RKD STUDIES

Volume 3, page 390-399

... atic mission to Henry the Great, King of France [= Henri IV]. Having received his law degree there, he was granted not only a golden chain by the King, but also, because of his outstanding learning in these years, the King's portrait.His flattering song goddess inserted the fire of poetry in the bosom of Geeraert Brandt in the spring of his youth. This may be seen in his plea for the publication of the play De Veinzende Torquatus, which Caspar van Baerle honoured with the following verse:...

... es, he had assimilated that commendable manner of brushwork so firmly through his special powers of observation that he applied it from then on, so that his master later employed him for the painting of clothing in his works.Then his father drew up a new contract with his master, for a period of one and one-half years, and exacted half of what he painted for him during this time.Van der Neer, who was fond of him, took him...

... of seventeen, he painted his own picture on a playing card, which is still kept in remembrance of him, and then left his master to further practice his art on his own.Cornelis Brouwer, a lover of art who had also been a student of Rembrandt before and often went to visit his former master, so that Adriaen got to know him, was kindly disposed towards him and often came by his father's house, where he was now painting, always talking about...

... m to the poor, and ordering him to be diligent from thence on, and not to sell his pieces for money, but if he needed money, to ask him for it.The showing of the aforementioned portrait by Cornelis Brouwer brought him so much esteem that he rented a room in Rotterdam, where he began to make portraits now and then and also other pieces. He then also had the good fortune to meet Mister Adriaen Paets, receiver of the Admiralty of the Meuse. For him he made a piece with childeren, and Paets paid him 350 guilders for it. He also made a similar piece for Philip Steen, merchant in East Indian wares in...

... did and genuine old Italian, French and Netherlandish brushwork and art on paper, which he has bought from time to time with his discerning eye out of the most important art cabinets.He could now entertain himself on occasion with all these beautiful objects, but he could not at first take pleasure in old Italian prints, nor in those of Raphael. But developing more and more clear insight he got such an appetite for them that he arranged the entire range of his...

... nck, I recommend Van der Werff to you because you and only one other man in Holland know rightly to judge in matters of art. Mister Flinck heeded this and visited Mister van der Werff daily, and judged his work with sincere friendship.Shortly hereafter (to show that his brush could set about anything) he painted for Mister Flinck a ceiling piece in his side salon depicting Fame with two cherubs in the centre [2]. The outer sections are grisaille medallions depicting painting,...

... ollowing year, 1697. This gave such delight to the art-loving Elector that he took him into his service, this being for six months a year, on a contract for 4,000 guilders in Dutch currency. In addition he paid him 3,000 guilders for the aforementioned piece of Solomon's judgement and for the portrait, in addition to a valuable gift of silverware.At the same time he started the portraits of the Elector and his Consort in full-length, on a canvas 30 inches high [6-7], and further completed it in Rotterdam.In the year 1698, having made an Ecce homo [8], 2 ells high, and having brought the same to Düsseldorf,...

... presented with the Elector's picture, set in diamonds of great value.Now the new Knight eagerly set about to paint. Surely these are pathways that carry a spirit above its powers, to create wonders as proof of gratitude. The first of these 15 pieces was The Annunciation to Mary [10]. Next came The Visitation of Elizabeth [11], The Birth of Christ by Candlelight [12], Simeon in the Temple [13], Christ among the Doctors [14], Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane [15], The Flagellation of...

... he showed him his life-sized self portrait and in addition a small painting in which his wife and daughter are painted, which also passes for the most skilful work wrought by his brush, took great pleasure in it, and requested it for himself. But he refused this for good reason. Whereupon the King asked him to make 2 pieces for him, which Van der Werff could not positively guarantee him, seeing that the Elector had paid for his time. Whereupon the King said: I shall ask the Elector for this much time....

... arranging to pay our Knight 6,000 guilders in gold ducats, which he had struck when, after the death of Emperor Joseph I, he became Vicar of the Holy Roman Empire along with Elector of Saxony. He also said: I shall have your wife return home well satisfied, and had a set of toiletries, or the silver belonging to a night table, consisting of 32 items, besides 2 additional large rinsing basins, delivered to her.With this worthy present we also want to remember that Anton Ulrich, Duke of Wolfenbüttel, came to Rotterdam in the year 1709...

Volume 2, page 350-361

... history and soldier painter. (15) Philips van der Does. (16) François Monnaville, history painter from Antwerp. (17) Paul marine and moonshine landschape painter from Antwerp. (18) Gilles du Mont. (19) Pieter Claessens II, history painter from Antwerp. (20) Dirk Visscher. (21) Artus Quellinus I, who made the marble statues on the Amsterdam city hall. (22) Hans Martijn, German history painter, Disciple of Johann Carl Loth and Cavalier Daniel Seiter. (23) David de Coninck, bird, flower and other still life painter from Antwerp. (24) Pieter Mulier II from Haarlem....

... of Distelbloem. A curser who had lost an eye by often fighting. (28) Adriaen Honich, landscape painter from Dordrecht. (29) Pieter van Bloemen, battle painter from Antwerp. (30) Gommarus Wouters, history painter from Antwerp. (31) Jacob Toorenvliet of Leiden, society painter. (32) Nicolaas van Haringen. (33) -- see 27. (34) Jan van der Hooge. (35) Norbert van Bloemen, society painter from Antwerp. (36) Thomas Mathisen from Antwerp. (37) Abraham Genoels II, landscape painter from Antwerp. (38) Jacobus de Baen, portrait painter from The Hague. (39) Abraham Brueghel, flower painter from Antwerp. (40) Pieter Hofman, battle painter of Antwerp, was in Turkey for a long time with Zandruiter, landscape painter. (41) Samuel van Hoogstraten...

... orthy--------history painter of Dordrecht. (42) Philipp Peter Roos Figure painter. (43) Johannes Glauber Landscape painter. (44) Jan de Momper, landscape painter from Antwerp. (45) Willem Doudijns, history painter from The Hague. (46) Theodoor van der Schuer. (47) Herman van Swanevelt, landscape painter from Woerden. 48) Otto Marseus van Schrieck, herb and snake painter. (49) See 22. (50) Willem van Ingen, history painter. (51) Karel du Jardin, figure, landscape and animal painter (52) Frans Beeldemaker...

... sels. (57) Cornelis de Bruyn, whose travel description has come out in print. (58) Cornelis van Ryssen, artful goldsmith, stone setter and witty epigrammatist, who was a member of the Roman Bent and often associated with them in 1667 and 1668. He also made a list of the bentvogels then present, which we have taken over and used here. He was exceptional comical, but not in the least sharp by nature, which is why they gave him that Bent name for good reason....

... from Antwerp. (64) Adriaen Foly, history painter from Copenhagen. (65) Francis van der Kappen, history painter from Antwerp, later given to Hendrik Frans van Lint, who was also from Antwerp and a handsome landscape painter. (66) Isaac de Moucheron, handsome painter of buildings, water and land prospects from Amsterdam. (67) François Moens. (68) Theodoor Wilkens. (69) Frans de Meyer. (70) Batholomeus Martens, artful goldsmith from Antwerp. (71) Dirk Visscher,...

... are greeted as brother of us all,Now follow the bent’s customs in all that you do;Thus our brotherhood will aways celebrate you:And call you a follower of the law of the Roman bent.Thus your name and fame will alway remain blameless,Provided you are follower, and always will remain.74) See 19. (75) Arendt Samuëlsz. Teerling from Alkmaar. (76) Franz Werner von Tamm, handsome flower painter. 77) Christian Reder, battle painter....

... 3) Bonaventura van Overbeek, who drew the Roman ruins after life, etched them himself and published them in prints along with a description and dedicated to Brittanic Queen Anne [= Les Restes De L'Ancienne Rome]. (84) Francois Henrie. (85) Franz Ludwig Raufft, commendable history painting from Switzerland, painted various blazons and ceiling pieces for the Landgrave of Hessen-Kassel. While in Italy he made a small copy of the room of Pietro da Cortona. Later he went to live with Sun Flower [= Christian Berentz]...

... being in Rome, has (so it appears to me) helped initiate him and made this verse about that:In all that lives there love is always needed,By love the universe exists, by love all things live,Not only on earth, but even with the gods,Yes, if love were not practiced, the world would perish.We who praise our Roman bent as perfect,And thought that love was lacking in our bent,We here name you with the honorary name of our little love god,Otherwise known as Cupid, known to small or large....

... uch art for bread; one does not obtain it otherwise. Whose art goes for bread, Roel has his bread go for art.(92) David Beck, court painter of Queen Christina of Sweden.‡ Latombe [= Abraham Latombe]. This bent name was given to him because as soon as he had joined his countrymen, he at once spoke about stuffing a pipe.† A ruse intended to keep the company together a little longer.* That is to say, to hand out with company for three days and three nights without sleep. (93) Daniel Seiter,...

... s standing like a wooden MarionetStiff and motionless without speaking,No matter what each may pray or preach:Or like a (98) PyramidDedicated to graves.This one snuck away like a shade.The other creeping like a (99) Turtle.Others sideways like a (1) Crab--------history painter from Vienna. (94) Marcellis Librechts. (95) See 21. (96) Maurits Bibe from Den Bosch. (97) Jacob van Staverden, flower and fruit painter from Amersfoort. (98) Albert van Spiers. (99) Francoys Dancx. (1) Jan Asselijn,...

... ----Many of my fellow artists whose bent names are here interspersed, still being alive, have taken their attendance for a diversion in the days of their youth and later behaved in such a way that all commendable people hold them in esteem. Oh, How fortunate are those (says often mentioned Hoogstraten on page 207 of his Book on painting) who profit from this and who as Medea’s rejuvenated ram spring out of the bent kettle in which so many remain smothered. Yes, more than happy are those who survive their folly...

... e of Painters stands to appear in much shorter time than the second volume, seeing that it has already been begun, and the stage will open with the renowned painters Frans van Mieris and the farcical Jan Steen.END....

Bibliography

... n Sybrand I Feitama (1620-1701) en van Isaac Feitama (1666-1709)’, Oud Holland...

... or Jacob Campo Weyerman (1677-1747) (diss. Nijmegen University), Amsterdam 1...

... dsche schilderkunst in de Gouden Eeuw’, Theoretische Geschiedenis, vol. 23 (1996), pp. 330-343...

... is, 'Arnold Houbraken's Groote Schouburgh and the canon of 17th -century Dutch painting', S...

... ish painters and paintresses (2 vols.), Doornspijk 2000...

... is Critics: 1650-1730, The Hague (Martinus Nijhof) 1953...

3. Inaccuracies and Name Dropping in De groote schouburgh

... ndschen Diogenes …’.34 Note also that this list of fairly obscure or outright obscure authorities covers Houbraken’s Part I only. Part II repeats one famous authority, being Tacitus, and introduces one new one, namely Livy (c. 56 BC-AD 17), while adding only one fairly obscure figure, Flavius Arrianus, and a virtually untraceable one named Vulturius, who also appears not to be an ancient scholar but an historian and Protestant reformer from Nijmegen, Gerard Geldenhouwer (1482-1542).35 Part III again offers Ovid, Pliny, Tacitus and Virgil, but adds Apuleius, Euripides, Josephus, Pausanius and Plutarch, while Antisthenes, Aratus, Valerius Flaccus, Klaudianus, Lycurgus, Augustyn Niphus, Nonnus, Trebellius Pollo, Salmatius, Servius, Vegetius and Varro join the lesser figures. Obviously our dividing line between famous and obscure scholars is an authorial convenience since it is not based on any known consensus of the past or present. Certain is that ever since Jacob Campo Weyerman chose to ignore Houbraken’s theory,36 no one has taken a close interest in its scholarly underpinnings.One gains the distinct impression that Houbraken relied heavily on his several learned authorities but did not bother to take precise notes or follow up on incomplete or faulty references. In fact, he sometimes had nothing to follow up. In the middle of the first digression of his second volume, which concerns the sundry army ensigns of the remote past, he writes: ‘For all this I have no other proof than that Franciscus Junius (1591-1677), Samuel van Hoogstraten (1622-1678), Wilhelmus Goeree (1635-1711) and others have told me so, without further evidence. However, I assume that they derived it from ancient writers and not that they would have invented it’.37 The ‘others’ hinted at by Arnold Houbraken certainly included Antonius Bynaeus (1654-1698) [4]. It was Bynaeus who introduced him to Fulvio Orsini (1529-1600), who is still consulted in select circles to this day. Several more obscure authorities such as Dio, for Lucius Cassius Dio (AD 155-235) are taken over from Bynaeus without further identification. Both he and the equally obscure Artemidorus, being Artemidorus Daldinanus (AD 2nd C.) crop up eight times in Gekruiste Christus. A diligent search of Bynaeus takes us to most of the other unspecified authorities just mentioned.38 On the other hand, Bynaeus only rarely takes us to an original source39 and he generally quotes in Latin....

Volume 3, page 270-279

... made good use of his brother Ezaias, known as the Bird of Paradise, who was two years younger and an excellent flower, fruit, and animal painter who lived in Rome. The latter delivered choice casts of the best antiques, as well as the whole famous sculpture cabinet of Giovanni Pietro Bellori, all of which arrived in chests without discernible damage.In the meantime 6 rooms were provided for the academy and prepared for their various use, and a supervisor or teacher was appointed for each room....

... ister Mister Everard von Danckelman appointed him as the first Director of the Academy.He had been the first Professor of this academy three times when he came to die in the year 1711, on the 21st of January, to the great loss of the up-and-coming artistic stars of that principality. His portrait may be seen in Plate L. 26.With this we close the stage curtain, intending to show the reader with a modest argument the usefulness of the art of painting as in a mirror.The maker of the universe equipped nature with an ability to produce manifold creatures varying infinitely in form and colour, and to have each of them appear in their time before...

... n one sees from clear indications that the world’s Architect (so that the decorations of His holy tabernacle might be artfully embroidered with ornamental foliage, as also the robe of the high priest, the jugs, further all the equipment of religion, might be artfully wrought) steeped Bezaleel and Ahaliab in the spirit of art in the normal way and made them competent to all sort of art works, as Moses has noted this in...

... plation, as in a mirror, the observant would therefore never lack objects to contemplate the Creator in the wonderful changes of the creatures, as if in a mirror.Among all the creatures of the world the human figure excels, especially that of woman, in whose proportioned contours of limbs a perfect beauty lies enclosed. This perfection, distributed amongst many objects, and combined into one object through the steady efforts of intellects, amazes us, and also has us decide that the first created female figure, when it came fresh from the hand of the Creator, must have been perfectly beautiful,...

... epict them most naturally and most individually have earned the greatest fame, such as Roelant Savery and Johann Heinrich Roos in the depiction of wild animals.In game, Frans Snijders and Abraham Hondius,In the depiction of farm animals Nicolaes Berchem, Paulus Potter, Adriaen van den Velde, Jacob and Simon van der Does,In horses Philips Wouwerman, Hendrick Verschuring,In birds Melchior d’Hondecoeter and Adriaen van Eemont [= Adriaen van Utrecht?],In fish Isaac van Duynen....

... corching fire of the sun, and proud cedars that graced olden Lebanon. Cypresses and the like have from time to time found their numerous imitators amongst the practitioners of art, both here and elsewhere. And no wonder. Israel's harp player, seeing the providence of the Almighty reflected in all this, thought it worthy of commemoration in his 104th Psalm, thus followed by Heyman Dullaert.I look upon the lofty mountains,Thou drenchest their shady crowns,Round which the clouds drift by,With fresh drops of dew or rain.In the mornings when the pride of the stars,Comes strutting from the East so beautifully,...

... s the sand, and that the earth has no other walls than the beaches against that active enemy, he sees divine providence shine forth, and concludes: If this result or this caused effect is so wonderful, how marvellous must the cause of the same be in itself?Especially when one regards this thus with our top poet in the same hymn, with reference to its basic principle:The waters like a lush carpet,Which spread around rustle steadily,With loose waves wide and farFoamed around the high mountains.You only spoke but a single word,The sea receded to her beaches,As soon as yo...

... r harp strings attributes their care to God.You lead the wells along a path,Flow most secretly through the mountainsTo sprinkle the flower-laden fieldsWith this beautiful but fleet treasure.The goddess of art has always enticed her pupils to the depiction of these pleasant objects, so that an attentive observer might not only learn the art of imitating these beauties but also astonish himself at the incomprehensible genius of their maker....

... present their outstanding art to the world without judging it or making any comparison of one art with another. Had I undertaken this, I would certainly not have escaped hate and controversy, whereas, on the contrary, I do not disturb those people who take satisfaction in their own work, but praise everyone in his diligence and according to the power of his brush. That is why I have booked everyone I came across without differentiation according to their time and not begrudged them a place in my theatre of painters and paintresses, counter to the concept of the Thebans. For within Thebes the painters were so...

... me satisfaction in his activities as the most accomplished, and measures his own contribution with the yardstick of his love of self. Now it can easily be appreciated how solidly he would stand who would undertake as inspector to judge who is superior in art and place the crown of honour on his head. I, certainly, will keep my hands to myself and let Flora and the nymphs of the fields feud over the floral wreath. Follow this rhyme, reader, and you will deem my decision to be right at the end....

Volume 3, page 30-39

... AN LINSEN was born, but only that he lived in Hoorn when he met with the accident (about which we will later report) in 1635. No accident (goes the saying) goes alone. And when a man is born accident prone, one disaster follows on another, like the shadow does a figure.After he had advanced so far by diligent practice in art that he could (as people say) get by, he went to Rome to continue practicing his art after commendable models....

... cting any evil, seeing they had always been good friends, and he said: yes stick it up my ass. The other then treacherously gives him a fatal stab under the table. Falling to the ground he said with blanched lips that he has been treacherously murdered by one whom he loved, but that he forgave him, after which he gave up the ghost and thus ended his life unhappily.Just like a farmer awakenedBy care which serves him as alarm clock,When the time for planting, sewing,Or mowing the ripe golden yellow grainIs at hand: he looks to the East,...

... Of what help was it that we received only too late that which we lacked? But what counsel? Van Mander had to live with it just as do I.It is not recorded in the biography of Gerard Dou that he had the honour that Charles II, King of England, taking great pleasure in his brushwork, summoned him to his court. But he found reason to refuse this summons because the turbulent court life was not commensurate with his quiet nature or because his friends...

... orture myself about this. Were it otherwise there would have been no opportunity for any delayed stories, which are rather welcome even though untimely, because the reader can link them in his memory with what has been previously mentioned about Gerard Dou and Jan Lievens. But possibly this will be counted (no matter how innocent) as a mistake, as happened to me when writing about Naples in Sicily on page 278, line 1 of my first book,...

... tiations, where he first made the acquaintance of the painter to the Count of Pignorando [= Peñeranda]. This man, who had heard by rumour that Ter Borch was a great master artist, was friendly to him, all the more because he was working on a painting for said Count which depicted the Crucifixion of Christ and which he could not resolve to his own satisfaction. So he asked our Ter Borch if he would lend a helping hand with it, which he did. When it was finished he showed it to the count, who was very pleased with it,...

... o whistle a tune according to his old habit, the Count was at first offended by this, as being inappropriate in the presence of so generous a prince, and rose from his seat, to leave. But then Ter Borch, noticing his error, absolved himself by saying that he was used to doing this without realizing it, whenever a painting progressed well and to his satisfaction. At this the Count sat down again and said, laughing: Whistle on, then....

... suspicious and competitive in matters of love), so that they would have liked to give him a fig to have him burst. Warned about this, he (so the saying goes) packed his bags at once and departed in all haste from Madrid for England, where he was well-known for his painting and gained much money and favour. When he wanted to ship out for France (knowing that according the laws of England the customs officials guard against the export of money) he hid his gold in his boots, which he had deliberately made muddy and unsightly,...

... that he had been painted by Caspar Netscher and that he would allow them to come and make a replica of it. But they declined the prince’s offer, saying that they already had Netscher’s master at their disposal. His highness agreed to this despite the fact that in those troubled times he could hardly spare a few hours to sit. So Ter Borch had to realize it in his first attempt, while the Prince sat at table, and finish it off afterwards, in his studio. This portrait however was kept so securely by one burgomaster...

... ng else. It makes the time pass, so the saying goes. Among other things he asked our knight if he had also painted the King of Spain. Yes, he answered, but he did not sit like an idiot. How, said the Prince, do you come to compare the King to an idiot? Well, yes, replied Ter Borch, would it not be idiotic when one wishes to be painted if one would not sit still? The Prince, sensing that this was a double stab, and that the painter was a droll fellow, from then on sat much more still, until he rose, thinking that the agreed-on...

... ly the fixed features and the entire elegance but also the clothing and rare fabrics according to their nature. But above all he was able to paint white satin so naturally thin and artful that it truly seemed to be satin, which is why he often used it in his art works.Especially praised amongst the manifold and elaborate painted portraits is that of Miss. Cornelia Bicker, about which Jan Vos composed this four-line verse:...

Volume 3, page 20-29

... consume the leftovers, but it was not long before the baker told him that he would prefer to be released from the deal that he had made with him, and cancel his debt, than continue to deliver bread to his household on those terms, which would mean money saved. Jan, sitting in the pub in the evening, heard a conversation about fresh herring, and how detrimental it was (if eaten a lot) for one's health and that one could even catch the plague from it. He listened and resolved quietly to put it to the test,...

... old) strongly advises him that he ought to look for a wife, to take charge of his children. Just then a woman comes through the house to the summer arbour at the back.After she had greeted them, she began to say Neighbour Jan, I am just coming to see if it is convenient for you. You know that there is still something owing because of sheep’s heads, and sheep’s feet, and a promissory note, and you could now be of service to me by paying for it all. Jan, who was wont to dispel such spirits...

... matter with his sister (who was a lay nun).I would have short-changed my reader had I not welded the epilogue to this comical performance (which I came by only recently) to the preceding one. Should the rôle turn out a little on the long side, it will not disappoint the reader on that account. His sister, as stated, was a spiritual daughter (and he, too, was raised in the Catholic Faith from his infancy, but seldom stubbed his toe on the threshold of a church) to whom he presented his intention, who also...

... ome, and take off that collar and that cloak. Well brother Jan, said the lay nun, is the marriage off? I thought that it was only beginning to take shape. I have told her honestly, Jan answered, that I could not woo any more, and surely she should therefore not expect it of me? But Jan brother, said the lay nun, the tree does not fall with the first stroke. Things don't go that way at first. She is a stranger to you, you should first become better acquainted with her, the woman is good and level-headed, you are carefree and peculiar, and do you think, that she, like you, will begin and give up so lightly;...

... r. To keep things brief, they came to terms on the subject then and there. But, said Maritje, what will the lay nun say about me being ready so quickly? Well, said Jan, she will certainly be pleased, because she put me up to it. Come let us both go over there, we will be welcome. Jan thought that the lay nun would regale this new sister, and he feast along with them. But he had guessed wrong. For the lay nun immediately began to preach a sermon on the obligations of the married state, praised Maritje for undertaking to manage the household of her...

... n visited the home of Jan Steen at that time, and who was very candid and ready to help young painters with information) has told me that Maritje was constantly pestering her husband to be painted in their Sunday clothes, as one commonly sees in portraits. But nothing came of it, so that Carel offered her his service and painted her. She was pleased with it and showed it to her husband, who was also satisfied but said that it was still lacking something which he would add himself. Right away he took palette and brushes and...

... 26painted a large basket with boiled sheep's heads and feet on her arm, which looked so droll ne...

... y Karel van Mander I, whose footsteps I follow, who likewise recorded that which was to be praised and to be censured in his colleagues in art.Whoever wants to paint someone's portrait must follow its uniquely recognizable features.The artist in this regard is sometimes inclined to improve on the subject. But the more he does so and deviates from the true image, the less his representation will resemble a true likeness and the more he cheats art. Even so it could be said of my way of writing that had I left all weaknesses and faults unobserved to please the meddlers, there would be no likeness in its representation of the...

... cribed the life of Alexander, Cornelius Nepos the Greek generals and others the Roman emperors, but all have recorded their mistakes as well as their pious deeds and brave acts.It is reasonable (says Polybius) that a solid man is a friend of his friends and of his fatherland, and that he hates his enemies. But the instant he takes on the role of history writer, he has to forget all this. A history writer often has to speak well of his...

... eltered from the flaming wrath of God because of his piety, but his incest is also described. Indeed, in his historical account Moses has not excused the sinful acts of his own tribesmen. And did not the Evangelists who have described the biographies of the Saviour and his apostles, book the effort of Peter for the construction of the church, but also his denial of the Saviour?Experience (to end our plea) shows us that the inclinations of men differ as widely as East and West. Some admire only tragedy, others wholly farce. The theatre therefore usually serves up both....

Volume 2, page 280-289

... artful this drawing was is clear from this. While they were looking over and again, an art-loving Roman happened to come by and looking at it casually, offered a pistole for it. But this did not fly as the--------* The round theatre, built by Vespasian. In it stood a remarkably large Colossus statue, after which the place was later called Colosseum. This was the most splendid theatre of Rome, of which today only a few remains prove its great size, which clearly show that within its encirclement 850,000 people (as the writers witness) could admire the games....

... to encourage him in his efforts, a practice by which they make themselves liked and esteemed by all.Giacinto Brandi (to get back to business) took such pleasure in the draughtsmanship of Roos that he offered him admission to his house to see his art, in which he did not fail. What happened? This Brandi had a daughter who was young and comely. Roos once saw her from a distance roaming through the house and took notice of the whereabouts of her quarters. It happened one time that he came to the house while Brandi was occupied. Familiar by now to all the inhabitants of the houses, he used a pretty tale to penetrate to the courtyard, pretending...

... ible label of animal painter.After long deliberation he thought up a fine ruse, which succeeded. He was so bold as to go the Cardinal Vicar and offer to become a member of the Catholic Faith, renouncing his religion and begging the cardinal’s favour and assistance in a certain case, which he at last revealed to his eminence. Now whether the cardinal showed himself inclined to his service so that another soul might be won, or whether Roos was able to convert him to his favour with velvet words and petitions,...

... e parted from his bride early, took all her jewels, clothes, socks, shoes, including the shift that she had on, bound it together into a bundle and had it brought to her father with the announcement: that the animal painter did not need this, that he had only desired his daughter naked. Brandi took this so poorly and it grieved him so badly that he tormented himself about it and died soon after, after having first disinherited her of his estate, which was estimated at a great sum of money.As everything down to the clothes now...

... to painting in some inn or another, where he then completed one or two pieces in haste (since was exceptionally adept) and sent his servants with them, still wet from the easel, through Rome to sell them, be it for a high or low price as it turned out, because he then needed money to be released with his horse from the inn, seeing that no one in Rome would vouch for him. Le Blon and others have told me that when his bent brothers saw him coming from far away they could at once see if he was impecunious or not, for if he was low...

... brush, especially painting all animals, oxen, sheep and goats naturally and spry. And no matter how many of his works of his one sees, the arrangement of the groups is different and each has its changes, right down to the terrain and background, which is proof of his rich intellect and spirit, being more fortunate in this than the famous Jacopo Bassano, who only disposed of a limited number of figures and animals that he employed in all his art works.It pleases us (before we draw the man’s biography to an end) to demonstrate an...

... and our fleet Mercury already stood up and showed the completed piece as proof that he had won. In this small work there were two or three sheep or goat and half a figure painted with appropriate setting or landscape, to the amazement of the Swedish general, who had lost the wager. Martinitz took a few pistoles from the pile between his fingers and gave them to Roos for his trouble, which, quickly won, he quickly consumed.* Tela di (Testa) A small cloth big enough for a human head to be painted on it....

... attack of dogs by running. The painter Christoffel le Blon (being in Rome at the time) saw him paint these works.In the year 1698 to 99 the Landgrave of Hessen-Kassel, his first patron, came to Rome and inquired after our Roos, whether he still lived and his conduct in life, and said when he heard that he had changed his religion: that I am still able to forgive him, but that he has never sent me a piece of his art as proof of his gratitude, I can never forget. Roos was informed that the Landgrave was in Rome, but...

... typographic error must have crept in, seeing that Cornelis de Bie was not a painter but a confidential clerk in Lier who purely out of love of art published a book in verse about the Brabant painters. But his father Adriaen de Bie was a commendable painter and came from Rome to Brabant in the year 1623 and still lived there in the year 1660. As a consequence one should read that it was Adriaen instead of Cornelis with whom he was placed to learn art....

... uch desire in him that he said farewell to all idle pastimes of youth and spent all his hours in the service of art. And when Elisabeth Charlotte von der Pfalz married the Philippe I, Duke of Orléans, he painted their portraits, which so pleased their highnesses that he received as gift a golden chain with a medal in which portraits of the rulers were stamped. Strassbourg and the courts of Velde, Birkenfeld, Baden and Hanau display his art. He made eight pieces in seven months...

Volume 2, page 170-179

... portraits in Plate G. with that of Samuel van Hoogstraten above and that of his brother below, next to the portrait of Johannes Lingelbach to the left.At this time lived a painter of Rotterdam named JAN van OSSENBEECK. Almost none of his works are to be seen in Holland, seeing he spent most of his life in Italy. He painted in the way of Pieter van Laer various breeds of animals, and figures, and arranged the addenda or backgrounds so strangely with caves, dilapidated Roman buildings, waterfalls and the like so much in the Italian manner that people said of him: He has brought Rome with...

... oney] is added, it means to approach someone about debt. Nagel [nail] is the shell of the front part of our fingers, but the St. Joseph guild brothers understand spyker [nail] with this word. So it is also with thumbs, trees, feathers, pans, discs, swallow tails and other words take on a different meaning for some than for others and therefore need to be determined by an adjective. In the same way it is the supplements, dress and individual features which at first sight indicate the subject matter of scenes. Thus from oldest days the most famous painters have had the most...

... , killed his commanders in chief with the sword and, as part of the raid, also took his related friend Lot with them, he perused them with the natives of his house and tore Lot and the robbed booty out of their hands.One should also consider that Orientals who were rich and head of peoples always went about hung with precious stones and dressed in expensive silks.Do not imagine, painting youth, that I wish to burden you with pointless...

... f cruel by nature, under no circumstancesBribable. Ino must be inclined to tears;Orestes feeling sad . . . . . . . . . .And a little further on,So pay heed that your art presents everything in that guise,That people are by nature and years.Do not think to yourself, no one will pay close attention to such things, nor let the proverb: Not all art lovers are connoisseurs...

... pick up again. If we then depict Abraham (whom we have already sketched as estimable in features and dress) as bare legged and poorly dressed, with wild hair like despair in the rendering of the passions by Charles Le Brun and behind him a hut of old planks as dike workers are wont to use as their quarters, I have to decide that the maker has not understood that part of art which is called the depiction of persons, because even if one sees from other addenda...

... persons in poor and unobserved dress and expect to have them taken for Cleopatra and Sofonisba by the addition of an adder and a cup with poison? So that for such subjects the perfect depiction of the person must accompany the attribute.The supplements are either integral or searched for. The integral ones we have just discussed. The invented are such that are only used out of necessity, when there are no others available. A painter will also encounter subjects that are only recognizable by their attributes because they offer no indication of sex other than that. If, for instance, he paints an old male figure crying bitterly and a female...

... guage, which also means thigh. See Ludolf Smids on page 79 of his commentary on Ovid’s Metamorphoses.Many histories carry with themb their own embellishments and characteristics and give practitioners of art an opportunity to be able to depict them in various ways, by the turn of events that follows on these and from the multitude of changes that occur. Nevertheless a painter must show these histories at the moment at which the most certain characteristics present themselves and with which the...

... s were able to use the same hat so well that all the spectators believed that Rohault himself appeared on the stage, and acquired great fame by this.If someone should say that one does not always have such an aid ready and at hand, I will give as answer: That those whose portraits are depicted on coins and in marble indicate this by the refinement of their clothes.--------* Johann Burchard Mencken, in his De quakzalvery der geleerden....

... lly there are the worthy images of our Saviour Jesus after credible depictions conforming with the description that Pilate gave of these in a letter sent to the Roman Council, as recorded in the Church History by Irenaeus. In the De kerkelyke en weereldlyke historien by Willem Goeree one finds the images of Herod the child killer, Herod Antipas, with Herodias, Aesop and still others. Certainly if the correct portraits were to be observed for old historical subjects, the learned art lovers, including the lovers of medals and other antiquities...

... graceful Dante, the lusty Petrarch and the amorous Boccaccio, Tibaldeus and many others, who in groups seated on the mount of song under the shade of laurel trees, or write, or sing, or play etc. It is also said that he followed the features of the muses, each in particular, after marble portraits.Raphael was not the first to invent this. Examples by artists of earlier times have spurred him on to this praiseworthy practice. Do you want proof of the saying, which has been preserved in memory since the fall of Troy and...

Volume 2, page 110-119

... ed me that this nickname originated on the occasion that he had misbehaved badly, when his father, who was a rash man, followed him to the house of his teacher Jan van Goyen, threatening to bash in his head, whereupon van Goyen said to his other students: Berg hem, while holding back the father and taming his temper.He was the son of PIETER CLAESZ. of Haarlem, who first painted fish and later small pieces which usually featured a table with all sorts of sugar pastry in...

... receive paymentFor my effort and attain fame,When the others go begging.In addition he was amiable, polite and of irreproachable behaviour. Yes, he was a man of outstanding diligence, this not withstanding his sweet housewife [= Catharina Claesdr. de Groot], a daughter of the commendable landscape painter Jan Wils, who (when he sat quietly labouring at his work with great diligence and she heard no stirring from him) could sometimes bang against the ceiling from below with the handle of a dust mop...

... drawings by Italian and other masters that he could not rest until he owned them. No less was his passion for prints, of which Jan Pietersz. Zomer has told me that he dared pay 60 guilders for a print by Raphael of Urbino. This was the massacre of the innocents with a pine tree [1]. As a consequence his bequeathed art on paper (which was sold in Amsterdam shortly after his death in the year 1683) fetched a goodly sum of money.He was exceptionally diligent, as we have said, and also facile at painting and everything he made was usually sold even before he had completed it. Justus van Huysum I, who studied art with him in the year 1665 [= 1675], has told me that at that time he painted for a long while for a gentleman...

... graceful because of its additions and recession.But above all it is amazing that a man who painted so many pieces was able to think up such a multitude of arrangements and subjects (so that not one resembles another). The burgomaster van der Hulk in Dordrecht had him paint a large work depicting a mountainous landscape with oxen, cows, sheep, figures etc., which still hangs with his heirs. At the same time he ordered a work from Jan Both, promising each 800 guilders, and an additional gift for he...

... von Sandrart) first to France and from there to Rome and made diligent use of their time. JAN applied himself to the painting of landscapes, imitating the nature of Claude Lorrain, at which he succeeded, for his reputation grew and that of Claude receded, since he made handsome landscapes but poor figures and animals, while in the meantime JAN made use of his brother, who was a commendable figure and animal painter and had taken up the handling of Pieter van Laer. They were exceptionally adept at painting, so that one saw their pieces in quantity both in Rome and in Venice (where they also lived for a long time) with art lovers and art dealers, since they were quickly painted...

... by him with the art lover Marinus de Jeude, then bailiff of the Haarlem court, which stood out from all his work in clarity, purity and naturalness and was called the testament of Both, that is to say the piece which he had left as a sample of his art to sustain his fame. This piece was more than 6 feet in height, and depicted the fable of Argus and Mercury, who were excellently painted and drawn in appropriate size. In addition the entire landscape was clear, and the green naturally fresh in colour, instead of overly burned or tanned, as one of...

... id not live long after that forLike a turtledove ever mournsThe death of her partner:So JAN mourned over ANDRIESHis brother, torn away from him,By the sad fate of death, which does notBother with mourning or grief.I will at once mention what accident caused the demise of ANDRIES.Joachim von Sandrart says: That he drowned in the night having wandered away from company. And the author of the book Abrégé de la Vie des peintres says on folio 429: Henrik was the landscape painter and drowned or suffocated, who being in Venice &am...

... d decide not to rely on foreign writers. It has nevertheless happened to us at the beginning of our first volume, about which nothing is now to be done other than to recant or recall it.On page 137 of our first volume we said about JOHANNES TORRENTIUS, following the description of De Piles: That he was imprisoned at the charge of the court of Amsterdam, for which one should read Haarlem, as does Sandrart. And on page 138. He died under torture, which Florent le Comte seems to confirm by saying that he died in terrible pain, which gave me all the more assurance that the matter was recorded according to truth. ...

... other pleasures, and believed in neither heaven nor hell. In one word, under the guise of a pious man, he was a tempter of youth, a seducer of women, a cheater of the people, and a wastrel of his own and other people's money. This finally got around, so that many townsmen, in whom the fear of God resided, were irritated, loathed his godless way of living and cried out that he was not worthy to live in their city.This having come to the ears of the Magistrate of the...

... officially, so that the commonwealth might not suffer damage thereby, had this monster brought to prison,...