 72 FLEMISH SCHOOL. of an old tree, and variegated shrubs ; a rising ground partly conceals the high way that runs behind it, and discovers a countryman advancing, mounted on an ass. Then our attention is attracted by a cluster of trees beautifully formed, and finely contrasted with the warm and spirited sky. ON CANVAS. JAMES FQUQUIERESjbornat Antwerp, 1580. No. 110. A Landscape with Cattle and Figures* This artist was a descendant of the family of the Fouqitieres, of Augsburg, in Germany, so celebrated in the mer- cantile world, for their credit and opu- lence ; they had obtained the exclusive privilege of the spice trade, so that they could limit at pleasure, the market of that commodity. Such was at that time, the extravagant price of spices, that cinnamon sold at two ducats> nearly a guinea, an ounce. FLEMISH SCHOOL. 73 The grandfather of our artist, had advanced a considerable sum of money to the Emperor, Charles the Fifth, for which that sovereign had given his note, but finding it out of his power to pay at the stipulated period, he was 4 uneasy concerning that engagement; however on his return from Italy, through Augs- burg, he alighted at Mr. Fouquieres's, by whom he was received with a mag- Fou^ nificence suited to his rank, and enter- tained with that luxury which immense wealth warrants. After a stay of twenty-four hours at Augsburg, the Emperor, while prepay rations were making for his departure, sp ke to Mr. Fouquiercs of his note, and of the difficulty he experienced in the payment of it ; breakfast was in the mean time, laid before the monarch who, as it was then autumn, expressed that he felt himself sensible of the dif- ference between the warm climate of Italy, and that of Germany. Mr. Fou- quiercs immediately ordered a fire, and that it might be a clear and grateful one, 74 FLEMISH SCHOOL. some faggots of cinnamon were brought ; at the same time taking from the drawer, the Emperor's note, Mr. Fou- quieres shewed it to him, and then set louqukns. fire with it, to the cinnamon, James, his grandson, was pupil to Brueghel, whose manner however he did not adopt, as he formed himself a style between Titian and Rubens, by which he acquired great fame, and Lewis XIII. granted him patent letters of nobility, from which moment he never would paint, but with his sword at his side. The performance of his pencil, which is in this collection, represents a line landscape, the right of which offers a cluster of trees and a large barn; near are seen a shepherd and his sheep ; and on the left, a sheet of water, with some cows. ©N CANVAS. FLEMISH SCHOOL. 75 MlNDERHOtJT HOBBIMA, born 161 1 4 No. in. A Landscape. In the time that the low countries belonged to Spain, in almost all the woods and forests there, hermitages were raised, in each of which associated th ree or four peasants, who took the habit of monksj like that of the Capu- chins, and were called brother hermits. Some lived by begging i n the neigh- bouring villages , others by making rush and willow baskets, and going thither to sell them, and some by keeping schools. - In one of these schools, Hobbima was brought up, and it was there probably, that he first imbibed the taste of paint- ing forests ; but his father who had des- tined to him a considerable fortune, opposed his son's inclination for paint- ing, which obliged young Hobbima to vol. n. , 1 76 FLEMISH SCHOOL. secrete himself in his studies, and for a long time after he had quitted the school, he used to return to the woods, • under pretence of visiting his old mas- ters the hermits, and while with them,' he used to dra\v r and paint. Amongst the works of the greatest masters, a choice is unquestionably to be given to some in preference to others, Hobbima. ^ nc ^ however celebrated an artist may be, the performance of his youth or old age, seldom equal those of the prime of his life. — The want of study and expe- - rience in early years, and the debility attendant on advanced age, preclude the hopes of expecting chef d'wuvres from either. But even amongst the productions of the best time of a master, there is am- ple room for choice, for notwithstand- ing they may equally be ranked amongst good pictures, they may from compo- sition and subject, be widely different, in effect and merit. Many pictures will fascinate an artist, which a connoisseur would view with FLEMISH SCHOOL. 77- indifference, although generally those which please a true connoisseur, will likewise prove the favorites of the artist. Among the multitude who are igno- rant of the rules of the art, and suffer themselves to be seduced by false beau- ties, it frequently happens that a chef d'ozuvre is neglected to admire some mi- serable production ; as a cottage girl Hobbima. < who will prefer coarse woollen, if it blaze in scarlet, to the modest beauties of the finest lace. Sometimes how- ever by it's singular merit, and a cer- tain je ne sais quoi, a picture commands the admiration of the artist, the con- noisseur, and the multitude; and those are the truly desirable ones. But even the greatest masters them- selves, have produced only few of those fortunate pictures, and consequently they are extremely scarce ; this how- ever, justly ranks among the number. Unaided hy what generally embel- lishes a landscape, it possesses neither stately buildings, nor those of humbler life — tine ruins, nor superb columns, 78 FLEMISH SCHOOL. broken or intersected grounds— un- adorned either by threatening rocks or majestic mountains, rivers or bridges, cascades or cattle, and even without the artifice of a rising or setting sun ; but merely with a few trees and a chaste natural sky, the skilful artist has pro- duced a picture that has never failed to fascinate those who have seen it, ON PANNEL, GIOVANNI DELLA VITE, called JAN MIEL, Born 1599, No. 112. A Landscape with Figures. We have already remarked that such artists as have distinguished themselves in painting small figures, can seldom paint well in large. On MicPs arrival at Rome, Andrea Sacchi was so struck with his merit, that he admitted him into his academy, with the intention of enabling him to paint history; and as An- FLEMISH SCHOOL 79 drea was then painting in the Barbarini palace, the Pope reviewing his cavalry, lie employed him on that grand work, but to his sorrow, for in a day or two, lie found that his new pupil had spoiled it, upon which, in a great passion, Sacchi turned him out of the gallery, and Miel very prudently never, attempted after, to paint in large. The left of the picture, presents- an * old convent, on the top of which are fixed a bell and two crosses. That holy edifice is inhabited by Franciscan friars, a lay brother of whom is on the threshold of the door, giving alms to the poor, with that benignity which dictates a truly benevolent heart, and which alone can inspire confidence. At his feet is a large kettle of broth which he is distributing in small brown dishes to those who surround him. A woman is seated on his left, feeding her- self and her little boy, and behind her a young man is eating with avidity, Towards the centre, stands an old man who is also making his meal, while the .-Jr. O J 80 FLEMISH SCHOOL. friar is serving a girl who appears aboiit ten years old ; behind her, a little boy is waiting, with his jug in one hand, and his hat in the other. On the right of the picture, a man who has just received his portion, has seated himself on a fragment of ruins, and is warming his fingers, with his breath, in spite of the impatience of his dog, who has already put himself in a begging posture. A little retired, a pilgrim is running, his arm pointed towards the monastery, in the attitude of calling to others, and informing them of what is o'oino- on. O O The whole scene offers a short relax- ation from misery, for those poor ob- jects relieved at so trifling an expence, and it reminds us of the great and good Lord Bessborough whose life was daily cheered by the blessings of relieved in- digence, and whose crowded door never was shut against want, nor were the poor suffered by him to go cheerless away. FLEMISH SCHOOL. 81 This one of those clear and silvery pictures of which Miel has left us but a very small number. ON CANVAS* BY THE SAME. No. 113. A Landscape, Viexv in Italy. On the high road, is seen a woman going to market with her little boy, and her ass loaded with panniers filled with poultry and game. The ass want- ing to rub it's back, has lain down on the ground, and overturned the pan- niers ; the pigeons and fowls are flying away, and the road is covered with hares, ducks, and partridges. The ingenious artist has remarkably well expressed the embarrassment and agitation of the mistress, on this trying occasion, for in her fear of losing so many good things, she has thrown her- self on her knees/ to cover part of her 82 FLEMISH SCHOOL poultry with her apron ; but wanting •also to recover her pigeons, she stretches in vain, one of her hands in the air, Mid. whilst her little boy extends his arms, and calls to y thcm* In the mean time, sonic good pea* sants who chanced to pass that way, with their horses, have stopped to raise the ass, at which a dog is barking. The one raises up the body, the other draws him by the tail, and a third is beating him with his stick; but the restive and obstinate animal keeps firm in it's po- sition, whilst some children, who were at play, not far off, having perceived what is passing, have quitted their sport, and are running to come and enjoy the scene. ON CANVAS* Dutch School. PHILIP WOUVERMANS, born at Haerlem, 1620. No. 114. A Landscape with Figures* Although it said that Wouvermans had all his designs and drawings burnt in his last illness, there are some still extant, for the drawing of this picture was but a few years ago, in the posses- sion of a merchant at Amsterdam,where a friend of our's saw it. It is certain that Wouvermans threw his portfolio into the fire, but not, as has been asserted, to prevent his son and his brother Peter profiting by his studies. Notwithstanding his superior abilities, Wouvermans was in the utmost poverty, from having been continually imposed upon by the picture dealers, who used not to remit him above the tenth part of what his works were sold for. 1" have been so HI recompensed for my labours, vol. u. M 84 DUTCH SCHOOL, said Wouvermans, that I will not have my drawings engage my son to become a painter. That son followed his advice, and made himself a friar of the Carthu- sian order. We see in this, detached from a warm, Wouvermans silvery and transparent sky, a small house covered with thatch, built on an eminence, and surrounded with trees ; a gentleman is near, wrapped in a cloak, and mounted on a fine horse ; his ser- vant who rides a white one, upon which is a red saddle, is dismounted, and giv- ing him to eat, out of a basket. On this side, is a man dressed in brown and blue, with a red bonnet on his head; he appears fatigued , and re- poses himself extended on the ground ; a little farther, to the left, a cascade is seen, and on the second ground to the right, an old willow with but few leaves, and almost despoiled of it's verdure. This picture, which is of a most pre- cious enamel, and an uncommon force of colouring, will always rank among the finest productions of the master. • N TANNEL. BUTCH SCHOOL 85 BY THE SAME. No. 115. A Landscape with Cattle and Figures. On the right of the picture, some children are bathing in a sheet of water, ' on the edge of which, a girl is washing some linen she has in a basket near her, while a man mounted on a white horse, is advancing in the centre, to water him; two other figures, and some sheep Wouvermans. occupy the left. Some beautiful buildings, and trees of exquisite foliage, are seen more re- tired on the right and left, and fhe dis- tant mountains are masterly detached from a lovely transparent sky. ON PANNEL. BY THE SAME. No. 116. A Landscape with Figures. The composition presents twenty-five" figures, large and small; two trees on a 86 DUTCH SCHOOL. little hill, are seen in the centre of the picture; and on the right, some gentle- men on horseback, going a hawking, one of whom holds the bird on his wrist ; several dogs are around him, and upon the road, a beggar is lying down, and holding out his hat to them, for charity. Opposite to him, a huntsman is ad- vancing with his dog ; and on the second ground, a man carrying on his back, a Wwitfrwww.packagc of merchandize, is going off on one side, with other figures; and on the other, two reapers are at work in a field. On the left, is a piece of water, where we see a man watering a white horse: a little boy half naked, is washing his feet there, whilst two fishermen are drawing their nets ; upon the second ground, are a shepherd with his flock, a house, and several figures. On the third, we distinguish a village, a river and .another hill : and at a great distance some mountains, just per- ceptible to the eye, unite with a most DUTCH SCHOOL. 87 clear and luminous sky, which indicates the middle of the day. ON PANNEL. BY THE SAME. No. 117. Halt of Horsemen. One of the most capital performances of that admirable master, not only for the quantity of figures, and variety of horses, but also for their extraordinary merit as to animation, their movements, their various and difficult attitudes, and for the correctness and spirit with which they are painted, and most highly finished. It is a composition of seventeen figures and twelve horses, on the left of the -picture are seen rocks and some trees, from which a man is cutting away the suckers, and here the horsemen have made their halt ; two of them are dis- mounted, whilst the others are watering their horses at a river which is on the 38 DUTCH SCHOOL. right. There are also seen people bath- ing and a boat with oars, in which are two men. On the second ground, a lady advan- ces mounted on a horse which a man on foot leads by the bridle, and she is Wonverm a ns {ol[owed h Y a servant, who is also on horseback. The companion of this picture painted also on wood, formerly belonged to Car- dinal De — r — , by whom it was promised to Doctor Bouvart, first physician to Lewis XV. who had so much esteem for him, that he made his son maitre de ritquete when only twenty-five years old, his ministers on the occasion, repre- sented to his Majety, that he was very young. Your observation it just, replied the King, hut when we grow old, we must pay court to our doctor. The Cardinal some time afterwards, being taken ill, sent for Dr. Bouvart who found his Eminence in the greatest agonies, and in a most dangerous state. I sliall not DUTdH SCHOOL, get over it, cried the Cardinal in despair, You must rather hope to do so, replied the physician, have patience, my Lord, and let your courage support you. I trust you will he better in a few days.-*- Ah, returned his Eminence, I shall owe my life to your cares, and it shall be devoted to the service of you and your family, my dear Doctor, great and justly celebrated Bouvart. Such continued to be the language q( w the Cardinal during the few first days ; but the physician is no stranger to compliments from his patients, nor un- , acquainted, with the real value of them . Doctor Bouvart however, little af- fected by the promises or flattery of his Eminence, afforded through duty, every attention that suffering humanity requires, attended him with unrelaxed assiduity, and frequently remained an hour at a time, in his patient's room, ia which hung the picture by Wouvermans, which we have just mentioned, and he of course frequently admired it. Does it please you? said the Cardinal. It is impossible otherwise, replied the Doctor; 90 DUTCH SCHOOL* and his Eminence insisted on his ac- cepting it, and would have sent it to his house immediately, but Dr. Bouvart, far from taking advantage of his pa- tient's offer, absolutely declined it. See- ing him hurt however by the refusal, he agreed to take it, when requested by the Cardinal after his re-establishment. But in proportion to the Cardinal's recovery, his caresses, politeness, and flattery diminished so much, than his dear doctor, the great and justly cele- brated Bouvart became plain Bouvart, whom his Eminence came gradually to treat as he used to do every one, with pride and hauteur. It is the custom in England, to com- pliment the physician, with his fee at each visit; but in France, they are paid, or at least ought to be paid, after ; and Dr. Bouvart, not having been so, at the lapse of twelve months, was under the necessity of writing several letters to the Cardinal, who would not even send him an answer, which ingratitude so mortified the physician, that he com- DUTCH SCHOOL* 91 plained of it to the king, and unfor- tunately for the Cardinal, at the mo- ment his Eminence was soliciting a re- giment for his nephew. The next day, previous to the levee, the King sent for the Cardinal, into his closet, which made him look with confidence to obtaining the favour he solicited; but what was his surprize on finding Dr. Bouvart with his Ma- jesty, who after highly censuring his conduct, ordered him to pay the doc- tor, his demand in twenty-four hours Br. Bouvart however did not wait that time, for on his return home, they brought him on the part of his Emi- nence four times the amount of his claim, accompanied with the work of Wouvermans the physician taking only what was - justly due to him, re- turned the overplus with contempt, as well as the picture, which after the Car- dinal, passed into the collection of Ma- dame la Comtesse de Verue. VOL. II. N 92 DUTCH SCHOOL. BY THE SAME. No. 118. Two Pictures of Farriers' Shops, One of these, presents in a most pleas* ing landscape, a composition of eleven figures, with six horses ; on the left is W'ouvermans.seen an old * vaulted building, whose summit is cpvered with mossy verdure, and in this vault is a farrier's shop. Two gentlemen followed by a servant, have stopped to have one of their horses shod ; it's saddle is taken off, and lies on the ground near them. Whilst the farrier is shoeing the , horse, one of the workmen, is holding it by the bridle, and the servant alighted from his horse, is occupied in re-sad- dling it. A young man leading two other horses to the forge, is watching 'till the farrier has finished ; on this side, is also * seen a fine child dressed in blue, playing with a dog. DUTCH SCHOOL. 93 The right of the picture, presents a woman, seated at the foot of a willow, stript of its leaves ; near her, is a little girl lying clown on the ground, and a man who seems to be speaking to her ; farther, another is seen going off on horseback ; and at a distance, a moun- tain of a bluish colour, which is in per- fect harmony with one of the finest f&%&Weuviermans. we have ever seen. The other picture, it's companion, -is painted with the same delicacy, and is in all respects, of equal merit. It re- presents one of those old buildings raised formerly, and such as they now con- struct in villages, with pieces of brick and highway stone, to, build at a small expence ; these different materials ce- mented together, form solid walls which are generally plaistered over, but when, through length of time, this plaister be- gins to fall, the edifice has the appear- ance of an old shabby building, of a va- riety of colours ; and it is then that the ingenious landscape painter knows how to profit by it, in his works. 94 DUTCH SCHOOL. Such is the one we are now speaking of ; it is long, with two doors, and serves for two different families ; near the first, is a farrier employed with his workmen, shoeing a beautiful white horse, upon the back of which the master, who has just alighted, has left a red cloak and valise ; his dog is at his side, seeking to caress him, and behind a little page in livery, waiting with his hat in his hand. The farrier's wife is on the threshold of the door, over which is a grated win- dow ; a child is by her side, and in her arms, another still at the breast ; a gen- tleman, whose white dog is lying near him, is waiting 'till his friend's horse is shod ; and is conversing with her, while another woman is climbing over a low wall which is between the two houses, with a basket of linen to dry. Near the other door, which is also open, and nearly h in the centre of the picture, is a barrel on one side, and on the other, a man sleeping, extended on the ground ; his wife is seated near him, and holding a child upon her knees. DUTCH SCHOOL. 95 On the left, a road which leads into the country, from whence a shepherd is returning with a numerous flock of sheep, followed by a girl carrying a lamb, and a young man, mounted upon an ass loaded with straw. The ground is enriched with a piece of water, trunks of trees scattered here and there, and with the finest verdure ; while • j the effect of a sky, the most piquant, adds greatly to the beauty of the whole. '* BY THE SAME. No. 119- A Departure. The composition is of eleven figures, and seven horses, represented in one of those large inn yards peculiar to Hol- land and Flanders; they are generally half exposed and half covered, shelter- in « a trough for the accommodation of the horses of those passengers who put 96 DUTCH SCHOOL, up, at their inns, for an hour or two only ; more retired are the stabling and coach-houses. On the left, three horses are attached to the manger, and near them the host- ler of the inn is pointing out a quantity of hay, in the top of the range, to a gentleman standing by him, in a red cloak; nearer, a little boy is wheeling a barrow, into which he has put an infant. In the centre of the picture, a lady Wouvtrmans dressed in blue, and mounted on horse- back, is on the point of setting out ; she is stopping only for a gentleman who is putting on his spurs, whilst a groom holds his beautiful white horse; in that part of the yard, which is uncovered, a beggar, supported by crutches and a wooden leg, is waiting for them, and already extends his hat for charity. On the right side, a servant maid is. getting water from a well, in one corner of the yard, near which, two travellers, on horseback, are leaving the inn through a back gateway, opening to a superb landscape. DUTCH SCHOOL. 97 The composition, the high finishing, ^ and the delicacy of this work, will never fail to command the admiration of con- noisseurs. BY THE SAME. No. 120, A Landscape tcith Figures. The centre of the picture, is occupied by a cottage which extends itself to the fro right, and is surrounded by a variety of trees ; a woman is seen at a window, while a man is at the door, coming out. The left presents a steep hill, de- tached from a clear silvery sky, and which a man and a child are ascending ; a cart drawn by two horses, and which is coming down the road, is also seen at the top ; and the fore-ground of the picture, is enriched with trunks of trees* and a variety of leaves. ON CANVAS-. 93 DUTCH SCHOOL, At one period, Wouvcrmans painted til so small a size, that some of his pic- tures, like works in enamel, have been put in toilet and snuff-boxes. Frede- Whm^vsP&ll. King of Prussia, had one of them, representing a march of cavalry, painted on copper, and incrusted in a double case gold watch he used to wear, till he gave it to a soldier, by whom he passed one day, as the man was on guard at the palace. The King having remarked that he wore a watch, and doubtful whether his was set right, stopped and asked him what o'clock it was, which question stag- gered and threw into confusion the soldier, who wore only a watch chain, and in fact had no watch ; but soon re- covering, he pulled out a gun-ball to which it was fixed, and said, " My ' was standing near her, friezed — o and powdered, and in the insignia of his different orders ; his . feet bare, but in slippers, one hand resting on the r ^ 4 back of the chair on which the queen was seated, and holding his stockings and garters in the other, waiting 'till the operator was at leisure to begin with him. Thus by an unpardonable abuse, a sign post becomes sufficient to throw ridi- cule on a sovereign, and by a like abuse, quack mouth cleaners,* who under the pretence of preserving the teeth, ruin them for the express purpose of selling false ones, and making false jaws, are * They all assume the name of Dentists, when in fa£l teal and honest D*entists are of the utmost scarcity. 134 DUTCH SCHOOL. arrogating to themselves, the respectable title of surgeon, that distinguishing ap- pellation of an art almost divine, which requires every exercise of talent and genius ; an art to which in the person of Es^ulapius, the antients have, with equal justice and gratitude, dedicated altars. It was by a singular abuse, that scene Ter burgh. and house painters, daubers and all painters in oil, were formerly incorpo- rated with artists, 'till Terburgh ap- plied to the High Council of Holland, when the artist painters were separated from them. This picture, which we bought merely for it's merit, was sold under the assurance of it's being by the hand of GaspardNetscher,but it appears to us that it was painted by Terburg, who imitated the style of Netscher, and what confirms our opinion, is that Gas- pard never came to England, whilst his imitator Terburgh came here under the reign of Charles II, by whom he was long employed, ON CANVAS. DUTCH SCHOOL. 135 JOHN VANDER HEYDEN, born at Gorcum, 1637. No. 140. A Landscape and Figures. At the time that Vander Heydeh's talents were in the highest estimation, it was his custom to walk out every day, an hour or two, into the country, to study nature; as he was going one morning, by the side of a canal, near Amsterdam, looking with great atten- tion to the water, he was struck with an idea, that the engines might be im- proved, On his return home, he drew up a plan which he presented to the magis- trates, who soon after appointed him with a large salary, director of the water works and while he is conversing with a ' woman sitting by him, and dressed ina red corset and strawhat ; a littlegirl is stand- iugopposite to her, her head covered with a stuff bonnet, and holding her hands under her apron. The figures are like- wise well contrasted with "the sky. More retired, an old oak ornaments the banks of a river, in which several vessels are under sail ; and beyond them appears a small island, with a tower and other buildings, losing themselves in the distance. The immediate fore-ground is filled with varied herbs and shrubs, which com- bining with a fascinating,harmonious sky, adds freshbeauties to the performance. ON PANNEL. DUTCH SCHOOL. 14? BY THE SAME. No. 145. A small Landscape withCattk ty Figures, On the right, a tree extends it's light and exquisitely delicate foliage, con- trasted with a warm, animated sky. At it's foot some sheep are lying, and others grazing ; in the centrej there are two beautiful cows, on an elevated spot of the finest verdure* and a luxuriant Cuyp, shrubbery; one of them* spotted black and white, is lying on the ground, the other is of a red colour, and both of them are masterly designed. The secondary objects are some small buildings^ surrounded by young trees — < at the door of one of them, (a thatched cottage) an old man is giving charity to a poor woman) near whom a little boy is standing, and she is carrying an infant in her arms. The whole has the most captivating effect* ON JTANNKI.* VOfc. If. U 148 DUTCH SCHOOL. This, for it's tone of colouring, size, and high finishing, reminds us of ano- ther small, but exquisite picture of Cuyp, which Mr. Blythe, of Dean- street, bought for a few shillings, from a milkwoman who lives in the neigh- bourhood of Moor fields. Being in want of a sign, she was car- rying a board to a man who had agreed Cuyp. to paint her a cow for five shillings, when she met a brokers wife, who said her husband had just brought home, amongst some old furniture, such a sign, on which were painted a hoy driving some cows and sheep, but as it was not new, she would let her friend have it for half the price the painter was to receive, and on the same day, the sign was nailed over the milkwoman's cellar window, where it remained 'till Blythe (who being an auctioneer, had fre- quently business in Mdorfields) stopped there by chance, took notice of it, and by the help of his glass, was soon convinced that the sign was the work of Cuyp, whose name he found upon it, DUTCH SCHOOL. 149 and for fifteen shillings, he obtained it with many thanks beside. BY THE SAME. No. 146. The Inside of a Stable, This is one of those places covered with stubble, that are found near al- most all the great farms in Flanders and Holland ; there, they bring their goats and sheep, to pass the night ; there, the shepherd sleeps ; and there the poultry is perched : it is also in that place the farmers keep their utensils. In the interior, is seen a young girl in a red petticoat, and with a basket on her arm, departing from the stable, and she is followed by a young man who carries his crook on his shoulder ; four sheep are behind them, and above, a cock and some hens are perched ; there is also a milk -pan turned down on the ground, with some other utensils. 150 DUTCH SCHOOL. AH the aniateurs have agreed that this is one of the finest works of Cuyp ; — we never saw any more preciously finished. Oty PANNEt, BY THE SAME. No. 147. A Landscape xoith Cattle and Figures, Upon an eminence, to the left, we Cuyp. see a group of cows, some standing, others lying down, and a man on horse- back, followed by a little boy. The right is occupied by a piece of water ; and in the front of the picture, are scat- tered some roots and beautiful foliage, A small hill, covered with trees, is seen on the second ground ; and at the dis-? tance, we distinguish ruins detached from one of the finest skies the master has ever painted ; but unfortunately this picture, painted on pannel, is split, and though it is secured behind, with plates of iron, tq prevent the pannel opening, the accident is still visnble, ON PANNEt. DUTCH SCHOOL. 151 BY THE SAME. No. 148. A small Landscape irith Cattle. This cabinet picture offers us a simple ( view from nature, of an effect equally pi- quant and picturesque-T-we see upon an eminence a red and white cow, lying down upon the grass, and near her another cow spotted black and white, standing ; on the left, some palisades, entwined with briars ; and upon he fore-ground, some large stones, and different leafage; the right of the picture, presents a piece of clear and silvery water, where a va- pourous and transparent sky is reflected, and against which, some branches of the arbustus are detached; the left presents an edifice, and an agreeable distance. \ ON PANNEL. 152 , DUTCH SCHOOL. WILLIAM VAN DER VELDT, born a* Amsterdam, 1633. No. 149. Two small Sea Pieces, This is another artist who holds the very first place in the branch of paint- ing which he has adopted. — Let the subject of a picture, be what it will, as soon as we find in the performance, those qualities which constitute a master, we see the hand of a great man, for it is then evident, that the painter has sur- mounted the difficulties of the art, and risen of course above mediocrity; therefore, 'tis not requisite that he should become a Raphael or a Poussin, to attain the summit, for he is as great in his line, as they were in their own, as soon as his works receive the same degree of perfection, which those mas- ters have given to t heir's. Although collectors may have a par- tiality for subjects, they are all equally DUTCH SCHOOL. 153 indifferent to the true judge and ama- teur, who being only in search of merit, finds it out, and admires it in any per- formance whatever ; therefore while the multitude are crowding before a large daub, lie is frequently in extacy before VandervdJt. a small picture* in a solitary corner : — but the multitude are always beholding pictures with two eyes only, and the connoisseur looks at them with three. One of these, is a sea view, in a per- fect calm, in which some frigates and other vessels, are -finely contrasted with a brilliant silvery sky. The other represents a storm, where the restless billows are beating a ship * against a rock, with destructive vio- lence; a lowering sky adds to the hor- ror of the scene. BY THE SAME. No. 150. A large Sea Piece. This, truly one of the most capital performances of the master, offers us a DUTCH SCHOOL. View of the sea, in a brisk gale, with a variety of shipping* EMANUEL DEWITT, born at Akmaer. 1607; No. 151. The Inside of a Church in Holland. This artist was not only an excellent painter, but also a great architect, and besides his painting on canvas and pan- nel for cabinets, he painted equally well upon glass, and it is by him the windows of St. John at Ghent, are painted. Notwithstanding he was a very cor- pulent man, he would frequently climb up high ladders* and as he was one day* putting up some of his painted glass, at one of the windows of that church, the frame gave way* and Dewitt falling into the street, from so great a height, would inevitably have been killed, if a man, who was removing his furniture, had not passed there, by the greatest chance, loaded with bedding, on which the RUtCH SCHOOL. 155 artist fell ; but the porter was crushed under him, and did not survive the accident above two hours. Dewitt -escaped totally unhurt. The art here, offers us a chef d'azuvre of architecture and perspective, which is not darkened and obstructed by a mass of paintings; statues, and monu- „ . , ■ Dtzoitt, ments, as, churches in general arc — the eye passes without interruption through a vast edifice which the day enlightens, and the tranquility and simplicity of which, are truly enchanting ; — the bot- tom of the church, presents a numerous congregation attentive to a sermon, and these figures, correctly drawn and art- fully disposed, are painted with as much spirit as truth. We see, on the left, towards the centre of the picture, the preacher in his pulpit, surrounded by a numerous audience of both sexes* The women are ranged on one side, and the men on the other, having their hats on. At some distance from the pulpit, by the large pillar, are two churchwardens in Vol. lu x 156 DUTCH SCHOOL. their pew — the beadle dressed after the old Spanish manner, is standing near. On the right, are benches fronting the pulpit, filled also with figures. Towards the centre, are two youths coming forward ; and at the entrance of the church, a mother and a daugh- ter, who coming late, seem hastening to join the congregation. According to the custom of thattime, in Holland, the young people are dressed in different colours, and the men and women in black. ON CANVAS. Job Berkeyden was so struck with the works of Dewitt, that he devoted himself, through admiration of them, to painting architecture, a line in which he succeeded to a certain degree,, and it is probable he might have become one of the first painters of his school, had he not had the misfortune in his youth, to have a dream which inter- rupted his studies, and embitieied the remainder of his days. ■ Descamps informs us he dreamt that he was raised up to heaven, amidst the V DUTCH SCHOOL. 15J acclamations of his countrymen ; and this he augured so much in his favour, that he redoubled his application to study, firmly persuaded that his pro- gress in painting, would raise him above all his cotemporary artists ; and the idea of his future glory, inspired most of his moments with cheerfulness ; but our Dutch dreamer, not contented with his first dream, the following year, and on the same night, saw himself, like a second Absalom, hung to a tree, by the hair of his head, which, in the supersti- tious age in which he lived, met with so many fearful interpretations, that poor Job Berkeyden lost all hopes of future gran- deur, and every pleasing prospect va- nished ; he now became so extremely timid, that every noise shook him with convulsions. lie dreaded, and every moment believed that the officers of justice were in search of him : however he attained an advanced age, without the .accomplishment of either of his dreams; for his reputation did not ex- tend beyond the marshes of his country, 158 DUTCH SCHOOL. and returning home one evening, he fell into the Brewers' canal, near Har- laem, and instead of being hanged was drowned, ADAM PYNAKER, born at Pynaker, i6at, No. 152, Landscape with Cattle and Figures, When this painter had finished his studies in Rome, he stopped, in his re- turn from Italy, on the Alps and in Switzerland, for the purpose of taking views, providing himself with a guide, as he penetrated into the most desart and isolated parts of the mountains. While he was one day taking a view far advanced among the precipices, his guide, being much fatigued, lay down near him, to take a short sleep ; but the artist intent only on his work, advanced insensibly, among the rocks, and at- tempting to regain his companion, lost himself in a labyrinth. DUTCH SCHOOL. 159 Pynaker and his guide sought for and called to each other in vain ; and the more they think of approaching eacq other, the wider they separate; — the terrors of the artist (who was however provided with some little food) may be easily conceived. — Forty-eight hours had elapsed, and he began to abandon himself to despair, when was indebted to a cow for his deliverance. In the death-like silence which reigned over the awful beauties of savage nature which surrounded him, Pynaker thought he heard the sound of a bell, which at first, caused the most lively emotions — he listened attentively, and again heard the sound, but more faintly— he endea- voured to gain it, but it was no more. At length night drew on, when worn with anxiety and fatigue, he resigned himself to rest- — Day-break had barely appeared, when he was awoke by the sound of a bell, at a very little distance from him, which he soon discovered to be attached to the neck of a cow that was grazing near him. 160 DUTCH SCHOOL. Pynaker felt new life at that sight, and resolved to follow the animal which was soon joined by two others, and shortly after by their owner, who came to milk them. This is one of those small pictures in Pynaker. wmcl1 fa a11 write rs agree) Pynaker ex- celled, and we owe him the justice of adding, that we have also seen lame landscapes from his pencil, of the first merit. This represents a view taken in the mountains of Switzerland, where na- ture, in a savage and uncultivated state, shews herself under that picturesque aspect which our eyes are not accus- tomed to. To the right, at the bottom of the picture, arc seen some large pieces of rock ; and in the middle of the picture, water, part of which is hid from the sight by stones and bushes. On the, left, is a man leading two mules, upon one of which a woman is seated. On one side of the second ground, is seen a rugged road, with a man carry- DUTCH SCHOOL. l6l . Y mg a sack, who is climbing up, and seems suspended between heaven an earth. On this second ground, which k of a considerable eminence, the eye enjoys the sight of some old firs; near which a man is leading some cattle to graze. The third ground offers another emi- nence, which commands this, and is twice as considerable. In the centre of ' the picture,between the first and second ground, is seen a man ; and to the left, a cultivated country, with fineLpoplars, and a distance which gives pleasure to the eye. ON CANVAS. BY THE SAME. No. 153. A Landscape with Cattle and Figures. This is another view tak;en in a mom - tainous country; the right and fore- ground are filled with trees ; and in the centre, is a huntsman carrying some game and a fuzee on his shoulder. 162 DUTCH SCHOOL; On the second ground we discover on a steep road, a peasant mounted on an ass, and leading a cow. There is also another entering the road, coming for- ward with some cattle, and the distance presents some high mountains. BY THE SAME; No. 154. A Landscape and Figures. Some trees of the finest form, are* growing to the right of the picture, and on the left, some old firs, on this side of which is raised a stone fountain. The water falls into a large bason, which the chissel has also cut in the stone, and a man is there drawing water. In the centre of the picture, three others are on horseback. On the other side, we see some firs and other trees, with some goats dis^ pcrsed here and there, and a high moun- tain well detached from a warm and DUTCH SCHOOL. l63 transparent sky. The fore-ground is embellished with large stones, leaves, briars, and large trunks of trees that the wind has broken. ON CANVAS* So great was the fertility of this mas- ter's genius, that although all his compo- sitions presents scenes of desart, uncul- tivated nature, they never resemble each other, nor has he ever repeated the same subject : indeed but very few ar- tists have done it, and when they did so, it was generally with such altera- tions, that two pictures alike do not exist. As to copies, although the vulgar may find them perfect resemblances of the originals, the connoisseur easily sees the difference; so that whilst gold and sil- ver, pearls and diamonds, the most pre- cious articles of furniture^ all the other objects of luxury, the most difficult compositions in music, or the produc- tions of eminent writers, are alike pos- sessed by many men in common, the VOL. II. ' Y 164 DUTCH SCHOOL. owner of an original picture boasts the exclusive possession of it, with the happy privilege of permitting others to enjoy it as well as himself, without di- minishing it's value or it's merit. All those prodigalities daily made in a riotous tavern, those costly attend- ances at tumultuous meetings, and those — 3 sumptuous dinners, overcrowded with unwholesome dainties, like the table of Guildhall on a Lord Mayor's day, af- ford so momentary and unstable grati- fications, that the remembrance of them is only excited on the morrow, by a regret for the expence, or the anguish of an head-ache ; but the acquisition of a good picture, gives a pleasure as last- ing as it is creditable and innocent, not only to the purchaser, but to his pos- terity for ages ; and 'till taste becomes unknown, the proprietor sees in it, the money it has cost, as he sees one hun- dred pounds sterling in the bank note he carries in his pocket. DUTCH SCHOOL. 163 BY THE SAME. No. 155. A Landscape with Cattle and Figures. This is again a view taken in the mountains, and painted with that bold- ness and spirit which characterize the works of this master. The right of the picture, presents a group of cattle, cows, goats and sheep, near which a woman sucklingher child, is sitting— at her side is a young girl standing and holding ' under her arm, a large faggot of wood ; on the same side, on the second ground, we see some very high mountains. The left otters to our view, some old trees, and other mountains crowned with wild shrubs, and at the foot, there is a road, upon which is seen a cart, and a woman mounted upon an ass, coming to water her cows and sheep, at a piece of water, which h on the foie- ground, j ON CANVAS. 166 PUTCH SCHOOL. RUDOLF BACKHUYSEN, bom at Embden, :6 a n No. 156. A Sea Piece. . / ' This artist never surpassed, but fre- quently equalled young Vandervelde ; —almost all the Princes of Europe were eager to procure his works, so that he accumulated a fortune superior to „ any other marine painter. He had the honour of having for a pupil, the Czar Peter the Great, who not content with learning the nautical art, wished to de- sign and paint sea pieces, and that he might perfectly fulfil the duties of a scholar, his Imperial Majesty insisted on setting his master's palette. The sea in this picture, is seen vio- lently agitated through the hazy atmos- phere ; in the centre of it, is a Dutch man of war, from which a gun has just been fired ; a frigate, and some boats filled with sailors, occupy the right ; and a fishing smack under sail, and another DUTCH SCHOOL. 167 frigate, are indistinctly seen through the mist, on the left. It is avowedly one of the choicest works of this celebrated master. Olf CANVAS. BY THE SAME. No. 157. A Sea View. It represents the sea in a brisk gale, and is painted with uncommon spirit. ON CANVAS. JOHN WYNANTS, born at Harlaem, 1600, No. 158. A Landscape with Figures. Whenever Wynants, in his infancy, committed a fault, his mother always threatened him with ghosts, and would frequently repeat the most frightful 168 DUTCH SCHOOL. stories of them, in his hearing, for the pupose of intimidating him, which made so strong an impression on his mind, that even an advanced age could not efface it. He would often awake suddenly hi the night, believing that he had been struggling with spirits, and as soon as the evening approached, he would not enter a room, without being accompa- nied by his wife;—- we may readily suppose who was the domestic com- mander in chief ; but we can with diffi- culty, reconcile so much pusillanimity with the boldness of design, and the spirit which leign through his works. The right of the picture, offers to our view a terrace, upon which is a group of trees, and below, the trunk of a tree thrown down, some thistles, briars, and other leafage ; in the cen- tre, are seated a man and a woman, with their child, and a dog near them ; on the left we see a piece of water which serpentines and loses itself in the country. The second ground presents on one side, a little hill, where a man, who car- DtTTCH SCHOOL. 169 lies a basket on his back, is reposing himself ; a huntsman going off with his dogs; and upon the summit, another huntsman on horseback, with several other figures : — to the left also of the second ground, we find on the brink of the river, two men fishing with their lines, under the shade of a group of trees ; and fields in the distance. The figures are by Van Tulden. BY THE SAME & ADRIAN VANDERVELDE No. 159. A Landscape with Figures. It is one of those' small pictures of the master, which are so remarkable for their delicacy and high finishing. The left and centre of it, represents a sandy rising ground, scantily covered with grass, and on it are two old trees, whose roots by the sand having given way, are partly exposed. Further back, 170 DUTCH SCHOOL. we see the fences of a meadow, with d, range of trees breaking from a light 1 vapourous sky. Towards the bottom, on the right, a sportsman is resting himself upon his gun, and conversing with a woman, who has a basket on her arm; whilst more in the fore-ground, a man loaded with a sack, advances towards the rising ground : on the same side but more re- tired, are other trees, through an open- ing of which a beautiful back-ground is seen, losing itself in the horizon. The fore-ground, like most of the pictures ofWynants, is enriched with the trunk of a tree lying on the ground, with several shrubs and bushes of the most masterly execution, and producing the finest effect. ON CANVAS. BY THE SAME and LINGLEBASK. No. 160. View from Nature, with Cattle Sf Figures, This is one of those scarce, pictures, in which the scite is so varied, v and se- DUTCH SCHOOL. lfX ductive objects so prevalent, that we find it impossible to detail them ; we shall therefore content ourselves with observing that the ground, the water, the trees, and the sky, are of the finest execution, and the utmost high finish— a number of cows, horses, and figures, by Lingleback, add to the merit of the picture. ON CANVAS. DUG, No. 16L The Interior of a Spanish Corp de Garde* It is a composition of seven figures — » on the right, two men are seated at play, whilst the others stand round them, as spectators of the game; and amongst them, in the centre of the picture, is an officer; a drum is suspended on the wall, on the left, which is also occupied by a cask and several utensils. The unrivalled excellence of the artist, in these subjects, is universally known, vol, II. z 172 DUTCH SCHOOL. and this work is in every respect, wor- thy the high reputation he is held in. ON PANNEL. We have not been able to find the natal place and the year of this master's birth, nor any account of him whatever, in the different authors we have con- sulted. We only recollect having read, in an old French magazine, that he was ' born in Holland, a relative of John Le- duc, the landscape painter, from whom he had the first rudiments in the art, and that notwithstanding his great abi- lities, he was so addicted to drinking, as to neglect, frequently, his profession, which made him labour under much distress, at times. " While Leduc (says the magazine) lived at Amsterdam, he went once, to a tavern, where he bespoke a good din- ner, and had the best liquors in the house ; but when his bill Mas brought, the hostess finding that he had no mo- ney, fell into a violent fit of passion, and getting hold of the artist by the beard, DUTCH SCHOOL. 173 swore she would pluck every hair of it, if she was not paid. " The noise soon brought the land- lord, with the waiters and other servants of the family ; so that the poor painter was beset from every quarter, 'till he thought of an expedient to extricate himself. " He requested half a sheet of paper, which was immediately brought, with pen and ink, as they imagined he was Lt Due. going to apply to a friend for some money ; but as Leduc had not a single friend on whom he could draw, he drew two or three figures on that paper, and had it carried to a collector, who cheer- fully paid for it, four ducats, at the sight of which, both the landlord and land- lady became equally amazed and civil." ADRIAN VANDERVELDE, born at Amsterdam, 1639. No. 162. An upright Landscape, with Cattle and Figures. When his father took him as a pupil to Wynants, he carried with him, some 174 DUTCH SCHOOL. papers on which the youth had amused himself, in sketching out trees, cattle, &c . As they had been left on the table, Wynants's wife saw them, and told him, You think you have taken a scholar, but you xviil find you have taken your master. Notwithstanding the extreme scarcity of this masters works, so celebrated in the Dutch school, we have had the good fortune to obtain four of them for this collection, at the period when the French Nobility fled their country, ' with such pictures as they could bring off with them. Those of Vandervelde, are rarely to be met with, not only on account of the avidity of connoisseurs to possess them, but from his dying so young, at the early age of thirty-three, and during that short space, a consi- derable part of his time, was occupied in filling up the works of other landscape painters, with his figures. The fore-ground of this, represents a sheet of water, in which two cows, a goat, and sheep are watering ; a country woman bare-legged, dressed in a blue corset and petticoat, is stepping into it, DUTCH SCHOOL. 175 to fill a pitcher, which she holds, with water ,while a country man, who is moun- ted on a white horse, is speaking to her. More retired on the right, we observe ruins partly surrounded, and partly con- cealed by shrubberies ; and towards the centre, at the declivity of a hill, beauti- fully clothed with trees, two pilgrims are seated, one of whom is extending his hat to, and receiving charity from a country-woman who is passings mounted on an ass . The back-ground is ornamented with trees on one side, and a hill on the other, covered with a luxuriant verdure, affording ample food to a flock of sheep which are grazing on it ; — the retired mountains break in perfect harmony, from a beautiful expanse of sky. ON CANVAS. BY THE SAME. No. 163. Landscape with Cattle and Figures. Adrian was not only celebrated for his landscapes, but distinguished him- 176 DUTCH SCHOOL. self in the historical Ike, and introduced poetical subjects into his landscapes, with the greatest success. The pre* sent picture is an instance of it it re- presents a young woman in armour, leading a horse from which she appears to have just dismounted, and is speak- ing to an old shepherd, who is guarding his herd of cattle and sheep. >**kmUe. ^ e d ° not recollect any &ble corres- ponding with the present subject ;— perhaps the artist has meant to repre- sent Pallas, the guardian goddess of agri, culture, extending her cares indiscrimi- nately to all it's various branches. The natural beauties of this enchant- ing landscape, are effected in the most masterly execution. ON CANVAS, BY THE SAME. No. 164. A Landscape with Cattle and Figur®,. The fore-ground of this picture, is occupied by a sheet of water; on it's bUTCH SCHOOL. 177 banks, are a young shepherd and shep- herdess — she is dressed in blue and yellow, and is sitting on the trunk of a tree, her feet in the water, while she drinks out of a goblet she holds with both her hands; the young man is standing near her, dressed in red ; a light brown cow is drawing towards them, apparently lowing. At a little distance, another cow, and some sheep are reclining on a mossy bank, while the scene is greatly heightened by a grey Vaniervdie. cow, in the natural action of rubbing herself against one of the trees, in the more retired part of the picture. O N CANVAS, ' ' ' The companion picture to this, is of equal beauty, but we have recently withdrawn it from the collection, to restore the same to the gentleman who had sold it in distress. He was one of those respectable emi- grants, who being victims of their at- tachment to their sovereign, have done the greatest honour to human nature, by the dignified philosophy with which DUTCH SCHOOL. they have borne adversity, and who, during their stay here, have proved how truly deserving they were of an asylum, and of that extraordinary gene- rosity with which (to the astonishment dervdde. and admiration of the world) it has pleased Great Britain to support them. A calm having at length succeeded the .most tempestuous occurrences, religion so long estranged from the French, has' returned amongst them, and raises scru- ples in the peasantry, as to the propriety of retaining the properties and estates that they purchased at very low prices, while their owners, under the dread of Robespierre and theguillotine,left them; those owners now recover them for what they have cost their present pos- sessors, and it is through that resource, that this emigrant, formerly a man of eminence in France, is endeavouring, from his great love to the art, to recover those pictures, he had disposed of. Once more therefore, a prospect of happiness beams over France as well as England ; and while we have to express £>UTCH SCHOOL. 179 our gratitude to our late ministers, for unrelaxed attention and the devotion of their exalted abilities to the difficult means of continuing a war, that has covered Great- Britain with glory, and preserved her privileges and commerce ; we are alike bound to return our ac- knowledgements to our present, minis- ters, for having accomplished the still more difficult task of making peace — but we have not here to do with peace or war — our subject is pictures. JOHN VAN HUGTENBURGH, Born at Harlaem, 1646. No. 165. A Horse Fair in the Envirojis of Rome, It is well known how fond the Czar 3 Peter the Great was of the sea, and that being determined to learn the nau- tical art, he lived in our ports* as a sailor, to acquire the manoeuvring of a ship, Having frequently heard Hugtenburgh VOL, IX. - A a 130 DUTCH SCHOOL. spoken of as a great painter of battles, he asked for some of his works, but the Emperor who expected they were sea fights, was much surprized at seeing them, and said he was determined to have no other than sea lights : Princes ''however will differ in taste, like others, for as the King of Poland was fond of horses, his Majesty particularly recom- mended the purchase of the works of those masters most celebrated for paint- ing them, and it is for that reason, there are found in this collection, two battles, with several pictures of Wouvermans and Vandermeulen. Knowing how much Hugtenburg had distinguished himself in these subjects, by painting for Prince Eugene, his pro- tector, the sieges made by the great Duke of Marlborough, and the different battles he won, we thought it proper to procure one of his works. , The composition consists of nineteen figures, and twenty- two horses, on a spot near the city of Rome, which is seen at a distance. ON CANVAS. * ■ DUTCH SCHOOL. 181 It is but a few years ago, that ano- ther capital performance of this master has been sold in Mr. Christie's room, the justly famed place for sales of pic- tures, by auction, since most of the best and genuine collections brought to the hammer in this country, have been, and continue, to be sold there, DE VL.IEGER. No. 166. A Sea Piece. There is a class of men, who posses- sing by chance, some good pictures, believe themselves connoisseurs, assume the air of critics, and armed with the formidable terms- design, colouring, trans- parency, outline, and others which they have learnt from the virtuoso who visit their collections, they repeat them like parrots, to acquire a consequence in the eyes of those who happen to be more ignorant than themselves. — Such 182 DUTCH SCHOOL. an instance was exhibited in the person of little Doctor C , whom many of us, have known: he had inherited some good pictures, and had learned by heart many terms of the art, believed every thing of the old school, excellent, and held every production of the modern* in the most sovereign contempt. When the sea piece, which is before us 3 was brought from Holland, into this country, it was in a case, had an ebony frame, and was very dirty. The pro* prietor deposited it at Doctor Brag's, of Kensington, among other amateurs who went to see it, was Doctor C ; he bestowed excessive praises on the pic- rure, and mortified some artists who were present, by saying that the art was lost, and all -the modern produc- tions were mere daubs. A marine painter who happened to be there, begged Dr. Brag's permission to copy De Vlieger's work ; and as soon as the copy was dry, it was dirtied, put into the case and ebony frame of the ori- ginal, which had been cleaned and placed DUTCH SCHOOL. 1»J in a new one, after which Dr. C. was invited to another .visit to Kensington. Our self-created connoisseur examined with the greatest attention, the original, which was placed in the gilt frame, and Vlim which he took for the copy, and having pronounced it a very indifferent one, he enlarged on the beauties of the other, pointing out particular parts that pos- sessed particular merit, and believing his praises bestowed upon the original. But when the bursts of laughter of the company, led him to discover his error, his rage was vented on the unfortunate copy, which was cut by him into pieces, and for which he was obliged to pay the artist who had painted it. This represents the sea extremely calm, in one of those fine summer days, when a clear and brilliant sky, reflected in the water, makes us enjoy from the shore, the two grand spectacles of nature. We see in this, two fishing boats, filled with a variety of figures, whilst a Dutch fisherman, in boots, is advancing on the shore, At a distance, a number 1»4 DUTCH SCHOOL." of boats are moving off, while the right of the picture, shews us two frigatesat anchor. Whether we examine the graceful forms and positions of the vessels, the correctness of the drawing, the lightness of the clouds, the transparency of the colouring, or the lovely gradation of the distance, we must acknowledge that it is one of De Vlieger's best pictures. ON PANNEL. ADRIAN BROU WER, born atHarlaem, 1608. No. I67. It is well known that this painter was a man of very low extraction, and that his mother had been a washerwoman ; but such is the advantage of the fine arts, that as soon as a youth enters that career, let his origin be what it may, he ranks with gentlemen, because the same capacity which qualifies him for a libe- ral profession, enables him also to ac- quire a liberal education, which was the case with Brouwer, to whom Rubens was so attached, that he lodged him in DUTCH SCHOOL. 185 his own house, where he had placed several of Brouwer's pictures. When one day after dinner, pedigree was made the topic of conversation, every one of the company traced a long genealogy, and when it came to Brou- N wer to" speak, he confessed that he could not boast of a distant pedigree; Yet, said he, pointing to the pictures in the room, I am one of God's nobility* and Brouwer. those are my letters patent. In the interior of a Dutch room, peo- ple are drinking and smoaking ; and at the centre of the table, an old corpu- lent man seated in a straw chair, holds a pipe with one hand, and a jug of beer in the other, whilst by his side, a man half intoxicated, is laying his hand on his shoulder, and raising a glass to drink his health. Opposite to them a young boy, with his hat on, and white trow- sers, is lying on the ground and looking at him. Behind them, to the right of the pic- ture, three or four intoxicated Dutch- men are diverting -themselves round a 18(3 DUTCH SCHOOL* barrel, upon which one of them at^ tempts to read a gazette: and upon the fore-ground, a child lying down, is making a cat eat out of a pot. This little cabinet piece will always be placed among the first pictures of the master. ON PANNEL* CORNELIUS POELEMBERG, bom at Utrecht, 1586. No. 168. A View in the Environs of Italy* Rubens had the greatest friendship for this artist, and used say, If I were not Rubens, I should wish to be PockmberO i As a further proof of his esteem, he had in his own collection, as many pictures ofPcelemberg as he could obtain, as appears by his catalogue. The left of the picture, presents a rock, from whence issues a cascade of water, and in the centre, a herdsman with some soats and sheep. DUTCH SCHOOL. 187 On -the right, two other figures de- scending on the plain, with a loaded mule, and some goats \ and in the dis- tance, a chain of mountains detached from a vapourous and transparent sky. ON COPPER. One of the finest Works of this mas* ter,and which passes for his chef d'ceuvre, represents a landscape with nymphs bathing. It formerly belonged to a saddler of Brussels, who, like Laurent Pakmbur Gelec, whom we have before mentioned, would never dispose of it, because it had descended to him from his friends. It is not unusual to see our nobility part without scruple, with every thing, to the last diamond, that they have in-* herited from their family : but in gene- ral, the middling ranks of life^ venerate the little they have received from their forefathers. The saddler however dis- possessed himself at length, of his pic- ture, but in a manner highly honourable to His feelings, VOL. II, B b 188 DUTCH SCHOOL. Some years before the French had invaded the Low Countries, they were governed by the Emperor Francis's brother, Prince Charles de Lorraine, whom his goodness, unaffected simpli- city, and amiable manners, had rendered the idol of the Flemings.' A wound which the Prince received by accident, in the leg, threatened the most serious consequences, and after having baffled every means of restora- tion, his life was declared in danger, which occasioned the Flemings such an alarm, that it seemed as if they had all been on the eve of losing a tender father, .and with him their whole happiness. But although the voice of court syco- phants and interested flatterers, does not ascend to heaven, heaven hears and never rejects the voice of a grateful peo- ple, united in supplications for a beloved prince in illness and affliction. Mr. Morand, a skilful surgeon whom the French King had created knight of the grand order of St. Michael, was sent for from Paris, and through his DUTCH SCHOOL. 189 abilities, care, and attention, the prince was not only snatched from danger, but in the course of three weeks or a month, so far re-established as to be able to walk. So great was the joy of the people, on this occasion, that as Mr. Morand, one evening, entered a box at the play-house, he was no sooner seen, than the piece was interrupted by the applause thun- P- his hands to bless these young Princes, of whose ruin he became the cause., ON CANVAS. * It is the portrait of Mr. Kemble, who sat for it to the Artist. ENGLISH SCHOOL. 203 BY THE SAME. No. 173. The Assassins coming to surprize Edzvard the 5th) and the Duke of' York. As Mr. Northeote had painted this subject and the preceding, with much success, for the gallery of Messrs. Boy- dell, we requested him to repeat the Northcote, subjects for this collection, which he has done, with alterations. The composition of this, presents but four figures. We see in the front of the picture, the young unfortunate princes asleep in their beds, and the murderers (one of whom carries a lamp) advancing to smother them with pillows. • JOHN OPIE, Esq. born in Cornwall. No. 174. Damon and Musidora. Musidora is seated in a landscape, in the front of the picture, clothed in a VOL. If. D d 204 ENGLISH SCHOOL. white drapery that falls down to her feet, and which she is arranging, while Damon concealed behind some trees, advances with slow steps, to surprize her. The figures are large as life — per- fectly drawn, and of the finest colouring — this work is engraved. ON CANVAS. STUART. No. 175. Macbeth and the Witches. Stuart is the artist who retired some years ago, to America, where he painted that superb picture of General Wash- ington, which is in the collection of the Marquis of Lansdown, and it is the work now before us, which even pre- vious to it's being quite finished, laid the foundation of the high reputation he has acquired ; for during the time he, was painting it, crowds of people were continually going to see it. ENGLISH SCHOOL. 205 Such was the friendship of Sir Chas. Hotham, for Mr. Kemble, that he wished to have his portrait ; and so great was his admiration of his talents, that he wished to have him in one of his characters — Sir Charles gave the preference to the one of Macbeth, as most adapted to the spirited genius of the artist, and Mr. Kemble sat to him, Stuart. several times. This scene is so universally known, that it would be ridiculous to describe it. QN CANVAS. Sir FRANCIS BOURGEOIS, born in London. No. 176. A Landscape with Figures. This is a view from nature, which presents to the right, a terrace, upon which a sow is lying down suckling her young ones ; near them, another pig is standing, and on the other side of the terrace, are some trees. In the centre, two little pigs, strayed 206" ENGLISH SCHOOL. from their mother, are running toward* her, to suck with the rest. There is also in the centre, a palisade, through which the eye pierces into an extensive country. To the left, a peasant coming from work, is resting himself and drinking out of a keg, as country people usually carry out with them, when at work. - His little boy is at his side, and pulls him by the arm, as if to hinder him from drinking all it contains; we see also near him a shovel, piek^axe and basket, ON CANVAS. BY THE SAME. No. 177. The Landing of Norman Horses out of the Dieppe Packet-boat, at Bright Jielmstone. This work was painted before the breaking out of the Avar between Eng- land and France. At that time, they often brought horses by the packet, ENGLISH SCHOOL. W$ from Dieppe to Bnghthelmstone,where the artist painted it after nature. The fore-ground of the picture, pre- sents the view of a shore, covered with different figures, and the sea, with fishing boats and other vessels. On the left of the picture, advances a young man, leading by the halter, one of the horses just landed, and is follow- ed by another, whom his guide can scarcely manage, being still in the sea, and frightened by the noise of the waves. Numbers of spectators, are approach- ing, among whom two gentlemen are conversing, and strictly examining the horse jusUanded. Near them, a little boy that a dog is fawning upon, holds out his hat for alms ; and behind, are a man, and a woman who holds in her arms a child, and an old man leaning upon his stick. On the same side, is a *room mounted upon a horse that he has been bathing, whilst a fisherman, who seems tired, leans upon one of those turning posts, fixed by the sea-side ; 208 ENGLISH SCHOOL. near, is a child who has just come out of the water, sitting employed in dres- sing himself. In the centre of the picture, are two fishermen, one lying down upon the sand, and the other in boots, drawing ***** his net that he had extended to dry : he is standing and conversing with a wo- 40»r. man who leans upon his shoulder ; and near them, a greyhound has leapt into the water, and runs after the first horse that reaches the shore. On the right of the picture, are seen two other fisher- men, upon the shore, one sitting, and the other standing; they have near them, a basket of fish, and a dog who is going off; we distinguish also, on the same side, the Dieppe Packet-boat, and several little boats employed in the landing of the horses. Already those who have assisted in getting the two horses on shore, are returned to the packet-boat; and Ave see another, in which is a man, who holds the halter of a third horse, de- scending into the sea, where he is swim- ENGLISH SCHOOL. 209 ming, and of which the head only is seen on the surface of the water ; and farther, another bark is fastened by a rope to the packet, to lead another horse that is going to descend into the sea, and which is already suspended by a pulley. ON CANVAS. by the;same. No. 178. A Landscape, until a Rainbozo. The centre of the picture, presents a little hill covered with verdure. Upon the summit are some sheep, and a young man extended on the ground, with his dog by him ; a young girl is standing at his side, one of her petti- coats thrown over her head, to guard her from the wind. The agitation of the trees, with which the left of the picture is embellished, indicates it's blowing with great violence-— they are 210 ENGLISH SCHOOL. • both attentively examining a rainbow just formed in the sky. The right presents a river, on r the side of which, is discovered an old cas- tle ; and the fore-ground is enriched with various leafage and trunks of trees. ON CANVAS. BY THE SAME. No. 179. The Funeral of a White Friar. The composition offers us seventeen figures in a landscape, where friars are seen going to inter one of their bre- thren, in their burying ground, at a little distance from the convent. Upon a high road, on the fore-ground of the picture, to the right, four chil- dren of the choir, are preceding the procession, according to custom,' dressed in the habits of white friars — the head shaved, the feet naked, and surplices on ior the funeral ceremony ; the youngest feNGLISH SCHOOL. 211 Walks first, and is carrying the incense ; but having advanced too far before the others, he stops to wait their rejoining him ; the two who are following, hold each a lighted torch before the crucifix, with which the fourth advances, holding it raised with both hands. A few steps behind them, walks the chorister of the Convent, with a book open in his hand, and his eyes raised to heaven, singing psalms with the chil- dren. Immediately after him* are four friars carrying the body of their de- ceased brother, over whom they have thrown a white cloth, but his head and feet remain uncovered ; he is followed by the rest of the community, who walk two and two* in prayers and meditation. On this side of the road, to the left of the picture, are some large trees, ex- tending their branches to the sky ; and on the second ground, is a little hill, upon which are seen, towards the cen- tre of the picture, some sheep, watched by a girl and a boy, who have stopped to view the procession, and humbly incline VOL. II. E e £12 ENGLISH SCHOOL. themselves wliile it passes ; by the side of the little hill; a river bordered with trees, offers itself to the sight, and at a distance, some mountains. ON CANVAS. BY THE SAME. No. 180. Watering of Horses. The picture presents a landscape with the declining sun. trees, is a pump, where a young peasant comes to water two horses, just re- turned from work, and unharnessed ; his dog is near him. The fore-ground, towards the centre, offers a brook, and to the right a tree lying down. On the second ground, is seen a piece of water, and a little hill crowned with trees, where some sheep are feeding — a man, who is standing in a little cart, drawn by a horse, is coming with some cows going on before him. ENGLISH SCHOOL. We distinguish also, a kiln burning, and some edifices almost lost to the sight, from the great distance. PN CANVAS. BY THE SAME, No. 181. A Shepherd and his Flock. In the centre of a landscape, lighted Bourgeois by the rising sun, we see a cluster of trees, at the foot of which a flock of sheep are feeding, guarded by a shepherd, who is sitting on the left of the picture, caressing his dog ; and the right is occu- pied by a sheet of water, in which the first rays of the rising sun, are beautifully reflected. ON CAN.VAS. BY THE SAME. No. 182. The Bathing of Horses in the Sea. The picture represents a view of the sea, covered with an infinite number of £14 ENGLISH SCHOOL. sails, and into which the grooms are con- ducting horses, for the purpose of bath- ing ; the centre of the piece, represents two of them, just going in, led by their guides, and one of them startled by the roaring of the waves, rears on his hind le«;s. A fisherman is sitting on the shore, to .the right, with a basket filled with his nets, and near him, other grooms advance with their horses ; whilst on s the left, some boys, who have just bathed themselves, are playing near the water. ON CANVAS. BY THE SAME No. 183. Landscape with Gleaners, Sf it's Companion. The right of the performance, is oc- cupied by some trees, and a small farin^ house, at the door of which, a sports- man has just stopped, with his horse and dogs, and a young woman, accom- panied by a child, is bringing him a ba- EKG1ISH SCHOOL. 215 son of milk, which she has drawn from a cow that is near her ; and on the other side, seated at the foot of a tree, a little boy is eating. On this side the farm, are some trees, on which is a pigeon-house ; and in the Bourgeois. fore-ground, a hen and chickens, which she assembles under her wings, fright- ened at the sight of the dogs, whilst the cock boldly prepares himself to defend them. Some gleaners, with the corn that they have collected, are on the left, and more retired, on the other side of a piece of water, are some reapers, in a field of corn ; an even country forms the back- ground, which continues 'till it is lost in / , f he distance. ON CANVAS. BY THE SAME. No. 184. The Smugglers defeated. This picture, on the right, offers us the view of the sea agitated, with some 216 ENGLISH SCHOOL. fishing smacks; and on the left, an enormous mass of rocks, on this side of which are the smugglers defeated by a detachment -of dragoons. Oae of them, having been wounded in the action, is in his shirt, sitting on a bale of merchandize, with his uni- form lying beside him; and he is sup- porting himself by leaning on his sabre, witli his left arm, whilst another dra- Bourgeois. g 00n d re g Ses the wound he has received in his right. Their horses are in the corner, at- tached to each other, and guarded by a dragoon who has dismounted. One of the smugglers, is sitting in the fore- ground of the picture, and dressing his leg, in which he has been wounded ; behind him, one of his Companions, is seated on a cask of spirits, whilst three others, who are standing together, are engaged in conversation. Not far off, "and loaded with smuggled merchandize, are their horses, one of whom is lying dead on the ground, over Which the arms of thesmugglers^are scat- ENGLISH SCHOOL. 21J tered; on the same side, a dragoon darts with velocity towards the right of the picture where a young Englishman, a worthy rival of his countrymen in Egypt, and fitter for such engagements, than an attack upon smugglers, pre- sents a lively picture of heroism and courage. The youthful hero, mounted on his spirited steed, is com pleating the de- feat, by seizing the .last of the smug- glers, who is on a horse, loaded with a large portmanteau, and whose dog flies with fury at the dragoon, while his mas- ter has just discharged his pistol, which the young soldier successfully parried, and seizing the smuggler at the breast, vigorously rises himfrom the saddle of his / horse, with one arm, whilst his uplifted sabre in the other, threatens to cleave him in two — but one may see that the . affrighted culprit yields to his coura- geous adversary, and cries for mercy. 218 ENGLISH SCHOOL. CHARLES CATON, Esq. born in London^ No. 185. A Child. This is a child of natural growth, ex-* tremely well drawn, and finely coloured, asleep in a cradle, with a green curtain, and the head covered with a linen cap? bordered with lace. ON CANVAS. Sir JOSHUA REYNOLDS, born in Devonshire, 1723. No. 186. Portrait of a Boyi It is a full face, the head uncovered, and he is dressed in black, with a ruff; From the execution of this work, and the animation, as well as the expression in the figure, it must be acknowledged that it is one of the artist's most mas- terly performances. ON canvas. ENGLISH SCHOOL, 219 BY THE SAME. No. 187* A General Offieer . This portrait is asserted by some to be that of Lord Albermarle, by others of Lord Loonier : we leave the decision to those who have known them. The scene is a field of battle, which the General enters, mounted on a fiery white steed, richly caparisoned with blue velvet, edged with gold ; it's heroic rider Re yno ids> appears to direct his course towards a warm engagement of cavalry, at a dis- tance ; he is in armour, his sword at his side, and his batoou in his hand. With every sense of the merits of the old masters, we feel equal gratification in admiring those of the modern ; and it will be allowed that such pictures as this, will always deserve a place among the best productions of the old school; indeed it would exceed the utmost stretch of our abilities, were we to at- tempt rendering justice to the works of Vol.11.- , Ee 220 ENGLISH SCHOOL. this Must rious painter, to whom we are all so much indebted for this school. That school was wanting to the splen- dor of Great Britain, when his Majesty, whose views have alike, been directed to the most useful pursuits, and the glory of his country, instituted the Royal Aca- demy ; and happily at an epoch, when there existed an artist, whose brilliant Reynolds, genius, manners and talents rendered him so worthy to preside over it ; one who united the man of letters and the accomplished gentleman with the great painter; and who therefore, possessed of real taste, by his own works, as well as by his precepts, soon laid the found- ation of that celebrity, which British artists have hitherto acquired, and which we hope, through a liberal en- couragement of the community, will be long increasing, under the august aus- pices of our gracious Sovereign, and the patronage of our Nobility, that exalted and distinguished body, which adds so much lustre and respectability to Great Britain, and whose only pride, in ENGLISH SCHOOL. 221 their elevation, is to promote the good of their country. May Sir Joshua's works, and the in- structions he has left, be always the rules and models of our young artists L for throughout Europe, his pictures are daily rising in estimation, are more and more sought for by the connoisseurs, while his immortal discourses to the students Reynolds, of the Royal Academy, being now trans- lated in different languages, are recom- mended every where, as the best guide for taste and learning. We recollect his concluding the last, with name of Michael Angelo ; and we cannot also conclude our catalogue with a dearer and a greater one than that of Sir Joshua Reynolds, who will ever be regarded' as the father of the English school. FINIS. When we published, about three weeks since, the first edition of this little work, we were not conscious it contained ought that might incur the displeasure of any one ; as however some- artists, and others who believe themselves to be so, have written to reproach * 222 ENGLISH SCHOOL. us with an intention of injuring them in their profes- sion, and have censured several passages, that are not suppressed in the present edition ; we think ourselves called upon, to say a few words in our own justification. We are in the first place, reproached with having degraded in the eyes of the public, the whole body of painters, by accusing them generally of envy and jea- lousy. — As we have alleged nothing slightly, or in- serted any thing in the catalogue, but what we believe to be strictly true, we should be wanting to ourselves were we to retract, what we then advanced. — The fact is as follows : Having occasion, during the last autumn, to peruse the lives of the different painters, for the purpose of procuring the best information respecting the works that we had to describe, we were struck by observing that many of the most celebrated masters had been susceptible of so grovelling a passion as jealousy, and it reminded us of an observation we had before made, of some artists of our own time, who are subject to the same infirmity ; for we have not unfrequently wit- nessed the cruel pleasure that they have taken in de- grading the works of their fellow artists, and with a warmth that nearly bordered on rage. Such was our inducement to observe it to be a mis- fortune that instead of a low envy, the bosom of the painter did not glow with the noble emulation that existed in other liberal professions. What would have become of us, or what would have been the fate of Britain, if, about five years ago, when insurrection reigned throughout her fleets ; our brave officers had, like many of our artists, been jealous of each other, and had not with an united hand, crushed the rebellion; and restored subordination ? ENGLISH SCHOOL. 223 Faction, in an academy of painting, is neither dan- gerous nor of much consequence to the state ; but much more difficult to suppress, and more tedious in it's du- ration, than a political revolt. Far from intending injury to any one, we have avoided mentioning, or pointedly attacking any indi- vidual ; but in. contributing our endeavours to root out an evil, which has been of considerable injury to the- most meritorious painters, and particularly to young students, who stand in need of every assistance and advice, we have, on the authority of those authors mentioned in our preface, taxed Lanfranc, Claude, Rubens, and Velasquez, with jealousy and and envy. We however solemnly declare we had no intention of alluding to those artists, who have written to us on the subject ; , on the contrary, we freely confess we are not aware of any resemblance that they bear in any respect whatever to those masters. We intreat they will review the catalogue impar- tially, and they will observe that we have adopted great caution in mentioning the jealousy that exists among painters, and made very considerable excep- tions to it's being general We trust it will appear evident we have only- attacked the guilty. In a word, far from wishing to injure the body of painters, our attachment and zeal for their interest, is so well known, that within a short time past, the Royal Academy of London, and the Society for the en- couragement of Arts and Sciences, have respectively honoured us with a vote of thanks, at one of their pub- lic meetings. The next accusation against us is, our having said in No. 142, that the art of painting admits of no mid- 24 ENGLISH SCHOOL, Me degrees; by which assertion, they pretend w c - have discouraged a number of men, who never can rise above mediocrity.. We have indeed asserted what is perfectly true, and continue to say, that such painters will never be ranked amongst artists, notwithstanding the vast quantity of canvas, which by a ntural quickness of hand, they colour in the course of a twelvemonth ;j and we appeal to those who are acquainted with the difficulties of the art, to the professional men who really arm at fame, and are reminded of it's trouble and fatigue, by their daily paLtlng, rubbing, effacing,, and ■ correcting works, with which they are themselves never pleased, 'till they are brought to a certain degree of perfection' by labour and great efforts of genius— On them we call to say whether our assertion is not just. A set of men, stiling themselves artists, without any claim to the appellation, and a set of tasteless collec- tors, who satisfied with the most indifferent pic- tures, have filled their rooms at a few guineas expence, offended by our candour, have already raised the war-whoop against ourselves and a col- lection they have not yet seen. But we reflect on it with indifference, as we look forward with confi- dence, to the approbation of the true artist, and the im- partial connoisseur. Far, therefore, from retracting what we have advanced about those pretended. painted who too frequently usurp the place of meritorious or.es. we arc more than ever, convinced that their knowledge and a total ignorance are perfectly on a par. Any man blessed with common sense only, may, by study and labour, acquire science and sufficient knowledge tq distinguish himself in most of the pro- ENGLISH SCHOOL. Sessions of life.; but notwithstanding good sense, la- bour, study, and knowledge are also necessary to form a painter, they are by no means sufficient ; for he must besides, be endowed with that celestial fire called genius. In time of yore, kind fairies, or Apollo himself, used to preside at the birth of poets and painters, in order to bestow on them!, that precious gift ; and as no one dared then, write verses or paint without it, taste was not offended and plagued with the works of a fop, foolish poems, and bad pictures : But in our days, in spite of taste and of Apollo, and quite a stranger to genius and to the art itself, any man who can buy a few yards of cloth, a pint of oil, and a pound of colours, sets up as a painter, and feels affronted if John Bull, not awed by the productions of his pencil, enters his painting room, in boots and with his baton, for the new Apelies says, it ought not to be the case in a polite country. V ft* THE GETTY CENTER LIBRARY