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^.T&tyffla&itfe/-

THE
Art of Painting,
WITH THE
LIVES and CHARACTERS
Of above 300 of the moll Eminent
PAINTERS:
Containing a Complete Treatife of
PAINTING, DESIGNING,
AND
The USE of PRINTS.
WITH
Reflexions on the Works of the mod
Celebrated Masters, and of the feveral
Schools of Europe, as Well ancient as modern.
Being the moft perfect Work of the Kind extant.
Tranjlated from the French of Monfieur De PILES.
To which is added,
An ESSAY towards an English School.
¦ ¦ 1- 1 '1 II" ¦ '-¦ "inr- 1 nil ' "  iiiiin.  ¦¦ ¦¦in. I.,, ¦ 11 ?
The Third Edition:
In which is now firft inferted the Life of Sir Godfrey
Kneller, by the late B. Buck;eri'DGe» E% who
wrote the greateft Part of the Englijh School.
L O N D 0 Nf;
Printed for Thomas Payne, in (HafiU-Strset, next the
Mews-Gate, near Charing-Crofs.

T O
ROBERT CHILD, Efqj
S I Ry
T is one of the greateft encouragements
to moft writers, that they generally
addrefs to perfons who knowing little
of the fubject they treat of, it gives
them an opportunity to fay as many
kind things as they pleafe of their own productions,
without fear of reprehenfion : But this advantage I
have entirely loft ; for in fpeaking of Painting to
you, Sir, I fpeak to one of the beft judges of that
noble art, which is not to be underftood without
penetration, delicacy, good fenfe, a refined tafte,
and a portion of that genius which infpired the Pain
ter in his performance. If I mould fay things bold
ly to you, and as of my own knowledge, you would
eafily detect the deceit, and my prefumption would
be more unpardonable than my ignorance. Yet,
though I muft be very cautious how I go out of my
depth, left I fink when I attempt to fwim, I may
venture farther on your candour and humanity than
on my own judgment, were it to the full as good
as I could Willi it.
It is the happinefs, Sir, of men of your fortune,
that they can read and fee what they think fit for
their pleafure orinftruction; but this benefit rather
expbfes than improves many, who have not a true
relifh of the things about which they are curious.
Vaft libraries ill-chofen, are rather rubbifh than
curiofities ; and numerous collections of pictures
mjudicioufly made, are the fport and Contempt of
the fpectator, and a reflection on the owner. But
when fuch libraries' and collections excel alike in
number and value, they are treafures of which the
A 2 greateft

the DEDICATION.
greateft princes are proud. There is no gentleman
in England who has any thing of this kind in greater
perfection than yourfelf, who pofiefs fomething of
feveral of the beft matters that are fpoken of in the
following treatife -, and every day in your own houfe
(the ornament of the fineft fquare in Europe) you
behold fome of the wonders that the hands of Paolo
Veronefe, Guido, Nicholas Pouffin, Carlo Maratt,
and other excellent artifts have produced. By the
nicety of your choice, the world admires that of
your tafte, and are furprifed to fee fo many rare
things together in a country where Painting and the
politer arts are not fo much encouraged as in thofe
places, where, perhaps, the nobility and gentry are
not fo well qualified to judge of merit, nor fo well
able to reward it, as in England. Yet there are even
here fome few illuftrious perfons, and men of worth
and honour, who are folicitous for the profperity of
the arts, and contribute, by their ftudies and bounty,
towards making them flourifh and prevail among us.
Painting is filter to Poetry, the mufe's darling ;
and though the latter is more talkative, and confe-
quently more able to pufh her fortune ; yet Paint
ing, by the language of the eyes and the beauty of
a more fenfible imitation of nature, makes as ftrong
an impreffion on the foul, and deferves, as. well as
poetry, immortal honours.
Confuls, Emperors and Kings, have entertained
themfelves with the exercifes of poetry, and exalted
the mufe by the homage they paid her: as much is
to be faid for Painting. One of the four.houfes of
the Fabii, as eminent as any in Rome, affumedthe
name of Pictor; for that Fabius, their ..anceftor,
painted the temple of Health, and was efteemed,;th,e.
founder of the old Roman fchool. More, than -.", one
of the Emperors in the Bas Empire, fpent many
hours with a pallet and pencil; and, in the laft, cen->
tury, Lewis XIII. learned to defign of Vouet. The late

The DEDICATION.
late queen Mary, of glorious memory, and her fif
ter, our prefent gracious fovereign, queen Anne,
were both inftructed in this art by Gibfon the dwarf.
All the children of the queen of Bohemia, daughter
to King James I. were taughtto paint by Hontorft;
and among the reft, the princefs Sophia, who, with
her fifter the abbefs of Mabuifibn, fays Monfieur
de Piles, fe diftinguerent par I'habikte de leurpinfeau,
Alexander the Great was not fo fond -of his miftrefs
as of his Painter, for he parted with her to pleafe
him j and our own King Charles I. delighted more
in Painting than in all the other fciencesy as much
a mafter as he was of all. But you, Sir, are too
welfacquainted with the hiftory of the art to be
pleafed with any information from me, nor does
k.waht any other recommendation than the delight
it at once affords the moft fublime faculty of the
foul, die judgment, and the moft delicate fenfe of
the body, the fight, to engage the protection of
the curious : And as you are fo in a very high de
gree, I hope, Sir; this will be no ungrateful offer
ing, fusee, as far as our author is concerned, it is.
the moft complete and exact difcourfe of the kind
that ever was publifhed in fo fmall a compafs.
The differtation before his lives of the Painters
has been thought admirable by fevere critics, and
the rules he lays down for Painting, fo juft, that
they, might ferve alfo for Poetry. I do not fay
this, Sir, to biafs your opinion in his favour, that
would be equally vain and arrogant j you are fo
well acquainted with our author in his own language*
that it will be eafy for you to judge whether he de
fences the character which is given of him or not..
He calls his account of the Painters lives an abridg
ment, and that with good reafon,. for you will im
mediately perceive that he induftrioufly avoids, en
tering into the detail of their actions. Indeed, the
greateft of them, Leonardo da Vinci,. Michael An-
A a gelo.

The D E D I CA T I O N.
gelo, and Sir Peter Paul Rubens only excepted; did
nothing of confequence enough, otherwife than as
Painters, to give occafion for any thing to be laid of
them worthy the notice of the public. In their pri
vate capacities, their lives were like the reft of the
bulk of mankind, too mean for the pen of an hif-
torian ; and Monfieur de Plies has thought fit to let
his fhort hiftory of them contain only fuch of their
actions as ferved to give the world the beft idea of
them as Painters. He has inferted none but what had
fome relation or other, to their art, and that was
eafily done in a few pages, and fometimes in a few
lines, unlefs he had defigned to write a hiftory of
pictures, and not of Painters. I believe gentie-
mens curiofity, in this cafe, will go no farther
than to know where the Painter was born, whofe dif-
ciple he was, what was his manner, how he executed
it, which were his beft pieces, and when he died.
Our author tells us in the Preface, that he had feen
all the remarkable books of this kind ; and after he
had examined Vafari, Ridolfi, Carlo Dati, Baglioni,
Soprani, the Count Malvafia, Pietro Bellori, Van-
Mandre, Cornelius de Brie, Felibien, Sandrart and
others, thought his abridgment neceffary as well as
his differtation ; for large volumes on the lives of
private men, muft certainly contain many trivial
things, and confequently prove tirefom. There are
few who have leifure or application enough to run
through ten or twenty books on an art which was
intended chiefly for pleafure, though it has alfo its
opportunities of inftructing, as is made appear, we
hope, in the following tranflation.
His reafons had the fame weight with me in the
Effay towards an Englilh School. I have written
of the Englifh matters more as they were Painters
than as they were men: And yet I have, with much
pains and trouble, gathered together, from the beft
authorities, materials enough to make fome of the
lives,

The DEDICATION.
lives larger than Monfieur de Piles has done his.'
I would not meddle with thofe mafters that are
living, as well knowing that is a tender affair, and
not to be touched without running the rifque of
giving general offence *. If difcretion would have
permitted me to do it, I might have enlarged and
adorned our fchool fo much, that neither the Ro
man nor the Venetian would have had caufe to be
afliamed of its company. At prefent it is more than
a match for the French; and the German and Fle-
milh fchools, only excel it by the performances of
thpfe mafters whom we claim as our own. Hans
Holbein and Vandyck are as much ours as Sebaf-
tian of Venice belongs to the Roman fchool, Spag-
noletto to the Lombard, or Ellis and De Cham
pagne to the French : Nor have we a fmall title to
Sir Peter Paul Rubens, for it was the protection and
friendfhipof the duke of Buckingham that procured
him the opportunities he had of diftinguifhing him-
felf above others of his cotemporaries and coun
trymen of the fame profeffion. It was the duke of
Buckingham that recommended him to the governor
of the Netherlands, as a proper perfon to refide at
the court of England, as the King of Spain's minif-
ter. And it was here that he performed feveral of
his beft pieces, and acquired the character of a
ftatefman, which, no doubt, wks a confiderable ad
vantage to his reputation as a Painter.
< But why fliould we be fo unjuft to ourfelves, as
to think we ftand in need of an excufe, for pretend
ing to the honour of a fchool of Painters as well* as
the French, who have been inpoffeffion of it almoft
as long as the Italians. You know, Sir, by the
many beautiful pieces you have feen of the principal
mafters of both nations, that if they have had their
Vouets, their Pouffins, and le Bruns, we have had
A 4 our
* The account of Sir .Godfrey Kneller. is inferted in this thirj.
«ditkm.

ZbecA ED IC AT 10 N,
our Fullers, our-PobfonSs and our Coopers; and
have not only infinitely out-done them in Portraits,
but have produced more mafterg in that kind than
^11 the reft of Europe, .,,*", , -;,..-
We may alfo affirm, that the art is indebted to
us for the invention of Mptzptinto, and ; the : per*
fection of crayon-Painting. , By our author's aseouinf
pfPaftils, a name formerly given to Crayons, one
may fee that the Italians had a very (light notion: of
a manner that is, practifed here with To much fao
cefs. ' They made their drawings on a grey paper,
with black and white chalk, and, left the paper
to ferve for the middle tint.., Their colours: were
like purs, dry, without any mixture of oil Or water.
Our countryman, Mr Affifield, ; multiplied ;- the
number and variety of tints, ; and painted various
complexions in imitation of oil ; and this manner hai
been fo much improved among us, that there is no
fubject which can be exprefled by oil, but the cray
ons can effefl: it with equal force and beauty. , .
You, Sir, who are fo good a critic, and fo gene-*
rous a patron of the art, cannot. but wifli we had the
fame advantage as other fchpols have in an academy.
It is true, we have feveral admirable collections*
and your own in particular, whofe pieces are enough
to inform the moft induftrious difciple, and irtfpire
his genius to arrive at a mattery in the art. . I have
heard a famous Painter aflert, that our Englifh no
bility and gentry may boaft of as many good pictures,
of the beft Italian mafters, as Rome itfelf, churches .
only excepted ; and yet it is fo difficult to have ac-
cefs to any of thefe collections, unlefs it be to yours,
Sir, who feem to have made your excellent collec
tion as much for the public inftruction, as for your
own private fatisfactipn, that they are, in a great
irjeafure, rendered ufelefs, like gold in mifers coffers,
Jiad we an academy, we might fee how high the
Englifh genius would fbar ; and as it excels all other
Rations in Poetry, fo, ng doubt, it wpuld equaU if

The D E D I CSA T I O N.
if not excel, . the greateft of tfeern. all in Painting.,
were her wings as wellimpedasrthofeof Italy, Flan
ders and France. As for Italy*, ¦ her1 (academies have1
kejK ber, genius, alive, or it would ihave expired
•jath her mafters, who firft fhtewed the had one,- as
her genius in poetry died witbTaffo and hiscdtlem-
poraries. The Frenxrh indeed are a forward people*
who pretend to rival all nations bf the world in theiif
feveral . excellencies ; yet confidering they value
themfelves fo much- on their own -academy, it is a
matter .of. wonder to fee fo little improvement in
them by it : Andifwe are equal-only to them now,
how much fhould we outfhine them, "had the Eng-
liihdifciplesin this art as many helps and encourage
ments as theirs ? ' JA"; VI.
i, Sir, It is with allpoffible refpect that I offer you"
3,- treatife, which has been finilhed withfonlany
difficulties. The art was new to us, though the
language of the original was not 3" butwe wanted the1
advice of thofe -gentlemen whom Mr Dryden con-
fulted in his translation of Frefnoy. ¦ If we have
erred in terms, you will, I hope, eonfider us, a*
the world has been favourable^to that immortal
poet for the fame fault. Could I have fo far pre
sumed on yourreadinefs to oblige all mankind, as
to have defired to be enlightened by-you when I was
in the dark,! had committed fewer errors on my
part, but I had no warrant for that freedom ; and
though we communicated the whole work to all
that we believed could affift us in it, yet it is certain,
with all our caution, we are far from being infalli
ble. Several mafters whom I have applied to have dif
fered about the interpretation of fome terms-, and
even French Painters have afiured me, that our au
thor has ufed fome which were unknown before.
'I took the fenfe of thofe words from them, and it
agreeing with that of the author, I hope we have no
where

The DEDICATION.
where miftaken him, at leaft confiderably. He is
excufable for his innovations, on account of his great
knowledge in the art. It was this gentleman who
tranflated Monfieur Frefnoy's Latin poem, De Arte
Graphicd, and wrote the reflections upon it ; but yet
not thinking them fufficient to explain it as clearly
as he would have- it, he publilhed this book twenty
years afterwards. He is ftill living in Paris, and
defigns and paints very well himfelf for his diverfion,
being not of the profeffion ; however, I doubt, from
the character of the Erench fchool, whether his
practice comes up to his theory.
I am confcio.us to myfelf, that bur tranflation of
him, as to the-ftile, falls ihort of MrDryden's ver-
fion of Frefnoy's poem. The original will, in fome
meafure, make amends for that ;: and it had been
happy for our author, and the whole art of Painting,
if the gentleman who added the lives of the Paint
ers to Mr Dryden's tranflation, had had leifure or
inclination to have done for us what he was fo kind
as to do for him, and have fet out the Englifh fchool
with the ornaments, that his judgment and elegance
Could have given it. I had his work before me in
the execution of my own, and. endeavoured to imi
tate him in the account of thofe Englifh Painters,
whom he thought worthy his pen. They had all
been immortal in his name and works, whereas I
can only expect to have mine preferved by thofe of
the Mafters of whom I have written.
Sir, I beg your, pardon for troubling you with fo
long a ftate of my cafe. I wifh the tranflation and
additions ftood lefs in need of your protection, and
that I had fome better way of fhewing to the world
With what zeal and reipect I am,
5 TR, Tcur moft humble* and
Mojl obedient Servant.

THE T
CONTENTS. BOOK I.
CT'HE Idea of a perfeft Painter : or, Rules for forming
¦*¦ a right fudgment on the Works of the Painters, Page i
Remarks and InftruEiions on the preceding Idea, 9
Chap. I. Of Genius, .ibidi
Chap. II. That a man may, without any fcruple, make ufe
of another man's Jludies, iq
Chap. III. Of Nature ; of the aclions of Nature ; of the
aclions of Habit, iand of Education, 1 3
Chap. IV. In what fenfe one may fay Jrt is above Na
ture, 1 4
Chap. V. Of the Antique, 15
Chap. VI. Of the grand Guflo, ij
Chap. VII. Of the Effence of Painting, 1 8
Chap. VIII. Whether Truth of Hijlory be effential in Paint-
ing? • 19
Chap. IX. Of the imperfeii Ideas of Painting, 21
Chap. X. How the remains of the imperfect Idea of Paint
ing have been preferved in the minds of many ever fince its
re-eflablifhment, 23
Chap. XI. Of Compofition, the firfi part of Painting, 27
Chap. XII. Of Defign, the fecond part of Painting, 2 8
Chap. XIII. Of the 'Attitudes, ib,
Chap. XIV. Of the Exprefftons^ 29
Chap. XV. Of the Extremities, ib.
Chap. XVI. Of the Draperies, 30
Chap. XVII. Of Landskips, 32
Chap. X VIII. Of Perfpefiive, 33
Chap XIX. Of Colouring, the third part of Pointing, 34
Chap. XX. Of the Harmony of Colours, ib.
Chap. XXI, Of the Pencil, 3 s
Chap.

r j * The- CONT E^tS« "^&
Cl^p.XXII. Of the: Licences, - page^6
Chty.XXlti. By 'what authority the Painters havef^e-
fented, under human figures, things Divine, Spiritual and
Inanimate, 3 7
Chap. XXIV. Of KtfiW Figures, and how they may be made
ufe of, 41
Chap. XXV. Of Grace, 43
Ch~^>. XXVI. Of Ve/igft ' "; ' ;¦/.* ' '44
Cfiap. XXVII. 0/d&* Ufifulnefismd l/fejf Prinfs, Ktf
Chap. XXVIII. 0//£* Knowledge of Pictures, 60
I. To know what is good, and what is bad, in a
Picture, %\ _** ; ' ' '. [~; ib.
II. Ta know who is the author of a Picture, 6 2
III, To know, if a Pi dure be an. Original or a Cnpy^
-:'.... . . :,.:,,'.. .;. . 1*
B 0.0 K II. ,,¦ •
The' lives of eminent Painters, and of the Origin of Paint-
¦ *ng," " V ''. "*'• ; - . ¦ *"* 69
An abridgment of the lives of the fix principal Painters of
s.Creece, *'" "- * v.- , 72"
B o o k in.
The lives of the Roman and Florentine Painters, 85
BOO K IV.
The lives of the Venetian Painters, 157
BOOK V.'
The lives of the Lombard Painters, igj
BOOK VI.
The lives of the German and Flemijh Painters^ 217
B O O K VII.
The lives of the French Painters, 206
Of the Tafle of feveral Nations, 34.7
BOOK VIII.
An Effay towards an Englifh, School of Painters, 354

An

An Alphabetical In pfEXfof the Painters
Names in De PILES.

*A.-""  Page
ALbani, Francefeo- 209
Alberti.Leone Battifta 92
21 g
229 119 93
95 76

Albert Durer
Aldegraef, Albert
Andrea del Sartq
Angelico, Giovanni
Antonio da Meffina
Apelles B.
Baccio Bandinelli
Balthazar Peruzzi '
BamboccioBarent, Ditterie
Batfocci, Frederko-

12213-6
27524a 152

Baffan, and his Sons 1 82 to 186

Bailiano del Piombo- 142
Baur, WiUiam - , 273
Beccaiiumi, Domeniew ' 1 35
BeHino, Giacomo 157
Bellino, Gentile ib.
Bellino, Giovanni 158
Blanchard, Jacques. " 300
Blomaert, Abraham- * 261
Bol, John 240
Booth, John and Henry 276
Berettini, Pietro 15 J
Bottenhamer, John 250
Bourdon, Sebaftian 326
Brower, Adrian 270
Br-endel, Frederic 272
Dfe Breuil 298
Bril, Matthew 247
Bril, Paul ib'.
Brueghel, Peter ¦ - 237
Brun, Charles le 336
Bufalmaco, Bonamico 88
Jfarch, Cornelius Poelen 271
C.
Cagliari, Paolo - ;r' 174
£5a*gliari, Benedetto. o 178
Cagliari,1 Carolo' :! ' ib.
Cagliari, Gabriele . Jk.
Calcar, John of ¦-'- - ' "227
Candito, Pietro ¦'"- ~ 223
ff^Caracci ' 1S9

Page
[CaTtallino, Pietro go
Champagne, Philip de' 330
C&ampagne, Jean Baptifle de
„'~ 334
Charmois, Martin de
Chirlandaio, Dbmenico
Cimabaei
Corregio, Antonio da
Cornelius, Cornelius
Cornelius, Peter
Cofimo, Pietro
Cofimo, Andrea
Couffin, Jean
Coxis, Michael D.
Daniele da Volterra
Derick, Peter Cornelius
Dipembeck, Abraham
Domenichino
Dorigni, Michael
f&Doffii'f ' E.
Engelbert, Cornelius
EMheimer, Adam F.
Ferdinando Elle
Fouquier, Jacques
Fraiis Floris
Francefca', Pietro della
Francia, Francefeo-
Francois, Simon
Friminet, Martin
Frefnoy,ChariesAlfonfe du" 3 19,
G.
Gaddo Gaddi 8*5
Gaddo Gaddi, Taddeo di ' 90
Gaud,Heriiy Count Palatine 2 73

316 97 *5
187
H7 250 102126"
297- 224144.250
.279"- 2033'9> r6a

2Z3,261

29$ 27423*
9i
IOI*"
328-
98;

Geldorp : 278^
Gelee, Claude'- . . 345!
Genga, G'irolamo ' ' '_,i i 5'
George Pens 223'
Gerbier, Sir Balthazar 27,7-
Ghitrlandaio; "bomenico, 97
Giorgione ¦'"¦'. .iiSt
Giottino, Thomaft '"''. 9" i
Giotto •"* ¦'¦ - *'; 87"
- Chard

INDEX.

Page 283 133'S3
245239
211 199

Girard Dou
Giovanni d'Udine
GiofeppinoGoltius, Henry
Goltius, Hubert
Guercino da Cento
Guido Reni H.
Hains or Heints, Jofeph 247
Hanneman 286
Hemfkirk, Martin 240
Hire, Laurens de la 219
Holbein, Hans 233
Huntorft, Gerrard 266
I.
Johnfon, Abraham 264
Jordans, James 286
Julio Romano 1 1 5
K.
Kay, William 238
Kouc, Peter 228
L.
Lambert Lombard 232
Lanfiranco, Giovanni 206
Laurati, Pietro 89
Leonardo da Vinci 103
Lippo 9 1
Lippi, Filippo 93
Lippi, Filippo, the Son 98
Loir, Nicholas 334
Lorenzetti, Ambrogio 90
Lucas o/^Leyden 22c
Mf
Mabufe, John of 229
Manfredi, Bartolomeo 216
Mantegna, Andrea 99
Margaritone 87
Martin de Vos 242
Mazzuolo, Francefeo 127
Memmi, Simone 90
Micarino da Siena 135
Michael Angelo Buonaroti 137
Michael Angelo da Caravaggio 213
Mignard, Nicholas 324
Mirevelt, Michael 265
Mieris, Francis 285
More, Anthony 236
Mortuo da Feltro 1 26

Mutiano, Girolamo Page ito
Murillo, Bartolomeo 34s
Mudo, Hernandez el 346
N.
Netfcher, Gafpar 292
O.
Oliver 278
Orgagna, Andrea 91
Otho Venius 248
P.
Palma Vecchio 181
Pamphilus 75
Parmegiano 1 27
Parrhafius 74
Pafqualino della Marca 1 54
Paolo Veronefe 174
Pellegrino di Bologna 146
Pellegrino da Modena 135
Penni, Francefeo 1 1 8
Penni, Luca 119
Perrier, Francis 312
Pierino del Vaga 130
Pietro da Cortona 155
Pietro Perugino 107
Pinturricchio, Bernardino 98
Polidoro da Caravaggio 1 22
Pantormo, Giacomo da 121
Pordenone il Vecchio 175
Pordenone, Julio Licinio 185
Pourbus, Peter and Francis 239
Pouffin, Nicholas 304
Primaticcio, Francefeo 144
Protogenes 8 1
Quillinus, Erafmus 287
Quintin Matfys 226
R.
Raphael Sanzio 1 09
Raphael del Rhegio , 1 51
Rembrant 279
Ribera, Giofeppe 216
Richard . ., 152
Roffo 126
Rubens, Sir Peter Paul 250
S.
Salviati, Francefeo 147
Sandrart, Joachim 287
Sandro Botticelli 99
Savery, Rowland 271
Schouarts,

index:.

Schouarts, Chriftopher P. 238
Schut, Cornelius 266
Scorel, John 231
Segre, Gerrard 265
Segre, Daniel 277
Signorelli, Luca 102
Sprangher, Bartholomew 243
Stephano of Florence 89
Stella, James 314
Stenvick, Henry 264
Stimner, Tobias 235
Strada, John 243
Swanevelt, Harman 277
Sueur, Euftache le 317
T.
Taffi, Andrea " 86
Teniers, David, the Elder 274
Teniers, David, tbeTotmger 279
Tefta, Pietro 154
Timanthes 75
TintorettoGiacomoRobufti 170
Tintoretta, Maria 173
Titlano Vecelli 163
Torrentius, John 272

V.
Van Ach, John Page 246'
Van-Dyck, Sir Anthony 267
Van-Heem, Cornelius 279.
Van-Eyk, John and Hubert 2 1 7

Van-Houk, John

274

Van-Orlay, Bernard

224

Van-Noort, Adam

248

Vanni, Francefeo

•S3

Varin

300

Vafari, Giorgio

'49

Vecelli, Francefeo

170

Vecelli, Horatio

ib.

Van-Mandre, Charles

241

Ver-Meyen, John Cornelius 236

Verrochio, Andrea

97

Verfchure, Henry

290

Vignon, Claude

326

Vouet, Simon

301'

z.
Zeuxis .,. •'¦' jz
Zucchero, Taddeo 148
Zucchero, Frederico 1.50

An Index of the Painters Names in the Effa

towards an Englifh School.

AGgas, Mr Robert
Anderton,' Mr Henry
AMeld, Mr EdmundB.
Baptift Gaidars
Baptift Monnoyer '
Barlow, Mr Francis "
Beal, Mrs. Mary
Du Bois, Edward
Boon, Danlfel ";",*',
Buckfhorn, Jofeph '"'¦
Buftler • , r
Uyer, Nicholas C.
Carings, Mr John
§arKfle, Mrs Anne

3S4356 ib,
357
¦358
¦38
¦ib.
360 ¦it. 36.

Caufabon, • Frederic
De Cleyn, Francis
Colpni, Adam'
Coloni, Henry
Cook, Mr Henry
Cooper, Mr, Alexander
Cooper, Samuel, Efq;
Crofs, Mr, the Copier
': r';. ';->-.
Dankers, John and
Deryke, William
Digby, LordBifiot
Do%fon, Mf'W.ihiarni E '
Edema, Gerrard F.
Faithorn, Mr William

361
362
:, ib. ib;
3,6* ib.
{di...,. -
..„.,, m
370 37*
Flat-

IN D E X.

Flatman, Mr Thomas P. 372
Le Fevre de Venife 373
Freeman, Mr John ib.
Fuller, Mr Ifaac ib.
G.
Garrard, Mark 374
Gafcar, Henry . 375
Gentilefchi, Horatio ¦ ib.
Gentilefchi, Artemifia 376
Gibfon, Mr Richard ' 377
Gibfon, Mr William 378
Gibfon, Mr Edward ib.
Greenhill, Mr John ib.
H.
Hanneman, Adrian 382
Hayles, Mr John ib.
Hemlkirk, Egbert 383
Hilliard, Mr Nicholas ib.
Holbein, Hans 385
Hollar, Wenceflaus 388
Hondius, Abraham 389
Hofkins, Mr John . ib.
Houfeman, Jame3 390
I.
Johnfon, Cornelius 391
Johnfon, Martin ib.
K.
De Keifar, Henry "-. 392
Killigrew, Mrs Anne ib.
Kneller, Mr John Zachary ib.
Kneller, Sir Godfrey 393
L.
Lambert, Major-General 398
Lankrink,ProfperHenricus 401
Lanier, Mr ib'.
Lauron or Laroori,* Marcelius ib.
Lely, Sir Peter 402
Lemens, Balthazar van "¦ 404
Lightfoot, ,Mr William... ,405
Loten, John" ' ' "'".' -"' " ib.
Manby, Mr Thomas ,406
Mytens, Daniel ib.

Oliver, Mr Ifaac Page 406
Oliver, Mr Peter 407
P.
Paert, Mr Henry 408
Pembroke, Mr Thomas ib.
Pen, Jacob ib.
Pierce, Mr Edward ib.
Le Piper, Mr Francis 409
R.
Remee 413
Riley, John, Efq; 414
Roeftraten,- Peter 415:
Rofe, Mrs Sufan 416
Rouffeau, James ib.
S.
Smitz, Gafpar 418
Stephenfon, Mr Thomas 419
Stone, Mr Henry ib.
Stoop, Peter ib,
Streater, Mr Robert 420
Sybrecht, John 421
T.
Tilfon, Mr Henry 426
Vanderborcht, Henry 427
Vander-Heydon, John ib.
Van-Dieft, Adrian ' 428
Van-Dyck, Sir Anthony ib.
Vandervelde, William 431
Van-Zoon, Francis 432
Varelft, Harman ib.
Vergazoon, Henry 433
Vorfterman, F. de ib.
W.
Walker, Mr Robert 434
Walton, Mr Parrey, 435
Wiffing, Mr William ib.
Wouters, Francis , ' 437
Wright, Mr Michael ib.
Wyke, Thomas van ! 4J8
Wyke, John van ib.
' Z.
JZouftorSoeft . "Tffi

THE

THE

I D E A

Of a Perfect

PAINTER:

O R,

R u l e s for forming a right judgment
on the works of the PAINTERS.

BOOK I.

i|ENIUS is the firft thing we'muft
Tuppole in a Painter •, 'tis a part of
him that cannot be acquired by ftudy
or labour^ It mould be great to an-
fwer the Greatnefs of an art, which
includes fo many fciences, and re
quires fo much time and application to be mafter of,
as Painting does. Allow then a man born with this
happy talent, the Paipter muft_rgggrd Vifible Na:
B tyre

2 The Art o/ P A I N T I N G.
ture as his.,pbje£t. He muft have an image of her
InTnTmind, not only as he happens to fee her in
\ particular fubjects, but asjheought to be in herfelf,
and as fhe wou'd be, were fhe not hindered by cer-
i tain accidents.
Now it being very difficult to meet with this
perfect ftate of nature, 'tis neceffary the Painter
lhouldirnprove himfeJfJ^y^he-iam€-&arQh_the an
cients m^ade^afterlt, with a great deal of care and
capacity,"!? which they have left us examples in
fculptures, that in fpite of the fury of time and
Barbarians, have been preferved, and are even yet
j to be feen. He ought, I fay, to have a fufficient
j knowledge of antiquity, and to learn by that how
to follow .nature; for the Antique^ai~aTway^7.Been
the_rule LJ?f -beauty to the beft judges. He rrmJJ:
-" not content himfelf with being exact and regular,
ihe fhould, in every thing he does, fhew a grand
gufto, and above all things avoid what jsjnean ancT
infigid. "This grand gufto in the works of the Painters, is
fa ufe of the cheiceft effects of nature, fuch as are
j great, ex^aordinjjy^,.^nd^r:Qbable. Great, becaufe
things are fomuch the l'efs fenfible to us, by how
much they are little or divided. Extraordinary,
\ becaufe what is ordinary does not ftriEe~us7 nor
draw our attention. Probable, becaufe it is requi-
fite that thefe great and extraordinary things fhould
appear to be poffible, and not^chimerical. The
perfect Painter muft have a juft idea of his profef
fion, which may be thus defin'd: " Painting is an
" _axt,. that-by.-means of defign and colouring, imi-
" tates all .vifible objects on a flat fuperficies."
Three things fhould be comprehended in this defi
nition, Defign,, Colouring, . and Compofition; and
though the latter does not feem to be very clearly -
ex-preffed, yet; it may be underftood by thefe words
Vifible, Objects, which imply the matter of^the
fubject

The Art of PAINTING. 3
fubject the Painter propofes to himfelf to reprefent.
He ought to know, and to practice thefe three
parts of his art, in as much perfection as poffible :
We fhall therefore further explain them, in fpeak-
ing of the other parts that depend on them.
Compofi.riQn containsjwo things,.. iiimttjfinjind
Djfgojmon. By invention, the Painter fhould find
outtKofe fubjects to work upon, that are moft pro
per to be exprefs'd and adorn'd. And by Difpo-j
fition he ought to place them in the moft advan
tageous fituation, and where they will have the!
greateft effect, the eye being pleafed with viewing!
the faireft parts of the things reprefented, which S
fhould be well rontrafted, wejl^iiyerfify'd, and well ,
gEoupId. The Painter, to be perfect, muft defign correct
ly, with a good gufto, and a^iff:ejrent_ftiie^_fome-
times heroic, fometimes paftoral, aC£ordUngjo_the
character of t^jl^^s^ie.injrjo^chjces. He muft
know, for example, that the Out-lines, which
would agree with divinities, would in no wife be
fuitable to common people ; heroes and and private
foldiers, the ftrong and the weak, the young and
the old, ought each to have their feveral forms.
Befides, nature differing in all her productions, re
quires that the Painter fhould have an anfwerable
variety in his ; and he muft never forget, that of
all the various manners of defigning, there is none
good, but that which is compos'd of bcautifuljaa-
ture And the antique together.
The Amtuiks., or poftures of the figures,
fhould be natural, exprefiive, varyM in their actions,
and contrafted in their members. They fhould be
fimple or noble, animated or temperate^according8
to the fubject of the picture, and the ^pcretion)of >
the Painter.
The Exprefiion muft be juft to the fubject, '
what relates to the principal figure ihouldjbe noble,
r-  ___ _ -t^zZE^—--' elevated

4 The Art of PAINTING.
elevated and fublirne; and a medium ought to be
\ oFlervecT' between what is exaggerated, and what
iinfipid. The Extremities, I mean the head, feet, and
hands, muft be drawn with more nicety and exact-
nefs, than the other parts of the figures, and muft
I together help to render their action more ex-
/ preffive. The Draperies fhould be well fet,1 the foldings
large, as"lew as may be, and weUjcjanjrafted. The
fbjff ought to be heavy or light, according to the
quality and convenience of the fubject : Sometimes
it fhould be wrought, and of a different kind, and
fometimes plain, agreeable to the figure and its fitua-
tion, which requires more or lefs luftre for the orna
ment of the picture, and for the oeconomy of the
whole.
I Animals are chiefly charadteriz'd by a lively and
I particular ftroke of the pencil.
Landfkips fhould not be encumber'd with too
many objects, and the few that are there ought to
be well chofen. If a great quantity of objects are
reprefented together, they muft be ingenioufly
group'd with lights and fliadows ; the placing of
them muft be well connected, and yet free. The
trees muft be of different forms, colour, and touch,
as prudence and the variety of nature require.
This touch ought always to be light, as it were in
motion j the Fore-ground fhould be rich, either
by the objects themfelves, or, at leaft, by nicety
of work, which renders things true or palpable.
The Sky muft be light, and no object on the
earth have any of its aerial character, except fmobth
waters, and polifh'd bodies, which are fufceptible
of the oppofite colours, as well celeftial as terref-
trial. The clouds fhould be well chofen, well
touch'd and well plac'd. The

^Artc/PAINTING. 5
The Perfpective fhould be very regular, and yet
with a feeniyjgjieglig&ace.
In "Colouring, which cpmprehends^XWButhings,
the localcolpur, and the claro obfcuro, the Paint
er fh ould 1 nform himfelf very well of both the
one and the other. This only will diftinguifh him
from thofe artifts, who underftand meafure and
proportion as well as he ; and this will render him
the more faithful, andrnore perfect _ imitator, of
nature^ The local colour is nothing elfe but that which
is natural to each object, in whatever place 'tis
found ; which diftinguifhes it from others, and
which perfectly marks its character.
The claro obfcuro is the__art of diftributing
^}^}BJiS^^^^KS^X3i^S^o\i3^7"^s well on "par
ticular objects, as on a picture in general. On par
ticular objects, to give them a convenient relievo,
an^roundnefs ; and, in the picture in general, to
expofe the objects with pleafure to the view of the
fpectators, by giving, _the„e.ye an occafion to reft ; ,
which is done by an ingenious diftribution of great /
lights, and great fhadows, which lend each other'
mutual affiftance by their oppofition. Thus great1
lights are a repofe for great fhadows, as great fha
dows are for great lights. Tho', as has been faid,
the claro obfcuro comprehends the art of placing
all lights and fhadows well, yet 'tis more particu
larly underftood to be the knowledge of rightly l
difpofing great lights and great fhadows. '
Their Diftribution,, in this laft fenfe, may be
made fouf"ways : Firft, by the natural fhadows of
the Body. Secondly, by Groupes, that is, by dif
pofing the objects in fuch manner, that the Lights
maybejoin'd all together, and the fhadows the
fame ; as one may imperfectly perceive in a grape,
whofe grains on the fide of the light make a mafs
of brightoefs, and on the oppofite fide a mafs of
B 3 dajknefsj,

6 The Art of PAINTING.
darknefs ; yet all together form but one groupe,
^ and are as one object. This muft be done fo art},-!
•ficially, that no affectation may appear in it : The
objects muft feem fo fituated naturally, and as by
chance. Thirdly, by the accidents of a fuppofed
light. And fourthly, by 'the nature and the body
fol the cplpurs which the Painter may give^tb his
objects, without altering their character. This part
of Painting is the beft and fureft way for a Painter
to addibxce tQ.his_w.orks, and to render his pbjedts
fenfible, as _wfili- in ..general,, as in particular. I
J don't find that the way of the claro obfcuro was
' known "in the Roman fchool, before. Polidoro da
\ Carayagip.'s time, who difcovered it, and made it
one of the principles of the art of Painting ; and I
wonder the Painters who came after him, did not
perceive that the great effect of his works, on the
fpectators, proceeded from the reft, which he gave
the fight in grouping his lights on one fide, and
' his fhadows on another, which he did, only by the
knowledge of the claro obfcuro : I wonder, I fay,
{ how they could let fo neceffary a part of their
\ art efcape, without taking notice of it. However,
* the claro obfcuro is to be found among fome of the
Roman Painters ; yet 'tis not to be efteemed as any
thing more than a happy effect of gejfiusor chance,
and notas proceeding from an eftablifh'd principle
of the art. „
Andrew Bofcoli, a Florentine Painter, had a right
notion of the claro obfcuro, as may be feen by
his works ; but the re-eftablifhment of this principle
/ is .owing to Giorgione, whofe competitor, Titian,
| perceiving it, made ufe of it ever after.
In Flanders, Otho Venius laid it down as a funda
mental in Painting, and communicated it to Rubens,
his pupil. The latter rendered it more feruTHfeto
. the fpectator, and fhew'd the neceffity of it fo ap-
| parently, that the beft Flemifh Painters follow'd him
t ¦-.. . in

The Art of P A I N T I N G. 7
in it, and have recommended their Paintings by
this part of perfection; for without it all the care
they have taken to imitate the particular objects of |
nature, with the utmoft faithfulnefs, had not been
worth our confideration.
In the diftribuiipn of colours there ought to
be an Agreetrj^nt^^Hanjjiony, which has the fome.
effect on the eye, as mufick has on the ear. If J
there are feveral groupes of the claro obfcuro in a/
picture, one of them fhould be more fenfible than |
the reft, and be predominant over the others 5 that"
there may be unity of object, as in the compofi- j
tion there fhould be unity of fubject.
The PejidUing, if poflible, muft be bold and
light; but whether it feems all of a piece, like
that of Conegip, or unequal and uneven, like that
of Rembrant, it ought always to be foft and"
eafy. J
If a Painter be forc'd to make ufe of the Licen-
cej, they fhould be imperceptible, judicious, ad
vantageous and juftifiable : The three firft forts
belong to the Painter's art, and the laft to hiftory.
Whatever Painter is mafter of his art in all the
parts we have mentioned, he may depend upon it
he is arrived to a great degree of perfection, and
his pictures will infallibly be fine ; yet not entirely
perfect, if beauty be not accompanied with Grace.
Grace muft ft^fon_the_paris. wehayejbjokei^ofj
and every where follpjt™G.eniiis : Grace fupports
and perfects it ; but it is not to be fo thoroughly
acquired, as by any rules to be demonftrated.
A Painter has it from nature .only, and does notj
kn6w~ttiaf"he"has it, nor in what degree, nor howj
he communicates it to his works. It furprifes the
fpectator, who feels the effect without penetrating
into the true caufe of it ; but this grace does not
touch him otherwife, than according to the difpo-
B 4 fition

8 The Art of PAINTING.
fition wherein he finds it. We may define it thus :
" 'Tis what pleafes, and gains the heart, without
" concerning itfelf with the underftanding." Grace
and_beaiity are two different, things.;, beauty pleafes
*bj^the'rules ottly^jni^race,, without .them. What
'is beautiful, is not always graceful; but grace join'd
i with beauty is the heighth of perfection.
We have given this idea of a perfect Painter
in as few words as we could, that we might not
be tedious to thofe who are in no doubt about the
things it contains ; but for thofe that defire proofs
of it, we have endeavoured to fatisfy them in the
following remarks ; in which both the one and the
other will find, we have treated of fuch things as
naturally prefented themfelves to us, and perhaps
will not be indifferent to them.
The following remarks anfwer in chapters to the
feveral parts of the Idea of a perfect Painter, of
which we have fpoken in the foregoing treatife ;
and the reader, in all the chapters, fhould by his
memory fupply the parts where we have treated of
them, to explain them.

CHAP.

The Art*/ PAINTING.

CHAP. I.
REMARKS and INSTRUCTIONS
on the preceding Idea.
Of GENIUS.
"~|~M S in vain for men to endeavour, with all
A their might to reach the point of perfection,
in the art of Painting, or any other art, if they
are not born with a particular talent for the fcience
they profefs. They will always be uncertain of at- c
taining the end they propofe to themfelves ; rules
and examples may fhew them the means of reach
ing it, but that is not fufficient : If thefe examples
and rules are not eafy and agreeable to them, they
will never be fure.
This facility is only found in thofe, who before
they learn the rules of art, or fee the works of
other men, have c'onfulted their own inclination,
and examin'd whether they were put upon the
choice of their profeffion by fome inward light,
which is indeed genius, and is what guides them
by the neareft and eafieft way to perfection, render
ing them infallibly happy, both in the means, and
in the end.
y G^njnsjjjpj^fnre is rharjjgjlt of-thaamr^-^yhich
eondu&susjx^ 'TisT^refelir^rucn nature makes to a man at
the hour of his birth ; and tho' fhe commonly gives
it for one thing only, fhe is fometimes fo liberal as
to make it general in one perfon. There have been
feveral men, on whom fhe has beftowed this pleni
tude of influences, who have with eafe perform'd what-

io The Art of PAINTING.
whatever they attempted, and always fucceeded inr
what they undertook : A /parricuk^genius, 'tis true,
does not extend its force to all forts ofknowledge
as a general one does, but then -it penetrates far
ther into that over which 'tis predominant.
A Painter, in the firft place, fhould have a Ge
nius, but that genius^jiiuftJb£XOjre&ed by *™?,es»
reJ^eftiojxandj^JEry. He muft have feeVmuch,
} read much, andlHfdy'd much, to direct his genius,
that it may produce things worthy pofterity. But
fince he cannot fee or ftudy every thing he would
defire to know, in the way to the perfection he
aims at, he mayx without fcruple, make-ufe*of ano
ther man's~ft*udies.

CHAP. II.
That a man may, without fcruple, make ufe of
another man's Jludies.
*Fjr\ I S impoffible for a Painter to reprefent well,
JL not only all the objects he has not feen, but
alfo thofe he has not defign'd. If he has not feen
a lion, he can never paint one; and if he has feen
one, he will always paint it imperfectly, unlefs he
firft defigns it after nature, or after another man's
works. For this reafon we ought not to blame a Painter,
who having never feen or ftudy'd the object he is to
reprefent, makes ufe of another man's ftudies, ra
ther than draw fomething falfe out of his own
head. 'Tis neceffary he fhould have his examples
in his memory, or his Table-book ; his own, I fay,
or thofe of another man.
When a Painter has furnifh'd his mind with ima
ges of the beautiful things he has feen, he adds to, or

The Art of P A I N T I N G. 1 1
or diminifhes them according to his gout, or as hia
judgment directs. This change arifes by compa- ,
ring the ideas of what he has feen one with the j
other, and chufing that which he thinks beft. For j
example, Raphael in his youth, while he lived with '
his mafter Perugino, had only the ideas of the works
of that Painter in his mind ; but afterwards com
paring them with thofe of Michael Angelo, and
with the Antique, he chofe that which feem'd beft
to him, and out ofltTonr?3 a refin'd gufto, fuch
as we fee now in all his productions.
Thus genius makes ufe of the memory, as a
veffel wherein it keeps all the ideas that prefent
themfelves to it. The Painter choofes thofe that are
for his purpofe, by the help of his judgment, and
treafures them up in a magazine, out of which he
takes them as occafion requires. 'Twas out of
fuch a *^agazine (if I may fo exprefs myfelf) that
Raphael* took"all thofe high ideas, which he had
drawn from the Antique; and thus Albert Durer,
and Lucas van Leyaen drew from theirs, Thofe '
Qothic ideas, with which the practice of their
time, and the nature of their country, furnifh'd
them. A perfon that has a genius may invent a fubject
in general, but if he has not ftudy'd particular ob
jects, he will be embarafs'd in the execution of his
work, unlefs he has recourfe to the works of
another. If a Painter has neither time nor opportunity to
fee nature, yet has a fine genius, he may ftudy af
ter the pictures, the defigns, and the prints of thofe
mafters, who knew how to choofe their fubjects
well, and to draw them with judgment. He
who would draw a landfkip, and never faw, or
never made fufficient obfervations on the countries
proper to be painted, for the oddnefs or agreeable-
jaefs of the profpect, will do well to make his ad
vantage

12 The Art of PAINTING.
vantage of the works of thofe who have ftudy'd
thofe countries, or who, in their Iandfkips, have
reprefented the extraordinary effects of nature. He
may look on the productions of thofe able, painters'
as fafely as on nature herfelf, and by them affift his
invention in fome future production. To ftudy, at
firft, the works of the beft mafters will be two
ways ufeful to hini f one is, he will fee nature free
from many things, which a manjs oblig'd to throw
afide when he copies after her. The other is, he
will by this method learn to make a_gppd choice of
naturga to take nothing from her that is not beauti
ful^ and to mend whajlsjj^t^ive in her.
Thus a genius well regulated and fupported by
the theory of an art, not only makes ufe of its
own ftudies, but alfo turns thofe of other men to
its own advantage.
Leonardo da Vinci writes, that the fpots which
are^to be feen on an old wall, forming confus'd
\ ideas of different objects, may excite genius, and
help it to produce fomething. Some perfons fancy
this affertion is an injury to genius, without giving
any good reafons for their objecting to it ; for 'tis
certain, that on fuch a wall, or fome other fuch like
fpotted things^ there's not only room to form out
of it ideas in general, but each Painter may con
ceive different ideas, according to the difference of
his genius ; and that which is feen in a confus'd
manner only, may produce fomething clear, and
form an image in the mind of the artift who fees
it according to his particular tafte. By this means
one man fhall fee a fine and rich compofition, be
caufe his genius is fruitful, and his tafte good ; and
another, on the contrary, fhall fee nothing but
what is poor, and of an ill tafte, becaufe his ge
nius is barren, and his tafte bad.
Let the minds of the painters be of what cha
racter they will, each may difcover enough in
fuch

The Art of PAINTING. 13
fuch an object to excite his imagination, and help
him to produce fomething of his own. The imagi
nation growing warm by degrees, becomes at laft
capable, by the fight of a few figures, to conceive
a great number, and to enrich the fcene of his
fubject with certain objects of his own. Thus he
may, as it were, beget extraordinary ideas, which
otherwife he had never thought of.
We have fhewn that the faying of Leonardo da
Vinci, concerning genius, does it no injury; on
the contrary, that 'tis often of great fervice to it,
as well to thofe who have much, as to thofe who
have little of it, I fhall only add to what he faid,
that the more a man has of genius, the more things
he will perceive in thofe forts of fpots, or confus'd
lines.

CHAP. III.
Of Nature ; of the aclions of Nature ; of the
aclions of Habit, and of Education.
NAture is as much alter'd by the accidents fhe
meets with, as by the habit fhe contracts by
feveral actions, which may be confidered two ways,
when fhe acts of herfelf, or by habit to pleafe others.
The actions that are pmelyjaiural are thofe which ]
men would do, if from their infancy they had been,
left to themfelves ; and the actions, which are the '
product of habji^ajKleducation, are fuch as men dp
by the inftruHHonpr example of others. Of the lat-j
ter kind there are as many different forts, as there.
are nations, and they are fo mingled with the ac
tions, purely natural, that in my opinion 'tis very
hard to difcern the difference. Yet thjsjodiatjjie
Paintex^u^hjjg^irn^t ; for he muft often treat'of
fubjects,

14 The Ar t of P A I N T I N G.
fubjects, where he ought to copy pure nature in
the whole, or in part ; and 'tis neceffary there to
know the different actions in which nature is fet out
by the chief nations of the world. But becaufe the
differences of them proceeds from .affectation, a veil
which difguifes truth, it fhould be the ftudy of a
Painter to diftinguifh one from the other, and to
know wherein the fidelity, the beauty, and the fim-^
plicity of nature confifts, whofe graces are allowing
to.hec-fiurity. 'Tis vifible the ancient fculptors fought after this
mt^MliJjrmjKityi and that Raphael borrow'd from
them thofe natural ftrokes, which he has every
where fpread over his pieces with a good gufto.
Yet tho' nature is the fource of beauty, 'tis com^
monly faid, that art excels her. Several authors *
have talk'd thus, and 'tis a Problem which wants
very much to be folv'd.

CHAP. IV.
In what fenfe one may fay, Art is above
Nature.
WE fhould confider nature either as we find
her in particular objects, or in objects in
general, and asjhe \h [ja herfelf. She is generally
defe^iye in particular "objects" in the forming of
which fhe is, as we have faid, alter'd by accidents
againft her intention, which is always willing to
produce her works in perfection ; wherefore, if we
confider: her accprdingjo her intention, and injher
pTQdu6tions_ in .general, jwg, Jhall find her 'perfect.
Tis from thefe her works in_general, that the an
cient fculptors took the perfection of their figures,
from whence Polycletes drew the beautiful propor tions

aART.fi/PAINTING. i5
tions of the ftatue, which he made for pofterity,
and which is called the RULE. u \\ '*¦¦
Tis the fame with Painters the advantageous
effects of nature gave them a defire to imitate them,
and a happy experience, by little and little, reduc'd
thofe effects into precepts. Thus it was not from j
one object, but from feveral, that the rules of this I
art were eftablifh'd. . '
If we compare the art of Painting, which has
been form'd out of nature in general, with any one
of her particular productions, we fhall find it comes
fhort of her, and perceive it to be true, That AjqeJs.
above Nature ; but if we compare it with nature her- ij
fclf, whbTs the model of art, this propofition will
prefently be found to be falfe. Indeed, to confider; '
things aright, whatever care the Painters have taken
ta imitate this miftrefs of their art, they have not
hitherto been able to reach her ; fhe has an inex-
hauftible ftore of beauties, and for this reafon 'tis
faid, that in the arts we are always learning : By <
experience and reflection we are continually difco- j
vering fomething new in the effects of nature, which
are without number, and always different one from
the other.

CHAP. V.
Of the A n t i qjj e.~
BY the word Antique are meant all the pieces
of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture, which
were made as well in Egypt, as in Greece, from
the time of Alexander the great to the irruption of
the Goths, who, out of rage or ignorance, deftroy'd
all the fine Arts. The term Antique is ftill more
particularly us'd, to denote ths fculptures of that
". •' time,

16 T&Arto/PAINTING.
time, as well ftatues and bafTo relievo's, as medals
and * ftones engrav'd. All thofe pieces of antiquity
are not of an equal goodnefs, yet,exenjjj thofe that
are indifferent, there is a certain beauty which dij
ftinguifhes them frorn flieVorks of the moderns-.
'Tis not of thofe indifferent pieces that we are
fpeaking here, but of the moft perfect productions
of the ancients, fuch as we cannot now look on
without wonder. An ancient author has put them
above nature, andpraifes the beauty of mankind but
as. it has an agreement with the beautiful ftatues-
Ufq; ah ungulo ad capillum fummum eft feftivifjima^
EJtne? Confidera: Videfignum piSlumpulchre videris.
Plauti Epidic. AS'. 5.
I might quote an infinite number of ancient au
thorities to prove this affertion, if I did not fear to
tire the reader with repetitions ; I refer
+ Tranflated him therefore to my Comment T on
by MrDryden. Monfieur Frefnoy's- Art of Painting,
and fhall content myfelf with relating
what a modern Painter, who had penetrated far
into the knowledge of the Antique, faid on the
fame occafion. 'Tis the famous Monfieur Pouffin
of whom I am fpeaking. Raphael, faid he, is an
Angel compar'd with other Pjuntersj but in com-
parifon of the Ancients", he's an.Afs. The phrafe is
a little too ftrong, and I think 'tis enough to fay,
Raphael is as .much below the ancients, as the mo
derns are below him.
I fhall examine this thought more at large when
I come to write his Life,
'Tis certain there are few who are able to difcern
5 all the delicacy that is to be found in the ancient
1 fculptures, becaufe, to do it, the artifts fhould have
* Innglio's. a mind

The Art of PAINTING. iy
a rhind proportionable to thofe of the fculptors that
made them. They fhould have a fublime guftpj
a quick conception* and an exact and lively per
formance. They gave their figures proportions
£gjndformable_to their character " and^delign '3 their
divinities by contours more eafy, more elegant
and with a greater gout than thofe of ordinary
men. They made a refin'd choice of beautiful nature*
and found out excellent remedies for the impotenee
bf the matter they work'd with, hindring them to
imitate all things.
A Painter therefore cannot do better than eri-
deavour to find out the excellence of thefe pieces^
thatjifcjiijyj^owjh^r^ ancTdefign the more learnedly, and the more elg^
*gant|y. Neverthelefs, fince* there arfc In fculpture j
feveral things that do not agree With Painting, and'
fince the Painter hasj befides, the means to imitate
nature more perfectly; he ought to regard the
Antique, as a book which is to be tranflated into
another language, wherein 'tis fuffkient he keeps to
the fenfe and meaning of the author j without tying
himfelf fervilely to his words;
-  -» •'•¦' -; -•;* . '  ¦ — . — ' i i  — ¦  . — ¦»¦
CHAP. VI.
Of the grand Gusto'.
IT has been fhewn by the definition I have given
of the grand gufto, as it relates to the works
of the Painters* that 'tis not to be accommodated
to ordinary things. Aliiediocrity is not allowable
but in the arts which are neceffary for common ufe*
and by no means in thofe that are invented only for
ornament and pleafure ; wherefore in Painting there*
G muft

18 The Art of P A I N T I N G.
muft be fomething great and extraordinary to fur-
prife, pleafe and inftruct, whfchjs ... what we call the
V grand gufto." 'Tis by this that ordinary things are
*made beautiful, and the beautiful fublime and
wonderful ; for in Painting, the grand . Gufto, the
Sublime, and the Marvelous, "are one and the fame
: thing. Language indeed is wanting, but every thing
: fpeaks in a good Picture.

CHAP. VII.
Of the Essence c/Painting.
WE have faid, that Painting is aji_art which
by means of defign and colours, imitates
all vifible objects on a flat fuperficies. 'Tis thus,
or very near it, that all who have fpoken of this
art have defined it, and no body has yet had any
thing to fay againft the definition. If contains
three parts, Cpmpofitionj^Defign . and ^Colouring,
which are the effence of Painting, as the body, "the
foul, and reafon, are that of a man ; and as man, by
thefe three parts of him only, fhews feveral pro
prieties and agreements that are not part of his ef
fence, but the ornament, for example, the fciences
and virtues ; fo 'tis only by the effential parts of
his art that a Painter fhews an infinity of things
which heighten the worth of his pictures, tho' they
are not of the effence of Painting. Such are the
proprieties of inftructing and diverting; upon which
one may afk this confiderable queftion :

CHAP.

The Art of PAINTING. 19

CHAP. VIII.
Whether Truth of History be effential in
Painting?
^'TH I S plain that compofition, which is an efien-
A tial part of Painting, comprehends the ob
jects that are to be met with in hiftory, of which
truth is the effence, and by confequence this fide
lity ought to be effential in Painting, and the
Painter is, on all occafions, oblig'd to conform him-
felf thereto.
To this it has been anfwer'd, That if truth of
hiftory be effential in Painting, there could be no
picture in which it fhould not be found, whereas
there are feveral which reprefent no hiftory at all ;
fuch as allegorical pictures, landfkips, beafts, fifh,
fruits, flowers and feveral other things, which are
the pure effect of the Painter's fancy. Notwith-
ftanding all this, 'tis certainly true that the Painter!
ought to obferve an exact fidelity in the hiftory he j
reprefents, and that by a curious fearch after the
circumftances which accompany it, he fhould en-
creafe the beauty, and the value of his picture, yet
this is not an obligation on him which is of the
-effence of Painting, 'tis only an indifpenfible decency,
as virtue and fcience are in a man. Thus, as a man
is a man ftill, let him be never fo vicious and igno
rant, fo a Painter is ftill a Painter, tho' he be igno
rant of hiftory ; yet as the virtues and fciences are
the ornaments of a man, fb 'tis undeniably true,
that all the works of the Painters wherein hifto-
rieal fubjects are reprefented, are fo much the more
valuable, by how much the more the truth of
hiftory is preferv'd, fuppofing that there is nothing
C 2 wanting

26 The Art of? A I N T I N G.
wanting as to the imitation of nature* which is ef
fential in Painting.
/" A Painter may be very fkilful in his art, and yet
know nothing of hiftory : There are almoft as
many inftances of this, as there are pictures of Ti
tian, Paolo Veronefe, Tintoret, the Baffans, and
feveral other Venetians, whofe chiefeft care was
about the effence of their art ; that is, in the imita*
tion of nature, and who very little apply'd them-
felves to things that might, or might^iot be with
out altering its effence. 'Tis in this fenfe the curi
ous judge of the pictures of the Painters I have men-
tion'd, or they would not buy them by their weight
in gold, nor would their works be otherwife among
thofe that have the firft place in their cabinets.
And yet 'tis not to be difputed, but that if this
effence of the art, in the pictures of the Venetian
Painters, had been accompany'd with thofe orna
ments that certainly render fuch things more valu
able, I mean the truth of hiftory, and chronology*
they would have been much more eftimable even
than they are now. We muft, however, confefs*
'tis by this effence only that the Painters ought to
inftruct us, and that we ought, to prefer the imita
tion of nature in theicpieces to. all other excellencies
whatfoever. If they inftruct us, fo much the bet^
ter ; if they don't, we , fhall ftill have the pleafure
of viewing a kind of creation that will both divert
and move us.
When_ I would learn hiftory, I would not go to
a Painter for if; he is an hiftbrian rrieerly by acci
dent. I would read thofe books that treat of it
exprefly, and inform myfelf by thofe, whofe effen
tial duty it is, not only to relate events, but to do
it truly. Neverthelefs, after all I have faid on this fubject*
I will not pretend to excufe a Painter, where he
fhews himfdf a bad hiftorian; for a man is always
blame-

The Art of PAINTING. 21
blame- worthy in ill performing what he undertakes.
If a Painter is about to treat of an hiftorical fubject,
and knows nothing of the objects which fhould
be a part of his compofition to render it true, he
ought carefully to inform himfelf either by books,
or from men of learning, and if he is negligent in
this matter, he is without doubt inexcufable. I
except fuch as have painted pieces of devotion,
where they have introduced faints of different ages
and countries, not out of choice, but out of a
forced complaifance for the perfons that fet them
to work, whofe weaknefs incapacitated' them to
reflect on thofe additional things, that might con
tribute to the ornament of Painting.
Invention, which is an effential part of Painting,
confifts folely in finding out objects proper to enter
into,"thJ^cpmpofition of a picture, as the Painter's
imagination guides him, whether in things true or
falfe, fabulous or hiftorical. Suppofe then a Painter
fhould imagine Alexander the Great was dreft as we
drefs at this day, and fhould reprefent that Con
queror with a hat and perriwig, he would doubt-
lefs do a very ridiculous thing, and be guilty of
an unpardonable error; but his crime would be
againft the truth of hiftory, and aot againft Painting,
if the reft of the things he painted were according
to the rules of art.
But tho' nature is the effence of Painting, and hi
ftory only an accident, yet this accident is not lefs
worthy of the Painter's confederation than the ef
fence, in cafe he would pleafe every body, efpecially
tlje men of letters, and fuchjas judge of a picture
more by their, underftandlng than their eyes, and
wliofe~c^5mio'rir it is, that the perfection of thefe
fort of works confifts chiefly in reprefenting hiftory
fjiitl^fully, and exprefiingjhe paffions well.
Cj C H. A P.

22 The Art of PAINTING.
CHAP. IX.
Of the imperfea Ideas of PAINTING. >
THERE are few perfons who have a cleaf
idea of Painting, even among the Painters
themfelves ; feveral of whom place the whole ef
fence of their art in Defign ; and others think 'ti§
in the Colouring only.
The greater part of thofe bred to the profeffion
of learning, have no notion of Painting, but as it
relates to the invention of the Painter, whofe fancy
, "i Js the chief thing they look on. They examine this
;| invention narrowly, they diffect it, and as it appears
rnore or lefs ingenious, they praife or difpraife the
picture, without confidering the effect, or to what
degree of perfection the Painter has carry'd his imi
tation of nature. In this fenfe it was, that Sain?
Auftin faid, " The knowledge of Painting, and the
*' fable is fuperfluous," and at the fame time the
holy father commends the profane Sciences.
In vain did Tjtiajj^Giorgione, and Paolo Ve
ronefe, exert themfelves^ToT'excel in The"effehce
of "their art, the imitation of nature. In vain
were they at fo much pains to imitate her fo per
fectly as they did, and the critics have in vain
regarded their pieces as the moft perfect copies of
nature, if that is not in the firft place to be con-
fidered. They gave themfelves the trouble of
Painting to no purpofe, fince correet prints would
fuffice to.exercife the judgmernr of fuch critics,
and fill up the extent of their knowledge.
. To return to Saint Auftin, if he had had a true
Idea of Painting, as it is only an imitation of truth,
and had, reflected that by this imitation the fouls of
the righteous may be a thoufand ways rais'd up ta
divine love, he would have written a panegyrick on

The Art of PA IN TING. 23
on this fine art with fo much the more warmth, by
how much the more he was himfelf fenfible of
every thing that might carry a man to heaven. *
Another father had a jufter idea of Painting, I
mean St Gregory of Nice, who, after having made
a long and beautiful defcription of Abraham's fa-
crificing his fon Ifaac, has thefe words, " I have
" often caft my eyes upon a picture, which repre-
** fents this moving object, and could never with-
*' draw them without tears, fo well did the picture
*' reprefent the thing itfelf, even as if the action
" were then paffing before my fight."

CHAP. X.
How the remains of the Imperfetl Idea of Paints
ing have been preferved in the minds of jnany
ever fine e its re-efiablifhment.
I Have in the former chapter fhewn, that the effence
of Painting confifts in a faithful imitation, by
which means the Painter may both pleafe and in
ftruct, according to the meafure of his genius. I
fhall now treat of the falfe ideas of Painting, and
in this chapter fhew how the remains of thofe tha?
are imperfect flid down to us from our forefathers.
Painting, as well as other arts, came to be known
by the progrefs it made in the minds of men,
Thofe that began to revive it in Italy, and confe-
quently had but weak principles to go by, drew the
admiration of the fpectators by the novelty of their
works ; and as the number of Painters encreas'd,
and emulation gave them new lights in their art,
* 'Tis a Roman Catholic that faid it.
C 4 fo

24 Tie Art of PAINTING.
fo the beauty and value of their pieces encreas'd
alfo, from whence arofe a great many lovers and
critics in Painting; and things being come to a
certain point, the* world believ'd it impoffible for
the pencil to produce any thing more perfect, than
what was in thofe days the object of their wonder.
Men of the higheft quality vifited the Painters,
Poets fung their praifes, and in the year 1300,
Charles King of Naples, palling through Florence,
call'd upon Cimabue, who was then in reputation ;
and Cofmo di Medicis was fo charm'd with Filippo
Lippi's pieces, that fie try'-d all manner of ways to
pvercome the whimficalnefs and lazinefs of that
Painter, arid to make him mind his work,
However, 'tis eafy to judge by the remains of
their firft productipns, that Painting, at that time,
was a very indifferent bufinefs compar'd with what
is now to be feen from the hands of the beft mafter:*,
who fucceeded them in their profeffion ; for the
part that depends on compofition and defign, was
*not then feafoned by the grand gufto, which the
Fainters have fince acquired. That of colouring
was entirely unknown to them, and in both the
colouring of objects in particular, which we call
the local colour, and in the knowledge of the
claro obfcuro, they were abfolutely ignorant, and
knew nothing at all of the harmony of them both
-together. They made ufe of colours, 'tis true, but
the way they took was trivial, and did not help
them fo much to reprefent the truth of objects, as
to call them to our remembrance.
They were bred up in fuch ignorance of colour-
' ing, as to have no conception of the power of that
charming pare of their art ; nor to what degree of
height it could raife their works. They took their
mafters words, which were oracles to them, and
having, as they thought, nothing to do but to
treac\

The Art of PAINTING. 25
tread in the paths in which they led them, all their
ftudy-wasabout-invention aucLdelign.
At laft, after feveral years, the good genius of
Painting rais'd up fome great men in Tufcany, and
the dutchy of Urbin, who by the goodnefs of their
talent, the folidity of their underftanding, and the
affiduity of their ftudies, elevated, the ideas of the
"knowledge which they learnt of their mafters, and
produced fome things fo perfect, that they will al-*
ways be the admiration of pofterity.
Thofe to whom we owe this perfection moft, are
Leonardo da Vinci, Michael Angelo, and Raphael j
but the latter, who excell'd all of them, acquired fo
many parts of his art, and carried them to fo high
a degree, that the great praifes which have been
given him, have_^ade^it^tobe_ believ'd he was
wanting in nothing, and hlrvenKThTs'pefloh center'd
all the perfection of Painting.
It being necefiary, in this art, to begin with De
fign, and certain that the fource of a good tafte,
and correctnefs, is to be found in the ancienticulp-
tures, and the works of Raphael, who took out of
them what was moft valuable, moft of the young
Painters, in fucceeding times, never fail'd going to
Rome to ftudy, and continue fo to do now a-days,
from whence they bring the general efteem of
thofe pieces which are admir'd there, and tranfmh
it to all that hear them. Thus a great number of
the curious have preferved, on the faith of others,
or the authority of authors, the firft idea which
made an impreffion on their minds, to wit, that all
the perfection of Painting is to be found in the
works of Raphael.
The Roman Painters have alfo, for the moft
part, remain'd of this opinion, and have infinuated
it into ftrangers, either out of a love they bore their
country, or out^ajtieglectof colouring, which they
never underload weffj or that they preferr'd the
other

26 The Art of P A I N T I N G.
other. parts of Painting before it, which, being a
great many in number, took up' their whole lives
to ftudy and acquire.
/ For thefe reafons therefore they minded nothing
/ but what depends on invention and defign ; and
though. Raphael invented very ingenioufly, though
he defign'd moft correctly and elegantly, though he
expreft the paffions of the mind with infinite force
and grace, though he drew his fubjects with all poflible
decorum and noblenefs, and no Painter has difputed
with him the advantage of fuperiority in the multi
tude of the parts of his art, which he was mafter of;
;'tis, however, undeniable, that he did not penetrate
Far enough into colouring to render the objects very
jtrue, or very fenfible, nor to give an idea of a per
fect imitation; and yet this perfect imitation and
fenfation make the effence of Painting, as I have
already prov'd. 'Tis compos'd of defign and. co
louring; and if Raphael, and the Painters of his time,
had but an imperfect notion of the latter, the idea
of the effence of Painting, which is produced by
their works, muft neceffarily be imperfect, as well
as that which has been introduced into the minds of
fome perfons fince thofe days, otherwife of good
judgment. The works of Titian, and thofe other Painters,
.who have fhewn their thoughts with the advantage
of a faithful imitation, ought, one would think, to
have deftroy'd thofe eyiTremainders which we are
.fpeakirigbf, and have fettlecTthe ideas of the art, as
nature and reafon require from an underftanding
that. is juft. But the youth of the fucceeding times
fince Raphael, going from Rome to Venice preju
diced in their fight and their judgment, and feldom
flaying there long, fee, as itjwere* en paffant, the
beautiful pieces that might give them a juft idea,
and are very far from • contracting a good habit of
colouring, which would make their ftudies at Rome more

The Art of P A I N T I N G. 27
jnore valuable, and render them without reproach
in all the parts of their profeffion.
But what is moft aftonifhing, is, that fome cer*
tain curious perfons, who have the remainders of
this falfe idea, and are themfelves charmed with th6
Venetian Paintings, buy them up, with good reafon,
at high prices, though thofe pictures have almoft
no other merit than their colouring, one part
of the effence of -Painting, which I have here
eftablifh'd.

CHAP. XI.
Of Composition, the firft part of
Painting. . ¦ - ¦ >
Hitherto we have only us'd the word Invention,'
to fignify the firft part of Painting. Several
have confounded it with Genius, others with a
fruitfulnefs of thought, others with the difpofition
of objects ; but all thefe things are different from
one another; wherefore I am of opinion, that to
give a clear idea of Painting, it fhould be call'd
CompofitiQn, divided into two parts, ijvv&ntjoji and
dlfbofition. . Inygntion„ Only finds put objects_for a
^^HS^^SH^S-^iS.^Lik'21?1- fright. 'Tis true
thefe two partslu-edifferent, and yet they have fuch
a relation to each other, that they may be com
prehended under the fame name.
l2XSr^>Jorm^,Oyreading hiftory^andthe
fable, 'Tis the pure effect or the imagination in
metaphorical fubjects. It contributes to the truth
of hiftory, as well as to the cl^niej^f^lkgories,
and in what manner foever 'tis made~ufe or^it
ought not to keep the mind of the fpectator in I
fufpence by any obfcurity ; And yet as faithfully and/
inge-

28 The Art of PAINTING.
ingenioufly as a fubject may be chofen, it will never
have a good effect, if it is not difpos'd of advan-
tagepufly, as the oeconomy, and the rules of art
require"; and the juft mixture pf thefe two parts, is
what I call Compofition.

CHAP. XII.
Of Design, the fecond part of Painting,
A Good gufto,.. and correctnefs of defign, are
fo neceffary in Painting, that a Painter who
wants., them, muft do miracles tp attract the le^ft
efteem : And the defign being the bafis and foun
dation of all the pt^"parts;'Feing what termi
nates the colours, and difentangles the objects, it;s
elegance, and correctnefs are no lefs neceffary in
Painting, than the purity of language is in elo
quence.

*-r

C H A P. XIII.
Of the Attitudes.
IN the Attitudes, the Ponderation, and the Con
trail: are founded in nature; fhe does no actios
*but fhe fhews thofe two parts ; and if fhe fails of it,
fhe muft be either depriv'd of motion, pr conftrain'd
*n her adtion.

CHAP.

The Art of PAINTING. 29
CHAP. XIV.
Of the Expressions.
THE Expreflions are the touchftone of the
Painter's tinderftanding ; by the juftnefs.of
his diftributing them he fhews his penetration, and
his difcernment : But there is as much fenfe requir'd
in the fpectator to perceive, as in the Painter to
perform them.
4^i^*J£wisJik.e.,a.fc£net _ wherejsach figureojays
its^part. Figures well defign'd, andrwell colour'd,
are admirable indeed ; yet moft people having not
a juft idea of Painting, are not fenfible of thofe
parts of it any farther than they are accompany'd:
with vivacity, juftnefs and delicacy of expreffion,
which is one of the moft rare talents of a Painter ;
and he that is fo happy as to manage his Exprefiions!
well, will not only make them relate to the parts of
the face, but alfo to thofe of the whole body, and
will expofe them in fuch manner, that even the
moft inanimate objects fhall agree with the general
expreffion of the fubject.

CHAP. XV,
Of the Extremities.
THE Extremities, which are the head, feet
and hands, being the moft known and re
markable parts of the body, and thofe which, if
one may fo fay, fpeak moft to us in a picture, they
ought to be more terminated than the others, if the
action of the piece expofes them much to view.
CHAP.

35 The Art s/PAINTING.
CHAP. XVI.
Of the D r a p e r i e s.-
TO fet or caft a Drapery is a term in Painting*
by which is underftood to clothe and drefs a
figure. The word caft feems to me to be fo much
the more expreflive, by how much the more the
draperies ought not to be adjufted as we put On
our clothes. In following the character of naturej
who is far from all fort of affectation, the folds
fhould fall about the members as by chance : They
fhould leave enough of them naked to fhew what
they are, and by a careful artifice contraft them in
fhowing them, and, if I may fo exprefs it, carefs
them by their tender windings, and foft touches.
The ancient fculptors, who had not the ufe of
different colours, becaufe they work'd the fame
thing on the fame matter, have avoided the large
fpreading of the folds, left furrounding the mem
bers they fhould attract the eye, and hinder their
feeing the naked of the figures with as much eafe
as they would have had them. For their draperies,
they often made ufe of wet linnen to clothe their
figures, or elfe they multiply'd the fame folds, to
the end that this repetition might make a fort of
etching, which by its obfcurity renders the mem
bers it furrounds the more fenfible. They have com
monly obferv'd this method in their baffo relievo's,
and which way foever they managed their drape
ries, they placed their folds in wonderful order.
The Painter, who by the diverfity of his colours
and lights fhould diftinguifh the members from the
draperies, may govern himfelf by the good order
of the antique folds, without imitating their num
ber; and may vary his fluff according to the cha
racter of his figures. Thofe Painters, who did not
know

The Art of PAIN TING. 31
know what liberties they were allow'd in this mat
ter, have been as much in the wrong in copying
the ancient fculptures, as the modern fculptors have
been in imitating the Painters.
The reafon why the folds ought to difcover
where the limbs of a picture are, is becaufe Painting
is on a fiat fuperficies, and he muft annihilate fome
things, by deceiving the fight, and leave nothing
equivocal to be feen in his piece : Wherefore the
Painter is oblig'd to obferve this order in all his dra
peries, of what nature foever, either coaffe or fine,
rough or plain; and he muft always prefer the ma-
jefty of the folds, to the richnefs of the fluff, which
muft be fuited to the age and faihions of the hiftory*
that is reprefented.
As the Painter ought to avoid all manner of ftiff-
nefs and hardnefs in his folds, and be careful that
they don't fmell of the lay-man, as we commonly
fay, fo he fhould alfo ufe his flying draperies with
difcretion, for they can only be agitated by the wind
in a place where one may reafonably fuppofe it
blows* or by the compreffion of the air. When a
figure is fuppos'd to be in motion, fuch fort of dra
peries are moft advantageous, becaufe they contri
bute to the life of a figure by the contrail : Yet care
muft be taken, that the caufe of it may applear na
tural and probable, and there fhould never be flying
draperies on different fides in the fame picture,
when they cannot naturally be agitated by any thing
but the wind, and when the figures are in repofe.
Several fkilful Painters have committed this fault,
without thinking of it.

CHAP.

32 The Art of PAINTING
CHAP. XVII.
Of L A N D S K I P S.
I*F Painting be a fort of creation* 'tis more fen**5
fibly fo in Landfkips than in any other kind of
pictures. We fee there nature rifing out of her
chaos, the elements feparated* fhe earth adorn'd
with her various productions, and the heavens with
their ftars. This fort of Painting contains all the
others in-little, and therefore the Painter, who exer-
cifes it, ought to have an univerfal knowledge of
the parts of his art •, if not in fo particular a manner
as thofe that are us'd to paint hiftory, yet, at leaft;
fpeculatively, and Iti general; and if he does not
finifh all the objects that compofe his picture, of
accompany his landfkip, he is, at leaft, oblig'd to
fpecify livelily the gufto, and the character, and by
how much the lefs his piece is unfinifh'd, to give it
the. more vivacity.
However, I do not pretend to exclude exactnefs
of work from this talent; on the contrary, 'twill be
the more admir'd, and the more valuable for it.
But let a landfkip be never fo well finifh'd, if its
merit does not confift in the cOmparifon of the ob
jects one with another, and if their character be not
thereby preferv'd; if the ptofpects are not well
chofen* or not well fet off by a good intelligence of
the claro obfcuro ; if the ftrokes are not lively,
and the fcene animated by the figures* by animals,;
or other objects, which are ufually in motion ; and
if to a good gufto of colouring, and to extraordinary
fenfations, the genuinenefs and truth of nature are
not join'd, the picture will never be efteem'd, nor
be admitted into the cabinets of the true critics.
G H A P,

The Art of PAINTING. 33
CHAP. XVIII.
Of Perspective.
A Certain author has faid, that Perfpedtive and
Painting are the fame thing, becaufe there is
no Painting without Perfpective. Tho' the propo-
fition is falfe, abfolutely fpeaking, inafmuch as a
body cannot be without fhadow, and yet it is not
the fame thing as the fhadow ; neverthelefs 'tis true
in this fenfe, that a Painter cannot do any thing
without Perfpective in all his operations, and that
he does not draw a line* nor ftrike a ftroke with his
pencil, which has not a fhare of this in it, at leaft
habitually. It regulates the meafure of forms, and
the gradation of colours in all places of the picture.
The Painter is forced to know the neceffity of it,
and tho' his practice of it is, or fhould be confum-
mate ; yet he will often be expofed to make great
faults againft this knowledge, if out of lazinefs he
will not confult a-new, at leaft in the moft vifible
places, and take his rule and compaffes with him,
that he may put nothing to rifque, nor lie open to
cenfure. Michael Angelo has been blamed for neglecting
perfpective, and the greateft mafters of Italy have
been fo throughly convinced, that without it 'tis
impoffible for any compofition to be regular, that
they have endeavour'd to go to the bottom of it;
and in fome defigns of Raphael, there are to be
feen even a fcale of degrees ; fo exact was he in this
ppint.

CHAP.

34 The Art of P A I NT I N G.
C H A P. XIX.
O/Colouring, the third part of
Painting.
SEveral Painters have talked of colours fo very
far from what they ought to have done, that I
was tempted to endeavour to fet them right j and
wrote a Dialogue in defence of Colouring, which
was, printed four and twenty years ago; and having
nothing better to fay of it at this time, I muft refer
the reader to that treatife, wherein I have done my
utmoft to fhew the merit and prerogative of colours,
with all poflible perfpicuity.

CHAP. XX.
Of the Harmony c/Colours.
THERE is a Harmony and Diffonance in the
kinds of colours, as there is in the tones or de
grees of light ; and in a comp6fition of mufic, the
notes muft not only be true, but fn (the performance
the inftruments muft alfo be < agreeable : And as all
mufical inftruments do not agree one with another,
as for example, the lute andthe/hautbois, the fpi-
net and the bagpipe, fo there are colours that will
» never appear together without offence to the fight -y
I as the vermilion with the green, the blue with the
yellow ; and yet as the moft fharp inftruments bear
a part with a good effect, among feveral others, fo
the moft oppofite colours being placed a. propos,
amongdivers others which are in union* will render
fome parts of a picture the more fenfible, efpecially thofe

aAETfl/PAINTING. 35
thofe: fhat fhould predominate* and draw the eyes
of the fpectator.
Titian, as I have elfewhere obferv'd, has made
this ufe pf them in his triumph of Bacchus, where
having placed Ariadne on the borders of the picture,
and for that reafon not being able to make her re
markable by the luftre of the light, which he pre
ferved for the 'middle of his piece, he gave her a
vermilion fcarf on a blue drapery, as well to loofen
her from his ground, which was a blue fea, as be
caufe fhe Was one of the principal figures of his fub
ject, upon which he defired to attract the eye.
Paolo Veronefe, in his marriage of Caha, becaufe
Chrift, who is the principal figure of the fubject, is
carry'd fomewhat into the depth of the picture, and
that he could not make him be taken notice of by
the brillant of the claro obfcuro, has dreft him in
blue and vermilion, thereby to conduct the fight
to that figure.

CHAP. XXI.
Of the P en cil.
TH E term, Pencil* is fometimes taken for all
the parts of Painting, as when we fay, that
Raphael's transfiguration is the fineft picture that
ever came from his Pencil ; and fometimes 'tis to be
underftood of the work itfelf ; for example,, when we
fay, of all the Painters of antiquity, Apelles's Pencil
was the moft learned. In thisplace the_word Pencil
fignifieiJiaapiyjL^^ernploying his colours, when thofe colours don't
feerrf too much agitated, or, as one may fay, too
¦much tormented byjhe motion jo£_a^-heayyJiand;
Tr 2 but

36 The Art ^/PAINTING.
but on the contrary, when the movement appears
free, ready and light, we fay, the piece is of a good
Pencil; yet this freedom of . "the. Pencil is of little
worth, if"' tis not guided by the head, and if it does
not ferve to fhew us that the Painter underftands
his art. In a word, a fine Pencil Jn_ Painting, is
like a fine__yojc^in,.rimfIcT; both the one, and the
other,""* are valued according to the proportion of the
great effe^t,Jand the harmony„ that .accompanies.
them..

CHAP. XXII.
Of the Licences.
THE Licences are fo neceffary, that all arts
admit of them; they are literally againft the
rules, but when we come to explain ourfelves, we
fhall fhew they aflift them, if they are made ufe of
a* propos. Every man of fenfe thinks they are to
the purpofe, when the piece in which they are
employ'd, has the greater effect by them, and when.
by their means, the Painter reaches the end he aims
at, which is to impofe on the fight; but 'tis not
every Painter that can make an advantageous ufe
of them. There are none but great genius's who
are above rules, and who know when to make ufe
ingenioufly of the licences, either in the effence of
the art, or in hiftory. The latter is the more diffi
cult work, and requires our attention. We fhall
fpeak further of it in the following chapter.
CHAP,

The Art of PAINTING. 37^

CHAP. XXIII.
By what authority /^Painters have repre
fented under human figures things Divine ,
Spiritual and Inanimate.
SCripturte tells us, in feveral places, of God's ap
pearing to man, either by the miniftry of his
angels, or in dreams and vifions. There is a fine
defcriptioh of God, under the form of an old man,
in the feventh chapter of Daniel, and the ninth
verfe. The fame holy writ informs us of feveral
apparitions pf angels under human forms. For
this reafon, the church in the council of Nice,
made no fcruple to allow Painters to reprefent God
the Father, under the figure of a venerable old man,
and angels under human figures.
Painters are alfo juftify'd, on the fame account,
to give life to inanimate things, when they follow
exactly the idea thefcripture gives us of them. The
fpectator fhould not ptefently be fcandaliz'd, if he
fees facred things mixt with poetical fictions, as if
fiction and poetry were indifpenfibly profane. The
book of Job, the Pfalms of David, the Apocalypfe,
are all poetical, and full of figurative expreffions,
without reckoning all the parables which are in the
other parts of the fcripture. ' 'TwaS in copying the
facred text, that Raphael, Painting the paffage of
Jordan, gave that river a human figure, and drew
him pufhing back his waters to thejr fburce. He was
warranted to do this by holy writ, which, to pro
portion its expreffions to man's underftanding, often
reprefents divine things in the fhape of human ;
arid; for the inftruction of the faithful, makes ufe
of the moft palpable and fenfible comparjfons and
j4easf We have a paffage, relating to the fubject
P 3 °f

38 The Art 0/ PAINTING.
of rivers, in the 97th Pfalm, where it is faid, * " Let
" the floods clap their hands : let. the hills be joyful
" together." The Painter, who has the fame inten
tion to inftruct, and to edify, cannot follow a bet
ter pattern.
Pouffin, in his picture of the finding of Mofes^
has obferved the fame conduct, in reprefenting. the
river Nile, for which he has been blamed by fome
perfons, who alledge thefe reafons againft: him-;
They fay, that Painters fhould riot mingle falfe gpds
with things relating to our religion; that rivers are
falfe divinities whom the Heathens worfhiped, and
"whom we ought not to introduce in facred hiftory:
And further, that a Painter may well enough repre
fent a river, as a river, but not do it under a ba
nian figure. To all this one may eafily anfwer,
That as the holy fcripture, when it introduces rivers
under human figures, had no intention to fpeak of
*thofe the Pagans adored* ahd tho' it might have
exprefs'd itfelf fimply and naturally, yet it makes
fufe of a figurative ftile, without fearing to feduce
the faithful ; fo alfo a chriftian Painter, who oUght
to imitate the fcripture, is very far from endea
vouring to alter the truth of hiftory: He rather
ftrives, conforming himfelf to his original, to fhew
it more livelily and elegantly, not to an Infidel, but
to a Chriftian as he is, who being prejudiced againft
'the falfe divinities, ought not to find out another
meaning than that of the holy fcripture.
But with refpect to Pagan divinities, which are
introduced as fuch, and with the characters that
fhew what they are, *tis more difficult to admit
them in fuch kind of compofitions. The learned
fiave handled that matter by its relation to poefy,
and the caufe remains ftill to. be decided : However,
the Painter, who has no other way to exprefs him-
* Pfal. xcvii. 8. felf

The Art /PAINTING. 39,
felfthanby thefe forts of figures, inftead of being
blamed, will always be commended by the beft
judges, when they find them brought in prudently
and ingenioufly. For the falfe divinities may be \
confider'd two ways, either as gods, or as fymbo- j
lieal figures. As gods, the Painter muft never re- 1
prefent them, except it is in fubjects. entirely pro
fane; and as fymbolical figures, he may introduce
tbem with difcretion on all occafions, where he
thinks them neceffary.
C Jflubfenf) who, of all Painters made ufe of thefe
fynabpls the moft ingenfoufly, and the moft learn
edly, as^may be feen" in the book of the Cardinal
Infant's entrance into Antwerp, and by the pictures
of the gallery of Luxemburg, has been cenfured for
it: He fhould not, fay they, have brought allego
rical-figures into his compdfitions, nor .have mixed
fable with truth.
To which we may anfwer, That as Rubens hais
managed it, he has not confounded fable with truth ;
he rather has employ'd the fymbols of the fable toi
exprefs the fame tuitfa. In the picture of the birth
of Lewis XIHth, on the top of it, in clouds, at a
diftance*. he has reprefented1 Caftor on his winged
herfe, and on the fide, Apollo in his chariot mount
ing on high; tofhe^fthat the Prince was born in the
morning, and that his mother's delivery was happy.
From whence we may infer,- that- the Painter had
no thoughts ; of reprefenting the* gods as gods, but
Caftor only as a conftellation that render'd events
fortunate, and the chariot of Apollo. mounting up
wards, to mark the time of the morning.
If the Painter, with an intention to exprefs himfelf {
the better, has thought it neceffary or convenient
to reprefent the divinities of,the fable among hifto- j
rical figures, thofe fymbols muft be look'd upon ;
as invifible, and as not there any otherwife than '
by their fignification.
D 4 'Tis

40 The Art e/PA-INT IN G.
'Tis in this fenfe the fecond council of Nice,
authoriz'd in what they did by the fcripture, allowed
the reprefentations of God the Father, and the angels
under human figures; for there would have been
a greater inconvenience in painting the Perfons of
the holy Trinity, and the angels, than in introducing
Pagan divinities in a picture, if the fenfe that the
former fhould be taken in, were not explairt'd.
Chriftians being fufficiently prepoffeft againft thefe
falfe appearances, which are intended only for their
inftruction, to profit by them,, fhould have the fame
notion of them as the Painter* and look upon them
as not there.
The authority for Painting, the angels with wings,
is taken from the ark of the covenant % and-from
the 9th chapter of Daniel,;the,2ift verfe ; however,
thefe paffages do not indifpenfibly oblige Painters to
Idraw angels always with wings; they may do it, or
I not do it, as their art, good fenfe, and the inftruc-
'.tionofthe faithful require. ,.
The reader will eaftly perceive- 'tis a Papift that
.argues thus for the idolatrous cuftom of reprefenting the
holy Trinity, and the angels under human figures. The
argument is fo mean, it deferves.no anfwer; andthepoi-
fon fo weak, it needs no antidote j or we might quote
againft him, the yth verfe of the gytb Pfalm, the fame
, :he has quoted above,, where are thefe words.
.!" Confounded be all they that ferve graven ima-
" ges, that boaft themfelves of idols ; worfhip him
*' all ye gods."
* Exod. xxv.
CHAP.

The Ar t of P A I NT-ING, 4t
C HA P.. XXIV.
Of naked Figures, and how they may be made
ufe< of .--¦,-,,: . ; -c. .
THE Painters and fculptots* who underftand
defigning very well, commonly feek after oc-
cafions to fhew the nakJed, to gain efteem and di-
ftindtion ; for which they are certainly praife-worthy,
provided they keep themfelves within the bounds
pf the truth of hiftory, of verifimility and modefty.
There are fome fubjects, in 'Which a man may more <
reafonably reprefent nakednefs than in others ; as for I
example, infeble&_when the fcene lies in hot coun-
tries, and we know nothing of the modes of the
people^ or when the labourers of the firft ages, are
reprefented. Cato the Cenfor,J as Plutarch relates,
worked naked among *his labourers, wheri he came
from the fenate; and St Peter was naked when our
Saviour appeared to him after his rtefurrectiohy and
found him fifhing with the other Apoftles. Nakednefs
may alfo be made ufe of in the reprefentation of
allegorical fubjects, the Pagan gods or hero's: in
-fhort, on all occafions, where we may fuppofe we
look upon fimiple nature, where cold or impudence
is not predominant ; for clothes were only invented
to keep men from cold and fhame.
There are, at this day, a great many people, in
feveral parts of the world, who go ftark naked,
either becaufe they dwell in hot countries, or that
cuftom has taken away the indecency and fhame of
nakednefs. In a wprd, the general rule, which
fhould be obferved in this cafe, is, as we have al
ready faid, that there be nothing againft modefty or
verifimility. The Painters draw moft of their figures
with their heads and feet nakedj wherein they follow the

4% The A fe T 0f -PA I N T i N G.
the dictates of fimple nature, which eafily accuftoms
thofe two parts^to ,nakednefs ~h Wp fee examples of
this kind, not orilyrnhot'cOuhtrreS, but in the midft
of the cold mountains of the Alps, where even the
chtUlretvgb with. t-Beir feet hakedin fummer, amorig
the ftones ahd flints, and' iri -winter over the ice and
fnow. But with regard to the truth of hiftory,
though :,nakedjj»efst;; be $ licence which, Painters' are
poffefs'.d of* arid;ijife to the. ad vantage of their art,
yet they often' ahufe ,,jti ? j wont .except either Ra-
phi^ior Pouflio^; They have reprefented the Appf-
tleswith their; feet naked, contrary to what is pofi-
tively faid in the gofpel, where our Saviour ordering
them to take, no care for what they fhould put on,
commands them teiibe content "with the fhoes they
have on their feet* without Carrying, others with
$hen)» AndiittShe.Aets.of the Apoftles, whep the
ang^i'dilivters St. Peter, he bids him put on his gir-
dle,;:'ahd tie- fci*s fhoesr,; from whence we may con
clude they were ^©sooiohly worn, r ¦. ¦. w
Tin Tis-. the fame with Mofes, who;in the vifion of
the burning buffi*' was warned, to leave his fhoes,
and: yet Raphael . .paints his feet laaked in alithe
Other actions pf hijgiife ; as if Mofes had never any
fhoes on, but when, he was -keeping- his father- in^
law's fheep. J jmight, here give many more in-
ftanees, whereinRiphael, and feyeml other Painters
, "after -himj. have drawn their figures without fhoes
and flockings, againft hiftory and verifimility, did
riot I think what I have faid fqfficient.
„>> 'Tis obferved, that. the Grecian Sculptors more
commonly madetheir figures naked than the Roiriai*;
but I know no other reafon for it,, than that the
Greeks chofe fubjects more agreeable to the defire
they had to have the depths: of their art admir'd,
in their reprefentiog the conftruction and union of
the parts of man's body. In their ftatues they re
presented gods rather than men, and in their bafio
,V4 re-

The- Artj/PAINTI N G. 43
relievo's, Bacchanals , and facrifices, rather than
hiftories. The Romans, on the contrary, who by
their ftatues and bafib" relieves, aimed- at tranfrmt-
ting the memory of their Emperors to pofterity,
were neceffaf il-y obliged to do1 nothing againft the
truth of hiftory ; but to drefs their figures according
to the mode then in fafhion.

C H A P. XXV.
Of Grace.

¦*¦¦-•«¦-*

THE neceffity of Grace in Painting, generally
fpeaking, is a -thing* th&t needs no proof.
There is only one difficulty in, the matter, to' wit,
if this Grace be .neceffary in all forts of fubjects ; in ,
Mttels, as well as feftivals-; in -Soldiers, as well as'
women. ' ;'!; •'•'•' ; ¦
, _ I grant it is .; and my reafpri for it is, that tho'
-Grace5 fhews itfelf firft in the face, yfet it is not in
that part only that it refides; ^iTT&nfifts chiefly in /
theturn the Pairreef gives his objects to render_thern j
agreeable, even fuch are inanimate : From whence '
irfollows, that there-may be Grace in the fiercenefs \
of a foldier, by/ the turrt which may Be given to his
air, and his pofturfe; and even in drapery, or any
thing elfe, by the fmanner in which i-t may be dif-
pofed. ¦ ---> , r
Having given this idea of a perfect Painter, "and
proofs of: the feveral parts that go to the forming
one, there only iftnaXths an application to the works
.of the Painters*^ arid to put- them as it were in the
fcale, not to reject entirely thofe that have npt "all
the qualities which we have eftablifhedj but to value
tliem according to t-heir weights ¦' - This

44 The Ar tj/PAINT I *N G.
,. This Idea may help us to judge of the defigns of
different mafters, I, mean of -the .degree of their
goodnefs'; for 'tis almoft impoffible to write with
juftnefs/pf the originality of .a defign, or the name
of the author; or, to jay down rules how he may be
known.

CHAP. XXVI.
.Of -Designs.
THE Defigns: of which we intend to fpeak
here, are thofe thoughts that Painters com
monly exprefs on paper, for the execution of fome
work they are going about. We fhould place among
Defigns the ftudies pf great; mafters, that is, thofe
parts which they, : have defigned « after nature, 'as
heads, feet, and entire figures ; draperies, animals,
trees, plants, flowers, and in fhort, every thing
¦that may enter into the compofition of a picture ;
for whether you eonfider a good defign by its relar
tion to the picture pf which it is an idea, Dr by rela
tion to fpme part of which it is the ftudy* it always
deferves the attention of the curious.
Tho' the knowledge of defigns be not fo eftir
mable, nor of fo large extern as that of pictures ;
it isliowever delicate and pleafant, becaufe the great
number of them gives thofe that love them more
opportunity to exercife their criticifms, and the
work is all the production of the mind. Defigns
denote beft the character of the. mafter, and fhew if
„his genius be lively or heavy, if his thoughts are
„ elevated or common; in fhort j if he has a good
manner and a good gout of all the parts which may
be expreft upon paper. A Painter who would finifh.
a picture endeavours, if one may fo fay, to go out of

The Art of PAINTING. 45
of himfelf, that he may acquire praife for fome parts
of his art, which he knows very well he is not pof-
feft of. But in making a defign, he gives a loofe
to his genius, and fhews what he is. For this reafon
it is, that in the collections of the great, we find
the defigns of the beft mafters preferved, as well as
the pictures.
And yet there are few perfons who are curious
about defigns ; and among thofe few, if fome know
the manner, fcarce any one knows the end. The
half critics have no inclination towards this curio-
fity, becaufe, having no fufficient notion of the
meaning of defigns, they have no relifh of the per
formance, and take more pleafure in prints carefully
engraved from good pictures j which may be occa-
fioned fometimes thro- fear of being deceived, and of
taking, as it often happens, copies for originals, for
want of experience. There are three things in ge
neral to be obferved in Defigns, learning, fpirit and
freedom. By Learning I underftand a good compo
fition, a defign correct, and of a good gout, with
a laudable knowledge of the claro obfcuro. By the
word Spirit I comprehend a lively and natural ex
preffion thro' the whole work, of the fubject in ge
neral, and the objects in particular. Freedom is no
more than a habit, which the hand haTcontracted,
to exprefs readily and boldly the idea in the Painter's
mind ; and as there is more or lefs of thefe three
things in a defign, 'tis, the more or lefs valuable,
though free defigns are generally accompanied with
a good deal of fpirit, yet all the defigns that are
made with freedom, are 'not, for all that, fenfibly
touch'd ; and, if the learned defigns are not always
free, they are thofe generally which have the moft
fpirit in them.
I might here name abundance of Painters, whofe
defigns have a great deal of freedom without any
fpirit, whofe bold hands, produce nothing but ramb

ling

46 The A r t of P A I N TI NG.
ling performances. I might alfo name feveral able
men* Whofe defigns appear ftiff, though otherwife-
learned and fenfible, becaufe their hand was re-
ftrained by their judgment, and they ftudied* above
all things, to make their out-liries correct, and theif
expreffion juft.' I avoid naming them* not to offend
any body : Let every one judge as he thinks fit.
This muft. be faid of freedom-, 'tis fo agreeable
that it hides, arid often excufes a great many faults*
which* ' in fuch cafe, are rather attributed to an
irnpetupfity of' genius, ' than to infufficieney ; but,
we muft own alfo* that freedom of hand does not
fetm to be freedom when 'tis confined within the
bounds of a great regularity. Thus in the moft
correct defigns of Raphael, there is a delicate free
dom which is only vifible to the eyes of the learned;
" ' In a word, there are fome defigns which ar.e.~aqt,
over_cprreft,._and which yet, are no? without their"
I merit, having a good deal of fenfajfa'nd charaSak
< Of this fort are the defigns of Will jam Baur,-^&m-
tjaril} Benedetti, and fome others.'
Defigns that are butjuftt6uch'd., and not fini&'dj
< have more fpirit, and pleafe more than thofe that
are perfected* provided their chafacter be good, and
they put the idea of the fpectator in a good way.
The reafon is, that the imagination fupplies all the
parts which are wanting, or are not finifhed, and
each man fees it according tp his own gout. The
defigns of thofe mafters, who have more genius
than learning, often give occafion to experience the
truth of this affertion ; but the defigns of excellent
mafters, who join folidity to a fine genius, lofe no
thing by being finifh'd -, and, fuppofing every thing
\ elfe is anfwerable, defigns are to be efteemed ae-
\ cording as they are finifh'd.
Though we ought to value moft thofe defigns
wherein moft parts are found, yet fhould we not re^
jed thofe where there is no more than one, pro^
vided

The Ar f if P A- INTING. J7
vrcled 'tis of fuch a manner, thatlt Aiews fome ; prin
ciple of the art, or carries With it !an>y fehf&fe'fin'
gukrity which pleafes or mftrticts/ ¦' Neither Ought
wetb reject thofe that are- bn¥ Sketches, bf whttifi
One fees a very faittt idea only, and but aneffay
of the fancy, fince 'tis curious to remark how fkils.
fui Painters at firft conceived their thoughts before
they tiigefted them ; and fetches mew us further,
what touches great mafters make trfe of to charac-
terife things with a few ftrokes.' ' To fafisfy one's
curiofity therefore,1 it would be weH if one hadde-
figns of all kinds «f the fame mafter ; to wit, not
ortly of his firft, Second or laft manner, but even his
fighteftfketches, as well as his moft finifhed defigns.
I confefs, Ihowever, thfe-curiou's, who are purely fpe-
ctrlative, dorft fo much find their account in it, 'as
thofe who knowing 3tow to practice, are more capa
ble of relifhing this curiofity. There is one thing
which is as the felfbf a Defign; that feafons hj and
gives it its reHfh, withbut which 'tis worth little' or
nothing, and which I cari't exprefs 'better :riian by
the wordChgcacter. This'Character confifts then in
the manner in which the Painter thinks things.
'Tis the feal that mftingui-fhes his 'works from thofe -
of other men, and whidh' imprints on them the
Kvely image of his mind. 'Tis this character that
agitates our imagination, and 'tis by this that fkilful
Painters, after having ftudied imder 'good mafters,
or after the works of others, 'fed themfelves con-
ftrained by a fweet violence to let their genius loofe,
and fly with their proper wings. iJ
I exclude out of the number of good defigns
all that are infipid ; of which there are three forts.
Firft, thofe of Painters who, though they produce.
great compofrtions, and are exact and correct, yet
ipread over their works a certain coldnefs,- which '
freezes the fpectator. Secondly, thofe of Painters i
who having more memory than -genius,, -are always ]
playing

48 The Art ^PAINTING.
playing the plagiaries and working by the ideas
they have ftofed up from other mens productions
which they' have feen; or elfe make ufe of fuch as
are ibefore them with too little iriduftry, and too
much Servility. And thirdly, thofe of Painters
who tie themfelves up to their mailer's manner,
without ever quitting or enriching it.
The knowledge of defigns, as well as of pictures,
confifts in two things, viz. to find out the name of
the mafter, and the goodnefs of the defign.
To know that a defign is of Such a mafter, a
man muft have viewed with attention a great many
others of the fame hand, and have had in his mind
a juft idea of the character of his genius, and of the
character pf his pradfcice. The knowledge of the
character of genius requires a great extent, and a
great clearnefs of mind, to keep the ideas without
confounding, them, and the knowledge of the cha
racter of practice depends more on a great habitude,
than a great capacity ; and for this reafon 'tis, that
the moft fkilful Painters do not always decide this
point the moft juftly. To know if a defign be fine,
if it be an original or a copy, a great deal of deli
cacy and penetration is requifite, together with much
exercife that way, and I queftion whether it can be
done without fome knowledge of manual practice i
and yet, after all, a man may be deceived.
It feems to me, 'tis eafy to infer from what has
been faid, that the comparifon of the works of the
Painters, with the Idea we have eftablifhed of a per
fect Painter, is the beft way to know what efteem
is due to them. But fince a man has not always a
great number of pictures at his djfpofal, nor enough
finifhed defigns to exercife his judgment, and fo to
acquire in a fhort time a habit of judging well, good
| prints may ferve inftead of pictures ; for excepting
;the local colour, they are fufceptible of all the parts
1 pf Painting j and befides that, they will fhortenthe time.

The Art of P A I N T I N G. 49
time, and are^lMry proper to fill the mind with the
knowledge of arranftnity of things. The reader, I
hope, will not be difpleafed to find here what I have
difcovered in this*w*tter.

CHAP. XXVII.
Of the Ufefulnefs and Ufe of Prints.
MAN is born with a defire to know, and
nothing fo much hinders his informing him
as the trouble of learning, and the eafinefs of for
getting, two things of which the greateft part of
mankind complahi with a great jdeal of reafon; for
fince the arts and fciences have been fought after, and
to penetrate far into them an infinity of volumes have
been pyblifhed, at the ferae time was brought to light
an object terrible enough to frighten us from looking
into them, and capable to fhock Our minds, and dif-
hearten our me mories. However, we have more
reafon than ever to exercife both the one and the
Other, or at leaft to find out means to help them in
their feveral functions.' That which we are about
to treat of (the invention of prints) js a very power
ful one, and one of, the happieft productions of
latter ages. -
They are in our age arrived to fp high a degree
of perfection, and good gravers have given us fo
many on all for;ts of matters, that it may truly be
faid, they are rhedepofitories of all that is fine and
curious in the world..
Their origin was in the year 1460, and arofe
from one Mufo Einiguerra, a goldfmith of Florence,
who grayed his plate, when calling fome of it in
melted fulphur, he perceived that what came out of
the mould was marked with the fame prints as his
E plate,

50 The Art of P A I N T IN G.
plate, by the black- which the fulphur had taken?
from his graving : he tried to do; as .much on filver
plates with wetpaper, by rolling it fmoPthly wkhs
a roller, which alfo fucceededvs.;>«. .-.Ht <.'. . -...,,.?
This novelty tempted Baccio Baldini, a goldfmith
of the fame city*- -to try whether- he could do-t-he
fame, and his fuccefs occafioned him to engrave
feveral plates of Sandro Boticello's invention and
defign; and upon this, Andrew Mantegna,- who was
at Rome at that time*, fet about engraving fome of
his own pieces.
The knowledge of this : invention getting iintp
Flanders, Martin of Antwerp, then a famous Panr*
ter, engraved abundance -of plates of his own inven
tion, and fent feveral 'prints into Italy,' which were
marked thus, M' C. , Vafari, in thejife of Marco
Antonio, a Painter, gives an account of the greateft
part of his fubjects, of which there was one among'
the reft, (the vifion of St Anthony) that, pleafed
Michael Angelo, then very young, fo well, for the
invention of it, that- he coloured it. Afte* Martin
of Antwerp, Albert Durer began to : appear, ''arid
gave the world 'an' infinite number of fine print's,' as
Well in wood as in copper, all which he* fent 'to*
Venice* to be fold.'*' ' '¦'¦'¦¦
Marco Antohio,Jwho happened at that time to
be there, was" So ravifhed with the beauty of thefe
prints, that he copied fix and thirty of them,
which1 reprefented our Saviour's paffiori; and thefe
copies were received at Rome with So much the
more admiration, by how much the more they were
finer than the' originals. At the fame time Hugo
du Carpi, an Italian Painter of a mean capacity, but
of a wit apt for invention, found out, by means of
feveral plates of wood, the way how to make prints
referable defigns of claro obfcuro:; and Some years
after the invention' of etching was difcovered, which
Parmeggiano foon made ufe of, Thefe

^Artc/P-'AINTING. 51
*Thefe firft prints drew the admiration of all that
few them for their novelty, and the fkilful Painters*
who worked for glory* were willing to ufe them
to fpread their wprks over the worlds Raphael,
among others* employed the famous Marco An
tonio to engrave feveral of his pictures and defigns $•
and thofe admirable prints were fo renowned, that
they carried the : name of Raphael through the;'
world. A vaft number of gravers have made them*'
felves famous, fince Marco Antonio, in Germany*
Italy, France, and the Low-Countries, and haVe pub-
lifhed, as well by graving as etching, an infinite
number of prints on all' forts of fubjects, as well
hiftories, fables, emblems, devifes* medals, animals*
landfkips, flowers, fruits, as in general all the vifible
productions of art and nature.
There is no body, of what condition or profeffion
foever, but may profit Very much by them. Di
vines, monks* devout men, philofophers, foldiers*
travellers, geographers* painters* fculptors, archi
tects, gravers, lovers of the fine arts* all that are
curious in hiftory or antiquity, and, in fhort, all
who having no particular profeffion, but that of
men of honour, would adorn their minds with the
knowledge of thofe things that might render them
the more worthy of efteem.
It is not pretended that perfons are obliged to fee1
all the prints that haVe been publifhed, to know
how to profit by them j the infinite number of
them prefenting at once fo many different ideas to
a man's view, will rather confound than inform
him : thofe only, who are born with a great and
clear geniiis* who have been ufed for fome time to
the fight of fo many different- things, can make
them profitable to them* and fee them all 'without
confufion. Every particular man may choofe thofe fubjects
that are moft proper for him* that may either re-
-.. . E 2 frefh

52 The Art of PAINTING.
frefh his memory or ftrengthen his judgment ; in
which he fhould be directed by the inclination he
has for things of his own gout and profeffion.
- As for example, nothing is more fuitable to di
vines than prints which relate to religion, our holy
myfteries, the facred hiftories* and every thing
which difcovers the exercifes, or the perfecutions of
the primitive chriftians: the antique baffo re
lievos, which in many places inform us of the cere
monies of the heathen worfhip : in fhort, any thing
that has relation to our own, whether it be facred
or profane.
For thofe devout fubjects are moft proper, which
raife the foul to heaven, and continue it in the love
of God.
For monks, the facred hiftories in general, and
what concerns their order in particular.
For philofophers, all the demonfbative figures,
which relate not only to the experiments of phy
tic, but all that may encreafe their knowledge in
natural things.
For thofe that are bred up to war, the plan and
elevation of fortified cities, the order of battles,
and books of fortification, Of which the demonftra-
tive figures are the greateft part.
For travellers, the particular views of palaces, of
cities, and Confiderable places, to prepare them for
the things they are to fee, or to preferve the ideas
of thofe they have feen.
For geographers, the maps and charts neceffary
in their profeffion.
For Painters, every thing that may ftrengthen
them in the feveral parts of their art, as the antique
pieces, and thofe of Raphael and Caracci fpr„the
, jgood, gout, correctnefs of defign, the dignity -olL
' manner, for the choice of the airs of the head, the
| paffions of the mind, and the attitudes ; thofe of
i Corregio, for grace and delicacy of the expreffions ;
thofe

The Art of PAINTING. 53"
thofe of Titian, Baffano, and the Lombards, for the \
character pf truth, for the fimple expreffions of na- \
ture, and, above all,, fox,,^e=^
th^fe gf Raiberi% foe. the grandeur and magnificence
pf^ his invention, and the artifice of claroobTcuro :
in fhort, thofe that, though they may be^defeftive
in fome particular part of them, may yet have fome*
thing in them lingular and extraordinary, for the
Painters may draw a confiderable advantage from
all the different manners of thofe that have gone
before them,1 who are as fo many flowers, from
whence,'. like tht fefigs^hey may fuck a juice, which,
incorporating with their proper fubftance, will bring
forth fuch Works as *are rufefijl and agreeable.
For fculptors, ftatues, baffo relievos, medals, and
other antique works, thofe of Raphael,: -Polidoro,
and the whole Roman fchool. :?:<>.:; . v.
For architects, the books that concern their pror
feffion, and that are full. of demonftrative figures of
the invention of their authors, or copied from the
antique. -.r. , ,^rn far-
For gravers," a collection of pieces of different
rnannersji as well graved as etched. > -This collection
fhould alfo ferve to fhew them the progrefs' of
graving, from Albert Durer to the gravers of
our own times, which will include the works of
Marco Antonio, Cornelius Cort, the Caracci, Sa.-r
defers, Pontius, Bolfvert, Goltius, Muler, Vofter-
man, Vifcher, and a great many more that I have
not named, who had a particular character, and
who by different ways ftrove all of them to imitate
either nature, when they did fomething of their own
invention, or pictures of different manners, when
they only aimed at the faithfulnefs of imitation. In
comparing thus the works of all thefe mafters, they
may judge which of them underftopd beft the ma*-
fiagement of their tools, of light, and the ufefulnefs
of tones, as it relates to the claro obfcuro ; which
E 3 of

54 the 'Art of PA INWN G.
of them' in their operations rec6nciled delicacy and
force beft^ < and in their productions were moft fen
fible. and exact, that making a good ufe' of thefe
lights* they may have the laudable ambition to equal
or furpafs thefe fkilful mafters. - ' " '•-'•' '
. For the curious in hiftory and antiquity, every
thing: that has been engraved belonging to facred oi*
pfofanfe hiftory* the fable, the antique baffo relievo,
the Trajan and Antonine pillars, the books of medals
and ftone's engraved, and feveral prints that may
help them in the ¦ knowledge of : thofe things they
would know, or to keep thofe they know already iri
their mempries.fi'li' ' ¦-> " :- "'"•"'
/ In fhort* for thofe that to be more happy, arid
more gentleman-like, would form their gout by the
I ftudyiof^obdthirigs,-and have a reafonable tincture
i of the fine arts, nothing is more neceffary thali good
prints : their fight, with a little reflection, 'wilf rea
dily and agreeably inform them of every thing that
may. exercife theirreafon, and ftrengthen their judg
ment. They may fill their memory with the moft
curious things • of all times, ; arid all countries* ¦ and
in learning the different hiftories, learn the feveral
manners of Painting : they will judge readily, • by
the facility with which they may open a few leave's.,
and fo compare the productions Of one mafter-' with
thofe of another, and by this means, in fparihg
their time, they will fpare their expenCe alfo ; for it
is al'm'oft impoffible to put the pictures of as many
brafters together in a room"; as will fuffice to form
a perfect-idea of -the work of each mafter, and when
at a vaft charge a man has filled a large -chamber
with pictures of different manners, he cannot have
above two or three of- each, which is not enough to
enable him. to make a nice judgment of the character
of the Painter, or the extent of his capacity ; where
as, by means of prints, *» one may eafily fee ;the
works of feveral mafters on a table, one may fork an

The A rt "of "P A IN T I 'N G. 55.
jaSi" idea of them, judge by comparing them one
with another, knpw which to choofe, and by practif-'
ihg it often, contract a habit of a good tafte, arid a
good manner; efpecialiy if we do it in the cPrhpan'y"
of any body that has difcernment in' thefe things,"
and can diftingifh what is good, from what is but
indifferent. -"But as for the critics iri, and lovers of the fine
arts; we muft prefcribethem no rules; all things, if
we may ufe the phrafe, are fubjected to the empire
of; their knowledge : they entertain thefnfelves by
their fight, Sometimes' in looking on one thing, and
fometimes on another,, becaufe they reap profit by
it, arid take pleafure iri it. Among, other things, in
feeing what has been engraved from the moft famous'
mafters of Painting, they perceive the origin, pro-
gtfefs, arid perfection of their works ; they follow
them from Giotto, and Andrea Mantegna, dowh'tp*
Ra*phkek Tit-iarii and the Caracci;- they examine the
differe'rft ' fchools of thofe times ; they fee into how
m'any^ -^riches they have been divided by the mul
tiplicity of difcip.les, and how many wajs the mind
bf'rnan lS'Yapable'bf cbnceiving the fame thing;
•wha-t'iMt-atiori is,: and that as many different man-
lied have come.Srorrf her as countries, ' 'ages, minds
or riafure* by their diverfity have produced. Among
all the good effects that may1 arife from the ufe of
prints,- we 'fhall content ourfelves' to riame fix, by
which we may eafily judge of the reft.
The firft is, to divert us by imitation, in reprefent-
ing vifible things to us by their Painting.
The Second is, to inftruct Jby a triors forcible and
ready manner than by fpeech ^"Things, fays Horace,
that^enter at the ear, go mofe about to corne at us, and
touch ul lefs than thofe that enter by < the eyes, which are
¦the more fure and more faithful wiineffes,
'• The third is, to fhorten the time we employ in
recollecting thofe things that have efcaped our
- ¦'¦¦ E 4 memo-

56 The Art of P A.I N TIN G,
memory, and to refrefh it with a glance of thp
eye. ;. :>:-
The fourth is, to reprefent abfent and diftan|
things, as if they were before our eyes, which otherr
wife we could not fee without troublefome voyages,,
and great expence.
The fifth is, to afford us by this means an eafy
way of comparing feveral things together; prints
taking up fo little room, that we rnay make ufe of
fo great a nurnber and fo different.
And the fixth is, to give one a tafte of good, things,
and a tincture of the fine arts, which no gentleman
fhould be ignorant of.
Thefe effe&s are general, but every one may imar
gine the particular ufes and benefits of them accordr
ing to his underftanding, and his inclination, and
by thefe particular benefits or effects he may make
his collection; for it is eafy to guefs, that in the va-r
riety of conditions of which we have been fpeaking,
the curiofity of prints, the order and choice that is
to be obferved, depend on every man's gpu^ and
Views. Thofe, for example, that love hiftory, feek aftser
thofe fubjects only that belong it : and that nothing
may efcape their curiofity, they follow this methpd>
which cannot be enough commended ; all that rer
Jate to particular countries and ages are put into one
or more covers, where they may be readily come
at. Firft, the pictures of the fovereigns that have go
verned a country, the princes and princeffes de-
fcended from them, thofe that have held any con-
fiderable office in the ftate, in the church, in the
army, or courts of juftice, thofe that have diftin-
guifhed themfelves in different profeffions, and par
ticular perfons who have had any fhare in hiftorical
events. Thofe pictures are accompanied with
bme lines in writing, which denote the character of
the

The Art of PAINTING. 57
the perfon, his birth, his remarkable actions, and
the time of his death. ;<;,
Secondly, the general and particular maps of his
country, the plans and elevations of cities, caftles,
palacps, and other places worthy the knowledge of
the publjp.
Thirdly, every thing that has any relation to
hiftory ; as entries into cities, and feftivals, funeral
proceffipns, and pompous ceremonies, modes and
cuftorns? in fhort, all particular prints which are
hiftorical. faov \<\
The cohesion.. thus made for one country, is in
the fame manner*, done for all the reft. The inven
tion of this order is very, ingenious, and we are.
indebted for it to a * gentleman, otherwife well
enough known by his extraordinary merit, and the
number: of his friends:.
Such as have any paffion for, the fine arts take
another method in their collections ; they do it by
the Painters and their difciples. In the Roman
fchool they place Raphael, Michael Angelo, their
difciples, and their, ^temporaries. ,;j In that of Ve
nice-, Giorgie-njev Titian, the Baffani,^ Paolo Vero-
Hefei Tintoret, and o^her Venetians. In that of
Parma, Corregjo, P^megiano, and thofe that fol->
lowed their gout. .-In that of Bologna, the Caracci,
Guido/ Dpminichino, Albani, Lanfranco and Guer-
chjnQ. In that of Germany, Albert Durer, Holben,
$he little mafters, William Baur, and others. In that
pf- Flanders, Gtho Venius, Rubens, Vandike, and
$hofe that praftifed their rules. In the fame man
ner they put the mafters of the French fchool, and
fhofe of other countries, in their feveral claffes.
Others cplledt their prints by the gravers, with
out refpect to the Painters: others, by fuch and
fuch Subjects j and others* by other fafhions ; and*
'jyrv * Monfiettr de Ganieres. indeed,

58 The A r i of P A' I N T I N G.
ihdeed, it is reafonable that every one fhould have
liberty to do in this what feems to him to be ufeful
and agreeable.- '&•>'¦
Though one may at any tirrie, and in any age, be
nefit one's felf by the fight of prints, yet youth- is-
more proper for it than any other part of man's
life, c becaufe mernory is the gift of childhood*" and
while perfons are yOung, they ought to make ufe of
it as of a magazine, to lay up things, that can con
tribute towards* forming their'judgment. '•
But if the ufe of prints be profitable to- youth-,
k> is a pleafant and agreeable entertainment to bid
age, which is- the proper time for fepofe and re
flection, and iri -which our thoughts being no longer
diffipated by the amufemenfs of our firft years* We
may with the greater-- leifure relifh the pleafure that
is to be received by prints, whether it be by their
informing usbf'&m&hing new, Or "bringing; fo'me-
thirig to our minds' that we -knew before; whether
it be, that having a gufto for the aftS, we judge by
them of the different productions which the Painters
and gravers have left us, or having no' knowledge
of ! tHofe things, we: flatter oirfelves-that -we mall
acquire it ; or; in fhort, if we aim at rioth'irig by-i€
b'uo to pleafe ourfelves by agrgeably exciting oiir
attention in . obferving the ' beauty arid Angularity
of -the prints that- we meetwith-;- for there we fee
countries, towns, and all the confiderable places that
we ¦• have read of «* in hiftory, or have feen in our
travels, in fuch fort' that the great variety, arid the
great number of rare things 'which we find ther-d
may ferve iriftead^of travelling*' and this may be
done with eafe by the curious, who have no ftrength*
leifure, or convenience to travel, -j".-;-
It is certain therefore from what we have' faid*
that the fight of fine prints, by Which youth'is in-
ftructed, and the knowledge of old perfons revived
and confirmed, muft be ufeful to all the-world.
We

The A k t fPAINTING. 59
We do not think it neceffary to enter into a detail
of all the feveral things that might recommend the
ufe of prints; we believe we have Said enough to in
duce the reader to draw confequences from it,*' con
formable to his views, and his occafions.
If the ancients had had the fame advantage in this
as we have, and if they had, by the means of prints,
tranfmitted what they had done that was fine arid
curious to pofterity, we fhould have diftirictly known"
abundance of things, of which we have hut confined
ideas in hiftory ; we fhould fee the flately mdriumehts
of Memphis and Babylon, and the temple of Jeru-
falem which Solomon builrwith To rnuch magnifi
cence; we fhould make a judgment of the buildings
of Athens, Corinth* and old Rome, with more
ground, and with more certainty than we can now
by the pobf remains that are left of them. ' Paufa-
nias, who has made fuch an exact defcriptipp of
Greece, and who^ leads us though all places, as it
were by the'"-"* hand, would haVe accompanied his
difcburfes with, derhonftrative'ngures, which might
have beep handed-' down to .us, and'.we bright have
feerh with ple'afure hot billy' the temples fand places
as they were in their perfection, but we fhould alfo
have inherited from the^ancient workmen the art of
good building. Vitruvius, whofe demonftrations
are loft, .would not have fufferedus to be ignorant of
all the inftruments and machines which he has de-
fcribed, and we fhotfld not find iri his book fo many
obfcure places, if the figures, had been preferved by
prints-, for in arts thofe figures are the light of dif-
courfe, and the tfue means by which "an author can
cortim unicate his meaning. It is for -want of thefe
means that the machines of Archimedes and the el
der Hiero are loft, and the knowledge of Diofcori-
des's plants,' as alfo, of feveral animals, and., of a
great rnariy of the curious productions "of nature,
1/vhich the ftudies and meditations of the antient's
*"'' ¦ ¦ dif-

6p The Art of PAINTING.
difcovered : but not to trouble ourfelves any longer
in grieving for the lofs'of things which we cannot re
cover, let us profit ourfelves by prints that we have
amongft us.
The Idea which ^ I have given the world of a per
fect Painter, may in' my cpinion flffift the curious in
making a judgment of Painting: however, fince to know
pitlures perfectly requires fomething more, I thought
piyfelf obliged to add what has appeared to me neceffary
in thai matter.

C H A P. XXVIII.
Of the knowledge o/Pjctures.
THERE are three feveral forts of knowledge
"relating to pictures. The firft confifts in dif7
covering what is good, and what is bad in the fame
picture: the fecond has refpect to the name of the
author ; and the third is to know whether it is an
original or a copy*. I.
To know what is good, and what is bad in a
Picture.
THE firft of thefe two forts of knowledge is,
without doubt, the moft difficult to-be ac
quired ; it fuppofes a penetration and finenefs of wit,
with the principles of Painting, and on the meafure
of thefe things the knowledge of the art depends,
Penetration and finenefs of wit ferve to make a judg?
ment of the invention, of the expreffion, of the fub
ject in genera!, of the paffions of the foul in parti
cular,

The Art of PAINTING, 61
cular, of allegories, and of what depends on * cof-
tume and poefy. The knowledge of principles helps
one to find times and places out, the caufe of the
effects that we admire, whether they proceed from
a good relifh, from the correctnefs or elegance of
defign, or whether the objects appear advantageoufly
difpofed, or the colouring, lights, and fhadows, be
happily managed. Thofe that have not cultivated
their minds by the knowledge of principles, or at
leaft have fome fpeculation of them, may however
be fenfible of the effects of a fine picture, but can
never give a reafon for the judgment they make.
I have endeavoured, by my Idea of a perfedl Painter,
to affift the natural light of the lovers of Painting ;
however, I do not pretend to make them penetrate
into the detail of the parts of the art; that is rather
the bufinefs of the Painters than of the curious : I
would only put their minds in a good way towards
knowledge, that they may, in general, be able to
know what is good, and what bad in a picture.
The lovers of the art only, who have genius and
inclination, are permitted, if we may fo fay, to en
ter into the fanctuary, and acquire the knowledge
of this whole detail, by the lights which they infen-
fibly gain by ferious reflection.
The gout of the arts was fo much in fafhion in the
time of Alexander the great, that to know the bot
tom of them a little, young gentlemen were taught
to defign : By this means, thofe that had a talent cul
tivated it by exercife, they made ufe of it upon oc
cafion, and diftinguifhed themfelves by the fuperio-
rity of their knowledge. I refer thofe, at leaft, who
have not any experience of this manual practice, to
the Idea I have given of its perfection.
• A term of art which fignifies manners.
To

&i The- A r * of P A I N T I N &

II.

C ?.jpul

To know who is the. author' of a P i c t ure> „
» - '¦¦ ¦'¦' '' ¦:>
TH E knowledge of the names of the authors is
got by long practice, and the fight of a great
many pictures of all the fchools* , and pf the principal
mafters that compofe them : There are fix of thefe
, fchools to which we may give a particular name,- as
the Roman, the Venetian, the' Lombard* the Ger
man, the" Flethifh, -and the French. And, after
haying by much "application acquired a diftinct idea
of each of thefe fchools, if we would find out to
which of them a picture belongs, we muft compare ,
it with that to which we think it has the neareft affi-"
nity, arid when We have found out the fchool, we
muft apply the picture to that Painter, whofe man
ner agrees moft with that work ; but to know this
particular manner is,1- in my opinion, the greateft
part of the difficulty.
There are feme curious men who form an idea of
a mafter, by the fight of three or four of his pictures j
1 and who, after this, believe they have a fufficienc
authority to decide what his manner is ; without
confidering what care the Painter took about them,
and what age he was of when he -drew them.
It is not from particular pictures of a Painter, but
from his works in general that we judge of his me
rit ; for there is no Painter that has not made fome
good, and fome bad'pietures, according to 'his care*
or the motion of his genius.
There is none alfo that had riot his beginning*
his progrefs, and his end ; that is to fay, three man
ners. The firft he took from his mafter ; the fecond
he formed by his gout, in which his capacity and
genius are to be found ; and the third commonly dege-

The -Ar t of P AT N T I N G. 63
degenerates into what we pall manners For a Pain
ter, who has a long-time ftudied. after, nature, is
willing, without anymore trouble* tomakeufe only
of the experience he has got.
When a curious perfon has well confidered the
different pictures of a mafter, and has formed a par-
feet idea of his flile, he may then judge who is the
author of a picture, without being condemned for
rafhnefs ; though a critic, who has a talent, and has
ftudied and practifed the art, may fometimes be
deceived in the name of an author, yet he will, at
leaft, never be deceived in the juftnefs and Solidity
of his fentiments.
There are pictures made by difciples, who have
copied their mafters very* exactly* in their judgment
and their manner. Some Painters have followed
the gout of another country, and not their own;
and there are fome who leave one manner for ano
ther, and who have, by this means, made fome
pictures which will puzzle the beft judges to guefs
the name of their author. ,
Neverthelefs this inconvenience is not without a
remedy for fuch, as not Satisfying themfelves in
knowing a matter's hand, have penetration enough
to difcover the character of his mind. A fkilful man
may eafily communicate the manner in which he
executes his defigns, but not the delicacy of his
thoughts. It is not, to find out the author of a
picture, enough therefore to know the motion of
the pencil, if the curious cannot penetrate that of
the mind ; and though it is very much to have a juft
idea of a Painter's gout in his defign, yet it is ne
ceffary to enter into the character of his genius, and
the turn which he is capable of giving to his con
ceptions. I do not pretend, however, to flop the
mouths of thofe lovers of Painting, who have not
feen nor examined this great number of pictures.
By talking of it they may acquire and increafe know-

64 The Art of PAIN TIN (5.
knowledge. I would only* that every one fhould
give us the fenfe in which he fpeaks, by the mea
fure of his experience. Modefty, which is fo be
coming in beginners, agrees alfo with the moft ex-,
perienced, efpecially in difficult cafes.
If a piclure be an original or a copy..
IT is not my intention to difcourfe here of in*
different copies, which the curious will find
out at firft fight ; much lefs of bad ones, which are
thought fo by all the world. I fuppofe then a copy
made by a good mafter, which deferves a ferious
reflection, and makes one doubt, for fome time at
leaft, whether it is a copy or an original. There
are three forts of fuch copies.
The firft is done faithfully, but fervile-ly.
The fecond is light, eafy, and not faithful.
The third faithful and eafy.
The firft, which is fervile and faithful, includes
the defign, the colouring, and the touches of
the original; hut the fear of paffing beyond the
bounds of this exactnefs, and to err againft fide
lity, makes the hand of the copift ftiff, and if
it is never fo little examined, fhews it , to be what
it is. The fecond is more likely to impofe on the fpec-
tator, becaufe of the lightnefs of the pencil, but the
unfaithfulnefs of the contours, or out-lines, unde
ceive the beft judges.
And the third, which is faithful and eafy, made
by a learned and light hand, and above all, in the
time of the original, puzzles the greateft critics,
and often hazards their pronouncing againft the
truth, though it may be agreeable to verifimility. As
there

The Art tf PAINTING. 65
there are fome things which feem to favour the ori
ginality of a piece, fo there are others that feem to
deftroy it, as the repetition of the fame pifture, its
having been forgotten a long time* orcofling a little
money : but, though thefe confiderations may have
weight, they are fometimes very trivial, for want of
being well examined.
That a picture is forgot, proceeds often from the
hands into which it falls, the place where it is put,
the perfons that fee it, or the little value that the
owner has for Painting.
The cheapnefs of it proceeds commonly from the
neceffity or ignorance of the feller.
The repetition.of a picture, which is a more fpe»
cious caufe,. is not always a fubftantial reafon. There
is fcarce a Painter, but has repeated fome one of his
works, either becaufe he was pleafed with it, or be
caufe he was defired to draw one like it. I have
feen two Madonna's of Raphael, which being, out
of curiofity, placed by one another, would perfuade
the critics that they were both originals. Titian
has reoeated the fame picture feven or eight times,
as a'play that fucceeds. is played a great many nights
together ; and we fee feveral pictures of the beft
mafters of Italy repeated, which difpute with their
other pieces for. goodnefs and originality. There
have .been fome that have deceived the moft fkilful
Painters : among many examples of this kind I fhall
think it fufficient to relate one, which is, that of
Julio Romano, andjs taken from Vafari.
Frederfe II. duke of Mantua, going through Flo
rence towards Rome, • where he went to pay a vifit
to pope Clement VII. in the palace of Medici, over
one of the doors faw the picture of Leo X. between
the cardinal of Medici, arid cardinal Di Roffi. The
heads were of Raphael, the drapery of Julio Roma
no, and all together admirable. The duke looked
upon .it earneftjy, and became fo in love with, ki,
. ¦ ; F that

66 The Art of P AT NT I N G.
that he could not forbear begging it of the pope
when he came to Rome. His holinefs very graci-
oufly gave it him, and ordered his fecretary to write
to Octavian di Medici to. -put the picture up in a
cafe, and fend it to, Mantua- Octavian, who was
a great lover of Painting, and lothe to deprive Flo
rence of fuch a rarity, invented an excufe to defes
fending it, pretending that the frame was not rich
enough, and he would get one fitted up for it.
This delay, gave Octavian time to have it copied,
which was done by Andrea del Sacto, who imitated
even the little fpots that were upon it. This piece
was fo like the original, that Octavian himfelf could
hardly diftinguifh the one from the other, and that
he might not be deceived* he put a private mark
upon the copy, and a few days after fent it to Man
tua. The duke received it with all poflible fatis-
factibn, not doubtittg but it was the work of Raphael,
and Julio- Romano. The latter, who was then iri
the fervice of that prince, had no fufpicioa that what
was his pare of the picture was not done by him
felf, and had thought it his own doing as long as he
Jived, if Vafari, who had1 Seen the copy while it
was drawing, had not difabufed him ; for coming
to Mantua he was mighty well entertained by Julio
Romano, who fhewed him all the duke's rarities,
faying, " That the fineft thing was ftill to be Seen*''
naming the picture- of Leo X. done by Raphael;
and fhewing it him, Vafari faid, " It is very fine,
" but it is not Raphael's." Julio Romano looking
on it more attentively, replied, « How, is it not
" Raphael's ? do not I know my own work in it ?
" do not I fee the ftrokes of my pencil, and remem-
" ber the ftriking them ?" Vafari anfwered, " You
**'¦ do not obferve it clofely enough ; I affure you, I
" faw Andrea del Sarto draw this very picture; be-
<¦'¦ hind the canvas you will fee a mark which was
" put upon it to diftinguifh it from the original." Julio

The Ar t of P A I N T I N G, 67
Julio Romano turning about the picture, and per
ceiving it was matter of fact, held up his hands
with aftonifhment, faying, " I value it as much as
4t if it was Raphael's, and even more; for it is very
" fiirprizing to feefo excellent a mafter fa well imi*
** tated as to deceive one."
Now, fince Julio Romano, with all his fkill,.
after laving had notice given hkn, and examined
the picture, paffionately perfifted in the deceit of his
judgment, as his proper work, we muft not think
it fbamge that other Painters, lefs fkilful, fhould
fometimes be miftaken about the works of others :
for the truth may be thus hidden to the profoundefb
knowledge, and though a man may be out as to the
feet, he may not always be out in his judgment :
however, let a picture be never fo well copied, a
good critic wiM perceive exterior tokens enough
upon it to juftify his faying boldly what he thinks,
without running- the rifque of a cenfure of rafhnefs,
if he does not lay it down in a pofitive tone ; but as
an opinion founded on folid knowledge. It remains
for me to fay fomething of thofe pictures that are
neither originals nor copies, which the Italians call
paftici, from pafle, becaufe, as the feveral things
that feafon a patty* arereduced to one tafte, fo coun
terfeits that compofe a paftici tend only to effect one
truth. A Painter that would deceive in this way,
ought to have, in his mind, the manner and prin
ciples of the mafter of whom he would give an
Idea, whether he takes any part of a picture which
that mafter has made and puts it in his own work,
or whether the invention is his own, and he imitates
lightly, not only Ms touches, but even his gout of
defign and colouring. It often happens that thefe
Painters who propofe the counterfeiting another's
manner, aiming to imitate fuch as are more fkilful
than themfelves, they make better pictures of this.
F 2 kind,

68 The Art of PAINTING.
kind, than if they were to do fomething of their
own. Among thofe who took delight in counterfeiting
the manner of other Painters, I fhall content my-
felf with naming David Teniers only, who has de
ceived, and ever will deceive the curious, who are
not prepoffeft of his dexterity in transforming him
felf into Baffano and Paolo Veronefe. There are
fome of his paftici made with fo much cunning, thafi
the eyes of the moft judicious are furprized by them
at firft fight ; but after having examined them near*-
er, they foon diftinguifh the one's colouring, and
the one's pencil, from the other's.
For example, David Teniers had a particular ta
lent in imitating the Baffans; but the light and eafy
pencil which he employed in this artifice, is the very
proof of his deceit, for his pencil, though eafy and
light, is not fo lively nor fo proper to characterize
objects, as that of the Baffans, efpecially as to ani
mals. It is true, Teniers underftood the union of co
lours ; but there was a certain grey, predominant in
his, and his colouring had not the vigour and fweet-
nefs of Giacomo Baffano's. It is the fame with all
paftici, and if we would not be deceived by them,
we fhould examine their gout of defign, their co
louring, and the character of their pencils, with the
originals from whence they were taken.

THE

THE

LIVES

OF EMINENT

PAINTERS.

BOOK II.

Of the origin of Painting.
HOUGH the authors, who have
faid any thing of the origin of Paint
ing, have differed among themfelves,
they agree, however, iri this, that
fhadow gave the firft occafion to the
birth of this art. Upon which Pliny
tells us a ftory of one Corinthia, a girl of Sicyone,
who being in love with a certain youth, and finding
hirn afleep near a lamp that was burning, the fha
dow of his face, which appeared on the wall,
feemed fo like him that fhe was incited to draw the
extremities of it, and thus made a portrait of her
lover. If, as it is likely, fhadow was the rife of the
invention of Painting, imitation is fo natural to
mankind, that they would not' have ftaid till the
F 3 time

70 The LIV E S of
time of Corinthia, without drawing figures after
.ftiadow. which is as old as man himfelf.
But not to enlarge on this thought, or feek after
fo uncertain a fource as is that of Painting, we may
with good grounds aver, that this art and fculpture
had their birth at one and the fame time, the one
and the other having the fame principle, which is
defign, and ever fince the days of Abraham, when
fculpture was in ufe, Painting was confequently
practifed in the fame degree. It has appeared" and
difappeared according to the revolutions of ages.
War is an art that deftroys all others, and Painting
is fo much the more expofed to it, by how much
the more it is done for pleafure. However, the fine
arts are like the Phoenix, they revive out of their
afhes : wherefore we have reafon to believe, that
Painting was feveral times extinguifhed, and renewed
again in the firft ages, though it was in a very poor
degree ; and that thofe to whom we attribute the
invention of that art, were only the renewers of it.
But to fpeak like other authors, after having
compared them one with another, we fhall in the
main find, that Gyges the Lydian invented Painting
in Egypt, Euphir in Greece, and Bularchus brought
it out of Greece info Italy in the reign of Romulus.
This Painter reprefented the battle of the Magne-
fians fo well in one of his pictures, that Candaulus
king of Lydia thought it worth a prodigious fum,
and to purchafe it covered it with gold, by which
we may conclude, that Painting was highly in efteem
in thofe days.
It were needlefs to relate, in this abridgment, the
little that has been faid by the antient authors of the
firft Painters, who lived before the declenfion of the
empire : there being none of their works left, no
man has much curiofity to know any thing of them*
or to trouble himfelf to remember their names. We
wuft, however, except fome of them who are cejer
brated

eminent PAINTERS. 71
brated by fame, and of whom it would be fcanda-
lous not to know fomething. Six of them, Zeuxis*
Parrhafius, Pamphilus, Timanthes, Apelles and Pro-
togenes, lived at the fame -time with Alexander the
Great, when the fine arts were in their vigour; and
though we have hone of their productions, we may,
notwithftanding, judge of the perfections of them,
by the fculptures of the fame age, which are pre
ferved to this day, and by the price that thofe anti-
ent Painters had for their pieces. Tamanthes, and
after him Apellev having had 160 talents,' near
abpo© pounds of Bfig'lifc -money* for one picture.
It is true there are fome fmall remains of the old
Painting ftill to be feen, but we know not wnbA
they -were done, or who did them. ' The.'rttoft con-
fidierakte is at Rorrie in the Vineyard of Aldobran-
dino, and reprefents a marriage. This Work thews
a great gout of defign**' and much of the Grecian
fculpture and baffo relievo. Yet it is dry, arid
there appears in it no knowledge of groupes, or the
claro ^fofcuro : but we muft not believe that all the
pieces painted in Greece were of this Sort, becaufe
whaft we read of Zfeuxis and Parrhafius, that by their
pencil they deceived even anirnals and Painters them
felves, is enough to convince us that they penetrated
farther into the principles of their art, than the au
thor of that picture* We confers' they did not ufe
oil* yet, perhaps, they might have Some other fe-
cret of which we are ignorant, that gave fo much
ftrength to their colours", as is reported of Apelles's.
Pliny tells us* he made ufe of a certain varniih,
which invigorated his colouring, and preferved it.
Be it as it will, we cannot reafonably ftafid out agairift
the evidence of all the antieht authors, who have-
fpoken of the Painters of thofe times, from whofe
writings we ought to infer, that Painting was in a
high degree of perfection, and that the number of
F 4 the

72 The LIVES of
the mafters was great. I fhall here mention only fome
of the chief of them.

An abridgment of the lives of the fix principal
, Painters o/*Greece.
Z E U X I S
WAS ar native of Heraclea in Macedonia,
and learned the firft elements of Paintingin
the 85th olympiad, 400 years -before the birth of
Chrift : he followed his fludies yery affiduoufly,
and his fuccefi being anfwerable to his induftry,- he
was enabled to undertake feveral bold things that
got him reputation. He was.fkilful in defigning*
arid underftood colouring better than any Painter of
his time. . Pliny fays, Apollodorus* who firft found
but the principles of the claro obfcuro, and of
colours, opened the doors of Painting to Zeuxis,
and that the fame Apollodorus complaining, of
that Painter, faid : " He had entered fo farr.wkhin
" them, that he had carried putwith him the whole
*' art of Painting." The cpnfiderable works which
he was employed about, brought, him in vaft Sums
of money*' and having got riches enough, he gave
away his pictures, becaufe, asiiefaid, he did riot
See how they could be rated at their full value. The
Agrigentines defiring him to make a picture of Hel-
len naked, to be fet up in their temple, fent him,
at his" reque'ft, fome of their moft beautiful maids,
of .whom he kept five, and having well examined
them, formed an idea of their fineft parts, to com- <
, pofe the body he was to reprefent. He painted it
after them ; and this figure, when he had carefully
jinifhed it, appeared fo perfect in his own eyes, that
he could not forbear telling the Painters who came to

eminent PAINTERS. 73
to admire it, that they might praife it, but could
not imitate it.
Nevesthelefs, Parrhafius difputed with him the
honour of being the beft Painter; of the age. To
decide the controverfy they agreed, that each of
them fhould make a picture, and: let the world judge
whofe performance was beft : Zeuxis painted fome
grapes, and Parrhafius a curtain; Zeuxis's work
being expofed to fight, invited the birds to come
and peck at it, believing the grapes to be real ; and
Zeuxis, proud of the judgment the birds had given
in his favour, bad Parrhafius, draw the curtain, arid
fhew his picture ; but finding himfelf cheated by the
curtain, he ingenuoufly xonfeft he was overcome,
for he had only deceived birds, whereas Parrhafius
had deceived him, himfelf, as -great a Painter as he
was. Zeuxis Some time after painted a boy carrying
a bafket of grapes, and feeingthe birds come and
. peck at them,, he confeft, that if the grapes • were
well painted, the.boymuft.be. ill, fince the birds
were not afraid-of him. •!.-,- .-.]•
Agatharchus, being impatient to fee Zeuxis take
up fo much time in finifhjng his pieces* told him
one day: for my part I fooaxlifpatch my pictures;.
You are a happy man, replies Zeuxis, I do mine
with time and application, becaufe I would have
them good, and I am- fatisfied* that what is foon
done, will foon beSorgotten.
Though Zeuxis was generally admired in his life
time, yet he had his enemies. Ariftotle cenfures
hirn for not having a talent of expreffing juftly the
paffions of the foul ; ahd Quintilian fays, he made
the extremities of his figures too powerful, imi
tating Homer,' who delighted in describing bodies,
to give them ftrong and robuft members, even to
thofe of women. : Pliny mentions Zeuxis's works,
and Lucian carefully defcribes his picture of the
centaur, and his family. Feftus writes, his laft piece was

74 The L:i VES of
was the picture of an old woman, which when he
had finifhed, he was fo pleafed with, that he laughed
himfelf to death at the fight of her comical figure ;
but though one can hardly believe this, yet the event
is not without example.
Zeuxis's cotripetitors were, Timanthes, Andro-
cides, Eupompous, and Parrhafius.
P A RR H A S I U S
WAS born at Ephefus, was the fon and dif-
ciple of Evenor, and- the cotemporary: of
Zeuxis. We have feen in the life of the latter,
that they painted, piokires as a trial of fkill between
them: they were vbgth looked upon as the greateft
miafters of their age, which was the age of mafters ;
and Quintilian informs us, they railed the arc of
Painting to a very* high degree of perfection, Par
rhafius in defigrririg, and Zeuxis iri colouring.
All authors who- mention the former, agree in
giving him the glory of defighing very correctly
and very elegiintly; and in representing bodies, not
as nature had produced, but as fhe. might have pro*-
duced them ; and it was according to this great idea
that he wrote of the Symmetry of the body.
Among other things, he was excellent in expref-
fing the paffions. of the foul, a -quality that cannot
be enough commended ; in adjufting the head--
dreffes, in diftributihg the hair, and in the graces
of the^mouth.
He had a great genius and elevation of mind, but
the praifes which were given him, and which he
thought he deferved, made him extremely proud.
He talked contemptibly of all others, and of himfelf
as if he had brought the art to the laft perfection :
he very frankly ftiled himfelf the mafter and prince
of Painting, and was magnificent in every thing about
him, yet it was without affectation or conftraint. There

eminent PAINTERS. 75
There was fomething of enthufiafm in his pro
ductions : he never went to work but he expected
to find pleafure in it, and when he was at it, he
ufed to fing to himfelf to fweeten his labour. He
made a great many pictures, of which the moft
celebrated are named in the 35th book of Pliny,
where the curious may find a catalogue of them.
PAMPHILUS
WAS a Macedonian, born in the reign of
king Philip : he was Euporiipus's difciple
and Apelles's mafter : he had fo high an idea of his
art, that he believed no man could be fkilful in it
without ftudying polite learning and geometry, of
which he was himfelf a mafter. His reputation got
him confiderable, difciples, of whom he had a talent
a-piece, near z6b I. fterling, for ten years teaching,
and fo long they were with him to learn Painting.
Applies arid Melanthus gave him that fum, which
Bedefays was fomdtft a year, and not for the whole
time. It was by his advice and credit with Alex
ander the Great, 'that the yourig men of quality of
Sicyone, and afterwards of all Greece, were com
manded to learn firft-to defign 5 and by his means
Painting was reckoned fuch an honourable profeffion,
that all who were not noble were, by an edict,
forbidden to exercife that art'; 'whence we may
infer, that if Painting was fo much efteemed by
the* politeft people of antiquity, it is not wifjjiout
reafon that the riioft judicious princes, at this time,
love. and protect it, and men of wit value themfelves
upon underftandihg it.
TlMANTHES.
TImanthes was cotemporary with Pamphihis.
The place of his birth is not known, but he
was one of the moft learned and moft judicious Pain ters

76 The LI VES of
ters of the age he lived in. The moft celebrafedof
all his works, and . that of which feveral authors
have.fpoken with the higbeftreuiogies* ; was the
facrifice of Iphigenia. .The;yourig virgin appears
wonderfully charming as to her beauty, and feenas
voluntarily to devote herfelf to death for the good
of her country. The Painter, in reprefenting Cal-r
chas, Ulyffes, Ajax and Menelaus, having drained
himfelf to give each of them a different character of
Sorrow, painted Agamemnon* Sather of Iphigenia*
with his face, hid in the drapery, of the figure*inpt
being able otherwife to exprefs his fentimentsc of
forrow as they deferved : and, tjie expreffions which
appear in the faces of the victim's brother and, uncle,
make one griefs at the Sorrowful condition of the
father. - . r -
. .Timanthes, at another time, having drawn a
"Cyclops afleep in a little picture, togive an image
pf :his bignefs painted fome fatyrs near him, whip
meafured his thumb by a Tyrfe. Pliny mention?
the chief pieces ojf Timanthes, and fays, that in all
his works, he gave the fpectatpr to underftanda
great many more things than he painted.

A P E LL E S.
..'. . . ¦ .:¦ . '"¦¦ i: . .'- ¦:¦ !t
APelles, whom fame has put above all Painters,
was born in the ifle of Coos, in the Archi?
pelago, being the fon of Pithius, and the difciple oi
Pamphilus whom we have fpoken of. Great Pains
ters, as well as -great, poets, have in all ages gained1
the favour of fovereigns. Apelles was particularly
valued by Alexander the Great,' who not only ho
noured him with his efteem, becaufe of his great
capacity, but loved him for the candour of his
manners.  -. ' r *""
Apelles was born with fuch a difpofition and in-
clinatipn to Painting, that in order to arrive at per-
:;; - fection

eminent PAINTERS. 77
Section in his art, he made no fcruple of giving
Pamphilus* his mafter, a talent a year, and Set it
down as a rule, that a day fhould never go over his
head without defigning -, from whence came the
proverb, Nulla dies fine Linea, No day without
drawing a Line, . that is, .without exercifing himfelf
in defigning. The force of his genius, and the
affiduity of his ftudies,, did not give him fo good an
opinion of himfelf, as the mafters are apt to have :
he never made a judgment of his own capacity but
by comparing it with that of others whom he vi-
fited. Every body knows what happened between
him and Protogenes. The latter lived in the ifleof
Rhodes, whither Apelles went on purpofe to fee his
Works, of which he knew nothing but by their re
putation. When he arrived there, he found only an
old woman in Protogenes's houfe, who afking . him
his name, he anfwered, I am going to write it on
this canvas, and taking his pencil with colour on it,
he defigned fomething with extreme delicacy. Pro
togenes coming home, the old woman told him
what had paft fince he had been gone, and fhewed
him the canvas ; who then obferving attentively the
beauty of the lines, faid, it was certainly Apelles
that had been there, believing no one elfe could
draw any thing fo fine : then talcing another colour,
he drew on thofe lines an out-line more correct and
more delicate ; after which he went out again, bid
ding the old woman fhew that to the perfon who
had been there, if he returned, and tell him, that
was the man he fought after. Apelles returning*
and being afhamed to fee himfelf putrdpne, takes, a
third . colour, and among the lines that had been
drawn,, lays, fome with fo much judgment, and So
wonderfully fine, that it took in all. the fubtlety of
the art.. Protogenes faw them in his turn, and con-
feffing that he could not do better, .gave over the
difpute, and ran in hafte to find out Apelles. Pliny

78* The L I V E S of
Pliny, who tells this flory, fays he faw this piece
of canvas before it was confumed in the fire that
burnt down the emperor's palace ; that there was
nothing upon it but Some lines which could fcarce
be diftinguifhed, and yet this fragment was more
valued than any of the pictures among which it was
placed. It is very near in this fenfe, that we muft under-
ftand this place of Pliny; for to think it was a
fimple line divided from another in its whole^ex-
tent, would be ridiculous, and fhock every one
that has the leaft knowledge of Painting, there being
in that no fign of capacity to be fhewn,- nor fk.il! in
the art.
What has given rife to this interpretation is, in
my opinion, the ill conftruction of the word tfnea\
for by linea in that place is to be underftood, either
defign or ' out-lines. Pliny himfelf makes ufe of it in
thisfignification elfewhere, when he fays of Apelles,
that he never let a day go over his head without
defigning, Nulla dies fine Lined ; which was not
drawing fimple lines, but to accuftom himfelf to
correct defigning.
In the fame manner we fhould underftand the
word fubtiltas, not to give an idea of a very de
licate line* but of the exactnefs and finenefs of de
fign. Thus the fubtlety is not in the line, con-
fidered fimpl-y as a line, but in the intelligence of
the art, which is fhewn in the lines of a defign.
I confefs, however, that the word temitas, which
is in the fame place of Pliny, may create fome diffi
culty in this explication, which I believe is notunan-
fwerable, for by that word the finenefs and exactnefs
of an out-line may very well be underftood : befides,
I will maintain it would be rionferife to think,- that the
Victory, in the difpute between Aplles and Proto
genes, depended only on ftriking a line, one more
delicately than another ; and if Pliny* who is ill
con-

eminent PAINTERS. y9
conftrued in thispiaee, meant it as thofe who fo con-
ftrue him wouM have him, he knew little of the
fine arts, though one may eafily perceive elfewhere„
¦that he was a paffionate admirer of them.
Envy, which is fo often met with among perfons
of the fame profeffion, never entered into the foul of
Apelles, and if he endeavoured to raife himfelf, it
was wholly by the affiftance of. his art, which he
knew to be of great extent, and was fond of the
glory of poffefiing it. He was as felicitous about
the advantage of his emulators, as about his own j
and being fenfible of the capacity of Protogenes, he
^commended hhn to the Rhodians, who, upon
hisxharacter of him, gave him a price for his works
incomparably greater than that Painter was ufed to
seceive for them before.
Apelles was circumfpeetj. but eafy in his produc
tions: ' the elegance and grace which is every where
to be feen in his pictures, was no obftacle to the
truth which a Painter owes to nature ; and he drew?
his pieces with fo much likenefs, that fome Aflro-
logers made ufe of them. to. draw the horofcope of
the perfons he had painted.
Alexander, wha often vifited Apelks,. delighting
in his converfation and manners, commanded him
to talk to him freely, and had a very great kindnefs
for him * an inftance of which was fhewn upe-a the
occafion of his drawing the picture of Campafpe,
which he had drawn by his. order. Campafpe was
very handfom, and the moftbeloyed of all Alexan
der's concubines, who perceiving that Apelles was
ialove with her,, gave her to him; by which, fays
Pliny, he not only fhewed the affection he had for
his Painter, but that after having overcome many
nations, he knew ftill' how to overcome himfelf:
great, continues, the Same author, by his courage*
hut more great by thedominion he had over his
paffions. Apelles

80 The LIVES of
Apelles often drew the picture of Alexander ; and
this monarch not thinking it convenient that his
image fhould be profaned by the hands of the igno
rant, publifhed an edict, forbidding all Painters
whatfoever to make his portrait, except Apelles ;
and by the fame edict he permitted Pyrgoteles only
to engrave his image on gems and precious ftones,.
and Lyfippus only to caft his ftatue in brafs.
Though Apelles was very exact in his works* he
knew how far to carry his exactnefs, without fa
tiguing his mind : one day talking of Protogenes,
he faid, ' He was a great mafter, but he often
1 fpoiled his pieces by endeavouring to make them
' perfect; that he did not know when he had
4 done well ; that a man may do too much as well
* as too little ; and that he was truly fkilful, who
* knew what was fuflicient.'
One of his difciples fhewing him a picture to
have his opinion of it, and telling him he had done
it in a little time ; Apelles replied, ' I fee it plain
' enough, and I wonder that in the time you have
* not made a great many fuch pictures.'
Another Painter fhewing him the picture of an
Hellen, which he had drawn with care, and adorned
with abundance of jewels, Apelles told him, ' Since
* you could not make her handfome, I perceive,
4 friend, you have made her rich.'
As he fpoke his mind freely, fo he took in good
part what was faid to him ; and to avoid flattery, he
expofed his works to the publick, and hid himfelf
behind them, to hear what paffengers faid of them,
with an intent to turn their obfervations to his
advantage. A fhoemaker coming by one day,
took the liberty to criticife on a fandal which
he had painted, and it was immediately altered;
but paffing by the fame place the next day, and
being proud to fee that his criticifm was taken
notice of, he paft his cenfure on a leg, which had
nothing

eminent PAINTERS. 81
nothing faulty in it ; upon which Apelles came
from behind the canvas, and told the fhoe-maker,
his judgment went no higher than a fandal, which
afterwards grew into a proverb. I do not know
whether there are many Apelles's in our days, but I
am confident there are more fhoe- makers than ever.
Another fign of the ingenuity of Apelles, was his
acknowledging that Amphion underftood difpofition
better, and Aiclepiodorus the regularity of defign;
but he gave place to no body for grace, which was
his particular talent. When he viewed the works of
the great Painters, he admired the beauties of them,
yet he frankly faid, he did not perceive that grace
in them, which no body was fo much mafter of as
himfelf ; for without vanity he might fay it was his
own peculiar excellence.
Apelles never. painted on walls, nor on any thing"
that could not be faved in a fire. He would have
had the works of the beft mafters carried from one '
country to another, and could not endure that a
picture fhould not be capable of having more than
one mafter ; becaufe Painting, he faid, was a com
mon good to all the world.
Pliny has given us a defcription pf Apelles's fineft
pieces, and one may judge of their excellence by the
price that was paid for them, fometimes one hundred
talents, fometimes a fum without counting, and
with profufion.
PROTOGENES.
PRotogenes was a native of Caunus, a city of
Caria, fubject to the Rhodians : we know not
who was his father or his mafter ; it is likely enough
he had no other mafter than the publick pieces that
he faw, and probably his parents being poor, could
not be at any fuch expence for his education in the
art as was given at that time. Himfelf was forced
G at

82 • The L IV E S of
at firft to paint Ships for his livelihood : his ambi
tion was not to be rich, but to- be a mafter of his
profeffion ; for this reafon he lived a retired life, that
he might not be difturbed iri thofe ftudies, which he
thought neceffary for the perfection of his art.
He finifhed his pictures with too great care :
Apelles faid of him, he knew not when he had done
well, or how to get away his work ; and by dint of
labour leffened its beauty, and fatigued his mind.
He was more for truth than verifimility in Painting ;
by which in exacting more of his art than he ought
to have done, he drew lefs from her than he might
have done.
The fineft of his pieces is the picture of Jalifus ;
feveral authors have mentioned it without giving any
defeription of it, or telling who this Jalifus was 5
fome perfons fuppofe him to have been a famous
hunter. For feven years that Protogenes worked on this
picture, all his food was lupines mixed with a little
water, which ferved him both for meat and drink.
He was of opinion, that this fimple and light nou-
rifhment would leave him the freedom of his fancy.
Apelles feeing this piece, was fo ftruck with ad
miration, that he could not fpeak a word, having
no expreffion to anfwer the idea of the beauty of the
picture, which he had formed in his mind. It was
this fame picture that laved the city of Rhodes*
when king Demetrius befieged it ; for not being able
to attack it, but on. that fide where Protogenes
worked, which he intended to burn that it might
fet fire to the reft of the town, he chofe rather to
abandon his hopes of conqueft, than to deftroy fo
fine a piece as was, that of Jalifus.
Protogenes's work-houfe was in a garden in the
fuburbs of Rhodes, near the camp of the enemy, yet
the noife of arms could not diftraet him in his labours.
The king fending for him, and afking him, " with
" what

eminent PAINTERS. S3
** what affurance he could work in the fuburbs of a
'' cgy that was befieged ? He replied, That he un-
" derftood, the war he had undertaken was againft
'.' • the Rhodians, and not againft the arts." The king
was fo pleafed wifhthis anlwer, that he ordered fome
Joldiers to he his guard, and was glad that by this
means hecould fave fo flcilfyi a hand.
Aulus Qellius reports, that the Rhodians, during
the liege, fent ambaffAdprs to Demetrius, to pray
him to faste the pretty"6 of. Jalifus, reprefenting, that
if he was victorious, it might ferve to adora his
triumph, arid if he was forced to raife the ffege, he
might be blamed for turning his aims againft Pro
togenes, when fee could not conquer the town. The
king hearing them out, ijjeed the meflage fo, well,
that he drew off his army, and by this means faye4
both the picture of Jalifus and the pity of Rhodes.
I will not he*e relate the memorable conteft be
tween Apelles aad Protogenes, the reader may fee i,c
Jnthe life of Apexes. I fhall only add, that the 1 atter
afcing Protogenes what price he had for his pictures,
and Protogenes naming an Lnconfiderable fum, ac
cording to the fad fortune of tibofe who are obliged
to -work for their bread, ApeMes, concerned at the
4rijuftice done -to the beauty of his productions, gave
*bim fifty talents for one picture only, telling it abroad
that he would make it pafs, and fell it for his own,
This'generofity opened the eyes of the Rhodians, as
tot.he merit of Protogenes, and made them to get the
picture ApeMes had bought out of his ha«ds, paying
down a much greater price for it than he had given.
P-Hny fays, Protogenes was a Sculptor, as we'll as a
Painter-: eonfult<his author if you would k.npw more
of his works, -of which he fpeaks as well as of thofe
of other fkilful Painters. I Shall only relate here a
paffage ou-tof Quintilian, which fhews the particular
' talents of fix famous Painters. Protogenes, fays he,
excelled in exactnefs, Pamphilus and. Melanthus in
G 2, the

84 The L I V E S of
the difpofition, Antiphilus in eafinefs, Theon, the
Samian, in fruitfulnefs of ideas, and Apelles in grace
and ingenious conceptions.
Pliny writes, that the mafters of the art of Painting,
in his time, made ufe but of four capital colours, out
of which they compofed all the others. This is not
a place to argue on that, nor to make a comparifon
between the ancient and modern Painting : I fhall
content myfelf with faying, that if Painting in oil,
which has been in ufe about 250 years, has a great
advantage over the diftemper for the facility of
Painting, and union of colours, the ancients had a
vernilh which gave force to their brown colours, and
their white was more light and fhiningthan ours; by
which means, having a greater extent of the degrees
of the claro obfcuro, they could imitate certain ob
jects with more force and truth, than we can in oil.
Titian knew this advantage, and tried it in Some
pictures, where he made ufe of white in diftemper;
but the diverfity of thofe two fafhions in ufing
colours was a flavery which foon difgufted Titian,
and took him off from the practice of it.
I fhall conclude with one word more of the Pain^
ters and fculptors of thofe days, who knowing there
was no work fo compleat to which fome perfection
might not be added, obferved always, in putting
their names to their works, to exprefs that they
were not finifhed, though they had done what they
could do to them: we fee examples of this upon
the Greek flatues, on which we find written, Glicon
of Athens would have made this work ; Praxiteles
: would have made this work ; Athenodorus, Lifip-
pus, &c. would have made this work, and not did
make it. A great many in our days are not fo
fcrupulous, and are very far from believing, that
any thing which comes from their hands is not
perfect,
THE

eminent PAINTERS.

THE

O F T H E

%

LIVES

Roman and Florentine
PAINTERS.

BOOK III.

C I MAP, V E.
^Bi^L^g H E fine arts having been extinct in
Italy ever fince the irruption of the
Barbarians, the fenate of Florence fent
for Painters out of Greece to reftore
Painting in Tufcany, and Cimabue
was their firft difciple : he was of a noble family in
Florence, and his parents finding he had a difpofi-
tion for the fciences, made him apply to them. He
exercifed himfelf about them fome time, but the ar
rival of thefe Grecian Painters roufedhis inclination,
and determined it entirely to Painting. The con
siderable progrefs that he made in that art, encou
raged him in the ftudy of it, and got him fuch a re
putation* that when Charles pf Naples paft through
G 3 Florence,

86 T% L I VE S of
Florence, he vifited Cimabue, and thought himfelf
very well entertained by the fight of his works-/ He
painted* accbtdih'* tb the eUftom of thofe times, ih
ftefeb, &nd ih diftefriper ; Painting in oil being h§t
then found out. He underftood architecture; and
died in the 70th year of his age, Anno Dom. 1300.
Giotto was his difciple.
A N D R EA T A F F I
OF Florence, made himfelf taken notice of by
a new fort of Painting. He left Florence, and
went to Venice, whither fome Greek Painters were
come as well as to Florence. They were doing
mofaic work iri St Mark's chu"rch. Andrea be
came acquainted with them, efpecially with Apol-
lonius, whom he carried with him td Florence,,"" am
learned of him the method ahd ftcrets of thi> fort If
Painting, which had the charm of novelty, and
was the more curious? becaufe it was fe kftingr-They
did together feveral flories out of the Bible in St
John's church-, by which they acquired-a-gr-eat- deal
of reputation ; but he did one himfelf, that was
Very much to his honour and advantage ; it was the
picture of Chrift, feven cubits long* about which
he took much pains and care. Thepraifes that were
given him did him a mifchief ; for finding himfelf
efteemed by all the world, he neglected his ftudies,
and iruftded nothing but getting of me-ntyv of which
he was very greedy. His wOrks railed femulatioo
in Gaddo Gaddi and Giotto, and were as fo much
feed that brought forth feveral Painters in Tufcany.
He died at 81 years of age* A. D. 1294.
G AT) t> 0 G A £) Z) /
OF Florence, applied himfelf alfo to mofaic
work, which got him efteem in Rome and
Florence* becaufe he defigned better than all the
other

eminent PAINTERS. 87
other Painters of his time. After having made fe
veral great pieces in divers places, he retired to
Florence, where he did fome little ones, as it were
to reft himfelf after his great labours. To this
end he made ufe of egg-fhells, which he ftained with
feveral colours, and bulled himfelf about it with
much "patience : he died at 73 years old, in the
year 13 12.
1 - - •
MARGARITONE-
WA S born at Arezzo in Tufcany, and was
both a Painter and fculptor. Pope Urban
IV. commanded him tp draw fome, pictures for St
Peter's church, and Gregory X. dying in the city of
Arezzo, the citizens employed him to do the fculp
ture for that pope's tomb. This*oppoFtunity helped
Margaritone to fhew, in the fame place, his capa
city in the one and the other profeffion-; for he eri-. -
riched the chapel, where the marble ftatue which
he . had made was fet up, with feveral pictures : he
was 77 years old when he died.
GIOTTO
WA S born in a village near Florence^ and
contributed very mwh to the progrefs of
Painting. His memory is preferred not only by the
great picture of mofaic work* rwhich is over the
gate of St Peter'* church in Rome, and was done
at die command Df pope Benedict IX. but ralfo By
the praifes given him by the poets of his time, and
the ftatue pf marble which the Florentines erected
for him, M& which is over his tomb. The Italian
..proverb, Ttt.fd.pw rondo she PO diGictto, wtoh
is ufed to exprefs little wit, is. founded on an acci-
.dejjt which ^happened to him. Benedict IX. being
iwilling.to try the capacity of the Florentine Paintens,
-o G 4 ..;,:. feat

88 The LIVES of
fent a perfon thither to bring, him a defign from
each of them., This perfon addreffing himfelf to
Giotto, the latter drew a perfect circle on paper,
with the point of his pencil, and one ftroke of his
hand, " There, fays he, carry that to the pope, and
" tell him you faw.me do it." The man replied, I
afk for a defign., Giotto anfwered, f Go, Sir, I tell
" you his holinefs afks nothing elfe of me;" Upon.
this the pope gave him the preference, and fent for
him to Rome, where, among other things, he drew
the picture of mofaic work which we mentioned
before, as alfo St Peter's bark toft by the tempeff,
which piece is known to all Painters by the name of
Giotto's veffel. The flory of the circle fhews. us',
that boldnefs of hand was, in thofe days, moft part
of a Painter's merit, and that the true principles of
colouring were little or not at all known. Giotto
worked in feveral places, at Florence, Pifa, Rome,
Avignon, Naples, and other cities of Italy ; he
died at 60 years old, Anno 1336, and had feveral
difciples, as we fhall fee in the following pages. ¦::'.
BONAMICO BUFALMACO
WA S ingenious in his compofitions, and plea-
fant in his converfation;
As he was Painting the life of Chrift in-a convent
of nuns, he came in one day very ill dreft, and the
. fillers afking him why his mafter did riot come? he
anfwered, he would-be there prefently. In the mean
time lie fet two chairs together with a pot upon
them, and covered them with a cloke, and a hat,
turning the figure towards the work. The nuns
. coming again to fee it a little while after, and being
furprized at the fight of this new workman ; he told
them, this is my mafter : when they knew the jeft
they were diverted with it, and informed at the fame
time, that clothes do not make a man the more
- fkilful. Ano-

eminent PAINTERS. 89
Another time, as he was Painting for the bifhop
of Arezzo, when he came to his work, he often
found his pencils out of order, and his picture blot
ted : he ufed to be in a rage about it, and all the
Servants in the houfe difowning the fault, he re-
folved to watch, and fee who it was that plaid him
fuch a trick : wherefore leaving his work early one
evening, he was no fponer gone frpm his place but'
he faw a monkey take his pencils, and would have
datibed what he had been doing, if Bufalmaco had,
not hindered him.
¦ A, friend of his, whofe name was Bruno, con
futing him how he might give more expreffion to
his fubject, Bufalmaco told him he: had nothing to
do but to make the words come Put of the mouth
of his figures by labels, on which they might be,
written : Bruno thought him in earneft, and did fo,
as feveral foolifh Painters did after him, who re
fining on Bruno, added anfwers tp ^aueftions, and
made their figures enter into a fort of converfation.
Bufalmaco died in, the . year 1 340.
S T E F A N 0 of F L 0 R E N C E>
. A , N D
PIETRO LAURA TI of SIENA,
: = ' ¦•;_•• ^. ;¦".. (T. :
WERE difciples of Giotto, and the firft Pain
ters that took care to fhew the naked under
the: draperies ; and to obferve perfpective more re
gularly, than any other of their predeceffors in the
art. Stefano worked at Florence, Pifa* and Affifi ;
Laurati at Siena and Arezzo. Stefano died in the
year 1350, in the 49th year of his age.
AM-

9Q '.The LIVES of
AMBROGIO LORENZETTI of SIENA,
A N .P
PIETRO CAVALLINO
OF Rome* were difciples of Giotto. Loren-
zetti joined the ftudy of polite learning and
philofophy to Painting, and was the firft that painted
rain, ftorms, and the effedl of the winds. He died
at 83 years of age. Cavallino, who was both Pain
ter and fculptor, among other works, did a crucifix,
Which is in St Paul's church at Rome ; and which
talked to St Bridget, if one may believe the legend.
This Painter was looked upon as a faint, on account
of his humility and piety : he died at 85 years old*
and was buried in the church of St Paul.
5 I MO N E M E M M I
OF Siena, confiderably augmented the progreis
of defign : he had a great deal of genius, and
drew portraits .well : he was Petrarch's particular
friend, and painted the fair Laura for him : he
died in the 60th year of his age, anno 1 345. He
had a brother, whofe name was Lippo, who fur-
vived him twelve years.
TAD DEO & GADDO GADDI,
AND
A NG ELO GADDI, his So&,
WERE difciples of Giotto, and painted after
his manner. Angelo applied himfelf very
ftrenuoufly to exprefs the paflions of the foul well,
and was ingenious in his iriventions : he was a good
architect, he built the tower of Santa Maria del
Fiore,

eminent PAINTERS. 91
Fiore, and the bridge over the Amo in Florence :
¦he died in the year 1350* being about 50 years old*
TOMASO GIOtTINd x
WA S the fon arid difcipte of Stefano, of whom
we have Spoken, and having been aifo the
difeipfe of Giotto,- he was firnamed Giottino. He
was mofe fkilful than his mafters, but the too great
vivacity of his wit weakhing his tonftitutron, hih*
dered his Sallowing the flight he had taken. He
worked much at Florence, and died of a confump-
tion in the jad ydarof his age.
* 1 -
AND RE A O RG A N A
OF Florehce,' learned fculpture in his youth, and
was befides a poet and architect. His genius
was fruitful, and his manner much the fame tout!
that of the Other Painters of his time. The greateft
part of his works are at Pifa ; and in his picture of
the Univerfal judgment, he painted his friends in
heaven, and fits enemies in hell. He died in 1389,
at 60 yeats cM.
•;\l 1 p ,P v
OF Florence, applied himfelf late to Painting, yet
by his fenfe and ftudy he fame to be a good
Painter. He was the firft that Ihewed an intelligence
of colours : he had a law-Suit in which he wjis very
ob'ffiiriate, arid having given his adverfary very bad
"word's one day, he waited for him at night , in, the
corner of a ftreet, and ran him through the body,
"of which he died in the year 14-15.1
- LEONE

92 The L I VES of
LEONE BATTISTA ALBERT!*
OF a noble family in Florence, -had a foul of a
great extent, which he cultivated by the
knowledge of the belles lettres, and the mathema*
tics., , He was very well acquainted with the fine
arts, and underftood, Painting, fculpture, and archi-,
tedlure perfectly well, haying wrote of all three in
Latiri.;. His ftudies did not permit him to leave any
tljing confiderable behind him in Painting ; but being
pope Nicholas Vth's friend, he was very much em
ployed in his buildings, .of which fome are ftill to be
feen with admiration. He wrote alfo of arithme
tic, and Some treaofes -pf morality.
,. PIE TRQ.Mla FR ANC ESC A, ,
OF the republic/of Florence, "delighted in re-
prefentihg night-pieces and battles. Pope Ni
cholas fet him' at work to paint the Vatican : he
made, among other pieces, two pictures which were
taken down by command of pope Julius II. to, make
room for two others, which Raphael had painted,
the miracle of the Sacrament that happened at Bol-
fena, and of St Peter in prifon. He drew feveral
portraits, and wrote " of arithmetic and geometry.
Lorentino d' Angelo d'Arezzo, and Lucas Signo-
reili were his difciples. Under the pontificate of the
fame pope Nicholas, there worked, at Rome, and
other places in Italy, feveral Painters of reputation
in thofe days, viz. Giovanni da Ponte, Agnolb
<5addi; Berna da Siena, Ducio, Jacopo Caffentino,
Spinello, Antonio Vehetiano, Gerardo Stamina, who
went into Spain, Lorenzo, a monk of Cmaldoli,
Taddeo Bartolo, Lorenzo Bicci, Paolo, firnamed
Uccello, becaufe he painted birds well: Mafaccio,
who diftinguifhed himfelf by the good gout he
fhewed

eminent PAINTERS. 93
fhewed in Painting, and though he died at twenty
two years of age, the works that he left behind him
ferved to open the eyes of the men of art who came
after him in his profeffion. He died in 1443. ^o-
rentino d'Angelo, as we have faid, was his difciple,
and feveral others, among whom
GIOVANNI A N G E L I CO
WA S a frier of the order of St Dominic, and
rendered himfelf confiderable by his Paint
ings, but more by his piety, and fo profounds a
humility, that he refufed the archbifhopric of Flo
rence which Nicholas V. offered him. That pope
employed him to paint his chapel, and obliged him
to do fomething in miniature in the books pf the
church. There are fome grofs faults in his beft pic
tures, which leffen the praife that otherwife they
might have deferved : he never went to work before
he had done all the duties of his office : he did a
great many things in Rome and Florence ; the fub
jects of his pieces are always divine ; whenever he
painted a crucifix, he could not refrain weeping.
Hjs flcill and his good nature got him many difci
ples. He died in 1455, aged 68 years, and was
buried at Santa Maria della Minerva, where his
tomb and his portrait are to be feen.
FILIPPO LIPPI
OF Florence, made a quite different ufe of a
monaftic life than Giovanni Angelico, of
whom we have been treating ; for after he had been
bred up in a convent of Carmelites from the age of
eighteen, and having been a monk at fixteen, jt
happened that Mafaccio painted the chapel of that
convent, and Lippi feeing him at work, conceived
a violent paffion for Painting : he applied himfelf
induftrl-

94 The LIVES of
induftrioufly to defigning, The great facility he
found in it awakened the talent he had for the arr„
which hindered his ftudy of the belles lettres, and
the exercifes of his convent. Mafaceio's praifes, wha
was Surprized at the progrefs of this novice, increafed.
his temptation to quit his habit; and being no longer-
able to refift it, he left his monaftery, and went in
to Marca d'Ancona, were he found fome of his
friends, with whom he l^iok boat to divert them
felves on the water. A raver of Barbary bearing
near the fhore, faw the boat, and took them. Lippi
lived in extreme mifery for eighteen months toge
ther, when, to amufe himfelf one day, having de
figned on the wall the picture of his mafter, with
charcoal, of whom he had a foil idea in his head, he
did it fo well, that the likenefs of it to the original,
was mightily admired. This foftened the heart of
his patron* who, after having obliged him to draw
Several portraits, gave him his liberty. From Bar
bary, Lippi paft over to Naples, where king Ai-
phonfo employed him ; but the love of" his country
drew him back to Florence. He worked there for
duke Cofimo di Medieis, whofe afiection he gained,
and who made him abundance of prefents. The
love of women taking him off from his work, and
making him lofe his time* the duke, being im
patient to have a picture he had fet him about
finifhed, locked him up in a chamber to force him
to mind his bufinefs, allowing him plenty of every
thing that was neceffary. Lippi, after two or three
days, cut his fheets, and tied the pieces together,
by the help of which, he made his way down, out at
the window, and fo got his liberty.
A citizen of Florence engaged him afterwards to
draw a picture of the virgin Mary for a monaftery,,
where a daughter of his, a very beautiful young^
woman, was "a nun. Her father, and the nuns of
the convent, were willing to permit him totakethis girl

eminent PAINTERS. 95
girl for his model. As he was drawing her picture*
having the opportunity of being alone with her, he
debauched her by his Iafcivious talk, and, when the
picture was finifhed, carried her off with her own
cpnfent. He had a fbn by her palled Philip, who,
was alfo a Painter.
Some time after, as he was at work in a church
of Spoleto, he again fell in love with a woman, and
being obftinately bent to gain her, contrary to the
advice that had been given him, her friends poifoned
fiim in the year 1488, and in the 57th of his age.
The great duke ordered a marble tomb to be Set
up for him, and Angelus Politianus wrote his epi
taph in latin verfes.
All the foregoing Painters did not know the fe-
cret of Painting in oil ; they painted in frefco, or,
in diftemper, and for this laft fort they tempered
their colours with the white of eggs, or with water
mixed with gum, or melted glue.
ANTONIO da MESSINA,
SO called from the place of his birth, was the firft
of the Italian Painters that underftood Painting
in oil. He had fome bufinefs at Naples, where he
faw a picture king Alphonfo had fent him out of
Flanders. He was furprifcd with the vivacity, the
force and the fweetnefs of the colouring, and per
ceiving it might be wiped over with water without
rubbing out any part of it, he left all his bufinefs to
go to Bruges to find out John Van Eik, who was the
author of that piece. He prefented him with a
great many Italian defigns, and gained his good
graces fo far by his complaifance, that he got out of
him the fecret of Painting in oil. Antonio thought
himfelf fo much obliged to him for it, that he would
not leave Bruges, as long as John Van Eik lived.;
but after the death of that Painter he refolved to
make

96 The L I V E S of
make a tour into his own country, and went to fettle
at Venice, where he died, and where an epitaph is
to be feen very much in his commendation.
A perfon, named Dominico, was, among others,
one of his difciples, to whom, out of gratitude for
the love he bore him, he communicated his fecret.
Some bufinefs in his art called this Dominico to Flo
rence, where he found Andrea del Caftagno, who,
from a peafant, was turned Painter, and who feeing
inwhatefteem this new fafhion Painting was, made
ufe of all forts of flattery and complaifance to gain
the good graces of Dominico, and by that means
got out of him this new invention. He obtained
his end. Dominico loved him, lived with him,
told him what he knew, and took him into his
bufinefs. Covetoufnefs foon made Andrea uneafy :
he began to imagine, if no body elfe knew the fe
cret, he fhould get prodigioufly by it, and all Do-
minico's gains would come into his pocket ; where
fore, not confidering that he wanted his benefactor's
capacity, he refolved to make away with him. To
this end he waited for him one night at the corner
bfaftreet, and having affaffinated him, went home
to his lodgings, and fet himfelf to work, as if he
had not flirred out : he wounded him fo privately,
that Dominico not fufpecting who was his murtherer,
ordered himfelf to be caried to the houfe of his cruel
friend to be relieved ; and died in his arms. The
murther had been buried with Andrea, had he not
confeffed it on his death-bed. It was the fame
Andrea, who, by the command of the republic of
Florence, painted on the walls of the hall ofjuftice,
the execution of the confpirators who had confpired
to deftroy the Medici, which got him the name of
Andrea degl' Impiccati. At the fame time Vitto-
rio Pifano was famous in Italy for ftriking medals.
Alfo cotemporary with Antonio, were Gentile da
Fabriano, whom pope Martin V. employed at
St

eminent PAINTERS. 97
St John di Lateran. He lived till he was 88 years
of age. Lorenzo Cofta, who painted at Bologna
and Ferrara, and whofe difciples were Doffe and
Hercules of Ferrara, and Cofmo Roffelli, who paint
ed in the Vatican for pope Sixtus IV. and died in
the year 1484, aged 68 years.
DOMENICO CHIRLANDAIO
OF Florence, was at firft a goldfmith, but bufy-
ing himfelf more in defigning than in working
at his trade, he at length gave himfelf up entirely
to Painting. He was a great mafter; however, his
reputation is not fo much fixed by his own work.*,
as by his having Michael Angelo for his difciple. He
died at 44 years of age, anno 1493. He had three
fons, and they were all of them Painters, viz. Da
vid, Benedict and Rhodolph.
ANDREA VERROCHIO
OF Florence, was a good goldfmith, a graver,
amufician, a geometrician, a Painter, and a
fculptor. It is true, his pictures are painted very
drily, and his colouring is not artificial, but he un
derftood defigning well, and gave his heads, parti
cularly womens, a graceful air. He defigned very
much with his pen, which he managed well, and
was the firft that found put the art of taking and
preferving the likeriefs of any face, by moulding off
the features in plaifter, after which it became very
much in ufe. He was not Satisfied with the refem-
blance of a thing, he would go to thebottom of it •
and to that'end often made ufe of mathematical ex
periments, being famous for drawing of horfes, and
underftanding calling. The Venetians would have
employed him to have made a ftatue in brafs of Bar
tolomeo di Bergamo on horfeback : he drew a mo
del of it in wax ; but another being preferred before
H him

98 ft LIVES »/
him to caft the ftatue, he was fo mad, that out
of fpite he broke off the head and legs of his ftatue,
and fled away. The fenate, in vain, fent out or
ders to ftop him, and giving out that they would
have his head cut off if they could catch him, he
anfwered, " If they fhould cut off his head, it would
" be impoffible to make another ; whereas he could
" eafily make a head, and a finer one, for the model
" of his horfe." This witty anfwer made his peace :
but he had not the pleafure to put the horfe in its
place ; for, overheating himfelf in calling it, he
fell ill of apleurify, and died in the year 1488, aged
56 years. Leonardo da Vinci and Pietro Perugirio
were his difciples.
FILIPPO LIPPI
OF Florence, was the fon of Filippo Lippi, of
whom we have fpoken, and the difciple of
Sandro Boticelli. He had a great deal of vivacity
and genius. He managed the ornaments of the
claro obfcuro after the manner of the antique, fuch
as is to be^ feen in the frifes of architecture, and
elfewhere. He painted feveral things at Rome, and
among the reft, a chapel in the church of the Mi
nerva, for cardinal Caraffa. He drew fome pictures
alfo for Matthias Corvinus, kingof Hungary. Lippi
was a very honeft man, and his life a great reproach
to his father's. He died in the year 1 505, aged 45
years.
BERNARDINO PINTURRICHIO
WOuld have diftinguifhed himfelf by a new
kind of Painting, for befides the living co
lours he made ufe of, he brought the baffo relievo
of architecture into his pieces, which is contrary to
the art of Painting, that always fuppofes a flat
fuperficies ; for this reafon no body followed his
example. In the library at Siena is fhewn, as a fine
thing,

eminent PAINTERS. 99
thing, the life of pope Pius II. which he painted.
Raphael coming out of the fchool of Pietro Peru-
gino, helped him in this piece. Pinturrichio painted
feveral things in the Vatican for pope Innocent VIII.
and Alexander VI. The caufe of his death is worth
knowing. When he was at Siena, the monks of the
order of St Francis, who were fond of having a
picture from him, gave him a chamber, that he
might work with the more convenience ; and that
the room might not be encumbred with any thing
that had not relation to his art, they took away all
the furniture, except an old fuit of armour, which
feemed too troublefome to remove. Pinturrichio
being naturally quick and impatient, would have
it taken away immediately ; but in removing of it
a piece happened to break off, in which were hid
590 ducats of gold. This furprized Pinturrichio fo
much, and vexed him fo heartily for letting the
friers have the advantage of the treafure, that he
died a little after of mere forrow, in the 59th year
of his age, anno 1 5 1 3.
$ A N D R 0 BOTICELLI
A Florentine, was difciple of Filippo Lippi, who
was Domenico Ghirlandaio's competitor ; he
\yas learned, and writ notes upon Dante, to which
he added figures. This work took up a, great deal
of his time, and he died without the fatisfactipn of
feeing it printed. He departed riiis life in the 78th
year of his age, anno 1515.
ANDREA MANTEGNA
WA S born in a village near Padua, and in his
youth kept fheep ; but it being obferved,
that inftead of looking after his flock he amufed
himfelf with defigning, he was put to a Painter,
Giacomo Squarcione, who took fuch a fancy to
H 2 him,

ioo The LIVES of
him, that he adopted him for his fon, and made?
him his heir. He became fo good a mafter in fo
little time, that he got a great reputation, and
abundance of work : he was fcarce Seventeen years
old, when he was fet about Painting the picture of
the altar in St Sophia's church in Padua, and the
four evangelifts. Giacomo Bellini was fo touched
with the picture, that he gave him his daughter in
marriage. Squarcione, who was always jealous of
Bellini, and who befides, refented that his adopted-
fon fhould marry his rival's daughter without con-
fulting him, was fo far from continuing his praifes
and protection of Mantegna's works, that he cried
them down for their drinefs, and for the too great'
liking which his difciple fhewed for the antique fta-
tues, inftead of following nature in his imitation;-
This reproach was pf fervice to Mantegna, he cor
rected that fault; however, he never quitted the
commendable inclination be had for the antique,
faying, " It was to the fine things he found there'
" that he owed his advancement, and that they had1
44 drawn him at once out of thepoverty of nature."
It, is true, inftead" of adding to his gout of antique
the truth and tendernefs of nature, he contented
himfelf to mingle fome portraits among his figures.
He painted for the duke of Mantua, and made that
fine' * piece of the triumphs of Julius Caefar, which
are engraved- in the claro obfcuro in nine fheets,
Mdwhich for their beauty may bpcalled the triumphs
of Mantegna. Pope Innocent VIII. having invited
him into his fervice ; before he went to Rome, the
duke of Mantua made him a knight of his order.
Mantegna engraved feveral of his defigns on tin
plates ; and the Italians fay, he was the inventor of
the art of graving. He died at Mantua in the year
1517, aged 66. t
* This pifture is at Hampton- court,
FRAN-

eminent PAINTERS. ioi
FRANCESCO FRANCIA
OF Bologna, was born with fo many rare qua
lities of body and mind, that he was efteemed
and beloved by perfons of the higheft rank . At firft
he was a goldfmith, afterwards a graver of coins and
medals, in which he was excellent ; but his genius
finding itfelf too much confined in that exercife,
turned to that of Painting, to which his inclination
led him. The facility he found in it, gave him fb
much courage, that by conftant application and
ftudy, he became one of the greateft mafters of the
art in his time. He drew feveral pieces for feveral
places in Italy ; chiefly for the duke of Urbin.
"Raphael's reputation made him defirous to fee his
works, but his age would not fuffer him to take a
journey to Rome ; wherefore he contented himfelf
to write his mind to his friends, who telling Ra-*
phael of it, it began a friendly correfpondence be
tween thefe two Painters, the latter having heard
talk of Francia's merit and fkill. Raphael was then
painting the picture of St Cecilia, for a church in
Bologna; when he had finifhed it he fent it to
Francia, and by letter prayed him to place it for
him, and to be fo kind as to correct its faults.
Francia was traniported at the opening of the let
ter; he took the picture out of the cafe, admired
it, and was fenfibly touched with it; yet, at the
fame time, his heart failed him fo much upon the
fight of a piece fo far above his own, that he grew
melancholy, and fell into a confumption, of which
he died forne time after, in the 68th year of his age,
anno 1518.

H 1 LUCA

102 7fe LIVES «/
LUCA S IG NORELL I
OF Cortona, was difeiple of Pietro della Fran-
cefca, and imitated his manner fo exactly,
that their works are often taken the one for the o-
ther. Luca was ah artful defigner, and Michael
Angelo efteemed him fo much, that he made no
fcruple in his piece of the day of judgment, to
borrow fome things from that of Luca* which he
painted at Orvieto with a great deal of fancy and
capacity. He painted alfo at Loretto, Cortona and
Rome. His fon, who was a handfome young man, and
one of whom life had great hopes, was killed at
Cortona. The news of his death was a terrible
affliction to him ; but arming himfelf with con-
ftancy, he ordered his corps to be carried into his
work-houfe, and without fhedding a tear, drew his
pi£ture to preferve the memory ofhim ; finding no
confolation but in his art, which gave him what
death had ravifhed from him. He went afterwards
to Rome, whither pope Sixtus IV. had fent for him,
and having painted feveral ftories out of Genefis for
his holinefs, he returned to Cortona ; and being
very rich, worked only for his pleafure. He died
in the year 1521, at 82 years of age.
PIETRO C O S I M O,
SO called from Cofimo Rofelli, whofe pupil he
was, and for whom he worked a long time,
chiefly in the Vatican, where Rofelli was employed
by Sixtus IV. and it was obferved that the fcho'lar's
Painting was better than the mailer's. His ability
got him many difciples, and among others, Andrea
del Sarto and Francefeo da Sangalla. He loved fo-
litude, and his way of living was very extraordi
nary. He was fo eager about his bufinefs, that he
would

eminent PAINTERS. 103
would often forget to eat or drink. He was fo
fearful of thunder, that a great while after the clap
was over, he would be found fhrunk up in a corner,
and wrapt up in his cloke. Nothing was more un-
eafy to him than the noife of children crying. He
hated alfo to hear thofe cough that had a cold, the
ringing of bells, and monks finging pfalms. He
delighted in rain above all things, and died delirious
of a paralepiy, in the 80th year of his age, anno
1521.
LEONARDO da VINCI
WA S of a noble family in Tufcany, and did
not degenerate from the honour pf his an
cestors. His morals were good, and his body and
mind beautiful. He had fo many talents for all
the arts, that he knew the very bottom of them,
and practifed them with care and exactnefs. His
great variety of knowledge, inftead of weakning
that which he had of Painting, ftrengthened it to
fuch a degree, that there never was a Painter before
him that came near him, and there never will Come
any after him, who will not look on him as a foun
tain, from whence feveral good things are to be
drawn. He and Pietro Perugino were difciples to
gether of Andrea Verrochio, who gave him an op
portunity to awaken his talent ; for the mafter and
the fcholar were both born with the fame genius,
except that Leonardo's was the more extenfive. He
painted at Florence, at Rome, and at Milan, and a
great many of his pictures are difperfed up and down
throughout all Europe. Among other things, he
drew a picture of our Saviour's kft fupper, for the
refectory of the Dominicans at Milan, which is of
exquifite beauty. He did not finifti the head ot
Chrift, becaufe he could not find out a model
anfwerable to the image he had formed in his mind,
H 4 before

104 77^ LIVES of
before the war broke out in that dutchy, and
obliged him to leave Milan. He did the fame by
Judas alfo, but the prior of the convent being im
patient to fee the piece finifhed, preffed Leonardo fo
earneftly to have it done, that he drew the head of
the importunate frier, and put it upon Judas's
fhoulders. Fie was inceffantly bufied in reflections
about his art, and fpared for no care or fludy to
arrive at perfection in it, which he at laft attained.
He was chiefly folicitous to exprefs the paffions of
the foul, which he believed the moft neceffary thing
in his profeffion, elpecially for thofe who would
have the approbation of men of fenfe. The duke
of Milan made him director of an academy of
Painting erected by him in the capital of his dutchy.
It was in that city he wrote the book of Painting,
which was printed in Paris in 1651, and for which
Pouffin made the figures. He wrote feveral other
treatifes that are loft. When Francis I. took Mi
lan, Leonardo retired to Florence, where he painted
the great hall of the council, and found Michael
Angelo's reputation very well eftablifhed, which raifed
a mighty emulation between them. Leonardo going
to Rome at the election of pope Leo X. Michael
Angelo did the fame, and their jealoufy grew to
fuch a height, that Leonardo left Italy, and went
to Paris, where he was very well received by
Francis I. By his prefence and works he fupported
the reputation he had acquired, and the French
king gave him all poflible tokens of efteem and
friendfhip. The king had fuch a particular kind-
nefs for him, that going to vifit him in his laft
ficknefs, Leonardo would have raifed himfelf up to
thank his majefty for the honour done him, and the
king embracing him to oblige him to lie down in
his bed again, he was taken fpeechlefs in the very
moment, and expired in the arms of that monarch,
in the 75th year of his age, anno 1520.
Re-

eminent PAINTERS. 105
Reflections on the works of LEO NARDO
da VINCI.
TH E pictures of this Painter, which are to be
feen in the cabinets of princes and private
men, contain but very few figures ; and I confefs
that I have not feen clearly enough jntp what re
mains of his great compofitions to judge of the ex
tent of his genius. However, what hiftorians have
written of his works, which are now almoft entirely
ruined, is fufficient to inform us, that his vein was
rich, his movements lively, his fenfe folid, adorned
with variety of knowledge, and his inventions very
beautiful : we may fee that by his defigns, which
are ftill in the hands of the curious, and what we
have left of his productions fhews that he was a great
Painter. His defigns were very correct, and of a great
gout, though he feems to have fpxmexLit rather from
nature, tbaji_jdie^jntique ; yet fo as the antient '
fculptors did, that is, by judicious enquiries into the
effects of nature, and attributing to her, not fo
much her common productions, as the perfections
of which fhe is capable.
Leonardo da Vinci's expreffions are very lively
and fenfible. I have in my cuftody a defign of his
own hand, of the famous fupper which he painted •
at Milan ; which defign only is a fufficient proof of
Jiis haying penetrated far into the heart of man ; of
his vivacity, and with what variety and juftnefs he
reprefented all kinds of actions : but rather than
fpeak my own opinion in this matter, it will be
more to the purpofe tq give the reader Rubens's on
the merit of this great man.

i©6 The LIVES of
He writes thus of him in a Latin manufcript, t he-
original of which I have by me, and which I
have faithfully tranflated as follows :
Eonardo da Vinci began by examining all
things according to the rules of an exact
" theory, and then applied them to nature as it
" was for his purpofe. He obferved decofum, and
" avoided all affectation. He knew how to give
" every object the moft proper, the moft fpeeula-
" tive, and the moft agreeable character that was
" poflible, and exalted that of majefty even to di-
" vinity. The order and meafure of his expreffions
" were managed fo as to fet the imagination at
" work, and to raife it by the effential parts, rather
*' than fill it by the minute ; in which, however,
" he was neither prodigal nor covetous. He was fo
" careful to aVoid the confufion of objects, that he
" chofe rather to leave fomething in his works to be
" defired, than to furfeit the eyes with a fcrupulous
" exactnefs. But his chiefeft excellence was, as we
*' have faid, to give every thing its proper character
" and to diftinguifh them one from another. He
" began by confulting feveral authors, out of whofe
" writings he made a common-place of what was
" moft remarkable, and nothing efcaped him that
*' related to the expreffion of his fubject : and by
" the heat of his fancy, as well as by the folidityof
" his judgment, he raifed divine things by human,
" and underftood how to give men thofe different
" degrees, that elevate them to the character of
*' heroes. The beft of the examples which he has
" left us, is our Lord's Supper, which he painted
" at Milan, wherein he has reprefented the apoftles
" in places that fuit with them, and our Saviour in
«' the moft honourable, the midft of all, having no
*' body near enough to prefs or incommode him.
" His

eminent PAINTERS. 107
" His attitude is grave, his arms are in a loofe and
" free pofture, to fhew the greater grandeur, while
" the apoftles appear agitated from one fide to the
" other by the vehemence of their inquietude, and
" in which there is, however, no meannefs, nor
" any indecent action to be feen. In fhort, by his
" profound {peculations he arrived to fuch a degree
" of perfection, that it feems to me impoffible to
" fpeak fo well of him as he dfeferves, and much
" more to imitate him."
Rubens, after this, enlarges on Leonardo's Skill
in anatomy. He adds a particular relation-of his
fludies, and of all the defigns that he made, which
Rubens had feen among the curiofities of Pompeio
Leoni at Arezzo. He talks of the anatomy of
horfes, and the obfervation that Leonardo had made
bn phifiognomyi of which Rubens had alfo feen his
defigns ; and ends his difeourfe by the method which
this Painter took in meafuring a human body.
If I may be allowed to add any thing to what
Rubens has faid, I would take notice, that he has
not fpoken of Leoriardoys colouring, becaufe having
carried his remarks no farther than to things relating
to the perfection of his profeffion, and finding no
thing good in Leonardo's colours, he paffed by that
part of Painting. Leonardo's carnations have too
much of the lees-colbur in them, and the union "ih
his pictures is too much tinctured with the violet,
which is there predominant : this, in my opihion,
proceeded from the Painters of his time not know
ing well enough the ufe of oil, and from the neglU
gence of the Florentines in the part of colouring.
PIETRO P E R U G I N O,
BO R N at Perou'fa. His parents were poor, and
put hiin at firft to a Paintfer of that town, who
taught him very little, and ufed him very ill. His
1 ' poverty

io8 The LIVES of
poverty made him patient, and his defire to get
fomething to bring him out of his mifery, put him
upon defigning night and day,, to advance himfelf.
As foon as he found he was able to get his living,
he went to Florence to find out a better mafter, and
placed himfelf with Andrea Verrocchio. Leonardo
da Vinci was his difciple at the fame time. Peru-
gino became fkilful, and acquired a graceful man
ner in tl>e airs of his heads, which his mafter
practifed, efpecially the heads of women. He drew
a great many pictures, and almoft all of them for
churches and convents. One day as he was working
in frefco for the monks at Florence, whofe mo-
naftery is near the Pindane gate, the prior, who fup-
plied him with azure or ultra-marine, would give
him no more than he ufed in his prefence. Peru-
gino feeing him fo miftruftful, dipped his pencil in
a pot of water, even before the prior himfelf, and
wafhed off the ultra- marine, which funk to the
bottom. The prior wondered to fee his azure go
away fo faft, and fearing he had not enough to hold
out, was going to get more, but Perugiho empty
ing the water out of the pot, and drying the ultra
marine that was at the bottom, gave it to the prior;
faying, " He fhould not another time miftruft a
" man of honour." Neverthelefs, he was himfelf very
covetous and miftruftful, and being alfo very labori
ous, he got money at Florence and Rome, where
he worked for pope Sixtus IV. and retired to Pe-
roufa, in which city he made abundance of pictures,
by the help of Raphael and his other difciples, fe-
rugino had a very handfome wife, by whom he drew
all his pictures of the virgin Mary ; he loved her
paffionately, but he loved his money no lefs ; and
when he ufed to walk in fome fields which he had
purchafed near Peroufa, he always carried the box
with him in which he kept his gold. A rogue
perceiving it, robbed him of his treafu re, and Pe-
ruginQ

eminent PAINTERS. 109
ruglno was fo grieved at it, that he died of forrow
in the 78th year of his age, anno 1524.
RAPHAEL S A N Z I O
WA S born at Urbin on Good-Friday, in the
year 1483. His father was an ordinary Pain
ter, and Pietro Perugino his mafter. His chief" works
are in frefco in the hall of the Vatican, and his
eafel-pieces are difperfed up and down in feveral
parts of Europe. Having an excellent underftand-
ing, he knew that the perfection of Painting was
not confined to Perugino's capacity, and therefore
he went to Siena to feek out fome other means of
advancing himfelf. Here his friend Pinturrichio
got him to be employed to make the cartoons for
the pictures of the library ; but he had fcarce done
one before he was tempted to remove to Florence,
by the great noife which Leonardo da Vinci, and
Michael Angelo's works made at that time. As*
foon as he had confidered the mariner of thofe two
illuftrious Painters, he refolved to alter his own,
which he had learnt of Perugino. He returned to
Peroufa, where tie had opportunity^ enough to exer-.
cife his pencil; but the remembrance of Leonardo
da Vinci's works put him upon a fecond journey to
Florence, and after. having worked there fome time
to ftrengthen his hand, he went to Rome, where
Bramante, his kinfman, prepared the pope by a
good opinion of his merit, for his favourable recep
tion,- and he was fet at work to paint the Vatican,
Raphael began by the picture, which is called the
fchool of Athens, the difpute of the holy Sacra
ment, and the other pieces which are in the cham
ber of the apoftolic fignature. His pains and care
were incredible, and they were fuccefsful, anfwerable
to his induflry, for the reputation of his work car
ries the name of Raphael throughout the world. He
formed

iio The EIV ES of
formed the delicacy pf his gout after the antient
ftatues, ' and baffp relievos, which he defigned a
long time with extreme application. To this de
licacy he added a grandeur of manner, with which
the fight of Michael Angelo's * chapel at once in
spired him. It was his friend Bramante who brought
him into the chapel, contrary to the general order
Michael Angelo had given him when he trufted him
with the keys. Befides the pains that Raphael was
at in working after the ancient fculptures, he hired
people in Greece and Italy to defign for him all the
, antique pieces that could be found, which, as op
portunity offered, he made ufe of. It is obfervable,
that he has not left many, if any at all of his wprics,
imperfect, and that hej*in.ifbed his pictures toajficety,
though he did them very quick. Hewas extreme
ly careful to give them. fuch perfection that there
might be nothing to be faid againft them, and on
this account it is that we fee ftill Some drawings pf
pieces of pictures, as hands, feet, and bits of dra
pery, which he has defigned three or four tirnes-for
the fame fubject, and out of which he chofe that for
his purpofe which was moft perfect. Though he; was '
Very laborious, yet. there are few pictures to be feen
done by his own hand. He fpent moft of his time
in defigning, that he might find bufinefg for the

* Pietro Bellori, in his book intitled, Defcritiianc dette Imagi-
ni da Rafaele nelle Camere del Vaticano, denies this ftory with all
his might; and pretends, that Raphael did not owe his great gout
to any thing but his ftudy of the antique ; yet Vafari, who knew
Michael. Angelo and Raphael, and was never contradicted by
any author of thofe times ; on the contrary, three other authors,
who have particularly writ the life of Michael Angelo, have con
firmed what he fays ; affirms, that he learned it of Michael An?
gelo : and what renders it very probable, that Raphael made his
advantage of Michael Angelo's works, is a defign that I have of
his own hand, on the back of which is a drawing of his defigned
after one of the figures which Michael Angela painted in the
pope's chapel, great

eminent PAINTERS. in
great number of difciples that executed his defigns
in feveral places, chiefly in the lodgings and apart
ments of the Vatican, in the church of our Lady of
Peace, and in the palace of Chigi ; which were all-
done by his pupils after his defigns, except the gal
lery and one angle only, where the three goddeffes
are painted, which was done by himfelf. His good
nature got him the love of all people, efpecially of
the popes his cotemporaries. Cardinal Bibiano of
fered him his niece in marriage, and Raphael was
engaged to her. But pope Leo X. having given
him hopes of a cardinal's cap, he made no hafte to
marry her.
His paffion for the fair fex deftroyed him in the
flower of his age. For one day, after he had aban
doned himfelf to women with excefs, he was taken
very ill of a burning fever, and the phyficians,
from whom he concealed the true caufe of his dif
temper, having dealt by him as if he had a pleu-
rify, quite extinguifhed the little fire that was left
in his body. He died on the fame day that he was
born, Good-Friday, anno 1520, in the thirty fe-
venth year of his age. Cardinal Bembo wrote his
epitaph, which is to be feen upon his tomb in the
church of the Rotunda at Rome, where he was
buried. I will mention only two verfes of it which
are admirable.
Ble hie eft Raphael, timuit, quo fofpite, vincix
Rerum magna parens, 6? moriente mori.
His difciples were Julio Romano, Giovanni Fran
cefeo Penni, firnamed II Fattore, Pellegrino di
Modena, Pierino del Vaga, Polidoro, Caravaggio,
Matturini, Bartolomeo da Bagna-cavallo, Timo-
theo d'Urbino, Vincente di San Gemmiano, Gio
vanni d'Udinne, and others. Several fkilful Flem
ings alfo where, his difciples, and helped hini in. the
execo

H2 The L I V E S of
execution of his great works, viz. Bernard van Orlay
ofBruffels, Michael Coxis of Mechlin, and others,,
who going back into their own country, had the ¦
care of executing his defigns for tapeftry : befides
his difciples, he had a vaft number of ftudents and
friends who frequented his houfe, and often waited
upon him abroad. Michael Angelo meeting him
one day thus attended, told him, en paffant, " That
" he marched like a provoft with his ferjeants
" about him ;" Raphael anfwered, " And you alone
" like a hangman :" thefe two great Painters were
always jealous of each other, as it is ufual among
perfons of the fame profeffion, when modefty is not
miftrefs of their fentiments.
Reflections on RAPHAEL'S Works.
THERE has been no Painter fince the refto-
' ration of the art in Italy, who acquired fuch
a reputation as Raphael : his genius was fublime,
his thoughts fine, his vein fruitful, and would have
appeared much more fo, had it not been moderated
by the nicety with which he finifhed his pieces.
He was rich in his inventions, and his manner of
difpofing of the things he invented was very deli
cate. If his figures were not grouped by lights and
fhadows, they were fo ingenioufly done by their
actions, that the groupes were always viewed with
pleafure. His attitudes are noble according to their
condition, contrafted without affectation, expreflive,
natural, and fuch as always expofe the beautiful
parts. His defigns were very correct ; to the juft-
nefs, the grandeur and elegance of the antique, he
jadded the fimplicity of nature, without affecting a
particular manner. There is a great deal of variety
to be feen in his figures, and more in the airs of his
heads, which he copied from nature, the mother of
diverfity, and always accompanied with a noble
character in defign. How

eminent PAINTERS. 113
His expreffions are jlift, ingenious, elevated and
touching ; they are moderate without coldnefs, and
lively without exaggeration. The manner of his
draperies was poor at firft, but had a great gout at
laft, and were fet with beauty and artifice; the order
of his folds are fine, and fhews the naked where it
appears to the beft advantage, and chiefly about the
joints. However, he maybe blamed for dreffingjil moft
aUjfis^fijrjures in the fame ftuffs, whereas he might
have changed them with reafon* and for the orna
ment of his fubjects : I fpeak of hiftorical ones, for
as to fabulous and allegorical, in which divinities are
introduced, the Painter ought to have more regard
to the majefty of the folds, than to the richnefs of
the ftuffs.
Raphael being nicely careful to defign correctly,
and if we may fo fay, jealous of his out-lines, he has
marked them fomewhat too hard. His pencil though
light and united* is however dry. His landfkips
are neither handfome, nor of a great gout.
His local colours are neither fhining nor fhock-
ing; they are nejydaerjzery_truje, nor very falfe, but
his fhadows are a little too black; he. .never had a
crear_underftaridingi?f the claro obfcuroj though it]
appears by his laft pieces, that he fought after it,!
and endeavoured to acquire it, as maybe feen in his
tapeftries of the Acts of the Apoftles, and in his
pictures of the Trjmsfijguratfon : but whatever Ra
phael wanted in colouring, was over-looked in the
abundance of the other parft of Painting of which
he was mafter •, and he has even done fome portraits
with refpect to lights and colours fo well, that they
may enter into the comparifon with Titian's, as well
as the St John in Monfieur the Prefident's cabinet,
which for all the parts of Painting, deferves to be
reckoned the author's mafter-piece. I Pouffin

i*4 The LIVES of
Pouffin faid of Raphael, « That he was an angel
" compared with the modern Painters, but an afs m
" comparifon of the ancients." His judgment of him
relates only to his thoughts, his gout, his juftnefs
pf defign, and his expreffions: the thoughts of the
ancients are fimple, fublime and natural, fo are Ra
phael's : the antique defign is correct, varied ac
cording to decency, and of a great gout ; Raphael's
is the fame. The antique way of the collocation
of the mufcles is learned, exact, and delicate in
their offices. Raphael was not ignorant of this part ;
yet we muft confefs, that thofe who have ftudied
anatomy, as it relates to Painting, may obferve more
exactnefs in the antique, and more delicacy in the
actions of the mufcles in the ancient pictures, than
in, not only Raphael's, but in any other modern
Painter's whatsoever.
I allow that this great juftnefe, and great deli
cacy in the action of the mufcles, regulates the ex
actnefs of the out-lines, but Ido not fee that Raphael
was fo much out of the way as to be reckoned an
afs in comparifon of the antiques. It is true, Ra
phael formed the grandeur of his gout from the
fine flatues of antiquity, and that when he came
from his mafter Perugino, they put him into a right
way; he followed them implicitly at firft; but at
laft, perceiving that the road of painting was^dif-
fereht from that of fculpture, he took from them
no more than was. juft proper for his art, and as
he grew older and wifer, he left off the reft. This
difference is eafily to be perceived in the pictures
which he painted at different times, the latter of
which came neareft the character pf nature.
On the contrary, Pouffin and Annibal Caracci,
quitted their charadteF of nature according" as~they
grew more and more "fond of the antique; they
fhould have done as Raphael did, do one, and not
omit the other; for this excellent man not only
retained

eminent PAINTERS. 115 ,
retained the good gout of the antique, its grandeur
and beauty, but alfo fpjedjout one thing which
neither Pouffin nor the Caracci ever faw, and that
WaSgrace ; which gift of nature was given him fo
pfeiSwully, that he fpread it over every thing that
came out of his hands, and no body can difpute the
preference with him in it, exceptj^orrjgip, who j
wanted his regularity of defign. Raphael made ufe *
of grace to fet off all the other parts of Painting
which he poffeft, the poffeffion of which acquired
him the reputation of the beft Painter in the world.
GIROLOMO GENOA
OF Urbin, was a difciple of Pietro Perugino
at the fame time with Raphael. He parti
cularly applied himfelf to architecture, and died in
the year 1551, aged j$.
JULIO ROMANO
,-n
WAS the favourite difciple of Raphael, as well
on account of his fkill in Painting, as for
the agreement there was in their manners. He en
tirely followed his mailer's gout, not only in the
execution of the defigns he gave him, but alfo in
thpfe he made himfelf. Raphael treated him like
a father, and left him his heir jointly with Gio
vanni Francefeo Penni il FattOre. After Raphael's
death thefe two Painters finifhed feveral pictures
which their mafter had left imperfect. Julio Ro
mano was not only an excellent Painter, but alfo un
derftood architecture perfectly well. The cardinal
di Medicis, who was afterwards pope Clement VII.
employed him to build the palace which is at this
day called la Vigne Madame ; and when he had
finifhed the architecture, he did the Painting and
other decorations. I 2 The

u6 OLIVES of
The death of Leo X. was a blow to Julio Ro
mano, for had his fucceffor Adrian VI. reigned a-
bove a year, the fine arts in Rome would have been
extinguifhed, and all the artifts had ftarved ; but
Clement VII. fucceeding him, Painting and Painters:
began to revive. As foon as he was chofen pope,
he fet Julio Romano at work to paint the hall of
Conftantine, where Raphael had begun the hiftory
of that emperor, which he had defigned. This work
being finifhed, he drew feveral pictures for churches
and private perfons : his manner began to change
at laft, his colouring into black and red, and his
defign into the fevere.
Frederico di Conzaga, marquifs of Mantua, hear
ing of Julio's capacity, invited him to that city i
his good fortune directed him thither, for having
made the defigns of twenty lewd prints, which
Marc Antonio engraved, and for which Aretine
made the inferiptions in verfe, he had been feverely
punifhed for it had he flayed in Rome ; as the treat
ment Marc Antonio met with fufficiently proves :
He was thrown into goal, where he fuffered a great
deal, and it had coft him his life* if the intereft of
the cardinal di Medicis, and Baccio Bandinelli, had
not faved him. In the mean time Julio Romano
followed his bufinefs at Mantua, where he has left
eternal proofs of his great ability. He built the
palace T. and made the city of Mantua finer,
ftronger, and healthier than before. As to his
Painting we may affirm, it was at Mantua chiefly
that Julio Romano's genius took wing, and : he
fhewed himfelf to be what he was. He died there
in the fifty fourth year of his age, anno 1 546. to
the great grief of the marquifs, who loved hirh as
his brother. He had a fon and daughter, who fur-
vived him -, the fon's name was Raphael, the daugh
ter married Hercules Malatefta. Among his dif
ciples the beft are Primaticcio, who came into
France,

eminent PAINTERS. 117
France, and one of Mantua, named Rinaldi, who
died young.
Reflections on the works of JULIO
ROMANO.
JUlio Romano was the firft, the moft learned, and
the moft perfevering difciple of Raphael. His
imagination, which was, as it were, buried in the
execution of the defigns of his mafter, as long as he
was his difciple, when fhe faw herfelf free, took
wing at once ; or rather, as a torrent, that being
penned up breaks over its banks, and runs with an
impetuous courfe, fo Julio Romano, after having pro
duced feveral eafel-pieces, and painted great works
in the Vatican-hall from Raphael's defigns, before
and after the death of his illuftrious mafter, pre-
fently changed his manner when his genius was at
liberty, and fuffered it to take its rapid courfe, as is
to be feen in his Paintings at Mantua : however, it
was not that graceful vein, nor that foft fire of fancy
which, though borrowed before, yet made it doubt
ful t-o decide, whether fome of the pidlures were his,
Or his matter's. When he was entirely free, and
the piece all his own, he animated it with ideas more
fevere, more extraordinary, and even more expref-
five, but lefs natural than the works of Raphael.
His inventions were adorned by poefy, and his dif-
pofitions uncommon and of a good gout.
His ftudie^fjJoJiEeJearjun^wereofgreatfervice
to Kim InJbisTSEtfog ; for in defigning the antique
fculptures, he drew thofe proofs of learning which
we obferve in his pictures.
It feems by his works, that his thoughts were
wholly taken up with thegrandeur pf his poetical
^ideirpand'thatTb execute them with the fame fire
that he conceived them, he contented himfelf with
the practice of defign, which he had chofen, with-
I 3 out

n8 The LIV E S of
out varying the airs of his heads, or his draperies.
j It is vifible alfo, that his colouring, which was
I never very good, became worfe at laft -,t for his local
colours, which were compofed of brick-colour and
black, were not fupported by any intelligence of
the claro obfcuro. His fierce way of defigning,
and his terrible expreffions, became fo habitual to
him, that his works are eafy to be known, This
manner is very great, it is true, being formed after
the antique baffp relievo's, which he had care
fully ftudied, and efpecially the Trajan and Anto-
\ nine pillars, which he defigned throughout; yet thefe
J fine things, which are fufficient of themfelves to
f make a fkilful fculptor, muft be accompanied with
I the verities of nj&urejtp^form a great Painter. The
' draperies, which commonly contribute to the ma
jefty of figures, are the fhame of his, being poor,
and of an ill gout.
There is little variety to be feen in the airs of
his heads ; that which is to be found in his works,
confifts only in the different kinds of objects, of
which his compofitions are full, and in the adjuft-
ments which enrich them, and proceeds from the
univerfality of his genius for all forts of Painting ;
he did all well alike, landfkips and animals : by
which means his productions, for what they contain,
will always be admired by the judicious.
GIOVANNI FRANCISCO PENNI,
Sumamed
II F ATT ORE.
THIS laft name was given him for his good
hufbandry in managing Raphael's expences,
when he lived with him, which was to the time of
his death, Julio Romano being his fellow difciple.
He was very fkilful, efpecially in defigning. He has
done a great many things from Raphael's thoughts, which

eminent PAINTERS. 119
which pafs for Raphael's own doing, particularly in
the palace" of Chigi, as one may obferve by examin
ing them with attention. He had a particular in
clination for landlkips, which he painted very well,
and enriched them with fair buildings.
After his mailer's death, he affociated himfelf
with Julio Romana, and Pierino del Vaga. Thefe
three together finifhed what Raphael left imperfect,
as well the hiftory of Conftantine, as other works in
the palace of Belvedere. They feparated on occa
fion of a copy that the pope would have done of
the picture of the transfiguration, which was de
figned for the court of France ; and Fattore went to
Naples, intending to work for the marquifs del
Vafto ; but his conftitution was fo delicate, that he
did not live long, for he died in the fortieth year of
his age, anno 1528.
LUCA PENNI
WA S Gipvanni Francifco's brother, whom we
have been fpeaking of : he worked a while
with Pierino del Vaga, his brother-in-law, at Ge
noa, and other places of Italy. He went thence into
England, where he did feveral things for king
Henry VIII. and for fome merchants. He was alfo
employed by Francis I. at Fontainbleau, and at laft
applied himfelf to graving.
ANDREA del SARTO
OF Florence, was a taylor's fon : his father put
him to a goldfmith, with whom he lived feven
years, during which time he minded defigning more
than his own trade. From the goldfmith he re
moved to an ordinary Painter called Giovanni Ba*
rile, whom he foon left to go to Florence, and enter
himfelf with Pietro Cofimo. While he lived with
I 4 him

120 The LIVES of
him he fet apart all Sundays and holidays to defign
after the beft mafters, efpecially Leonardo da Vinci,
and Michael Angelo ; which, in a few years, taught
him his art. He thought his own mafter too flow in
the execution of his works, for which reafon he left
him, and became acquainted with Francifco Bigio.
They lived together, and painted feveral things in
Florence, and thereabouts, for the monafteries. He
drew a great many Madonna's. He is cenfured for
making ufe of Albert Durer's prints in a piece
which he did for the Carmelites, Baccio Bandinelli
would have learned to paint of him, but Andrea
putting him upon difficult works at firft, it difgufted
Bandinelli, fo that he applied himfelf wholly to
fculpture. Andrea's reputation increafing, he made
pictures for feveral places, and among others, one
which got him the praifes of the judicious, and is
one of the beft things he ever did, I mean, a St
Sebaftian, for the church of St Gal.
He came into France upon the invitation of Fran
cis I. He painted feveral things there •, and though he
had begun the picture of St Jerom for the queen,
he left that work, and got leave of the king to re
turn to Florence, pretending to fetch his wife, from
whom, he faid, he had received a very preffing
letter to come to her ; but inftead of returning at
the time appointed, he fpent the money he brought
out of France, and even that he had received of the
king to buy pictures. At laft, having worked fome
time with Francifco Bigib for fubfiftance, he died of
•he plague at Florence, abandoned even by his wife
and his friends, in the year 1530, aged 42 years.
He left feveral pupils, viz. Giacomo da Pantormo,
Andrea Squazzella, who worked in France, Giacomo
Sandro, Francefeo Salviati and Giorgio Vafari. The
fame Vafari reports, that * Andrea del Sarto copied
* The author has told this ftory more at large, and in another
manner, in the zyzh chapter oftht firft book. fo

eminent PAINTERS. 121
fo perfectly, that Frederic marquifs of Mantua,
having on a time made him copy the picture of
Leo X. with fome cardinals, becaufe Clement VII.
had defired that prince to give him the original,
he did it with fo much juftnefs, that Julio Romano,
who drew the drapery of that piece under Raphael,
took his copy for the original, and told Vafari who
difabufed him, " Do not I fee the ftrokes that I
'* ftruck with my own hand ?" but Vafari fhewing
him del Sarto's mark, he was convinced of his mif-
take.
GIACOMO da PANTORMO,
OF Tufcany, was at thirteen years of age put to
learn the art of Painting of Leonardo da Vinci :
he was afterwards removed to Mariotto Albertinelli,
from him to Pietro di Cofimo, with whom he ftaid
not long, leaving him to place himfelf with And/ea
del Sarto.
At nineteen years old he fet up for himfelf, and
followed his ftudies fo fuccefsfully, that upon feeing
fome of his firft works, Michael Angelo faid of
him, " He would raife Painting to the Ikies." Pan-
tormo was never fatisfied with what he did, but the
praifes that were given him kept him in heart. He
did feveral things at Florence that got him reputa
tion. Having undertaken to paint the chapel of
St Laurence for the duke of Florence, and aiming
in that work, which lafted twelve years, to excel all
others, he on the contrary came fhort of himfelf. He
was a man of honour, and very humble ; he had
one quality, and the moft commendable one in the
world, which is rarely to be met with in his pro
feffion, which was, that he would never fuffer any
one to fpeak againft thofe that were abfent. All his
pieces were done in Florence, where he died of a
dropfy, anno 1556, aged 63 years.
BACCIO

122 The LI V E S of
BACCIO BANDINELLI
WA S born at Florence ; his name was Barto
lomeo, which was turned into the diminu
tive Baccio. His father was a goldfmith, and his
mafter, Giovanni Francifco Ruftico, a good fculp-
tor, whom Leonardo da Vinci ufed often to vifit,
for Ruftico was bred up by Andrea Verrocchio as
well as Leonardo ; Verrocchio being a fculptor,
Painter and architect, and underftanding the mathe
matics very well. Though Baccio Bandinelli had
gone through all the ftudies neceffary for an excel
lent Painter, his pictures were not liked, on account
of the colouring, which was worth nothing. His ill
fuccefs occafioned his abandoning Painting, and fol
lowing fculpture, in which he became very fkilful.
He had fo great an efteem for his own works, that
he compared them with Michael Angelo's, whofe
reputation was a great grief to him. His produc
tions are at. Rome and Florence, where he died in
the 6 2d year of his age, anno 1559.
POLIDORO da QARAVAGIO,
SO called from the place of his birth, a village of
that name, in the dutchy of Milan, He came
to Rome at the time when pope Leo X, was raifing
fome new edifices in the Vatican, and knowing not
how to get his bread otherwife, for he was very
young, he hired himfelf to carry flones and mortar
for the mafons, who were at work about that build
ing. He did this till he was eighteen years of age.
At the fame time Raphael employed feveral young
Painters in the fame place to execute his, defigns,
Polidoro, who often carried them the mortar, with
which they made their frefco, was touched with the
fight of the Paintings, and folicited by his genius to
turn Painter. He at firft tied himfelf to the works
of Giovanni d'Udine, and the pleafure he took to
fee

eminent PAIN TE R S. 123
fee that Painter work, ftirred up the talent which he
had for Painting. He was very officious andcomplai-
fant to the young Painters, and made an acquaintance
with them, to whom communicating his intention,
they gave him leffons, which emboldened him to pro
ceed. He heartily fet himfelf to defigning, and ad
vanced fo prodigioufly that Raphael was aftonifhed,
and fome time after fet him to work with the other
young Painters ; but he diftinguifhed himfelf fo much
from all of them, that as he had the greateft fhare in
executing his defigns in the Vatican, fo he had the
greateft glory. The care which he had feen his mafter
take in defigning the antique fculptures, fhewed*him
the way to do the like. He fpenf whole days and
nights in defigning thofe beautiful things, and ftu
died antiquity to a nicety. The works with which
hehas enriched the frontifpieces of feveral buildings at
Rome, fhew the pains he took in ftudying the an
tique. He did very few eafel-pieces ; moft of his pro- |
ductipns are in frefco, and of the fame colour, in
imitation of the baffo relievo's. In this fort of
Painting he made ufe of the manner, called fcratch-
ed, confifting in a preparation of a black ground, on
which is placed a white plaifter, and taking off this
white with an iron bodkin, we difcover through the
holes the black which ferves for fhadows. Scratched
work Jafts lpngeft, but being very rough is unplea-
fant to the fight. He affociated himfelf at firft
with Maturino, and the conformity of their genius's
made them companions in their ftudies and bu
finefs: they lived together like brothers, and their
friendfhip lafted till the death of Maturino, who
died of the plague, anno 1526. Polidoro, after
having, by Maturino's affiftance, filled Rome with
his pieces, thought to have enjoyed his eafe, and
the fruit of his labours, when the Spaniards, in the
year 1527 befieged that city, and all the men of
art-

124 Tie LIVES of
«rt were forced to fly, or elfe were ruined by the
miferies of war. Polidoro refolved to retire to Na
ples, where he was obliged to work for ordinary
Painters, and had no opportunity to make himfelf
taken notice of ; for the Neapolitan nobility were in
t.hofe days more folicitous to get good horfes than
good pictures. Seeing himfelf therefore without
bufinefs, and forced to fpend what he had got at
Rome, he went to Sicily, and underftandirig archi
tecture as well as Painting, the citizens of Meffina
employed him to prepare the triumphal arches, for
the reception of Charles V. coming from Tunis :
which work being finifhed, Polidoro finding nothing
to be done there anfwerable to the grandeur of his
genius, and having no temptation to flay, but the ,
careffes of a woman he loved, he thought of return
ing to Rome. To that end he drew his money out
of the bank of Meffina; whichhis man underftanding
the night before his intended departure, he confe
derated himfelf with other rogues, feized him in
his bed, ftrangled him, and ftabbed him. After
they had committed this murder, they carried the
body to the door pf his miftrefs, that it might be
thought he was killed there by fome rival: yet God
in his providence fo ordered it, that the murder was
difcovered. The affaffins fled, and every body
pitied Polidoro's untimely fate ; his man, who did
riot fear any one's miftrufting he had a hand in his
matter's death, came to make his lamentations over
him as well as the reft. A Sicilian count, one of
Polidoro's friends, obferved his grief was not at all
natural, and fufpecting him to be concerned in the
crime, had him apprehended. He defended him
felf very ill : He was put to the torture, confeft all,
and was condemned to be drawn to pieces by four
horfes. The citizens of Meffina were mighty ferry
for Polidoro's death, and honourably buried hirri in

eminent PAINTERS. M 125
in their cathedral church. He was in his eight and
fortieth year when this fatebefel him, anno 1543.
Reflections on the works of POLIDORO.
POlidoro, as defirous as he was to learn, thought
he could not do better than tread in his mailer's
fteps ; and knowing Raphael had formed his gout of
defign after the antique ftatues, he affiduoufly ap
plied himfelf to ftudy them* and the principal bufi
nefs of his life was to imitate them, as may be feen
by fome beautiful remains of his works on the fron-
tifpieces of feveral houfes in Rome, were he has
painted fome baffo relievo's of his own invention.
His genius, which was extraordinary lively and
fruitful, and his ftudying the antique baffo re
lievo's, made him incline to reprefent battles, facri-
fioes, vafes, trophies, and thofe ornaments which
are moft remarkable in antiquities.
But, what is altogether furprizing, is, that not-
withftanding his great application to antique fculp
tures, he perceived the neceffity of the claro obfcuro
in Painting, and was almoft the oiily Painter of the
Roman fchool, who made it a principle of the art,
and put it in practice : Indeed the great maffes of
lights and fhadows which are in his pictures, fhew
he was convinced, that the eyes of the fpectator
wanted repbfe to view a picture with eafe.
It is from this principle that in the.frsezes which
lie painted with white and black, his objects are
grouped fo artfully, that it is impoffible for any to
be more beautiful.
His love of the antique did not hinder his ftudy
ing nature ; and his gout of defign, which was very
great, and very correct, was a mixture of the one
and the other. His hand was eafy and excellent,
and the air-? of his heads bold, nobje and expreflive. His

i±6 The LIVES of
His thoughts were fublimej his difpofitions full
of attitudes well chofen; his draperies well fet,
and his landfkips of a good gout. His pencil was
light and foft ; but after the death of Raphael, who
employed him in the paintings of the Vatican, he
very feldom coloured his pieces," applying himfelf
altogether to work in frefco with the claro ob
fcuro. Polidoro's genius was very much like Julio Ro
mano's ; their conceptions were lively, and formed
after the gout of the antique. Their defign was
great and fevere, and their way new and extraor
dinary : The difference between them was, that
Julio Romano animated his poetical compofitions by
the impetuofity of his vein only, and Polidoro al
ways made ufe of the contrail, as the moft powerful
means to give life and motion to his works. Poli
doro's genius appears alfo to be more natural, more
pure, and more regulated than Julio Romano's.
AND RE A COS I MO
AND
M 0 RTUO da F E L T R O,
ERE the firft that brought ornaments in

w

ufe in the modern Painting: They were
both very fkilful, and worked in the claro obfcuro,
in the manner which the Italians term fgrafitti,
fcratcht-work, Andrea lived 04 years, and Mor-
tuo for want of bufinefs turned foldier. He was
killed in a battle between the Venetians and the
Turks, at 45 years of age.
ROSSO
WA S born at Florence, and had no mafter to
teach him the art of Painting. He ap
plied himfelf to the ftudy of Michael Angelo's works,

eminent PAINTERS. 127
works, but formed to himfelf a particular ftile. His
genius was fervile, and his manner of defigning,
though learned, was a little wild. He did feveral
thk*gs at Rome and Peroufa in Raphael's time.
His misfortunes brought him into France, where
Francis I. gave him a penfion, and the fuperinten-
dency of the buildings at Fontainbleau. He was
alfo made a canon of the chapel-royal, and by the
king's favour, and Us own merit, acquired a great
reputation. We may fee what a mafter he was by
his performances in the gallery of Fontainbleau.
Rofib was handlbme, and had improved himfelf
by the knowledge of the fciences ; but he fullied all
his rare qualities by his death, which he fhamefully
brought on himfelf; for having caufed his intimate
friend Francefeo Pellegrino to be apprehended on
fufpicion of having robbed him of a confiderable
fum, he was delivered over to the magiftrates, who
put him to the rack, which Pellegrino endured, and
was declared innocent Beiqg cleared, hepublifhed
a pamphlet againft Cofib -9 who thinking he could
never appear afterwards with honour, fent to Melun
for poifon, pretending to want varnifh, and taking
the dofe it killed him at Fontaiflbleau, in the year
1640, in the 45th year of his age.
FRANCESCO MAZZUOLO,
Surnamed
PARMEGIANO
FROM the place of his birth. He was born in
the city of Parma, anno 1504. He learnt
Painting of two of his coufins, and by the vivacity
and readinefs of his wit, in a little while advanced
greatly in the art. The character of Raphael and
Michael Angelo's works, incited him to go to Rome
at twenty years of age. He ftudied the beft things, and

128 A LIVES »/
and particularly Raphael's Painting, with great eai%
neftnefs : he drew feveral pieces which got him re
putation, and the favour of pope Clement VII. He
minded his bufinefs fo ftrenuoufly, that the very
day on which the Spaniards entered Rome, and
pillaged it, the foldiers found Parmegiano working
quietly, as Protogenes was of old at the fiege of
Rhodes. This fecurity furprized the Spaniards who
firft entered his houfe, and they were fo touched
with the beauty of his Painting, that they left him
without doing him any harm; but fome of their
comrades came afterwards, and took away all he
had. Upon this he returned into his own country,
and paffing throughBologna was flopped there a good
While by bufinefs that fell in his way, which having
finifhed, he went to Parma, and painted there very
much. He played well on the lute, and often fpent
more time on it than on his Painting. He was
juftly blamed for giving himfelf over fo much to
chymiftry, that he not only left off his profeffion,
but alfo the care of hisperfon, and became a perfecl
favage. He engraved fome of his defigns in wood
with the claro obfcuro ; and fome he etched, being
the firft that practifed that fort of graving, at leaft
in Italy. He kept one Antonio Frontano, a graver,
in his houfe, who robbed him of all his plates as well
of copper as of wood, and alfo of all his defigns,
which made Parmegiano run almoft mad; though the
beft part of them were recovered. At laft he fo
abandoned himfelf to chymiftry, that he wafted his
time, his money, and his health; and died in a
miferable condition of a diarrhoea, accompanied with
a fever, in the 36th year of his age, anno 1540.

Re*

eminent P A I N T £ R S. 129
Reflections on the works bf PARMEGIANO,
PArmegiano's genius was altogether gay and ele
gant, and though he invented things with eafe,
yet he did not ftrive fo much to fill his compofi-
tions with agreeable objects, as to defign his figures
with a graceful air* and to give them attitudes
which "might fhow the beautiful parts, and infufe life
and action into thd whole. But his-Uriderftanding
being of no great extent, his rntentiye^
every ^p^rricular figure^ leffened very much the
beauty of Jns._expreffion in general. HisThbugSts
wereBelides too common* and we do not find that s
he had penetrated very far into the heart of mart, or ]
underftood the paffions ; however, though the grace j
of his works is but fuperficial, yet it is, neverthelefsj I
farprifing and charming.
His invention was ready : his attitudes were very
graceful, fo were his heads ; and it is vifible that he
endeavoured more to pleafe this way, than by the
juft expreffion of his fubject. He did not confult '
nature much, who is the mother of variety. He
reduced her to a habit which he contracted ; grace- 3
fuL_ it is tr'ue,^but it was his own, and Sunk into
what we call, manner. The Painter, who looks
.upon nature as his object, ought to confider her in
the variety, as well as in the number of her effects ;
and if we forgive him any reiteration in the fame
piece, it muft be only in his defigns, for which
there is no need of confulting nature fo exactly, nor
to take the fame care as in a picture. I know alfo,
that whatever drafts the Painters in their fludies
make after nature, their particular gout confines
them to certain things, which they fall upon infeft-
-fibly ; it cannot be . denied, but Parmegiano has
often reiterated the fame airs, and the fame pro
portion,^ yet his choice is fo fine, that what- has
K pleafed

I3C . The L I V E S of .
pleafed us in any one of his works, will always
pleafe us whereever we meet with it.
His gout of defign is loofe and learned, but has
too much of Idea and manner in it. He affected
to make the extremities of his members delicate,
and fomewhat lean. His attitudes are noble, lively,
and agreeably contrafted. His airs of the head
rather graceful, than of a great gufto. His expref
fions general, and without character. His draperies
light, and well contrafted. It is true the fluff is al
moft always the fame, and the folds are very earelefs,
yet being but a few they give a gout of grandeur
to the parts they cover. They are often loofe and
flowing, which adds a great deal, of motion to his
figures, but the caufe of it is not always juft.
Notwithftanding the vivacity of his wit, and the
agility of his pencil, he drew very few pictures ;
fpending moft of his time in making defigns, and
engraving them upon- plates. The little I have
feen of his Painting, gives me a clear idea of a tole
rable claro obfcuro, but his local colour is very or
dinary and common. It was this Parmegiano, who
by the means of two copper plates found out the
fecret of printing on mezzotinto paper, the black
and white, and thus to give more roundneSs to his
prints. Yet he did not continue the ufe of this in
vention long, it requiring too much care ; befides,
his ordinary prints were fo much valued by every
body, and even by feveral able mafters of Parting,
that he did not think it worth his while to be at the
trouble of making others.

o

PIERINO del VAGA
WAS bom in Tufcany, where he was poorly
bred, and was hardly two years old when
his mother died. His father Was a foldier, arid, his
nurfe a fhe-goat. He came young to Florence,and waS1

eminent P A I N T E R g. \%\
Vas put to a grocer, who ufed to fend him to the
Painters with colours and pencils; He learned of
them, at times, to defign, and ih a little while be
came the moft fkilful of all the young Painters iri
Florence. An Ordinary Painter, whofe name was*
Vaga, took him with him to Rome, and from his
living with him, he was called del Vaga, for his
right name was Buonacorfi. At Rome ne worked
half the week for Painters, and the other half, to
gether with all Sundays and holidays* he fpent in
ftudy and defignirig. He had fomething of every
thing that was good in his compofitions ; fome
times he might have been found among the ruins,
feeking after the antique ornaments, or defigning
the baffo relievos, fometimes in Michael Angelo's
chapel, and fometimes in the halls of the Vatican.
He alfo ftudied anatomy, and other fciences necef
fary to his profeffion. He got fo much knowledge
by his iridilftry* that he was foon known to the beft
mafters ; and Raphael employed him jointly with
Giovanni d'Udine and others,* to help him in the
execution of his defigns. Of all his cotemporary
artifts, none underftood the ornaments and decora
tions of Painting fo well as he, npr more boldly fol
lowed Raphael's gdfto, as is to be feen by the pic
tures in the Vatican lodgings* which were per
formed by him, viz. The paffage of the river Jor
dan; the fall of the walls of Jericho ; the battle in
which Jofhua commanded the Sun to Hand fluT;
our Saviour's nativity, baptifm and laft fupper. Ra
phael's friendfhip for him procured him other con
siderable works in the Vatican, and Pierino fhewed
his gratitude by his particular affection to him ; but
the plague driving him out of Rome, he returned
to Florence, where having painted fome pieces he
weritback to Rente. Raphael being dead, he joined
with Julio Romano, and Francefeo il Fattore* to
¦firiifh the Works'- in the Vatican, which were left
K 2 imper-

132 The LIVES of
imperfect by their mafter : and to confirm their
friendfhip, he married Francefco's fifter in the year
1525; yet they were feparated two years afterwards j
when the Spaniards befieged Rome. Pierino was
taken prifoner, and forced to pay a large fum for
his ranfom. He went to Genoa, where he was
employed by prince Doria to paint a palace which he
was then building. In. this work he made ufe of
cartoons, the convenience of which he difcovered
to one Geronimo Trevifano, a Painter who had
laughed at them, and to others who came to him to
learn the advantage of them. From thence he re
moved to Pifa, intending at his wife's requeft to
fettle there, but after he had drawn fome pictures,
he returned to Genoa, and worked again for prince
Doria: He then went a fecond time to Pifa, and
from thence to Rome, where pope Paul III. and
cardinal Farnefe gave hini fo much work, that he
was forced to commit the execution of it to others,
and content himfelf with making the defigns.
At the fame time the pope fent for Titian to
Rome, which made Pierino fo jealous, and grieved
him fo much, that he did what he could to oblige
turn not to ftay there long, and to haften back to
Venice ; in which he fucceeded. The multiplicity
of Pierino's bufinefs, and his vivacity in his perfor
mances, drained his Spirits in the flower of his age.
At two and forty years old he fpent his time wholly
in vifiting his friends, and lived pleafantly till his
forty-feventh year, when he died of an apoplexy^
anno 1547.
Reflections on the works of PIERINO del
VAGA.
OF all Raphael's difciples, Pierino del Vaga kept
the character of his mafter lorigeft, I mean
his exterior character, and as we fay, his manner of
defigir-

eminent PAINTERS. 133
defigning, for he wanted very much of the finenefs
of Raphael's thinking. He had a particular genius
for the decoration of places, according to their
cuftoms. His invention in this kind of Painting
was very ingenious ; grace and order are every
where to be met with, and his difpofitions, which
are ordinary in his pictures, are wonderful in his
ornaments : fome of them he has made little, and
fome great, and placed them both with fo much
art, that they fet off. one another by comparifon,
and by the contraft. His figures are difpofed and
defigned according to Raphael's gufto ; and if
Raphael gave him, at firft, fome light fketches of
ornaments, as he did to Giovanni d'Udine, he exe
cuted them to admiration, and by the habit he con
tracted, and by the vivacity of his wit, he acquired
in this fort of Painting an univerfal reputation.
The tapeftries of the feven planets in feven pieces,
which Pierino defigned for Diana de Poitiers, and
which are now at monfieur the firft prefident's, is
a fufficient confirmation of what I have faid.
GIOVANNI D'UDINE,
WAS fo called from Udine in Friuli, where
he was born, anno 1496. When he was
very young he went to Venice, and his inclination
leading him to Painting, he put himfelf to Gior-
gione, whofe difciple he was feveral years. From
thence he went to Rome, where Balthazar Cafti-
glioni, fecretary to the duke of Mantua, prefented
him to Raphael. Giovanni d'Udine did figures
very well, yet his mafter-piece was animals, efpe
cially birds, to the ftudy of which he particularly
applied himfelf, and wrote a treatife of the latter.
He carefully examined the antique ornaments, and
took delight in Painting after nature, thofe inani
mate objects that ferve for the decoration of pictures ;
K 3. which

134 the LIVES of
which was the eafieft and readieft way to glory. For
this reafon Raphael ernployed him about the oma^
ments pf his pictures ; efpecially thofe in ftucco,
which he underftood very well. The mufieal in
ftruments in Raphael's picture of St Cecilia at
Bologna, were done by d'Udine ; as alfo all the de
corations of the Paintings of the pope's lodgings,"
and thofe of la Vigne Madame. We are indebted
to him for reviving the art of ftucco, and the way
©f ufirig it. He found out the true matter which
the antients made ufe of in this fort of work, being
a compofition of lime and marble powder, very
fine, which the modern artifts have ever fince put
in practice. He was in hopes that pope Leo X.
who was very well pleafed with his labours, would
have rewarded him, but feeing himfelf difkppointed
by his holinefs's death, he took a diftafte to Painting
and retired td Udine. Some time after he quitted
his profeffion, he had a mind to go to Rome out of
devotion, and though he was difguifed like a pilgrim,
and mingled among the rabble, Vafari meeting him
by chance' at the Pauline gate, knew him, and per-
fuaded him to paint for pope Pius IV. for whom
Giovanni d'Udine afterwards did, the decorations, of
feveral pieces. He loved fports fo well, that he is
thought to have been the inventor of the ftalking-
horfe, which poachers now ufe to come at birds
with: He djed anno 1564, aged threefcore and
ten, and was buried, according to his defire, jn the
Rotunda, near Raphael his mafter.
PELLEGINO da MODENA
WOrked with Raphael's other difciples in the
Paintings pf the Vatican, and made feveral
pictures pf his own at Rome. After his mailer's
death he returned r.o Modena, and followed his bu
finefs with jnduftry and fuccefs. He died of fome
•• wounds

eminent PAINTERS. 135
wounds he received in endeavouring to refcue his
fon, who had committed a murder in one of the
public ftreets of that city.
DOMENICO BECCAF IUMI,
Otherwife called
MICARINO da SIENA,
WA S a peafant's fon, and born in a- village
near Siena. His father's name was Pacio,
and he ufed to call his fon Micarino; His firft em
ployment was keeping of fheep, and it happened
that a citizen of Siena, whofe name was Beccafiumi,
coming by one day as he was fitting by a river, his
flocks grazing about him, obferved. that he drew
figures on the fand with a flick, which gave him a
gopd opinion of him, and he refolVed to improve
the talent which he difcovered in him. He took
him into his Service, and had him taught to defign :
Domeriico's genius affifting him in his fludies, he
foon became a mafter. He at firft copied fome"
pieces of Perugino, arid' then Went to Rome, where
he encreafed iri the knowledge of his art, by ftu
dying Raphael and Michael Angelo's works. Be
lieving he was how able to fland by himfelf, he re
tarded to Siena,, did feveral pictures in oil and dif
temper, and fome confiderable pieces in frefco,
which brought him into credit. But what fupport
ed his reputation a long time, was his work of the
pavement of the great»chureh in Siena. This per
formance was of the kind of claro' obfcuro, and was
done by rheans of two forts of flones, the one white'
for the lights, and the other brown for the fhadows •„
and thefe flones beingthus joined in the dlrrienfiohs,
agreeable to the claro obfcuro of the objects which
were to be reprefented, the artift, by making deep1
holes, and filling them up with black pitch, could4
K 4 draw

136 The LIVES of
draw lines, and give union, rpundnefs, , and force. to
his pictures. One Duccio, a Painter in Siena, in
vented this fort of work in the year 1356 ; but Bec-
cafiumi brought it to perfection. He engraved fe
veral of his defigns in wood, was a good fculptor
and founder, of which he gave fufficient proofs in,
Genoa, whither he went towards the latter end of his
life, and having left many proofs of his induftry
and capacity, died there in the 65th year of his age,
§nno 1549, ', y ,,
BALTHAZAR P ERUZ Z I
OF the fame city of Siena, was famous at the
fame time. He painted- in the palace of
Ghigi, in the churches, and on the frontifpieces of
feveral houfes in Rome. He underftood perfectly
the matherriatics, and architecture, and revived , the
ancient decorations of the ftage, as he fhewed in
the reign of Leo X.
When cardinal Bernardo da Bibiena had the play
called La Callandra, one of the beft Italian dramatic
pieces, reprefented for the; entertainment of the
pope, Balthazar made the fcenes, and adorned them
with fo many places, ftreets, -and feveral forts of
buildings, that they were admired by all the world;
and, indeed, it was he that fhewed the way to all
the engineers and makers of machines that came
after him in his bufinefs. He was employed about
divers things, as well at St Peter's as elfewhere,
and prepared the magnificent ornaments for the
coronation pf pope Clement VII. He had the
misfortune to be at Rome when Charles Vth's army
facked that city. The Soldiers plundered him, ufed
him ill, and to get out of their hands he was forced
to draw the picture of Charles duke of Bourbon,
the imperial general, after he was dead. As foon
as he got his liberty, he took fhipping at port
Hercules,

eminent PAINTERS. 137
Hercules, and went to Siena, whither he came,
after having been robbed by, the way. The citi
zens of Siena fet him ac workto fortify their city,
which he did, and then returned to Rome, where
he drew defigns for fome palaces. He there began
his book of the Antiquities of Rome, and a com
ment on Vitruvius, for which he made the cuts,
according as he proceeded in the work, which death
put a ftop to in the year 1536, being fcarce thirty
fix years of age. It is thought he; was poifoned by
his competitors. Sebaftian Serli had his writiiigs
and defigns, which he made great ufe of in the
treatife of architecture that he publifhed.
MICHAEL ANGELO- BUONAROTl,
SON of Lodovico Buonaroti Simoni, of the an
cient family of the counts of Canofes, was born
in the year 1474, in the caftle of Chiufi, in the ter
ritory of Arezzo in Tufcany, where his father and,
mother then lived. He was put to nurfe in the vil
lage pf Settiniano, a place noted for the refort of
fculptors, of whom his nurfe's hufband was one,
which gave rife to the faying of him, that Michael
Angelo fucked in fculpture with his milk. His vio
lent inclination to defigning, obliged his parents to
place him with DomCnico Ghirlandaio. The pro-
grefs he made raifed the jealoufy of his fellow-dif-
Ciples fo much, that Torrigianp, one of them, gave
him a blow on the nofe, the marks of which he
carried to his grave. He thought the beft way to
be fevenged on him was to overcome him in his pro
feffion, and by his fludies and productions, to put
an end to the competition of his companions, and
acquire the efteem of perfons of the beft quality and
intereft, which he did effectually.
He erected an academy of Painting and fculpture
at Florence, under the protection of Lorenzo de.
Me-

138 The LI VES of
Media's, who was a lover of the fine arts. He was
beftowing his care and application upon it when the
troubles of the hPttfe of Medicis obliged him to
remove to Bologna, from wheriee he went to Ve
nice, and from thence returned in a little while
ro Florence. It" was about this 'time he made ah
image of Cupid* carried it to- Rome, broke off
one of its arms, and buried it, keeping the arm by
him. He buried it in a pi aee which he knew was
to be dug up, andthe Cupid being found, was fold
to. the cardinal of St Gregory for antique : Michael
Arigefo difcovered the fallacy to him, by fhewing
him the arm he hadpreferved for that purpofe^ ¦"-'•
The works he performed at Rome, and Braman-
te's advice, whom Raphael had inftigated to it, put
the pope on Painting, his chapel, and employing Mi
chael Angelo, about it. Michael fent for feveral
Florentine Painters to affift him, among whom were
Graunachio Bugiardirio, and Giiiliano di San Gallb,
the latter underftanding frefco very well, which"
Michael Angelo knew little of. The Painting being
finifhed, moft of the Painters, and particularly Ra
phael's, expectations were'baulked ; for he had never
defired his friend Bramante to procure that em
ployment for his competitor, had he not thought
the talk greater than he could go through with. Bra
mante, as we have faid in the life of Raphael, was
entrufted by Michael Angelo with the key of the
chapel, and an order to let no body whofoever fee
his work: however, he once admitted Raphael, who
found the Paintingto be of fo great a gufto of defign,
that he refolved to make his advantage of it, arid,
indeed, iri the firft picture which Raphael produced
afterwards, and that was the prophet Ifaiah for the
church of St Auftin, Michael Angelo immediately
difcovered Bramante's treachery. This paffage. is"
the greateft praife that can be given to Michael An
gelo's works, and is, at the fame time, a proof' of
Raphael's

eminent PAINTERS. ify
Raphael's love' of his art} that he would make ufe
of what was good, even in the works of his ene
mies, notfo much for his owri glory, as for the glo
ry of his profeffion.
" Upon the death pf JuJiusTI. Michael Angelo
went to Florence, Where he made that admirable*
piece of fculpture, the tomb of the duke of Flo
rence; He was interrupted by the wars, the citi
zens obliging him to work on the fortifications pf
the city ; but forefeeing that their precautions would
be ufelefs, he moved from Florence to Ferrara,
and thence to Venice. The doge Gritti would fain
have entertained him in his fervice, but aU he could
get out of him was a defign of the bridge Rialto ;
for Michael Angelo was an excellent architect, as
one may fee by the palace of Farnefe, by his own,
houfe, and by the capitol, which is an edifice of , a
great gout.
7;-When he returned to Florence, he painted the
fabfe; of Lseda, with Jupiter turned into a fwan,
for the duke of Ferrara, which piece being hot e-
nough efteemed, he fent it by Minio his difciple info
France, together with two boxes of 'defigns, the. beft
and greateft part of his thoughts. Francis I. bought
the Lasda, and put it up at Fontainbleau, and the
defigns were difperfed up and down by the fudden
death of Minio. The amorous paffipn of this Lse-
dawas reprefented ' fo lively, arid folafeivipufly,- that
IriPrifleur de Noyers, minifter of flate, ordered it
fo be burnt out of a fcruple of confidence.
By the command of Paul HI. Michael Angelo
painted his famous' piece of the laft judgment,
which is an inCxhailftible ftore Of fcience, for all
thofe that would dive to the bottom of it. The
defign is of a great gufto. He took an incredible
deal of pains to reach the perfection of his art. He
loved folitude, and ufed to fay, " that Painting
** was jealous, and required the whole Man to her-
" felf."

140 The LIVES of
" felf." Being afked, why he did not marry? he
anfwered, " Painting was his. wife, and .his works
«' his children." Michael Angelo had great ideas,
which he did riot borrow from his mafters : His
ftudying after , the antique* and the -elevation of his
genius infpired him with them. His defigns' were
learned and correct, and the:, gufto, if I may ufe
the phrafe, terrible ; and if fome perfons cannot ,fin4
in them the elegance "of the antique, they muft, ah
low, that his gufto is rich, and that commonnature
in comparifon with it is poor.
Raphael, as we have obServed, was obliged tohim
for the alteration of his manner,, which he learned
at the fight of pope Sixtus's chapel, for before that
he had ftill tpo much of Perugino's -in his compo-,
fitions. There are feveral perfons, whp though they
confefs Michael ' Angelo's thoughts are great,; yet
will not allow them to be natural, arid think they
are fometimes, extravagant- They fay alfo, that
though his defigris are learned, they are overcharg
ed; that he has taken too many licences againft the
rules of perfpective, and that he did not underftand
colouring ; of which we fhall fay more in our reflec
tions on his works. It is enough to let the world
know that this great man was beloved and efteemea
by all the fovereign princes of his time, ahd that he
will be ftill the admiration of pofterity. He died at
Rome, anno 1564,- at 90 years of age. Cofmo di
Medicis ordered his body to be fecretly unburied,
and brought to Florence, where he was interred in
the church of Santa Croce, in which magnificent
obfequies were performed for him,- and his tomb is
to be feen iri marble, confuting of three figures
Painting, Sculpture and Architecture, all of his own
hand,

Re-

eminent P A I -N T E' R S. 141

Reflections on the works of MICH A E L
ANGELO.
MICHAEL ANGELO was one , of the
firft that banifhed the little manner, and the
remainders of the Gothic out of Italy. His genius
was of a vaft extent, and his temper made his gufto
incline to feverity and caprice; yet among his capri
cious imaginations, if there are feme things extra
vagant, there are others fingularly beautiful ; and
bf what kind foever his thoughts were, they were
always great.
The1 critics of that age preferri rig the excellence
of defign to all the other parts of Painting, Mi- 1
chael Angelo ftudied it with iricredible affiduity, \
and arrived to a great knowledge, of that art, as
maybe feen by his pictures and fculptures ; yet he
did not join the purity and elegance of the contours
or out-lines, to his grand gufto, for having made
his observations on the body pf a man, as it is in
its greateft force, he drew the members of his fi
gures too powerful, and, as we fay, loaded his de-
Sign ; not that he neglefted the antique, but he was
not willing to he indebted for his art to any thing
but himfelf. He alfo examined nature, whom he
looked upon as his object more than the antique fta-
toes, which he did riot think fit to copy. He un
derftood perfectly well the knitting of the bones,
the joining of the members, the origin, irifertions
and offices of the mufcles ; and, indeed, he was fo
confcious of his own fkill, that he took too much
Care to let the fpectator fee it ; for he expreft the
parts of the body fo ftrongly, that be feemed to
forget- that there -was afkin above the mufcles which
foftened them : however, he has obferved this m|bre
in jus fculpture, than ih his,. Paintings. . . His

i42 The LIVE S of
His attitudes are,iox_t,he moft part* disagree
able, the airs, of his beads fierce, his draperies no£
open enough, and his expreffions hot very natural }
yeCas wild as his productions are, there is elevatiSn
in his thoughts, and nobknefs in his figure^: w
fhort, thejjrandemieSjn^
SpY.theLm£iajDuie^^ even of
ufe to Raphael, as we have faicl already, to cure
him of that drynefs which he learnt of Pietro Pe-

: rugino

Michael Angelo knew very little of colouring ;
his carnations have too much of the brick-colour
for the lights, and of black for the fhadows ; though
it is not certain whether he coloured his pictures
himfelf, or whether he employed fome Florentine
Painters, whom he fent for to help him in his great
undertakings. The pictures which Fra. Baftiario
drew after Michael Angelo's defigns, are not like
the others ; the colouring is better, and has fomething
of the Venetian gufto. To return tb the defigns of
Michael Angelo, which are the moft valuable part
of his productions, if they are not entirely perfect,
there is fo much' fcience in them, that his works
will contribute a great deal towards making ftur
dents matters, if they have difcernment enough to
ufe them as they ought; neverthelefs it would be
matter of wonder if Michael Angelo's reputation
had lived till now, in cafe his knowledge of fculp
ture, and of civil and military architecture, had
not been more celebrated than his fkill in Painting.

'S'

SEBASTIANO da VENETIA,
commonly called
Frd BASTIANO del PIOMBO,
TOOK his name from an office given him by
pope Clement VII. in the lead-minds. He
was bom at Venice, and Ms firft mafter was Gio
vanni

eminent PA I N-T E R S. 143
yannt Bellino, whom he left on,. account of his age,
to place himfelf with Giorgione, of whom he learnt
a gufto of colouring which he never quitted. He
had got a good reputation at Venice, when.Auguftini
Chigi carried him to Rome, where he applied him
felf to Michael Angelo, who liked him fo well,
that he took extraordinary care to teach him de
fign, that he might juftify the choice Fra. Baftiano
had made of him for his mafter, rather than Ra
phael ; for the Painters of Rome were at that time
divided, fome were for Raphael, and fome for Mi
chael Angelo. -Fra. Baftiano would not only not
make choice of Raphael for his mafter, but he fet
up, for his qompQtitor, to which end he drew the
picture of the transfiguration at the fame time that
Raphael made his for Francis I. In this pi&ure he
reprefents the refurrection of Lazarus. The piece
is at Norbonne.
After Raphael's death, Fra. Baftiano, by his own
merit, and the protection of Michael Angelo, be
came the chief Painter in Rome. Julio Romano
only difputed that title with him. Certain it is,
Fra* Baftiano's. manner was grand, and it is enough
to fay, that his works were like Michael Angelo'^
for the defign, and like Giorgione's for the colour
ing. He was a longtime about his pidtures, which
was the reafon he left many of them imperfect.
There is a very fine one of his, the vifitation of
the Virgin, in the chapel royal at Fontainbleau.
Fra. Baftiano, notwithftanding his preference of
Michael Angelo to, Raphael, quarrelled with the
former, who was angry with him for attempting to
paint a picture in oil, contrary to his opinion. His
mafter faid that fort of Painting was proper for
women, and that frefco was really the work ol a
man. His office in the lead-mines bringing him in
Sufficient tofubfift him handfpmely, and being na-
turaily a lover of eafe, he bent his- thoughts only to

144 '$* LIVES'*/
to make his life eafy, fometimes exercifing himfelf
with poetry, and fometimes with mufic, for he
play'd very well on the lute. He found out the
way of Painting oil upon walls, fo that the colours
fhould not change, which was by a plaifter com
pofed of pitch, maftic and quicklime. He died in
the year 1547, aged 62 years.
DANIELE RICCIARELLI
da VOLTERRA.
THIS laft name, by which he commonly was
called, was given him from the place of his
birth, Volterra in Tufcany. He was difciple firft
to Antony de Verceil, and afterwards to Balthazar
of Siena: but in the end he applied himfelf wholly
to Michael Angelo's manner, who, on feveral occa-
fions, was his protector. His fineft pieces are at
Rome, in the church of the Trinity on the Mount.
He left Painting to follow fculpture, and made the
horfe in brafs which is in palace royale at Paris.
This horfe was intended for the ftatue of Henry II;
but Daniel had not time to finifh it. His extraor
dinary application to his bufinefs, and his melan
choly humour, haftened his death, which put an end
to his labours in the 57th year of his age, anno
1 $66.
FRANCESCO PRIMATICCIQ
WAS of a noble family in Bologna. His
friends perceiving he had a violent inclina
tion to defign, permitted him to go to Mantua,
where he was fix years a difciple to Julio Romano.
He became fo fkilful in that time, that he made
battles in ftucco, and baffo relievo, better than any
of the young Painters of Mantua, who were Julia
Romano's pupils.
He

eminent PAINTERS, 145
He affifted Julio Romano in executing his de
figns, and Francis I. fending to Rome for a man
that underftood pieces in ftucco, Primaticcio was
the perfon chofen for this fervice. The king put
fuch a confidence in him, that he fent him to Rome
in the year 1540, to buy antiques. He brought
back with him one hundred and fourfcore ftatues,
with a great number of bufto's; He had moulds
made by Giacomo Baroccio di Vignola* of the fta
tues of Venus, Laocoon, Commodus* the Tiber*
the Nile* the Cleopatra at Belvidere* and Trajan's
pillar* in order to have them caft in brafs.
After Roffo's death he had the place of fuper-
intendant of the buildings given him* and in a little
time finifhed the gallery which his predeceffor had
begum He brought fo many ftatues of marble and
brafs to Fontainbleau, that it feemed another Rome,
as well for the number of the antiques, as for his
¦own works in Painting and ftucco.- Roger of Bo
logna, Profpero Fontana, Giovanni Battifta, Bagna-*
cavallo, and Nicholas of Modena, were thofe he em
ployed moft under him; The Skill and diligence of
the latter were very extraordinary*
Primaticcio was fo efteemed in France, that no
thing of any confequence was done without him,
that had relation to Painting or building; He di
rected the preparations for all feftivals* turnaments,
and mafquerades. He was made abbot of St Mar
tins at.Trbyes, and lived fo great* that he was re-'
fpected as a courtier, as well as a Painter. He and
Roffo taught the French a good gufto ; for before
their time, what they had done in the arts was very
inconfiderable, and had fomething of the gothic in
it. Primaticcio died in a good old age, having
been favoured and careffed in four reigns.

PEL-

146 The LIVES of
PELLEGINO TIFALD%
Called otherwife
PELEGRINO da BOLOGNA,
WHERE be was born. He was the fan of
an architect of Milan, and had fuch a genius
for the fciences, that of himfelf he defigned feveral
things at Rome and Bologna, and became one of
the beft matters of his time in the arts of Painting
and architecture* both civil and military. He firft
fhewed his capacity at Rome, and acquired a repu
tation there : but whatever fuccefs his works had*
the workman was very unfortunate, either for that
he did not know what price to fet on his pieces, or
that he could never be contented. He was fo cha
grined at his ill fortune, that he would often be
moan it ; and one day pope Gregory XIII. going
©ut at the gate Angelica to take the air, and hap^
pening to leave the common road, heard a- com
plaining voice, which feemed to come from behind
a bufh ; he followed it by little and little, till he
few a man lying on the ground under a hedge. The
pope came up to him, and finding it was Pellegrino,
alked him why he complained So ; " You fee, fays
il Pellegrino, a man in defpair ; I love my profef-
" fion, I fpare no pains to underftand it; I work
" with affiduity, and endeavour to finifh my pieces
*' fo much, that I am never fatisfied vvsth what I
" have done ; yet all my pains is to no purpofe, I
*' am fo little rewarded for it, I have fcarce where-
" withal to live. Not being able therefore to bear
" this hard hap,. I wandered hither with a full refo-
** lution to ftrave myfelf rather than endure fo great
" mifery any longer." The pope chid him feverely,
and having at length brought him to himfelf, pro-
mifed

eminent PAINTERS. 147
mifed him hisaffiftance in all things. And Paint
ing not turning to account with him, his holinefs
advifed him to apply himfelf to architecture, in which
he had already fhewn his fkill, giving him affurances
he would employ him in his buildings. Pellegrino
followed his advice, and became a great architect,
a great engineer, and built feveral flately palaces
which might have contented him, had he been more
out of lpve with the world than he was.
Returning into his own country, cardinal Borro-
meo fent for him to Pavia, where he built the palace
da Sapienza, and was chofen by the citizens of Mi
lan to be fuperintendant of the building they were
about to add to their cathedral church. From
thence Philip II. invited him into Spain, to direct
the Painting and architecture of the Efcurial. He
painted very much there, and fo pleafed the king,
that he gave him one hundred thoufand crowns,
and honoured him with the title of marquifs.. Pel
legrino, foaden with riches and honour, returned to
Milan, aijd died there in the beginning of the pon
tificate of Clement VIII. being about threefcore and
ten years old.
FRANCESCO SALVIATI,
A Florentine, was at firft a difciple of Andrea del
Sarto, iri whofe houfe he became acquainted
with Vafari, who was alfo Andrea del Sarto's dif
ciple. They both of them left Andrea to place
themfelves with Bapcio Bandinelli, where they learnt
more in two months, than they had done before in
two years. Francefeo being grown a mafter, car
dinal Salviati took him into his fervice, and it is on
that account that he had the name of Salviati given
him. His manner of defigning came very near
Raphael's, and he performed well in frefco, diftem
per and oil. He went to Paris in the year 1554,
L 2 and

148 The LIVES of
and did feveral things for the cardinal of Lorrain,
who was not over well pleafed with them, which.
difgufted Salviati as much as the favour and reputa- ,
tion of Roffo, at whofe works he had, it feems,
railed plentifully, when fearing the confequences, of
it, he returned to Italy, where having finifhed fe
veral pictures at Rome, Florence and Venice, his
reftlefs, fplenetic, inconftant humour threw him into
a diftemper, of which he died in the 53d year of.
his age, anno 1563.
TADDEO ZUCCHERO,
BORN at Agnolo in Vado, in the dutchy of
Urbin, was the fon of an ordinary Painter,
who knowing his own weaknefs, and preferring the
reputation of his fon to his own profit, at fourteen
years old, carried him to Rome, to learn of the beft
Painters. But he was ill recommended; for he
placed him with Giovanni Pietro Calabro, whofe
wife almoft ftarved Taddeo, and by her covetouf-
nefs, forced him to look out for another mafter.
However, he went to no other, contenting himfelf
with ftudying Raphael's works, and the antique
fculptures, which, added to his own genius, foon
rendered him a mafter of his art. He w*as eafy,*
, abounding, and graceful in every thing he did, and
tempered the vivacity of his wit by great prudence.
He never worked out of Italy, living moft part of
his time in Rome and Capraiola, where he left
many things unfinifhed, being taken away in his
prime, the 37th year of his age, anno 1566. His
brother Frederic perfected his pieces after his death.

G FOR-

eminent PAINTERS. 149
GIORGIO VASARI,
BORN at Arezzo in Tufcany •, was at. firft a dif
ciple of William of Marfeilles, who painted
upon glafs, afterwards of Andrea del Sarto, and at
laft of Michael Angelo. One cannot fay of him as
of fome other Painters, that he was hurried on to
Painting by a violent inclination, for it is moft like
ly that he made choice of that profeffion, through
good fenfe and reflection, which led him to it more
than his genius. When the troubles of Florence
where over, he returned into his own country, where
he found his father and mother dead of the plague,
and two brothers and three fitters left upon him,
whom he was forced to maintain by the profits of
his labour. He painted in frefeo. in the towns
about Florence; but fearing he fhould not get
enough by Painting to maintain his family, he quit
ted his profeffion and turned goldfmith, which was
no more beneficial to himthan his own art,
For this reafon he again applied himfelf to Paint
ing, with an earneft defire to become a mafter. He
was indefatigably diligent in defigning the antique
fculptures, and ftudying the beft pieces of the moft
noted matters ; and though he very much improved
his defign, by copying entirely Michael Angelo's
phapel, yet he joined with Salviati, in defigning all
Raphael's and Balthazar da Siena's works. And
not thinking the day-time enough for him, he fpent
a, good part of the night in copying what he and
Salviati had defigned. He thought, after all this
pains and care,' he was qualified tq undertake any
things and to perform it with fuccefs. He did not
mind colouring, having no, trueidea Qf it; and though
he was an artful defigner, his works were never in
. the reputation he expected they would be, which
.proceeded from his ,pot underftanding colours, or
L 3 neglecting

i£o The LIVES of
neglecting the foftnefs of the pencil. But his great
ufe of defigning made it very eafy to him, and by
this means his performances were very numerous.
He was a good architect, and underftood ornaments
very well. The wotfks which he fiftifhed at Flo
rence, as well in Architecture as Painting* prdWfgd
him the favour of the houfe of Medlcis* by wflidh,
he got money, arid married off two pf his lifters.
He was a very moral man* and had fuch polite qua
lities, as acquired him the efteerri of perfons Of the
higheft rank. The cardinal Of Medicis was his par
ticular patron, and engaged him to Write the lives
of the Painters, Which he publifhed at Florence fn
three volumes* about the year 1551, a work, in the
opinion of Hannibal CarP* written With great ex
actnefs and judgment. He is taxed with flattering
the mafters of his own country, the Florentine Pain
ters. But be it as it will, Painting is indebted fo
him for an eternal monument, in having trahfrHitMl
to poftefity the memory of fo many fkilful men,
whofe nafhes wdiild have been forgotten had he
not taken fuch pains to eternize them. Befides his
lives of the Painters, he publifhed reflections on his
own pictured, of which the chief ate at Rome* Flo
rence arid Bologna. He died at Florence in the
year 1578, being fixty four years old. His B©dy
was carried to Arezzo, where he was buried in a
chapel adorned with architecture* Which he had
built in his life- time.
F REDE RICO ZUCCHERO
WAS born iri the dutchy of Urbin, in a village
called Agriolo in Vado. His parents car
ried him to the jubilee at Rome, iri the year 1556,
and put him to his brother Taddeo, whb was then
brie bf the moft famous Paihtets in Italy. Frede-
rico, not liking his brother's corrections* and finding he

eminent PAINTERS. 151
he was ftrong enough in his art to ftand by himfelf,
fet up for a mafter Painter. They both did a great
dealofwork atCapraiola, and Frederico finifhed the
pieces which his brother, who died in his thirty-fe-
venth year, had left imperfect. Pope Gregory XIII.
employed him about his Paintings, in whofe fervice
having a difference with fome of his holinefs's offi
cers, to be revenged on them, he drew the picture
of flander, engraved afterwards by Cornelius Cort,
wherein .he reprefented all thofe that had offended
him, with affes ears. He expofed it publickly over
the door of St Luke's church, on St Luke's day,
and left Rome to avoid the pope's wrath. He
worked in France for the cardinal of Lorrain, and
in the Efcurial for Philip II. without giving content
to either the pne or the other. He was more for
tunate in England, where he drew the picture of
queen Elizabeth, and did fome others pieces that
were very much commended. At laft, returning
into Italy, and having worked fome time at Venice,
pope Gregory recalled and pardoned him. Soon
after, making his advantage of the pope's protection,
he fet up the Academy of Painting, for which his
Jiolinefs had given him a brief. He was chofen
Prince of the Painters, and out of love to his art,
was at the charge of building a. hpufe for them to
meet in. He went afterwards to Venice, to print
fome books he had written on Painting. From
thence he paft on to Savoy, and in a journey to
Loretto, died at Ancona, at 63 years of age, anno
1002.
RAPHAEL da RHEGIO
WA S the fon of a peafant, who put him to,
look after his geefe ; but he ran. away from
his father, and went to Rome, where he followed
the motions of the extraordinary genius he had for
L 4 Painting,

152 The L I V E S of
Painting, and placed himfelf with Frederico Zuc-
phero, under whofe difcipline he was fcarce a year
before he made fuch a wonderful progrefs in his art,
that he was almoft equal to his mafter. He did fer
yeral fine things in the Vatican, at Santa. Maria
Magiore, and other places of Rome. He was fair
and handfome ; and it is faid, that falling in love
with a young women, his paffion was fo violent, that
it killed him. He had a companion whofe name
was Paris, whofe affifted him in his works.
R I C HA R D,
A Native of La Breffo, was qne of the Painters
whom Raphael employed under him in the
Vatican, and who was not much talked of for any
thing elfe. Having on a time made a picture for
the Florentines church, wherein he reprefented Ponr
tius Pilate fhewing JeSus Chriftto the people, he
afked of Raphael, which of the heads he liked beft,
fuppofing he would have anfwered that of Chrift;
but Raphael replied, it was one that was in the
hindmoft part of the picture; by which he meant,
that all his expreffions were not proper to the fubject
he reprefented, though his heads were otherwife
good.
FREDERICO BAROCCh
BO R N at Urbin, went to Rome in his youth,
where he painted feveral things in frefco for
pope Paul III, and then returned to Urbin, living
there the reft of his days. He was one of the moft
graceful, judicious and fkilful Painters that ever
was. He drew a vaft number of portraits and
hiftory pieces, and his genius was particularly for
religious fubjects. One may in his works perceive
a. great inclination tpwards Corregio's manner;
arid though he defigned more correctly, his out-lines
are not of fo grand a. gufto, nor fo natural as Cor-
regio's.

eminent PAINTERS. 153
regip's, .He expreft the parts pf the body too
much, and defigned the feet of a child after the fame
manner as he would have dpne thofe of a map. He
madehi$ firft drawings generally .in paftello, and
with the fame ftile that he drew his pi&ures.
He drew his Madonna's, after a fifter of his, and
the Infant Chrift after a child of hers. He etched
feveral of his pieces himfelf, and died at Urbin in
the year ;6i2, at 84 years of age, Vanni was his
^ifciple,
FRANCESCO VANNI
OF Siena, was difciple, and not inferior to
Barocci. He had an extraordinary talent for
religious fubjects, and died in the 47th year of his
age, anno 161 5.
G I 0 $ E P P I N 0,
SO called, by contraction, from Giofeppe d'Ar-
pinp, a caftle of that name in the kingdom of
Naples, where he was born in the year 1570* His
father, Murio Polidoro, was fo ordinary a Painter
that he had nothing to do but to paint ex voto's
pf the village for, the country people. Giofeppino
.went to Rome, where he learnt a light and agreeable
manner of defign jng, which in practice degenerated
into fomething that neither bordered on the an
tique, nor on refined nature. Having a great deal of
wit and genius, he became in favoqr with the popes
and cardinals, from whom he had bufinefs enough.
But he had a warm competitor in Caravagio, whofe
manner was quite oppofite to his. His battles, in
the capitol, are the moft efteemed, of al} his pieces,
In his other pictpres he is fuperficial, and has not
dived to the bottom of his art. He died iri the year
1 640, at fqurfcore years of age. Moft of the Pain
ters of his time followed his manner, the reft imi
tated Caravagio's,
P A-

j54 ft LIVES «/
PAS CHA L I NO della MA RCA,
IS only named here, becaufe he made fuch a pro-*
grefs in Painting in one year, that he is looked
upon as a prodigy. There are fome of his pic
tures in the Carth'ufian church hear Dioclefian's,
baths. The example of this man may encourage thofe
who, though advanced in years, yet find they have
genius, right underftanding, and health enough to,
run the race of Painting in a little time.
PIETROTESTA,
A Native of Sacca, was, from his youth, car
ried away by a violent inclination to defign,
The renown of the Roman Painters tempted him to,
vifit Rome : he went thither in a pilgrim's habit,
arid not being welt enough rverfed in the profeflloa
he was defirous to fellow, he lived miferable to the
laft degree, fpending his time in defigning the ruins,
ftatues and pictures at Rome. Sandrart cells us, tha?
meeting him one day defigning the ruins about
Rome in a wretched condition, having fcarce where*-
withal to cover his nakednefs, he took pity of him,
carried him to his houfe, clpathed him, fed him,
and employed him to defign feveral things in the
gallery of Juftiniano; after which he recommended
him to other matters, who fet him to work. He
was fitch a man-hater, and fo wild, that Sandrart
could hardly have any of his company. He had
defigned the antiques fo often, that -he had them by
heart ; but his genius- was fo fiery and licentious,
that all the pains he took ferved him to little pur
ple, and the trouble he gave himfelf about his pic
tures fucceeded as ill, as may be Seen by the few
pieces that are left of his, by the little Value that is
let on them through his bad colouring* and the hard- nefs

eminent PAINTERS. 1^5
fteft of his pencil. Indeed he was only commen
dable for his defigns and print's, of which he en
graved . part himfelf 1 part was done by Cefife
Tefta, and the reft by other gravers. There is a
great deal of faney, gaity and practice in them,
but little intelligence of the claro obfcuro, little
reafon, and little juftnefs. Being on the banks df
the Tiber defigning a proipect, the wind blew off
his hat into the river, arid a§ he was endeavouring
to regain it* he accidentally fell in, and was drowned
about the year 1648.
PIETRO BE RETT INI,
OF Cortona in Tufcany* was bred up in the
houfe of Sachetti at Rome* and proved to be
one of the moft agreeable Painters that ever was.
His genius was fruitful-, his thoughts full of flowers
and graces, ahd his execution eafy. His talent being
for grand tompofitions, and his imagination lively,
he could not put that ebriftraint upon himfelf as to
finifh a picture entirely ; for which reafon* his little
pieces* When they ate examined nearly, feem to
want very much of the merit of his great produc
tions. He was not correct in his defigns, expreflive in
the paffions, or regular in the folds of his drapery,
but every where amannerift: yet there is gran
deur, noblenefs and grace in all his works ; not that
grace which was the portion of Raphael and Cor-
regio, which touches the minds of men of fenfe to
the quick. His was a general grace that pleafed
every body, and that confifted rather in a habit of
making the airs of his heads always agreeable, than
in a lingular choice of expreffions fuitable to each
fubject ; for, as I have faid, he did not care to look
back upon what he had done, nor to enter into a
petail of each thing in his pieces. He endeavoured onty

156 ft LIVES «/
only td make them fine all together, and was highly
applauded for the magnificence of his works in the
churches and palaces of Rome and Florence. He
has given undoubted proofs, of his capacity in the
new church of the fathers of the oratory at Rome,
in the palaces ofBarberini and Pamphilio, and in
other places.
There was nothing ill in his colouring, efpeciatty
his carnations, which would have been better had
they been more varied, and more ftudied. As for
his local colours, he never went out of the Roman
fchool, but in giving them a union among them
felves, and that agreement which the Italians call
Uagezza. The ornaments of his works were ad
mirable, his landfkips of a good gufto, and he un
derftood Painting in frefco better than any ¦ one
who went before him.
His temper was mild, his converfation agreeable,
and his manners fincere. He was charitable, offi
cious, a good friend, and fpoke well of every body.
He was fo laborious, that the gout, with which he
was very much, troubled, could not hinder his
Painting; but his fedentary life* and too much ap
plication to his bufinefs, increafed the diftemper fo
far, that it killed him in the 6.0th year of his age,
anno 1669.

T II E

eminent PAINTERS.

*S7

-alill^

m

THE
L
I
V
E
s
O F T H E
V
E
iV
E T
I ^
N
PAINTERS.
 BOOK IV. 
GIACOMO BELLINO,
j F Venice, was difciple of Gentile Fabri-
ano, and competitor with that Dome-
nico, who was affaffinated by Andrea del
Caftagno. He is not fo famous by his
works, as by the good education which
he gave to his two fons Gentile and
Giovanni Bellino, who were the fouriders of the
Venetian fchool. He died about the year 1 704.
GENTILE BELLINO,
OF Venice^ eldeft fon of Giacomo, of whom we
have been fpeaking, was the moft fkilful of
all the Venetian Painters, his cotemporaries. Gen tile
r58 The L I V E S of
tile painted the hall of the great council* and did
fome other pieces at Venice* moft part of them hi
diftemper, for Painting in oil was not then much in
ufe. Mahomet II. emperor of the Turks, having
feen one of his pictures, mightily admired it, and
defired to entertain the author in his fervice. He
wrote to the fenate for him, and they accordingly
fent him to Conftantinople, where Gentile was very
well received by the Grand Signior- He painted
Several things for his highnefs, which were extremely
liked, efpecially his portraits ; and as the Turks
have a great veneration for St John Baptift, Gen
tile painted the decollation, and fhewed it to the
emperor to have his approbation of it.' but the
grand fignior found fault that the fkin of the neck,
which was feparated from the body, was too high*
and to convince him that his critjicifm was juft, he
ordered a flave to be brought to him, and com
manded his head to be immediately ftruck off in
the prefence of Bellino, that he might fee, that pre-
fently after the head is feparated from the body,
the fkin of the neck fhrinks back. The Painter
was fo frighted at this demonftration, that he could
not be at reft while he was at Conftantinople ; where
fore inventing feme exeufe* he defired teaye to rec
tum home, which the emperpr granted. The Grand
Signior made him feveral noble prefents, put a gold
chain about his neck, wrote recommendatory let
ters to the fenate in his favour, and on this account
he had the order of St Mark conferred on him, with
a eonfiderable penfion for life. He died at four-
fcore years of age, anno i$oi.
GIOVANNI BELLINO,
GEnrile's brother and difciple, laid the foun
dation of the Venetian fchool by the ufe of
oil, and the care he took to paint every thing after
nature.

eminent PAINTERS, 159
nature. There are feveral of his pieces to be feen
at Venice ' his laft work was a bacchanal for
Alphonfo I. duke of Ferrara ; but dying before he
had finifhed it, Titian did it for Mm* and added a
fine landfkip to it. As fkilful as this his difciple
was, he had fuch a refpect for his mafter, that to
give him all the glory of the picture, he wrote on
it thefe words t JOHANNES BEL LINUS
MCCCCCXIV. •Giorgione was his difciple at the fame time with
Titian. Bellino died in the year 151 2, aged 90
years. His and his brother's portraits are in the
king's cabinet.
Reflections on fhe Works of G IOVANNI
BELLINO.
GIOVANNI and Gentile Bellino had an ill
gufto indejigning, and painted very driiyj
but GiovanrTTh^aving learnt the fecret of Painting m
oil, managed his pencil with more foftnefs, and though
there appears a great deal of drinefs in his produc
tions, yet he did better than his predeceffors of the
profeffion, and deferved to be diftinguifhed from
them, not only becaufe he tranfmitted freely to the
Painters that fucceeded him, the ufe of oil in
Painting, but alfo becaufe he was the firft who en
deavoured to join union to the vivacity of colours,
the latter being till his time the greateft part ofthe
merit of the Venetian Painters ; but in Giovanni's
we fee .at once a. prppriety^of cpjburj^nd_^
ginning of an harmony, which was enough to rouze
the taient of Giorgione, fo famous for his colour
ing. The wonderfulprogrefs of this difciple, as well
as Titian, opened even the eyes of their .mafter :
for Bellino's manner, in his firft pieces, was too
dry,

i6o The LIVES of
dry, arid that of his latter pictures is good enpughy
both for defign and colouring, for which they are
admitted into the cabinets of the curious; and there
are fome at Vienna* among the emperor's collec
tions, which have fomething of the boldnefs of
Giorgione's lights and colouring.
The gufto of Bellino's defigns is a little gothic :
his attitudes are not well chofen, but the airs of his
heads are noble.
There are no lively expreffions in his pieces, and
the fubjects of which he treated, being, for the-
moft part Madonna's, gave him no oecafioii for
them. However, he did his utmoft to copy nature
exactly, and finifhed his pictures fo fervilely, that
he had not time to apply himfelf to give them a
great character.
\ The D 0 S S 04s
OF Ferrara, made themfelves famous by the
good gufto of their colouring, and efpecially
by theirtandfkips* which are very'fine. Alphonfo,-
duke of Ferrara* employed them very much, and
honoured them with his favour. They were not fo'
happy in the Court of Francefeo Maria, duke of
Urbin, who fet them to work in frefco in the new
palace, which the architect Genga had built for
him; but that pririce riot being fatisfied with their
Painting, deftroyed it. It is true it deferved the
leaft commendation of all their productions, what
ever care they took about it; fo certain it is, that
let a man be at never fo much pains in the execu
tion of his work* he fhall not fucceed, if the firft
Conception of it was bad.- They kept up their re
putation* notwithftanding this difgrace, and pro*
duced feveral beautiful pieces. The elder of them
being grown old, and his eyes bad, was not fit for
bufinefs, wherefore the duke of Ferrara allowed him

eminent PAINTERS. 161
a penfion for his fubfiftance. He died at a great
age," and his younger brother, whofe name was Bat-
tifta, furviving him, performed many good pieces
after the death of his elder brother.
GIORGIONE,
SO called by reafon of his courage and noble af-
pect, was born at Caftel-Franco, in Trevifano*
a province in the ftate of Venice, anno 1478, and
though he was butjofjndiffgrent jparentage, yet he
fiacT a great^ ibuir^FIe waJ^Ilant, loved mufic,
fiacT*ih agreeable voice, and played well on feveral
inftruments. At firft he applied, himfelf induftri
oufly to defign the works of Le^riarjdaiaVinci, and
then placed himfelf with Gipvaprii.Beliinp to learn
to paint. But his genius having formed a gufto
Superior to that of his mafter . Giovanni, he cultir
vated it by the fight and ftudy of nature, whom
he afterwards faithfully imitated in all his produc
tions. Titian was extremely pleafed with his bold
and terrible gufto, and intending to make his ad
vantage of it, frequently vifited him, under pre
tence' of keeping up the friendfhip they had con
tracted at their mafter Bellino's. But Giorgione be
ing jealous of the new manner he had found out,
contrived an excufe to forbid Titian his houfe as
handfomely as he could ; upon which Titian became.
his rival in his art, and was fo careful to copy the
life exactly, that by his care and reflections he ex
celled Giorgione, in difcoyering the delicacies pf
nature: however, Giorgione was ftllf in reputation
for a gufto to which no body had hitherto arrived.
The moft part of his performances are at Venice ;
and having painted very much in Srefco, and not
living long enough to do many other pictures, his.
cabinet pieces are extremely rare. He died in the
year 151 1, when he was fcarce 32 years of age.
M Reflec-

r6z rThe LIVES of
Reflections on the works of GIORG IO NE.
GIORGIONE being but thirty two years
old when he died, and having done few grand
compofitions, one cannot well judge of the great-
nefs of his genius. The beft of his performances is
at Venice, on the front of the houfe wherein the
German merchants have their meetings, on that
fide which looks -towards the grarid canal. He did
this piece of Painting in competition with Titian,
who painted another fide of that building : but bodi
of thefe two pieces being almoft entirely ruined by
age, it is difficult to make a right judgement of
them, or of Giorgione's taleirt by .that performanee>,
fo we mUft reft fatisfied with a'few eafel-pieces, -and
fome portraits that he drew. Every man painting
himfelf in what kind of picture foever he employs
his pencil about, we may perceive by thofe of Gior
gione, that he had a facilityof underftanding, and
a vivacity of imagination.
/ His gufto of defign is delicate, and has fomething
! in it like the..jfcpniin^Jfchpo.^ though it is not So
I much expreffed as is neceffary for the perfect^h of
j his art, he always being more careful to give a
j roundnefs to his 'figures, than to rnake them correct.
His gufto was - grand, picquanty and his hand
eafy. He_was the firft who found out the admi
rable effefts of ftrong fights" and fhadows, and made
ufe of bold colours ; andit is a matter of wonder to
confider how, all of a hidden, he foared from the low
manner of : Bellino' s colouring, - to the fupreme
height to which he raifed colours in his art, by join
ing an extreme force'with an extreftie fweetnefs.
He underftood the claro obfcuro very well, and
the harmony of the tout inferrible, or the whole- to
gether of a picture. - For his carnations he ufed four
capital colours only, the judicious' mixture of -which made

eminent PAINTERS. 163
made all the differences of ages and fexes in his
pieces. , But in thefe four colours we ought not to.
comprehend either the white, which ferves inftead
of light, nor the black, which is the privation of it.
It appears by his works, that the principles of the
art which he had found out, were fimple ; that he
was perfect mafter of them ; and that his greateft
artifice was to fhew the value of things by compa
rifon. The guft of his landfkips is exquifite, both for
the colours and the oppofitions ; and befides giving
a force to his colours unknown before his time, he
had a way to keep them frefh, efpecially his greens.
Titian obferving to what degree of elevation Gior
gione had carried his art, thought he had paffed
beyond the bounds of truth, and though he imitated,
in fome things, the boldnefs of his colouring, yet,
as one may fay, he tamed the fiercenefs of his co
lours, which were too favage. He tempered them
by the variety of tints, to the end that he might
render his objects the more natural, and the more
palpable : but notwithftanding all his efforts to excel
his rival, Giorgione ftill maintained his poft, of
which rib body has hitherto been able to difpoffefs
him; arid it is certain, that if Titian has made feve
ral Painters good colourifts, Giorgione firft fhewed
them the way to be fo.
TIT 1 A NO VECELLI
WA S born at Cadore, in Friuli, a province in
the flate pf Venice, anno 1477. He, was of
noble extraction, being defcended from the ancient
family of the Vecelli. At about ten years old his
parents fent him to one of his uncles that lived at
Venice, who taking notice of his inclination to Paint
ing, put him to Giovanni Bellino. He ftudied
mpflly after nature, whom he copied fervilely,
M 2 " with-

164 The LIVES of
without adding to her, or taking from her : but in
the year 1507, obferving the great effect of Giorgi-:
one's works, he followed his rnanrier fo far, that
without making lines, he imitated theliving beau
ties of nature, whom" he looked on with other eyes
than before, arid ftudied her with extraordinary ap
plication : yet this did-- hot hinder his defigning
carefully at ptlier times, by which he alfo became
an able_defigner. (i- "" .
"Giorgione perceiving what progrefs Titian had
made in his profeffion, by following his manner,
broke off all correfpondence with him, and ever
after they were profeffed rivals : their jealoufy of
each other lafted till death took off Giorgione at
thirty two years of age, and left the. flage clear to
Titian. In his eight and twentieth year he publifh
ed his print of the Triumph of Faith in wood ;
wherein are reprefented the patriarchs, the prophets,
the apoftles, the evangelifts and martyrs. This
piece gave vaft hopes of him, and it was faid upon
it, that if he had feen the antiquities he would have
furpaffed Raphael and Michael Angelo.
He painted a portico at Viceriza in frefco, repre-
fenting the hiftory of Solorrion. He painted alfo
the palace of Grimani at Venice, and fome paffages
of the ftory of St Anthony at Padua. The three
bacchanals, which are in the cuftody of cardinal Al-
dobrandino, were drawn for. the .duke of Ferrara.
She of the three bacchanals," that has a naked' wo
man afleep near her on the fore-part of the pi&ure,
was begun by Giovanni Beljirio. When Titian
painted thefe three bacchanals, 'his miftrefs 'Violenta
ferved him for a model. Befides this, he drew the
portraits of the duke Alphonfo, and his dutchefs,
which were graved by Giles Sadder.
In the year 1546, cardinal Farnefe fent for 'him
to Rome, to draw the pope's picture. He made
fome other pictures and pieces of Painting, which were

eminent .PAINTER S. 165
were admired by Michael Angelo, and Vafari, who
fays he pitied the Venetian painters, in that they
minded . defigning. no more than they did. Titian
performed a great number of pieces, both public
and private, as well in oil as in frefco ; befides an in-
.nurnerable quantity of portraits. He drew the em
peror Charles V's - picture three times; and that.
moharch. ufed to fay on this occafion, " that he had
" thrice been made immortal by the hands of Ti-
" tian.",. To reward him, he knighted him, cre
ated him a count palatine, and affigned him a con-
fiderable penfion. Henry III. coming from Poland ,
to France, couldnotgo through Venice, without vi-
fi ting Titian ; and all the poets of his time fung
his praifes. His eafel-pieces are fcattered up and
down throughout Europe. The fineft of them are
at Venice, in France and Spain. There never was
a Painter who lived fo long as Titian, nor fo eafily
and happily, excepting only his jealoufy of Porde
none, which neverthelefs turned to his advantage.
He was univerfally belpved and efteemed ; and, full
pf years, honours and wealth, he died at laft of the
plague, anno 1576, being fourfcore. arid nineteen
years of age.
He had a great many difciples ; the chief of them
were his brother Francefeo Vecelli, his fon Horatio
Vecelli, Tintoret, and other Venetians; befides
whom he had three Flemifh difciples, that he valu
ed, viz. John Calcar, Diteric Barent, and LaniberC
Zuftrus* who all died young.
Reflections on the works of TITIAN.
T Hough Titian's genius was not^nlhant and
lofty, it was, however, fruitful enough to treat
of great fubjects of all kinds. There jigxe*"-wa9~a
more unjyerJ&JLPjainjej;, nor one~who knew better
fiowtogive each object its true character. He was
M 3 bred

166 The LIVES of
bred up in the fchool of Giovanni Bellino, where his
education, his frequenting Giorgione's company,
his refolute ftudy of nature for ten years together-,
and above all, the Solidity of his underftanding and
reflections, difcovered to him the myfteries pf his
art, and made him penetrate farther than any other
Painter into the effence of Painting. IfGiorgiohe
fhewed him the end that he ought tb aim at, he laid
the way fo it on a folid bafis, wherein all that 'have
followed him have acquired efteem, and are indebt
ed to him for their fcience and reputation. Had
there never been a Titian, there had never been a
i Baffan, a Tintoret, a Paolo Veronefe, nor abundance
! of Painters, who have given glorious marks of their
"capacity, in all parts of chriftendom.
Yet, though Titian was very faithful in his imita-
j tion of nature, he wanted. fidelity .iaJusjeprJEfejnta-
' tjons of hiftory ; having hardly done any thing of
¦that kind, wherein he has not committed fome fault
•or other.
There is not, it is true, miich fire in his difpbfi-
tions, yet they are well filled and very regular. He
was very exact in giving thofe attitudes to his fi
gures, which might fhew the moft beautiful parts of
the body.
He was fo careful to have the whole-together of
his pieces judicioufly concerted, that he often re
peated them, to fave himfelf the trouble of think
ing again. Thus there are feveral Magdalens of his,
feveral Venus and Adonis's, wherein he has only
changed the Ground, to have it believed that they
were all originals. We may fuppofe that he was
helped fometimes by his difciples, efpecially the three
Flamands, who were excellent Painters, and of
whom Diteric Barent was his favourite. After thefe
difciples had done their beft to make their copies
like the orignials, and their mafter had touched
them over again with frefh views, why fliould not
they

eminent PAINTERS. 167
tfseybe valued as much as if they had been all of
Titian's hand? and why are hot the copies as efti-
mabte as the originals ? Titian formed his guft. pf
defignirig after nature; He ^FdJ aTTolycletus of
old, Search after what was fine in her; and he fuc-
ceeded~m^'pfnen arid children. He defigned them.
With a dfelicate gUfto. He imprinted on them a no
ble air, "accompanied with a certain pleafing negli
gence of- the head-dreffes, the draperies and orna
ments of habits, that are wholly peculiar to him.
He was not fo happy in the figures of men, which
he did not always defign with correctnefs or elegance.
However, in this he did like Michael Angelo. He
propofed in his guft of defigning them, to imitate
nature in her greateft vigour, arid made the mufcle-
ing ftrong, to give the greater character to his
figures. The difference between him and Michael
Angelo, is, the latter was more profound in his de
figns, and mingled a fenfible expreffion of the muf
cles, with a guft of the antique ; whereas Titian neg
lected the antique, and in his works rather increaf-
ed than diminifhed the tendernefs of nature, whom
he only imitated.
There is no exaggeration in his attitudes ; they
are fimple and natural ; and in his heads he feems
to bufy himfelf rather in a faithful imitation of ex
terior nature, if 1 may be allowed the phrafe, thari
in a lively expreffion of the paffions.
His draperies are fometimes mean, and favour of
a little gufto; and if he has imitated the ftuffs per
fectly, he has often difpofed of them ill. The folds
feem rather to fall by chance, than to be fet by
a good order and a good principle of art. All the
Painters allow, that none of their profeffion ever
came up to Titian, for landfkips, his figures are
compofed of few objects, but thofe are admirably
well chofen, the forms of his trees are varied, their
touches light,, mellow, and without manner.. But
M 4 h&

168 'The LIVES of
he carefully obferves in all his landfkips, to fhew
fome extraordinary effect of nature* and moves one
by its fenfiblenefs, fingularity and: truth. His co
louring in all parts of it is wonderful ; and though he,
is not quite fo bold in it as Giorgione, he-, is more
exact and more delicate. He was very faithful in,
his local colours, and placed them always fo, as to
raife the merit of one object, by comparing ft with
another ; and thus he, in fome meafure, by the
force of his art, fupplied the defect of colours,
which of themfelves cannot anfwer to all the effects
of nature. The truth that is to be found in his lo
cal colours is fo great, that they leave no idea of the
colours which are on the pallet, and when we look
on his pieces, we ought not to fay his carnations
are made of fuch and fuch colours, but rather that
they are really flefb, and that his draperies are the
real fluff: fo nicely does every thing maintain its
character, and not one pf the colours in the compo^
fition of them all is to be diftinguifhed from the
other. We cannot deny but that Titian underftood the
claro obfcuro, and when he did not fhew it by
groups of light and fhadows, he .did it fufficiently
by the nature of the colours of his draperies, and the
diftribution of his objects, whofe natural colour al
ways agreed with the place where it was laid, wheT
ther forward or backward, or wherever he thought
it moft advantageous to place it.
His oppofitions are at once bold and fweet, and
he learnt of nature the harmony of the colours, ra
ther than from the participation of the claro and
the brown, as Paolo Veronefe did.
He finifhed his pieces extremely, and had no very
particular manner in the managing of his pencil, be-i
caufe his ftudies, and the care he took to, temper one
colour by another, took away the appearance of a
free hand, though his hand was really free. It is cerT
tain

eminent ¦ PAINTERS. 169
tain the fenfible marks of that freedom have their
merit; they are gay and pleafant to the fight, when
they are the refult, of a refined habit, and a warm
imagination. But there are in Titian's works fuch.
lively touches, So : agreeable to the character of the
objects, that they flatter the tafteof the true critics:
much more than the fenfible ftrokes of a bold hand.
.Titian had in his time four manners; the'firft
that of Giovanni Bellino, his mafter; the fecond
that of Giorgione* his competitor; a third, which-
was very much ftudied, and Was properly his own';
and a fourth which degenerated into a habit, arid was.
always Solid. His firft manner was a little dry,* his,
fecond very bold, as is to be Seen by his picture of
St Mark,' which is at Venice in the veftry^ of the
La Salute; by that of the five Saints in St Nicho
las's church, and by others. His third manner con
futed in a juft and beautiful imitation of nature,
and was very much laboured by. his exa&nefs in
touching his pieces over again here and there, and
fometimes with virgin tints, ,in the lights, and
fometimes with glazing in the fhadows. His manner,
pn accourit of thefe things, as trival as they are,
feemed the lefs free, but it was the more ftrong, and
the more finifhed.
The fourth was a^free^ manner, which he prac- j
tifed towards the latter parToT~his life ; either not
being able to fatigue himfelf fo much as he could
before, or believing he knew a way how to fpare
himfelf the trbuHe7~and"do; as weTTwithout it. Of
this laiT mariner are his pictures of the Annuncia
tion, and the Transfiguration, which are at San Sal
vador ; the St James of San Lib, the St Laurence
at the Jefuits church, the St Jerome of Santa Ma
ria Nova, the Pentecoft of La Salute, and feveral
others. There art fifty pictures to be feen in public
at Venice, in which Titian has fhewn all the man-
pers I have fpoken of.
To

jyb The LIVES of
To conclude* if the Painters of the Roman fcheot
furp'afled Titian in vivacity of genius, in grand com-
pofkkms* and ih a gufto of defign, no body will
dlfpute with- him the excellence of colouring; arid
he' hia been always in that part of Painting a guide
to all true Painters, iu ' -¦¦'¦ -
F RANG E SCO V E C E L LI,
Titian's Brother,
A S at fir"ft a foldier in the Italian wars, but
peace beirlg reftored to Italy, he went, to his
brother Titian at Venice, where, applying himfelf
to Painting, he became fo great a mafter of defign*
that Titian grew jealous of him,' and fearing he
might iri time eclipfe his reputation, he fet him
againft his profeffion, and put him upon taking up
another. He fell to making of eboiiy cabinets,,
adorned with figures arid architecture, which, how
ever, did not hinder his Painting a portrait now
arid then for a friend. His firft pictures, and thofe
which alarmed his hfother Titian, are of Giorgi-
orie's gufto, arid "pafs for his, even with feveral men
of fenfe. " ,""
HORATIO VECELLI,
TITlAN's Son,, painted portraits after his far
ther's manner. He did very little, being
more taken up with Chymiftry than Painting. He
died of the plague in the flower of his age, and in
the fame year with his father* anno 1576.
GIACOMO R 0 BU S T I,
CALLED
TINTORETTO,
BEcaufc a dyer's fon. The quicknefs of his wit
Was Vifible in his youth, by his performances
in Painting and Mufic ; but Painting being what he
took

eminent PAINTERS. 171
took moft delight in, he refolVed to apply himfelf
wholly to it. Michael Angelo was his guide for J
defign, and he learnt colouring of Titian. He!
did not lofe his time Whilft he was with his mafter,
for he penetrated fo far into Titian's principles,
that he raifed his jealoufy. His difciple; perceived
it, and left him. He got a particular manner by
his continual exercife in his profeffion, which had
very much of Michael Angelo's guft of defigning,
and Titian's way of colouring. Tintoretto conti
nuing, with a great deal of warmth and applica
tion, the ftudy and exercife of Painting, became as
it were a prodigy in his art, as well for his extraor
dinary thoughts, as for his good tafte, and for dif-
patch in his bufinefs. He did his pieces fo faft,
and fblicited work fo much, that there was little for
any one elfe to do. He worked very cheap, taking
what was given him for pictures , without making
words about the price. By this means Venice was
filled with his productions ; and as there are fome
among, them, which muft needs be in fuch a num
ber* t*h'at are but indifferent, there are alfo others
that are excellent. His pieces are finifhed or unfi-
riifhed, according to the price that he had for them.
The fine crucifix of his, Which is in the Chamber of
the fchool of St Roque, WaS made on this occafion :
The brotherhpod of St Roque being willing to
have a crucifix of the beft matter's hand, Giofeppe
Salviati, Frederico Zucchero, Paolo Veronefe, and
Tintoretto, were each to give them a defign in cdn-
Currerice. A day was appointed by the brother
hood for receiving their defigns ; but Tintoretto,
inftead of a defign brought the picture quite done,
and Very frankly hurig it up in the place where it
was to hang. It was to no purpofe for the other
Painters to complain of this, or to fay they were
not required to bring a picture, but a defign. The
picture was in its place, and there was no more for
«. them

j72 . The LI VES of
them to do but to be Satisfied with k. The bro
therhood of St Rqque were willing to have a piece
of another manner than that of Tintoretto's, and
told him, " That if he did. , not take it down
,*' they would rieyer pay him for "it." -Very well, re.-
« plied Tintoretto, then I prefent it tp you ;" fo the
picture remains' there to this day. It is a wonder
that Tintpret, who. .forked fo hard, fhould five So
long as fourfeore and two years, for he was of that
age when he died; anno 1594. The diftemper which
at laft carried hfm to his grave,, was a pain in his
ftomach, occasioned By his over-great application to
his bufinefs. He was buried in. the church of Ma
donna del.Hprtp.at Venice..
Reflections- on ibe.works of TINTORETTO^.
NQNE of the Venetian Painters can be com-i
.pared to "Tintoretto, for fruitfulnefs and fa-i
cility of genius. ' He had penetration enough to
comprehend all Titian's principles, which he.prac-
tifed induftrioufly, but had too much fire to do it
exactly: from the inequality of his mind came the,
inequality of his productions ; upon which Hannibalj
Carrach writing to his brother Lodovico at Venice,
fays of Tintoret, that he is fometimes equal to Ti
tian, and at other times inferior even to himfelf.
Out of love to his profeffipn, -he ftudied every
thing that could help to make, him a mafter of it.
His careful nefs to defign after the beft things, and
particularly Michael Angelo's works, taught him a
good gufto of defigning, but through the' vivacity
1 of his imagination, he is pften incorrect. tJisatti-
S tudes are almoft all contrafted to excels, and feme-'
• times extravagant, .thofe of his women^excepted,
whofe attitudes he always" painted graceful.
"Tn the difpofition of his" figures, he rather minded
to give motion to every thing, than to follow nature and

eminent PAINTER S. 173
a,nd verifimility, which he on certaip pccafions prac
ticed with fUccefs. ' His fubjects a\e for the moft part
well enough characterized. His heads are defigned
With a great gufto, but his expreffions are feldqm
fine and piquant.
He underftood the neceffity of the claro obfcuro,
which he Ufually performed by great gleams of lights
and fhaddws, that difentangled themfelves by op-
pofing one another, the caufe of which is fuppofed
to be out of the picture. This is a great help in
grand compofitions, provided the t'ranfition of the
oppofites are managed with underftanding, arid their
extremities are fharp.
. His local colours are good, "and his carnations,
in his beft pieces, come up very near to Titian's : in
my opinion, they are of a better character than
thofe of Paolo Veronefe, I mean, more true and
more fanguine.
He drew abundance of pictures of different merit,
according to the time he fpent about them, or the
money he, received for them. The beft of them do
not fall very fhort of Titian's. His penciling is
very firm and very vigorous, his work eafy, and
his touches, lively. In a word, Tintoretto is a pat
tern for thofe young Painters, who would have a
good guft of colouring, and an expeditious 'mariner,
M A RIA T I N TO RETT A,
Tin tor e t's, Daughter,
"AS taught to pairif by her father, and drew
a great number of portraits, both of men
arid women. She delighted in mufick, and, played
well bn feveral inftruments. Her father married
her to a German ; yet he loved her fo tenderly, that
he would not let her leave his hpufe, but had the
affliction to lofe her in the thirtieth year of her age,
when fhe died, anno 1590.
. PAOLO

j74 The h IV E § of
PAOLO CAG LIA Rl VER.ONES E,
WAS born at Verona in. 1537.. Gabriel Cagli
ari, a fculptor, was his father, and Anto
nio Badile his uricle, his mafter, whofe manner was
not bad. He drew his firft pieces at Mantua* and
fome. other cities of Italy, but meeting with more
employment at Venice, he fettled, there.
He ftudied and imitated nature very much, and
did what he could, to regard her wi$h the eyes, of
Titian. As he knew where to have patterns for his carna?
tio,ns when he wanted them, fo he had fluffs of dif
ferent forts which he made ufe of on occafion. Mdft
>©f hjs public pieces were painted in concurrence with
Tiritpret, and the critics were divided in their
opinion of the excellence of thefe two mafters, pro?
dudlipns : however, it was always allowed, that
there was more force in Tintoretto's, and more
grace and magnificence in Paolo Veronefe's. His
pictures are to" Be feen all over Europe, there being
a vaft number of them.
There is fcarce a church in Venice which has not
Some piece or other of his. But the main proofs of
his capacity are in St Mark's palace, at St George's,
and at St Sebaftian's.
The fenate fending Geronimo Grimani, procura
tor of St Mark, to Rome, to be their embaffador
in his holinefs's court, Paolo waited on him thither,
but did, not ftay long there, having left feverad. pic
tures at Venice unfiniflied.
Pie was an' honeft, pious, civil, friendly man ;
faithful to his word, and careful. in the education, of
his children ; rnaghificent in his mien, and his drefs ;
and though he had got a great deal of money, his only
ambition was to be matter of his art. Titian loved
and efteemed him very much. Philip II. King of
Spain,

eminent PA INTERS. 175
Spain," Cent for him to paint the Efcurial, but Paolo
excufed himfelf on account of his employment in
the palace of St Mark, and Frederico Zyeohero was
fent to Spain in his place. •• ¦<
He had a great idea of his profeffiott '¦•,'¦ he ufed to
fay It was a gift from heaven ; that to- judge of it
well, a man ©ughe to underftaod abundance 4>f
things ; that no Painter would ever do any thing
perfectly, if he had no€ nature prefent before him ;
that none but mailer's pictures fhould be placed in
churches, becaufe admiration only excises devotion ;
and that the fovereign quality of a true Painter is
probity and integrity of manners. He died of a
fever at 58 years of age, anno 1588. His tomb and
ftatue in brafs are in the church -of St Sebaftian.;
Reflections on the -works of P A © L O
VE R O N E S E.
LE T a Painter's genius be never So fine, and his
vein never fo abounding ; let him execute his
thoughts with never fo much facility, jf Jje_.cJoes jnot
ferioufly eonfider the fubject he is -to treat of, and
warm his fancy by reading good authors, he will
often produce trivial things,' and fometimes even
fuch as are impertinent. Paolo Veronefe is a lively
iriftance of this affertion ; he had a marvellous talent*,
he worked eafily, arid his genius was fufficient to
have produced rare things* if it had:bqen feconded
by care. He did an infinity of pieces, and according
to the places or perfons for which he worked, he
the more or the lefs ftudied his compofitions. St
Mark's palace at Venice, the high altars of the prin
cipal Churches, and fome noblemens -houfes, pre-
ferve "ftill what he did that was moft fine. But for
the altars of the common churches* and the pieces
he did' for private perfons who were fond of having
fornethihg- of his -in their houfes, inftead of being
careful

ijt> The L IVES -of
careful to maintain his reputation, by taking thene^
ceffary pains about them, one would think he mind
ed only, to get them out of his hands as foon as pof
lible ; by which means, his inventions are fometimes
-flat, and fometimes ingenious. ;
He had a. particular talent for 4£and compofi*
tions. He performed them agreeably, and gave
them fpirit* truth andmotipn ¦: whatever his ima
gination fumifhed him with that was grand,* he
brought, it into his performances, as alfo, every
thing he coukfthink of furprizing, new and extra
ordinary : in fhort, he was more ftudious to adorn
the Scene of his picture, than to render it agreeable
: to times, cuftoms and places. He often introduced
architedture, which was painted by his brother Be
nedetto; and the magnificence of thefe buildings
gave a grandeur to his works.
He does not fhew any great intelligence of the
s claro obfcuro in his difpofitions. He did not un-
: derftand it as a. principle of his art, and fucceeded
well or ill in it, according to the different motions
of his genius. The fame thing might be faid of
his attitudes, which are, for the moft part, ill
choferi. Neverthelefs there is a great deal of fire and tu
mult in his. grand compofitions 5 but : to examine
them nearly we fhall find Uttfejd^ejj^acyjn Jbis ex
preffions, either of the fubject in general, or of the
paffions in particular, and it, is rare to fee any thing
very moving iri his productions. He had the com
mon fault of all the Venetian Painters, who~wafted
their time and application in imitating the exterior .
¦ part of nature. His draperies are aJL modern, and
{-according to the fafhions in vogue in his time, or
elfe according to the modes he faw in the eaftern
people, there.being great numbers of them always at
Venice, of whom he made ufe for the airs . of fome
of his heads, as well as for the dreffesv His drape ries

eminent PAINTERS. 177
ries are generally of different forts of ftuffs, and the
folds large and regular, and, indeed, they are a good
part of the beauty of Paolo Veronese's pictures. He
was fo careful to imitate the ftuffs from the natural
cloth, filk or linen, that he acquired fuch a habi
tude in his draperies, as would make one believe he
drew all of them after the real ftuffs.
Though he liked Parmegiano's defigning, and en
deavoured to fall into the fame manner, his own is
of an ill gufto, excepting that of his heads only,
whofe airs are fometimes great, noble and graceful.
His figures look well enough together under their
cloaths, but the out-lines of the naked have little /
gufto or correctnefs, efpecially thofe of the feet ;
yet he feems to be careful to defign women ele
gantly, according to his idea of beautiful nature, for j
as to the antique he never knew^any thingof it.
I never faw any confidef&ble lankfkips of Paolo
Veronefe. He has painted the heavens in fome of
his grand compofitions, and has done them admira
bly well, but his diftances, and his earth, have an
air of diftemper.
He did not at all comprehend the art of the claro
obfcuro, and if it is fometimes to be found in his
pictures, it is the happy effect of his genius, and
not the product of any principle ; but as for the local
colours he underftood them well, and made them
valuable by the comparifon of one object with ano
ther. Though his inclination led him to a loofe and
lightfom manner, though he often made ufe of ftrong
and dark colours, arid his carnations are natural,
they are, however, neither fo frefh as Titian's, nor
fo vigorous and fanguine as Tintoretto's, and it
feems to me that a great many of them have a
tincture of the lead : yet, notwithftanding all this,
there is in general a harmony in his colouring,
chiefly in his draperies, which are brilliant, diverfi-
fied, and magnificent. The harmony of his colours.
N pro-

178 The LIVES of
proceeds commonly from glazing and broken co
lours which he made ufe of, and which impasting
their mutual influence one tp the other, infallibly
produces union ; yet there are fome pictures which
are faid to be his, wherein the colours are rough
and unharmonious, but I will not warrant that all the
pieces which are attributed to Paolo Veronefe are
really his, for he had a brother and a fon who imi
tated his ftile,
We fee every where in his works a great capacity.
His execution is firm, his pencilling light, and his
reputation, in feveral parts of his art, fufficient to
maintain his, rank among the firft order of Painters.
I muft not omit to relate here, that his picture pf
the marriage at Cana, in the church of St. Giorgio
-Maggiore at Venice, is to be diftinguifhed from his
other works, for it is not only the triumph of Paolo
| Veronefe, but it wants very little of being the tri-
/ umph pf Painting itfelf.
BENED ETTO CAGLIARI,
a Painter and Sculptor,
WA S Paolo Veronefe's brother, and helped him
confiderably in his works, for he was very
laborious. His ftile in painting was like his bro
ther's, and being not ambitious of fame, his pro
ductions are confounded with Paolo's. He died at
threefcore years old, anno 1598. . . '
CAROLO and GABRIEL A CAGLIARI
WERE Paolo Veronefe's fens : the elder had
a very fine genius for Pointing, and at 18
years of age had done fome rare pieces' It is
thought he would have .excelled his father had he
lived, but being of a tender conftitutiow, and ap
plying himfelf to his profeffiom- with too much in-
tentnefs, he contracted an impoftume in his breaft*
and died of it in his 26th year* anno 1^96. His
brother

eminent P. AT N T E R S. 179
brother Gabriel exercifed himfelf in Painting,, but
having no extraordinary talent, he quitted the pro
feffion of a Painter, and turned merchant : How
ever* in the intervals of his bufinefs* he made a
confiderable number of portraits. He died of the
plague, anno 16*31, aged 61 years.
GIOVANNI ANTONIO REG ILL O
da PORDENONE,
WA S born at Pordenone in Friuli* 20 miles
from Udine. He was defeended from the
ancient family of the Sacchi, and his true name was
Licinio ; but the emperor having knighted him, he
took the opportunity to change his name out pf
hatred to one of his brothers, who would have affaf-
finated him, for which reafon he called himfelf Re-
gillOi Hi? love pf Painting was his only mafter*,
aa,4 his genius, together with his ftudying the works
ojf Giorgione, his friend and competitor* guided
him to that perfection in his art to which he arrived.
After he had, learnt as much as he could from Gior*
gione's works, he, like him, fet himfelf to imitate
the beautiful effects of nature; which, joined to the
force of his genius, and his amibition to excel in his
profeffion* rendered him one of the moft celebrated
Painters in the world.
He difputed the fuperiority with Titian, and their
jealoufy of each other was fo great, that Pordenone
fearing to bg inftilted by his rival, was always upon
his guard, and when he painted the cloyfter of St
Stephen in Venice, he worked with a fword by his
fide, and a buckler tied about him, as was the
fafhion of the bravo's in his time. He had a. fruit
ful vein, a good guft of • defigning, and a manner
of colouring not far inferior to Titian's. He pro
duced feveral pieces in frefcp. He worked with
facility, and gave a great force to his. productions.
N 2 His

180 The LIVES of
His principal public pieces are at Venice, at Udine,
Mantua, Vicenza, Genoa, and Friuli. He was fent
for to Ferrara by duke Hercules II. to finifh fome
defigns for tapeftry, which he had begun at Venice,
but he was fcarce arrived at that city, before he fell
ill and died, leaving this work unfinifhed, which
was the travels of Ulyffes. He was in his 56th year
when he departed this life : fome fay he was poifon-
ed. The duke of Ferrara was at the charge of his
funeral, which was pompous and magnificent. He
had a nephew of his own name, Pordenone, who
was his difciple, and another difciple, Pomponio
Amalteo, who married his daughter.
C I RO LA MO MUTIANO,
A Native of Brefcia in Lombardy, ftudied fome
time under the difciple of Romanani, whom
he left to apply himfelf to Titian's manner, but en
deavouring to ftrengthen his knowledge of defign,
he went to Rome, and worked with Taddeo Zuc
chero. He there defigned much after the antique,
and good pi£tures, and made a confiderable num
ber of portraits. He finifhed the defigns of the baffo
relievo's of Trajan's column, which Julio Romano
began. He had them graved, andCiaconius affifted
him in it. Pope Gregory XIII. employed him,
and it was out of favour to him, that his holinefs
founded the academy of St Luke at Rome, which
was confirmed by a brief of pope Sixtus V.
Though Mutiano underftood hiftorical Painting,
he was more fond of landfkips, and was more a mafter
of them. His manner had fomething of the Flemifh
in it, in the touches of his trees, which the Italians
have not ftudied fo much as the Flamands, though
they are very ornamental in landfkips. He accom
panied the trunks of his trees with every • thing
which he thought would render them agreeable. He
com-

eminent PAINTERS. 181
commonly imitated the chefnut tree, and was wont
to fay, that no trees were fo proper to be painted.
Cornelius Cort graved after his defigns feven great
landfkips, which arc very fine. Mutiano died in
the year 1590, aged 62 years. By his will he left
two houfes to St Luke's academy in Rome, and or
dered, that if his heirs died without iffue, all his
eftate fhould go to that academy to build an hofpital
for the benefit of fuch young ftudents as came to
Rome, and wanted relief.
GIACOMO PAL MA,
CALLED
PALMA VECCHIO.
TH E old Palma was born in the territory of
Bergamo, in the year 1548. In his Paintings
he fhewed a great ftrength of colouring, and a good
guft of defigning. Though he was born inLombardy,
yet having been Titian's difciple, I thought it pro
per, rather to place him in the Venetian than in
the Lombard fchool. His manner was fo like his
mailer's, that the latter leaving a defcent from the
crofs unfinifhed at his death, Palma was chofen to
put the laft hand to it, which he did out of refpect
to Titian's memory, as he fhewed by the following
words that are ftill to be read on the picture.
Quod Titianus inchoatum retiquit%
Palma r ever enter perfecit,
Deoque dicavit opus.
Among his works which are fhewn at Venice, the
fineft is the St Barbara in the church of Santa Maria
Formofa. He died in the forty eighth year of his
age,- anno 1 569. by which, we may fee he was not
palled old on account of his age, but to diftinguifh
N 3 him

itz The LIVES of
Iiim from Palma the younger, his nephew, andTin-*
toretto's difciple, whofe ftile very much refembled
that -of his mafter Tintoret. He painted a great
many pictures at Venice* and died in the year" 1623.
G I A COMO da P 0 N T E, -da
B A S SANO,
TH E fon of an indifferent Painter called Fram-
cefco da Ponte, who firft lived at Vicenssaj,
from whence he removed to Baffano, being charmed
with the fituation of the place where he fettled, and
was very careful to give his fon Giacomo a good
education. The youth having learnt the rudiments
of Painting of his father, went tb Venice, and was
Bonefacio's difciple. Here he copied Titian and
Parmegiano's works, after which he returned to Baf-
Sano, and followed the natural bent of his genifts,
ithat inclined him to draw every thing after nature,
whom he had always before him in the execution of
> his pieces. Though he defigned figures very well,he
1 particularly applied himfelf to the imitaltion of beafts
fand landfkips, becaufe thofe things were more'coia-
•;mon* and more advantageous for Painting, in the
-place of his abode, than others. Accordingly hfc
fucceeded in them to perfedti-on, efpecially in feb-
.jects that treated of the fields, and if there are rM
fo much noUenefs and elegancy as one could wifh
in his hift'ory-pieces, there is at leaft, a great deal
of force, t&mper and fidelity. His love of his art,
and his facility in his- performances, made him pro
duce a vaft number of pictures which are difperfed
up and down thoughout all Europe. He worked
commonly for merchants,, who exported his pieces
into feveral countries. He died in the year -159-2,
at fourfcore and two years old* and left four ions,
Francefeo, Leandro, Giovanni Battifta, and Giro
lamo.
FRAN--

eminent PAINTERS. 183
FRANCES-CO da BASSANO,
THE eldeft, fettled at Venice,' and excelled his
brothers in.his profeffion. He was very thought
ful, and his melancholy was fo grea$, that at laft it
crazed him : he fancied often that bailiffs were a? his
heels to arreft him ; and hearing fomebody knock
at hi?; door when he had one of thefe mad freaks
upon him,; he thought they were come to take him,
and therefore leaped out of the window to efcape
them, aS- he imagined.. . By the fall his brains were
beat out againft the, pavement, and he died in the
forty fetttth. y§ar of his age, anno, 1594.
LEa'n D R O da BASSANO,
HIS?;; brother* followed his father Giacomo's
mariner, as well as Francefeo* but he did not
give f& much force to, his pieces as his elder brother.
He had an, excellent talent for Face-Painting, and
made it hiS chiefeft bufinefs. He drew a portrait
of the doge* Matini, Grimani, for which he was
knighted. He loved tp drefs well, to live freely,
and keep the beft company, but it was always run
ning in his. head that fomebody or other would poi-
fon^imti It is faid, that all the four brothers, fans
of Qiacomp da Ponte* were fubject to fuch fancies,
ihetf "m^tsher being fomewhat inclined, to madnefs.
He died at Vehice, anno 1623.
Giovanni Battifta and. Girolamo, the two. other
brothers, employed themfelves in copying their
fathers Works : Giovanni Battifta died in the year
161 3, and Girolamo,; who, from a phyfician had
turned painter, in the year 1627..

N 4, ¦ Reflections,

184 ^ LIVES of
Reflections on the works of the B AS SAN $.
Giacomo da Baffano, the father of the four bro
thers, is the only perfon I fhall fpeak of, be
caufe I look on his fons but as his copifts, for they
imitated him in all their pictures; and if they did
any thing more, it was rather the effect of their
memory, than of their genius. In a word, if they
had merit, it was purely an emanation from their
father's. Giacomo da Baffano, was, without doubt, born
with a talent for Painting, for- of all the Painters
whofe productions I have feen, I never met with
one who followed lefs their mailer's manner, than
this Giacomo? He . quitted it to give Jiimfelf up
intirely to nature, who gave him what he had of
genius, and, in the place of his abode, the means
for him tb cultivate it. Baffano confidered -this
miftrefs of arts,: by the characters which make her
moft fenfible and moft to be known. He ftudied
her with great application in particular objects, and
then compofed pictures of Angular worth. If his
talent was not for the heroic and hiftorical kind,
which require dignity, he has treated his paftoral
fubjects well, and all fuch as was proportionable to
his genius ; for of whatever manner his objects were,
he knew how to difpofe of them advantageoufly* by
the good effect of the whole-together; and if fome
particular things are ill adjufted and ill turned, he
has at leaft rendered them like and probable. His
defigns were not noble or elegant, neither, did the
moft part of his fubjects require them to be fo, but
he was correct in his way. His draperies were dull,
and there was more of exercife than truth in the
execution of them.
His local colours maintained their character very
well. His carnations are very frefh and very true. His

eminent P A I N T E R S. 185
His colours conform admirably well to thofe of na
ture. His landfkips are of a good gufto. His
profpects are well chofen. He fhews a good intelli
gence of the claro obfcuro. His touches are lively,
and the colours^ of his diftances always true, but
fometimes a little too black in the neareft places,
which fault he fell into by endeavouring to preferve
the character of his luminous objects. Hechas
drawn a great many night-pieces, and the cuftom he
had acquired of making ftrong fhadows, perhaps
contributed to the ill ufe he Sometimes made of them
in his day-pieces..
¦ . His pencil is firm and fleady, and guided with
So much juflnefs, that no man ever touched animals
fo artfully and exactly. Ido not know whether there
are many of his pieces in France, but I am fure
thofe that I faw of his in the churches of Baffano,
have a frefhnefs and a brilliant, that appeared to me
to be extraordinary, and fuch as I have not feen
elfewhere.
JULIO L I C I N I O,
CALLED
PORDENON E the Younger,
OF Venice, was a difciple of the great Porde
none. His uncle was a good defigner, and
underftood Painting in frefco to perfection. The
uncle's and the nephew's works are often confound
ed through the conformity of their names. Julio was
employed in feveral places. He painted the front of
a houfe in Augfburg, in frefco, wherein monfieur
Chanterell now lives. This piece is very well pre
ferved, and in honour of the author's memory, the
magiftrates have placed this infcription on it. «* Julius

1 86 '/The LIVES ¦*/, ,-.
.;.*'¦ Julius Licinius'-civis Venet-us & Auguftaaiisi
*'] hoc. aedificium his Picturis infignivit* hicceqiao
^'uitirhammanunalpoSiiit, annoii^oS." „ That is. to
fejr t V Julius Lieiniiu.4 a citizen of Venice and AugG
,'5Jbujgi.t made! this ..houfe famous by: this Painting,
5'v which he finifhediin' the year 1561." He wai
contemporary rwichBafiano, and we kriow no more
ofhkri* neither Vaferi.'nor Ridcilfi . having mention*
ed him*.- we. fuppofe. on- account of the' refemblance
fopakcm Jhsj name and merit .aridohiju. uncle's. '•¦>,<'¦
n-Wc .fhould Jjave, -placed Giovahnij d'Udine*. of
whom we have fpoken, page 134, and Fra. Baftia-
Jbo-.vdfcb:P:iQriibo, p.r T42, in the Venetian fchdol;
:but the lives of thofe two Painters have fuch rela*
*ioifc totiRaphaeL-andnMichael; Angelo's, that :wft
^hougjbt we> could not feafooably feparate them*

THE

eminent PAINTERS, 187

3e;

THE
L IV E S
t't.- O F T H E
: LOMBARD ""!-
PAINTERS.

B O O K V.

AN tO NIC! da CORREG IO,
O trailed from the place where he wss
born, a town in the dukedom of Mo-
dena, anno 147a. When Painting re
vived in Italy, in the days of Cima
bue ; its beginning was but weak, and
it did not arrive at perfection on a
fudden •, it reached it by degrees. The difciples al
ways added Something to the progrefs their mafters
made in it before them, and there is nothing in this
which commonly does not happen to all arts. But
we muft here admire and refpedt a genius, that a-
gainft the ordinary courfe of Painting, without hav
ing feen Rome, the antiquities, or the works of the
moft able Painters, without favour or protection,
or going from home for it, in the midft of poverty, and

i83 OLIVES*/
and without any other helps than the contemplation
of nature, and the affection he had for his bufinefs,
has produced works of a fublime kind, both for the
thoughts and the execution. His chief pictures are
at Parma and Modena, and his cabinet-pieces are
very rare.
Raphael's fame tempted him to go to Rome. He
confidered attentively the piftures of that great
Painter, and after having looked on them a long
time, without breaking filence, he faid, " Anch' Jo
" fon Pittore, lam ftill a Painter." Yet all the fine
pieces that he had made, could not draw him out of
the extreme mifery he was in, his family being very
burthenfome, and his price fmall.
Going on a time to Parma to receive fifty crowns,
he was paid in a fort of copper-money called Qua-
drino's. His joy that he had got it to carry home
to his wife, made him that he did not mind the
weight of his money, with which he loaded himfelf
in the heat of the fummer,, and. being to lug it
twelves miles "on foot, the burthen, the walk, and
the weather, threw him into a pleurify, of which
he died at 40 years old, anno 1 5 1 3.
Reflections on the works of CORREGIQ.
WE do not find that Corregio borrowed any
thing from other men's works, every thing
is new in his pictures, his conceptions, his defign,
his colouring, and his pencil; and this novelty has
nothing but what- is good. His thoughts are fub
lime, his colouring delicate and natural, and his
pencil eafy and delightful, as if he had been guided
by the hands of an angel. His out-lines are not
correct, but their gufto is great. He found out cer
tain natural and unaffected graces for the airs of hjs
heads, for his Madonna's, his faints and little chil
dren j add to this the union that appears in his
works,

eminent PAINTERS. 189
works, and his talent of moving the heart by the
delicacy of his expreffions, and we fhall have no
difficulty to believe that the knowledge which he
had -of his art was a gift of heaven, rather than an
effeft of his ftudies.
Francefeo Francia, who ought to have been placed?
here, is put among the Roman Painters, page 102,
as alfo Polidoro Caravaggio, p. 1 14, Parmegiano,
p. 127, Pellegrino of Modena, p. 134, and Pri
maticcio, p. 144. The reafon of our placing them
there, was becaufe we confidered the manner they
followed more than the country where they were
born ; and perhaps the reader will not be difpleafed
to fee Raphael's difciples coming after their mafter.
The CARRACH'S, viz. LODOVICO^
AUGUSTINO, and AN NIB ALE.
THE three Carrach's, who acquired fo much
reputation and glory by their pictures, were
all born at Bologna.
Lodovico came into the world in the year 1555.
and was cofin-german to Auguftino and Annibalec
being elder than they, and a Painter before them,
they were his difciples. His mafter was Profpero
Fontana, who, difcovering but little fire in his
Painting, would have diffuaded him from it, and
reproved him fo roughly, that Lodovico left his
fchool. His talent kept him in heart, and he re-
folved to have no other mafter but the works of the
great Painters. He went to Venice, where Tinto
retto feeing fomething of his doing, encouraged
him to proceed in his profeffion, and foretold he
fhould in time be one of the top of it. This pro
phetic applaufe animated him in his refolutions to
acquire the maftery of his art. He ftudied Ti
tian's, Tintoret's, and Paolo Veronefe's works at Ve
nice ;

j9o The L 1 V £ $ of
nice j La Paffignanp's, aod: Andreo del Sartp?? at
Florence ; Parmegiano's and Cprregio's at Parma*
and Julio Romano's at Mantua $ but of all thefe
makers j he who touched him mpft fenfibly was Cor-»
regio, whofe manner he ever aftef followed.
Auguftino was bptcft in the year 1557, and Ar\'
nibafe in 1560. Their father's name was Antonio,,
a taylor by t.rade^.yet he was very careful to give,
his foris a good education* He bred Auguftinp a
feholar, his inclination feeming to lead him to learn*
ing ; but his gemus afterwards , carried him away
more violently to the arts ; wherefore Antonio put
him to a goldfmith, whom Auguftino. quitted in a
little while, and went home to his father's, where he
bufied himfelf about the knowledge of feveral things
indifferently. He gave himfelf up to every thing
that pleafed his fancy ; to Painting, graving* poe
try, mufic, dancing, and the mathematics, with other
commendable exercifes, which adorned, but divided
his underftaading.
, On the,co>nt.r^ry*. all Annibale's thoughts ran up©n
Painting. He ftudied it in company with his bro
ther, but the difference of their tempers made them
quarrel perpetually, and hipdered the fruit pf their
ftudies. Auguftino was fearful and ftudious, Anni-
bale bold and venturous. , Auguftino loved the com
pany of men of fenfe and. quality. Annibafg was
always for cpnverfing with his equals, and, avoided
the fbeiety of thofe that were better born than him
felf. Auguftino pretended tp domineer by his right of
feniority, and the variety of his learning 5 Annibale
dgfpifed it, and minded only defigning. Auguftino
was very folicitous to profit, by his ftudies, and not to
fet any punctilio of fcience efcape him; Annibale was
more lively, and made his way every where eafy.
Thus it being almoft impoffible to make them a-
gree, their father parted them, and fent the elder to
Ljodoviep Carracc.i, who would alfo have his brother
Annibale

eminent PAINTERS. i-ot
Annibale with him* when by the example of "his
leal to reach the -perfection of his art, by ihfpiring
them with the fame- love for his profeffion, by pro-
mifirig to communicate: all he knew- of it to them,
and his knowledge ¦ was now very Well Spoken of;
and in fhort, by the fweetnefs of his deportmerit
and his prudence, he moderated the antipathy- that
was naturally between them, and their ambition-to
excel in the art encreafing every day, they all three*
entered into a very ftricl friendfhip, forgetting every
thing but their care to become mafters.
However, Auguftino' s ftudies of Painting were
often interrupted by thofe of graving, which he
learnt of Cornelius Cort, not being' willing to quit
an exercife which he had fhewn a genius for ever
fince he was fourteen years old : yet, though he ac
quired an excellence in graving, his love of and his*
talent for Painting, recalled him always to this art
as to his center.
Annibale,who never wandered from his profeffion,
to inform himfelf of all things neceffary to it, went
through Lombardy to Venice. He could riot con
tain his raptures at the fight of Corregio's works in
Parma. Pie wrote to Lodovico, arid prayed him to
excite his brother Auguftino to come and See the
wonders he had feen at Parma, faying, *' He could
" never find Put a better fchool; that neither Ti*-
*' baldi, Gicolini, nor even Raphael in his St Ce-
" cilia, had done any thing comparable to the ex-
" traordinary things he faw iri Corregio's pictures'*
" that all was great and graceful; that Auguftino
" arid he -fhould with pleafure ftudy thofe beautiM
" pieces, and live lovingly together.''
- From Lombardy Annibale went -to Venice* Where
the new charms which he- found -in the works 'of
Titian, Tintoret* and Paolo Veronefe, put- him up
on copying the pidtur-es of -thofe' great men with
e-are. - ¦'• ¦  -- - ¦'¦
At

102 The L I V E S of
At laft thefe three Painters having made the uf-
moft advantage of their reflections on the works of
others, united themfelves fo perfectly, that they
continued almoft always together. Lodovico com
municated his difcoveries to his cofins, and they
received them with all poflible eagernefs and grati
tude. He propofed to them to unite all their fen-
timents, and their manner; and upon their objecting
to him, it would be difficult to penetrate into all the
principles of fo profound an art, and to be enlight
ened in all the doubts arifing in fo copious a fcience,
he anfwered that there was no likelihood that three
perfons who fought after the truth, and had feen
and examined thoroughly fo many different manners,
fhould be deceived.
They refolved therefore to purfue and augment
the method they had begun. They had performed
feveral things in feveral places, which, in fpite of the
open and . under-hand dealing of thofe that envied
them, got them reputation and friends : and thus
finding their credit to encreafe, they laid the foun
dation of that celebrated fchool, which ever fince
has gone by the name of the Carracci's academy.
Hither all the young ftudents who gave great
hopes of their becoming mafters, reforted to be in-
ftructed in the rudiments of Painting. Here the
Carracci taught freely and kindly thofe things that
were proportionable to the qualifications of their
difciples. They eftablifhed certain models well
chofen, for'men and women. Lodovico's charge
was to make a collection of antique ftatues, and baf
fo relievo's. They had defigns of the beft mafters,
and curious books on all fubjects relating to their
art. One Antony de la Tour, a great anatomift,
taught what belonged to the knitting and motion of
the mufcles, with reference to Painting. There
were often difputations in the academy, and not on
ly Painters but men of learning propofed difficult
queftions

eminent PAINTERS. 193
queftions to be decided, and Lodovico's judgment
was* in all cafes, their oracle. Every body was well
received, and youth being excited by emulation, the
young men fpent whole days and nights in ftudy
there: for though hours were allotted to treat of dif
ferent matters, yet, at all times, they might im
prove themfelves by the antiquities, and the defigns
which were to be feen there. The Conde di Mal-
vafia fays, " that the principles of Lodovico, the
" cares of Auguftino, and the zeal of Annibale,
" fupported this academy." The reputation of the
Car racci reaching Rome, cardinal Edvardo Farnefe,
who was. going to have the gallery of his palace
painted, fent for Annibale to Rome to execute his
defign. ." Annibale was the more willing to go thi
ther* becaufe he had a great defire to fee Raphael's
works* with the antique ftatues, and baffo relievo's.
The gufto which ' he took there for the ancient
feulptUre, made him ichange his Bolognian manner,
which had very much- of Corregfe's in it, to fol
low a. method more learned, and more expreft, but
more dry, and lefs natural in the defign, and in
the colouring. He had occafion to put it in practice
in feveral works which he performed there ; and a-
mong others in the Farnefe gallery, whither Augufti
no came to affift him, both in the difpofition and in
the execution : but Annibale, either uneafy at Au-
guftino's pretending to direct the work* or willing
to have all the glory of it, could not endure to have
his brother continue with him, or be further con
cerned in the performance of it, though Auguftino
was very fubmiffive, apd would have done any thing
to bring him into a good humour.
Cardinal Farnefe perceiving the mifunderftand-
ing between them, fent Auguftino to Parma, in
tending to have him employed by duke Ranuccio,
his brother. He painted one chamber in the dtike's
O palace,

194 !* L I V E S «/
palace, but had fuch frequpa* vexations given* htm
there, that he could not bear' them, fo he retired
into a monaftery of Capuchins, to prepare himfelf
for death, whjch he was fenfible was approaching j
arid it happened in the year 1605,' he being no more
than 45 years old.
He left a natural fon called Antonio, o£ whom
Annibale took care, fet him to ftudy, and inftrtwfted
him in- the art of Painting. This Antonio has gives
fo many proofs-' of his capacity, even ia the> few
pieces which he left behind him in Rome, that it is
thought he would have forpaffed his uncle if he had
Jived longer-. He died at ^5 years ©f age* anno
1618. The Cond"«* di Malvafia writes, that Annibale had
a great deal of reafon to repent ©f his treating; his
brother fo ill at Rome •, for having fome pictures to
do afterwards, wherein his- brother's advice and
leaning were neceffary for: Wm, he would have
bear embarraffed without the affiftanceof his cofin
Lodovico Ca-rracci. But this is not probable, for
Agucchi, who always affifted- Annibale with his ad
vice in all the compofitions he made, would not
have failed him on this occafion; and the fruitfulriefs
and beauty of his genius, are to be feen d&where
by his defigns.
Auguftino' was buried at Bologna with extraordi
nary pomp* the particulars of which may be feen
in the Conde di Malvafia's defcription of his funeral.
In the mean while Annibale continued working in
the Farnefe gallery. He took incredible pains and
care about it ; and- though he was a perfect mafter of
his art, he did not do the leaft thing without con-
fulting nature, nor paint the leaft part of his figures,
till he had made a model of it on the feaffold, and
had exactly defigned all the attitudes.
Bonconti, one of his difciples, being aftonifhed
at his uncommon care, and the little notice that was
taken

eminent PAINTERS. 195
taken of it, among other things, wrote to his fa
ther, that Annibale had but ten crowns a month,
notwithftanding his performances deferved a thou-
fafld"; that he was at work from morning till night,
and almoft killed himfelf with working. His
words are, as I have taken them from the Conde j
c« Di Malvafia* voglio ch' egli fappia che meffer
*•*" Annibale Carracci, non altro ha del fuo che feudi
" died di mafter il mefe, & parte per lui 8 fervito-
«* re ; & una ftanzietta ne' i tetti dove lavora & tira
" la caretta tutto il di come un cavallo, e fa loge
'* camare e fale equadri & ancone & clavofi da mille
" Scuti eftenta e crepa & ha poco gufto ancora di tal
" fervitu ma quefto, di gratia non fi dica ad alcu-
" no." At laft after inconceivable pains and care^
having finifhed the Paintings of that gallery, in the
perfection we now fee them, he hoped cardinal
Farnefe would have rewarded him proportionably
to the excellence of the work, and to the time it
took him up, which was eight years; but one Don
Juar* de Caftro* a Spaniard, who' had a mighty in
fluence over the cardinal, infinuated to him, that
according to his calculation* Annibale would be
well paid if he gave him 500 crowns of gold:
The money was brought him, and he was fo fuN
prized at the injuftice done him, that he could not
fpeak a word to the perfon that brought it.
This ill ufage made a terrible impreffion on his
mind ; his chagrin threw him into a confumptieni
and fhprtened his days. His melancholy did not
hinder his amours ; and his debauches at Naples,
whither he was retired for the recovery of his health,
helped him forward to his grave in the 50th year of
his age, anno 1609.
"While Annibale worked at Rome, Lodovico was
courted from all parts of Lombardy, efpecially by
the clergy, to make pictures for their churches;
arid we may judge of his capacity, and his facility,
O 2 by

196 , The LIVES of
by the great .numbers of pictures he made, and
by, the preference that was given him to other
Painters. - .
In the midft of his occupations, Annibale Solicit
ed him to come to Rome, and affift him with his
advice about his work in the Farnefe gallery ; and
he entreated him fo earneftly, that Lodovico could
not put off the jourriey. He; arrived at Rome* and
after having corrected Several things, in that gallery*
and painted himfelf one of the naked figures, which-
fupports the Medaillon of Sirinx, he returned to
Bologna, making a very fhort ftay, at Rome. When
he had eftablifhed and fupported the reputation of
the Carracci, and fixed it to all pofterity, he died at
63 years of age, anno 161 8,
Lodovico was born in 1555, and died in 1618.
Auguftino was born in 1557, anc^ ^Hed *n 1605.
Annibale was born in 1560, and died in 1609.
The Carracci had abundance of difciples, the moft
[ famous of whom were Guido, Domenichino, Lan-
' franco, Sifto Badalocchi, Albani, Guercino, Anto*
l nio Carracci, Maftelletta, Panico, Battifta, Cave-
I done, Taccone, &c. Had the Carracci had no re
putation of their own, the merit of their difciples
would have rendered their name illuftrious in Suc
ceeding times.
Reflections on the works of CARRACCI
WHEN Michael Angelo da Caravaggio, and
II Cavaliere Giofeppino were at the helm of
Painting, when the former, who defign'd ill, got a
great many pupils on account of his being an ex
cellent colourift, and the latter fell into a manner
for expedition without gufto and exactnefs, the good
genius of Painting raifed the fchool pf the Carracd
for the fupport of fo fine an art, which was in dan ger

eminent PAINTERS. 197
jger of falling into decay, both in compofition and
defign. /
Nature gave the Carracci a wonderful ardor for
their' profeffion, as well as furnifhed them with a
fine genius. They followed it by their talent, and
perfected it by the'affiduity of their ftudies, by the
indefatigablenefs of their labour, and by the doci
lity of their underftanding. The fame principles,
on which they founded the celebrated fchool we
have mentioned, were their guide in the execution
of all their works. Their manners refemble each >
other, and all the difference that is to be found in
them, proceeds from the diverfity of their tempers :
Lodovico had lefs fire, but more grandeur, more
grace, more fweetnefs than Auguftino or Annibale ;
AugUftino had more gaity, and Annibale more
boldnefs and Angularity of thought, than either of
the other two. His defigns were more profound,
his expreffions more lively, and his execution more
firm. The Carracci took from the ancient fculptures,
and the beft mailers of their art, as much as they
could to form a good manner*, but they have not
drained the fountain dry, they have left more in the
antiquities, in Raphael, in Titian and Corregio,
than they have taken from them.
Though Annibale's character was more for pro
fane than pious fubjects, he has, however, treated
fome of the latter kind very patheticly, efpecially the
ftory of St Francis. But Lodovico fucceeded in
thefe pictures better than Annibale ; he gave grace
ful airs to his Madonna's after Corregio's manner.
Annibale's genius inclined him rather to fiercenefs
than delicacy, and more to gallantry than modefty.
As for Auguftino, his ftudies of Painting were often
interrupted by thofe of graving, of which he was
a perfect mafter. He alfo diverted himfelf with
<>ther exercifes, by which means he made few pieces
O 3 of

198 The LIVES of
of Painting, and the greateft part of thofe he did
make, pafs for his brother's.
. .Annibale having ftudied very little, and applying
himfelf wholly to Painting, he in his grand corhpor
;Sitipns frequently made ufe of his brother Auguftir
: no's affiftance, and that of.Monfignior Agucchi; by
the inftructions they gave him-, informing and con--
firming his genius.
AH the three Carracci defigned with a good gufto-
Annibale's gufto mended arid iricreafed by his abpde
at Rome, as one may fee by his performances in the
> Farnefe gallery. The defign is loaden, we muft
; confeTs7 but that load is fo fair, and fo learned, that
it pleafes even thofe who condemn it; for his guf
to is a compofition of the antique pf Michael An-
< gelo's manner, and of nature : his affection for new
beauties making him forget the old ones, he quitted
; the Bolognian manner for the Roman: the former
was foft and rndlow, and according as he encreaf-
ed his guft. of defigning,. he diminifhed that of co
louring; thus the defign of his laft works came to
be more expreft, but his penciling is not fo tender
and agreeable as in his firft.
This fault is common to almoft all the Paintefs.
that dejfigned. corredtly ; they imagined they loft the
the fruit of their labours, if they did not let the
world fee hpw far they were mafters of that part pf
their art ; arid that the fpectators would forgive
them for what they fell fhort in other parts, fatiSr
I fying themfelves with the regularity "of their defign.
| They were afraid it fhould be overlooked, and tq
prevent it, have made no fcruple to offend the fight
by the crudity of thdr out-line^.
Annibale had an excellent genius for landfkips.
The forms of his trees are exquifite. The defigns
that he made of them with a pen, are wonderful
for their character and fenfe. His touches are well
chofen; they confift of a few ftrokes; but thofe that

eminent PAINTERS. 199
that are .there exprefs a great deal; and what I have
Said of the landfkips agrees with all his defigns. In all
his. vifible objects of nature there is a character which
diftiaguifhes them, arid makes them appear more
fenfibly. to be what they are. Annibale knew how
to. take, his character, and has made ufe of it in his
defigns, with equal fenfe and judgment. Notwith-
ft&Hidirig he had a great efteem for Titian and Cor-
regip's works, his colouring is not extraordinary.
He did not underftand the doctrine of the claro
obfcuro, and his local colours are not much to be
valued. Thus, if there is any thing good in the
colouring part of his pictures, it is not fo much the
effect of the principles of art, as the happy move
ment of his genius, or the remembrance of Titian
and Corregio's works.
However, there never was a Painter who was
more univerfal, more eafy, and more certain in
every thing he did ; nor that was more generally
approved, than Annibale,
G U I D O RENT
WAS bprn at Bologna in the year 1574, the
fon of Daniel Reni, an excellent mufician.
He learnt the rudiments of Painting under Denis
Calvert, a Flemifh mafter, who had then a good
reputation; but the academy of the Carracci at Bo
logna beginning to be talked of, Guido left his ma
fter, and entered himfelf in that fchool. In his firft
pieces he followed entirely the manner of his new
mafters, and chiefly imitated Lodovico, becaufe he
found more grace and grandeur in his compofitions
than in thofe of his kinfmen. He afterwards-en
deavoured to find out a manner on which he might
fix. He went to Rome, and copied all forts of
things there. He was charmed with Raphael's pic
tures, arid pleafed with the fpirit of Caravaggio's.
0 4 He?

200 . The LI VES of
He tried every ftile, and at laft hit upon one againft
which nobody had any thing to fay. Indeed, it
was great, eafy, graceful, and got him vaft riches,
and an equal reputation. Michael Angelo da Ca
ravaggio, being angry that he had fudderily changed
his manner, which was ftrong and brown, for one
quite oppofite to it, fpoke very contemptibly of
his pictures ; and his infolent expreffions might
have had ill confequences, had not Guido prudently
avoided difputing with a man of his impetuous
temper. Guido returning to Bologna grew famous for the
care he took in finifhing his pieces : and perceiving
that the perfons of quality were eager to have them,
he fet a price upon them according to the number
of figures in each picture, and every pidlure,he
valued at one hundred" Roman crowns.
By thefe high prices Guido found himfelf, in a
little while, very well at eafe, and lived nobly, till
an immoderate love of gaming feized him. He
was unfortunate, and his loffes reduced him to ne-
ceffities that he, could not go through. His friends
ufed all imaginable arguments to diffuade him from
play, but he would not give it over. He fent his
pictures to be fold under- hand at a forry rate, and
took it for fuch as he had before refufed large funis
for. As foon as he had got the little money he
had for them in his pocket, he immediately went
to look out for his gamefters to have his revenge.
At laft, as one paffion weakens another, his love of
gaming leffened that of Painting fo far, that he
never thought of his reputation in what he did, but
only to rid his work, and get fubfiftence-money.
His chief pictures are in the cabinets of the great.
He performed alike well in oil, and frefco. The
moft noted of his pieces is that which he painted in
concurrence with Domenichino in the church of St
Gregory. Except his vice of gaming, he was a
man

eminent PAINTERS. 201
man of good morals, and could he have corrected
that fault, would have been art accomplifhed per
fon. He died at Bologna, anno 1 640, in the 67th
year of his age.
Reflections on the works of GUIDO.
T Hough there appears no great capacity in Gui-
do's- productions, yet one may fee by them,
that his making but few grand compofitions, was
rather for want of opportunity than genius : how
ever, it muft be owned, that his talent was not
equally proper to treat of all forts of Subjects ; fuch
as were devout and pathetic fui ted beft with his
temper; grandeur,* noblenefs, fweetnefs and grace,
were the character of his mind.' He has fpread
them fo much over all his works, that they are the
prindpal marks which diftinguifh him from other
Painters. His thoughts are delicate, and the difpofition of
his objects iri general, and of his figures in particu
lar, is good.
Guido being the firft and favourite difciple of the
Carracci, he," for a while, imitated their gufto of
defign, and their manner; but at laft he formed
one of his own, which was neither fo firm, fo ex
preft, nor fo learned as Annibale's, yet it came
hearer to nature, efpecially in the extremities, be
ing the head, feet and hands.
He had particular tender ftrokes for certain parts,
which he defigned in a particular way; as, the
eyes great, the mouth little, the noftrils fomewhat
clofe, the hands and feet rather plump than fen-
fibly articulated. He made his feet too fhort, and
the toes top clofe. It was not that he did not know
what he did, which was the occafion of his not ex-
Ereffing exactly the articulation of the members,
ut to avoid a kind pf pedantry, which he faid
there

202 - The L I V E S of
there was in fpecifyiug them too much : however
there was a medium, between the one and the other
extreme, which he ought to have obferved.
As for his heads, they yield no manner of prece
dence to thofe of Raphael, either for correctnefs
of defign, or delicacy of expreffion, efpedally the
upper part of them ; though he did not commonly
treat of fubjects that were capable of furnifhing
him with fo great variety of expreffions, as are in
Raphael's. His merit confifted in that moving beau*
ty, which, in my opinion, did nPt proceed fo much,
from a regularity of features, as from a lovely air
which he gave the mouth, that had fomething in
it between a fmjle and ferioufnefs, and in the graces,
of the mouth, with a certain modefty which hs
put in theeyesj
His draperies are well fet, and of a grand gui
fto. His folds are large, and fometimes broken,
He employed them ingenioufly to fill up the void
places, and to agroup the members and lights
of the figures, chiefly when they were alone. In a
word, no body ever underftood how to adjuft the
draperies better than Guido, nor to drefs his figures
more nobly than he, without the leaft affectation.
There are no landfkips of his to be feen : and
when he treated of a fubject which required any ex
tent, he made ufe of another hand.
His colouring is like that pf the Carracci, iri the
pictures he drew after his firft manner. He has alfo
painted fome in the manner of Caravaggio ; but
finding there was too much labour iri it, and befides,
that it did not pleafe every body, he took to ano
ther manner, whjch the Italians call Vaga. 0f
this kind he drew feveral agreeable pieces, in which
there is a great union of colours, though they are
weaker than in his other manners; for being by
little and little accuftomed to his weaknefs, he neg
lected his carnations, or, perhaps, endeavouring tp
' make

eminent PAINTERS. 203
make them more delicate, he gave them a certain
grey caft, which often fell into a livid colour.
He was abfolutely ignorant of the claro obfeuro, as \
was all the fchool of the Carracci; yet, like his chief
mafter Lodovico, he fometimes practifed it, more
through the greatnefs of his gufto, than any princi
ples of art, in retrenching from his, objects all thofe
minutiae which divide the fight.
... His pencil was light and eafy i and he was fo well
fatisfied that a freedom of hand was neceffary to
pleafe, that he gave fome bold ftrokes to his work
after he had laboured it, to take off all fufpicion of
what time and pains it coft him.
At the latter end of his life, he was reduced to
fuch ftraits by gaming* that he had no need to ufe
this artifice, being obliged to difpatch his work as
fait as he could to get him fubfiftence; and this has
left a natural freedom pn his laft pieces, which are not
fo finifhed as his former. In fhort, in whatever
manner or time he painted his pictures, his thoughts
are fo delicate, his figures fo npble, his expreffions
fo fweet, his dreffes fo rich, and every thing fo
graceful, that he was, and ever will be univerfally
admired.
POMENICO ZAMPIERRI,
Commonly called
DOMENICHINO,
WAS born at Bologna, anno 155 1, of an ho
nourable family, and was a long time a dif
ciple of the Carracci. His invention was flow, but
excellent. What he deligriecTwhile he was in the
IpnooTbf the Carracci for his exercifes, was done
with fo much pains and circumfpection, that his
feUow-difciples looked upon him as a perfon that
loft his time. They were wpnt to call him the Ox, arid'

204 OLIVES of
and faid he laboured as if he was at the plow; But
Annibale, who knew his character better, told them,
" This ox, by dint of labour, would in time make
" his ground fo fruitful, that Painting itfelf would
*' be fed by what it produced ; " a prophecy which
proved very true, for there are many excellent
things to be learned from Domenichino's pictures.
His works in Rome, Naples* and the Farnefian
grotto, are eternal proofs of his ability. His com
munion of St "JerPm, in that faint's church at
Rome, pleafed Pouffin^ the French Painter fo well,
that he ufed to fay^^aphael's transfiguration,- ,Da=
" niele di VoTterra'sdefcent from the crofs, and Do-
" meriTchiho's StTerom, were the three beft pictures"
" in Rome." He added, that for the exr^effionj,
i Domenichino was the only Painter lie ever^J&aeWj
Having worked in frefco very much, his pictures
in oil are painted fojnewhat drily.
He was made chief architect of the apoftolical
palace," by pope Gregory XV. for his great fkill in
¦that art. He loved folitude ; and it was obferved,
that as he went along the ftreets, he took notice of
the actions of private perfons whom he met in his
way, and often defigned fomething in his table book.
He was of a mild temper and obliging carriage,
yet he had the misfortune to be cruelly perfecuted
by his enemies, who were only fo out of envy to
his perfections; particularly, he was fo ill treated at
Naples, that it grieved him to death in the year
1648, being then about threefcore years of age.
Reflections on the works of DOMENICHINO.
I Do not know what to fay of Domenichino's ge
nius, or whether he had any or not ; or if the
goodnefs of his fenfe, and the folidity of his reflec
tions, did not ferve him inftead of a talent, and en
able him to produce things worthy pofterity. He
was,

eminent PAINTERS. 205
was born with a thoughtful temper, by no means
agreeable to the'. activity which Painting requires.
The ftudies of his youth were obfcure, his firft
works contemptible, his perfeverancewas condemned;
for lofs of time, and his filence reckoned ftupidity ;
yet this obftinacy of his in his ftudies, was the only
thing that, fpite of the advice and laughter of his
fellow-difciples, heaped him up a hidden treafure of
knowledge, which he in time laid open. In fhort,;
his foul, fhut up like a filk-worm in her cod, after,
haying for a long time worked in a fort of folitude,
finding it had quite thrown off the ignorance that it
laboured under, and warmed by the activity of his
thoughts, took wing, and made itfelf. admired, not
only by the Carracci, who had fupported him, but
by their difciples, who had endeavoured to difheart-
en him, and diffuade him from a profeffion he would,
as 'they thought, never be mafter of.
His thoughts were judicious from .the beginning.;
they were afterwards, elevated, and wanted but Itt-
tle of reaching the fublime, if he did not reach it
in fome, of Tus* works ; as the Angels of the dome
of St Andrew's church in Rome, the Communion
of St Jerom, his" David, Adam and Eve in the
king's cabinet, our Saviour carrying his crofs, in
the cuftody of monfieur l'Abbe de Camps, and
fome other pieces, feem to teftify. .
His attitudes were well enough chofen, but he
underftood very ill the placing of his figures, and
the difpofition of the whole-together. In other
parts of. his art, as the correctnefs of defign, the
expreffion of his fubject in general, and the paffions
in particular, and the variety and ; fimplicity of the
airs of his heads, he is not inferior even to Ra
phael. Like him he was very jealous of his out
lines,, and has, expreft them ftili more drily; and
though he has not fo much noblenefs and grace, he
does not want either of thofe excellencies. His

206 The LIVES of
His draperies are very bad* very ill fet, arid ex
tremely ftiff. His landfkips are of the gufto of thfe
Carracci* but executed with a heavy hand. His car
nations have a grey caft* and have not the Charac
ter of truth; and his claro obfcuro is worft of all.
His pencil is heavy, and his Painting dry.
The progrefs he made in his art iricreafing only
by his labour and reflections, the merit of his works
advanced with his age, and his laft pieces are moft
commended : from which we may lawfully affirm*
that as much as Domenichino poffeffed of his art,
k was rather the reward of his fatigue, than the ef
fect of his genius. But whether it was fatigue or
genius* his pictures have been a pattern to all fue-
ceeding Painters.
GIOVANNI LANFRANCO,
WA S born at Parma, on the fame day with
Domenichino, in the year 1581. His
parents were poor ; and to cafe themfelves of him*
carried him to Placenza, to enter him in the fervice
of the count Horatio Scotti. While he was there*
he was always drawing with coal upon the walls,
paper being too fmall for him to fcrawl his ideas on.
The count Obferving to what the lad's difpofition
inclined, put him to Auguftino Carracci ; after whofe
death he went to Rome, and ftudied under Anni
bale, who fet hirn to work in the church of St
Jago, belonging to the Spaniards, and found him
capable enough to truft him with the execution of
his defigns ; in which Lanfranco has left it a doubt
whether the work be his or his mailer's.
His genius was for Painting in frefco in fpacious
places, as we may perceive by his grand performan
ces, efpecially the cupolo of St Andrea de Laval,
wherein he has fucceeded much better than in his
pieces of a lefs fize. The guft of his defigning he
took

eminent P A I N T E R S. 207
took from AnnibaleCarracci : and as long as he lived
uaader the difcipline of that illuftrious mafter* he
wasatwayst correct', but after his death, he gave a
loofe to the impetuofity of his genius, without
minding the:< rules of his. art* He joined- with his
countryman Sifto Badalocchi, in etching thehiffe4
ries of the Bible, after RaphaelV Painting in the
Vatican; which work he dedicated* in conjunction
with Badalocchi, to their mafter Annibale^ Lan*.
franco paiatedtlvex hiftory of St Peter for pope
Urban "VlH. which -was graved by PfetroSanti* He
did- other things ca> Sc Petet'si church, and pleafed
the pope So weft* that he knightedhim.
Lanfranco was happy in his family. Hi* wife, who
was very handfome, brought him feveral children*
who being groWa tip, and: delighting in poetry and
mufic, made a fort of Parnaffus- in His hoofe. His
eldeft daughter fung finely, and played well on feve-
raf inftruments. He died at 66 years of age^ anno
1-647.
Refledions on the works of LANFRANCO.
LAnfranco's genius, heated by his ftudying Cor-
regie's works* and above all the CupofoatPar-*-
ma, carried him in his thoughts, even to enchufiafoy.
He earneftly endeavoured to find out the means of
producing the fame things •, and that he was capable
of great, enterprizes, we may fee by his perform
ances at Rome and Naples. Nothing was too great
for him; he made figures of above twenty foot
high, in the cupolo of St Andrea da Laval, which
have a very good effect, and look: below as if they
were of a natural proportion.
In his pictures one may perceive that he endea^,
voured to join Annibale's fkmnefs of defign to Car- j
regio's gufto and fweetriefs. He aimed alfo at}
giving the whole grace to his imitation ; not. confi-
dering

2o8 ., The -'L IVES of .,.'.
dering that nature,, who is the difpienfer of it, had
given him but a fmall portion of h> His ideas in
deed are fometimes great enough, for the greateft
performances, and his genius could not ftoop to cor
rect them, by which means they are often unfinifh-
ed. His eafel pieces are not fo much efteemed as
what he painted in frefeo ; vivacity of wit, and free
dom of hand, being very proper ' for that kind of
Painting. .<;_ -.- . .: t,,.
Lanfraneo's guft, of defigning refembled his mafV
ter's ; that is, it was always firm and grand, but he
loft ground at length in point of correctnefs. His
grand compofitions are full oftumult; examine the
particulars, and you will find the expreffions neither
elegant nor moving.
His colouring was not fo well ftudied as that of
Annibale. The tints of his carnations are trivial*
and his fhadows are a little too black. He was igr
norant of the claro obfcuro, as well as his matter;
though, as he did, he fometimes practifed it by a
good motion of his underftanding, and not by a
principle of art. .
Lanfraneo's works came from a vein quite oppo
fite. to thofe of Domenichino. The latter made him
felf a Painter in fpite of Minerva. The former
was born with a happy genius. Domenichino in
vented with pain, and afterwards digefted his com
pofitions with a folid judgment; and Lanfranco left
all to his genius, the fource from whence flowed all
his produdlions. Domenichino ftudied to exprefs
the particular paffions, Lanfranco contented himfelf
with a general expreffion, and followed Annibale's
guft of defigning.. Domenichino, whofe ftudies
wete always guided by reafon, encreafed his capa
city to his death ; and Lanfranco, who was fupport
ed by an exterior pradtice of Annibale's manner,
idiminifhed his every day after his mailer's death.
Domenichino executed his works with a flow and,
heavy

eminent PAINTERS. 209
heavy hand* and Lanfraneo's was ready and light.
To clofe all* it is difficult to find two pupils bred up
in the fame fchool, and bom under the fame planet,
more oppofite one to the other, and of fo contrary
tempers ; yet this oppofition does not hinder, but
they are both to be admired for their beft produc
tions.
FRANCESCO ALBANI
WAS born at Bologna in the year 1578. His
father, who was a mercer, would fain have
had him follow his trade, but Albani's inclination
leading wholly to Painting, he was put at firft to
Denis Calvert, of whom Guido was then learning
the rudiments of the art, and being far advanced
in the knowledge of his profeffion, taught his com
panion the principles of defigning. When he left
his mafter Calvert, he took him with him to the
fchool of the Carracci. Having made a confiderable
progrefs there, Albani went to Rome, where, by
ftudying the beft things* he became one of the
moft learned and agreeable Painters of Italy.
Returning to Bologna, he married a fecond wife,
who brought for her portion a great deal of beauty
and good humour. By this means he had quiet at
home, and a perfect model for the women he was
to paint. She had very handfome children, by
whom he ufed to draw little Cupids playing and
¦dancing, in all the variety of poftures imaginable,
and by his wife he drew all his naked Venus's and
nymphs. He made ufe of his knowledge of the belles
iettres ingenioufly to adorn the fubjects he treated
of, with the fidtions of poetry. He is cenfured for
not varying his figures enough, and for giving al
moft all of them the fame air and the fame likenefs,
occafioned by his defigning them after the fame mo
dels with the ideas of which his mind was filled.
P There

210 The LIVES of
There are few great figures of his drawing extant ;
and painting ufually in little, his pictures are dif
perfed all over Europe, and valued as fo many jew
els. He was well paid for them, efpecially in his
latter days ; they became very much in fafhion, and
being learned and agreeable, every one was taken
with them. He lived peaceably and happily four-
fcore and two years, and then changed his life for a
better, in the year 1660. His moft famous difci
ples were Francefeo Mola, and Giovanni Battifta his
brother.
Reflections on the works of A L B A NI.
JO Y being pleafing to the greateft part of man
kind, and Albani's pictures infpiring that paf-
fion, they were as well received on that account* as
for their ingenious thoughts. His talent, fupport
ed by the ftudy of polite learning, enabled him, to
enrich his compofitions with the ornaments of po
etry. His vein was fruitful and eafy, and he has
done a great number of pictures full of figures. He
underftood defign well ; arid drawing always by the
fame patterns, he fell eafily into the fault of repeat
ing, chiefly in the airs of his heads,, which were
very graceful. By this means Albani's manner is
the eafieft to be known of any matter's.
The fubjects he treated of* did not give him oc
cafion to fhew how he could exprefs different paf
fions ; thofe that he has touched tend all to joy, and
his expreffions are not over delicate. We may be
: bold to fay, the grace which we meet with in his
pictures, is not fo much the effect of genius, as the,
habit of his hand.
His attitudes and draperies are well enough chofen.
He was a univerfal Painter, and his landfkips, which
are more agreeable than learned, are like the airs of
his heads of the fame defign, and the fame touch. His

eminent PAINTERS. 211
; His colouring is frefh, and his carnations of a
fanguine tint, but not very much ftudied. He was
very unequal in the force of his colours, having
drawn feme of his fubjects in the open field, fome
with a very ftrong colouring, and others with a very
weak. As for the claro, obfcuro, and union of co
lours, though he did not know them to be principles
of his art, yet good fenfe or chance, fometimes di
rected him to the ufe of them.
His works feem to be finifhed to the laft degree j
and though his pictures were drawn with facility, yet
there are very few free touches to be feen in them.
FRANCESCO BARBIERI da CENTO,
Commonly called
G U E R C I N O,
WAS born near ^Bologna, anno 1597, and
learned the principles of his art of a Bologr
hian Painter, whofe capacity was not extraordinary.
He left him and others afterwards, to enter into the
academy of the Carracci, where he defigned with a
great manner, and great facility, but rather with a
natural than v/ith an ideal guft. "When he was about
to form to himfelf a manner of defigning, he ex
amined thofe of the Painters of his time. Guido's
and Albani's feemed to him to be too weak, and
without eenfuring theirs, he refolved to give his
pictures more force, and come nearer to Caravagr
gio's ftile, with which he was more pleafed, than ei
ther with Albani's or Guido's. He thought a Painter
could not imitate the relievo of nature, without the
help of ftrong fhadows and ftrong colours : never-
thelefs he was Guido's very good friend, and would
never live at Bologna as long as Guido lived, to pre
vent their competition or rivalfhip, for which rea
fon he always refided at Cento, till the death of his
P 2 friend,

212 The L IVES of \
friend. He painted for a long time after this ftrong
manner, but in the deClenfion Of his age, he altered
his ftile, not out of his own judgment, but, as he
faid, to pleafe the ignorant and get money ; for,
Guido's and Albani's reputation had drawn the mul
titude after their manner. Indeed, of all the Carrac-
ci's difciples, he Was the leaft agreeable in his ftile ;
and it is to be wifhed, that to the fiercenefs of his
manner, he had joined more noblenefs in the airs
of his heads, and more truth to his local colours.
His carnations have too much of the lead in them,
though in general they do not want harmony ; and
whatever there feems to be wanting in his pictures,
he will always be reckoned a great Painter by the
critics. He was as much to be efteemed for his moral vir
tues, as for his fkill in Painting. He loved work
and folitude; he was true to his word, an enemy
to railing, humble, civil, charitable, pious, and
eminently chafte. When he went abroad he was
always accompanied with feveral Painters, who fol
lowed him as their mafter, and refpected him as
their father; for he affifted them with his advice,
his credit* and his purfe upon occafion. Though he
was very humble, there was nothing mean in his
behaviour ; and joined to the uprightnefs of his mo
rals a noble boldnefs, which made him be beloved
by the great. Being laborious, he got abundance
of money, which he laid out for the public ufe and
diverfion. He gave large fums to build chapels*
-and founded feveral fair hofpitals at Bologna, and
elfewhere. He died at threefcore and ten years of
age, anno 1 66 7, and made two of his nephews his
heirs, having lived a fingle and a chafte life.

Re-

eminent PAINTERS. 213
Reflections on the works of GUERCINO.
GUERCINO ftudied a while in the fchool
of the Carracci, yet it does not appear that he
has any thing of their character in his works. His
gufto was fingular, his genius eafy, but not elevat
ed ; neither were his thoughts fine. It is rare to
meet with noblenefs in his figures, and his expref-
{ions are not over moving. .
His gufto of defign is grand and natural, but
not very elegant. His inclination led him always
to a ftrong colouring. At firft he was very willing
to follow his friend Guido's ftile, but feeing that
Painter quitted one which he had then, for another
more clear, and as the Italians fay, mpre loofe, he
immediately took tp Caravaggip's manner, which
he tempered as he thought fit.
He gave union to his colouring by the unifor
mity of his red fhadows, but his carnations were
not very frefh, and yet his gufto naturally inclined
him tp imitate life, which he has often done with
fuecefs, though fometimes too fervilely and without
choice. He drew his, lights from above, and af
fected to make ftrong fhadows, to attract the eyes,
and give the greater force to his works. This is
more remarkable in his defigns than in his pictures,
which keep up their reputation by the ftrength of
the fhadows, the harmony of the colours, by the
great guft of defign, by the foftnefs of the pencil,
and by a character of truth, which reigns every
where through all of them.
MICHAEL ANGELO MERIGI,
Commonly called
MICHAEL ANGELO 4a GARtAVAGGIO*
WAS born at Caravaggio, a village in the
Milanefe, in the year 1569, and made him
felf famous by a manner in Painting extremely
P 3 ftron&

214 the LIVES of
ftrong, true, and of a great effect, of which him-:
felf was the author. He painted every thing he
did in a room where the light defcended from on
high. "He followed his models fo exactly, that he
imitated their defects as well as their beauties, havr
i-ng no other idea than the effect of nature prefent
before him. He ufed to fay, "That thofe pictures;
" which were not drawn after nature, were but as
" fo many rags, and the figures of which they were
" compofed, but as painted cards."
His manner being new, was followed by feveral
Painters of his time, and among others by Manfredi,
and Valentine a Frenchman. We muft own the
likenefs of this manner is very furprizing, and has a
very powerful effect on the moft judicious fpectators.
He drew after him almoft the whole fchool of the
Carracci. For not to name Guercino, who never left his
manner, Guido and Domenichino were tempted to
follow it ; but it was acjLompa.nj.ed wjthJuchan ill
fvut of defign, and the choice,.QS_hii„j^htS^being
e Same~Tn all forts of fubjects, they fell off from
it in a very little time. His pieces are to be met
with in moft of the cabinets in Europe. There
are feveral of them at Rome and Naples, and one
picture of his drawing is in the Dominican's church
at Antwerp, which Rubens ufed to call his mafter.
He often brought himfelf into danger by his con
temptible difcourfe of his cotemporaries, efpecially
of Giofeppino, whom he had made a jeft of public
ly. One day the difpute between them ran fo
high, that Michael Angelo drew his fword, and
killed a young man called Tomafino, who being
Giofeppino's friend, would have parted them. Up
on this Michael Angelo was forced to fly to the mar
quis Juftiniani, to protect him. While he lived in
his houfe, he drew the picture of St. Thomas's un
belief^

eminent PAINTERS. 215
belief, and a Cupid, two admirable pieces, for the
marquis. Juftiniani obtained his pardon, and reproved him
feverely for being fo outrageous; but Michael An-.
gdo, as Soon as he was at liberty, being not able to
command his paffions, he went to Giofeppino and
challenged him. The latter anfwered, " He was a
" knight, and would not draw his fword againft his
*' inferior." Caravaggio, nettled at this anfwer,
haftened to Malta, performed his vows and exer
cifes, and received the order of knighthood as a
ferving-brother. While he was there, he drew the
decollation of St John Baptift for the great church,
and the portrait of the grand-mafter deVigna-Court,
which is in the king's cabinet.
Being dignified with the order of Malta, he re
turned to Rome, intending to force Giofeppino tp
fight him ; but, happily for his competitor, a fever
took him and put an end to the dangerous difpute
with his life, anno 1609.
Reflections on the workrof MICHAEL
ANGELO da CARAVAGGIO.
CARAVAGGIO's ideas were like his tem
per, very unequal, and neverlofnf.- His dif- j
pofitions were good, and his a^fgnliSran ill gout, j
He had not underftanding enough tochppfe well, or
to*cbrrecT: nature. All his application was to co
louring, and he Succeeded wonderfully in it. His
local colours are very much ftudied, and by the
great knowledge he had of lights, joined to the ex
act variety with which he mingled his colours on
his pallet, without breaking, or as we fay, tortur
ing them with his pencil, the truth that appears in
.all his works is equally perfect and furprizing.
His attitudes have no choice in them. His dra
peries are like, but" Hi fet, and his figures are not
P 4 agreeably

216 The L I V E S of
greeably adjufted, nor as becomes their characters.
HeTtnew nothing of grace or noblenefs, and if ei
ther of them are to be met with in his pieces, it was
not done out of choice but by chance.
However, he drew feveral pictures which deferved
the name of grand compofitions, and he finifhed
them with extraordinary nicety. If he was not ma
fter of all the parts of Painting, we muft own that
his portraits at leaft are not to be cenfured. His
expreffions are not very lively. By his works one
may eafily perceive he did not fo much confider what
would contribute to make his pictures agreeable, as
what would render his objects fenfible, in which he
was fuccefsful by the claro. obfcgrp, by an excellent
gufto in colouring, by a terrible force, an agreeable
Ifweetriefs, and the melloweft pencil that ever was.
BARTHOLOMEO MANFREDI,
OF Mantua, was Caravaggio's difciple, and imi
tated his manner very exadtly. The fubjects
of his pictures are generally perfons playing at cards
or dice. He died young.
G I 0 S. R I B E R A,
CALLED
SPAGNOLETTO,
A Native of Valentia in Spain, was Caravaggio's
difciple, and like his mafter had a ftrong.
manner, imitating nature very faithfully: but his
pencil was not fo mellow as Michael Angelo's.
Spagnoletto delighted in Painting melancholy fub
jects. His works are difperfed over all Europe, but
chiefly at Naples, where he lived a long time, and
drew abundance of fine pieces
THE

eminent PAINTERS. 217

THE
LIVES O F T H E
GERMAN and FLEMISH
PAINTERS. " BOOK VI.

HUBERT and JOHN VAN-EYK,
ROTHERS, natives of Maffeyk on
the Meufe, were the firft Painters in
the Low-countries that did any thing
worth taking notice of; for which
reafon we may reckon them the foun
ders of the Flemifh fchool. Hubert
was the elder brother, he bred up John, and the
latter ftudied fo affiduoufly, that he equaled his maf
ter and elder brother, Hubert. They had both of
them genius and fkill ; they worked together, and
became famoUs by their performances j they drew
feveral pidlures for Philip the Good, duke of Bur
gundy ; that which was fet up in St John's church
at Gaunt was univerfally admired. Philip I. king of

218 The L I V E S of
of Spain, not being able to obtain the original, got
a copy of it, which he carried into Spain with him.
The fubjedt of this piece was taken out of the Reve
lations, where the old men adore the Lamb. This
picture is, to this day, looked upon as a wonder,
and there being a great deal of care taken to pre-
ferve it, it is ftill very frefh. It is covered, and
never expofed to view but on holidays, or at the de
fire of perfons of the firft quality.
After Hubert's death, which happened in the
year 1426, his brother John removed to Bruges,
and living altogether in that town, he was thence
called John of Bruges. It was this John, who, in
fearching after a varnifh that might give more forte
to his colouring, found out that linfeed oil mingled
with colours, had a very good effect without mak
ing ufe of any varnifh at all. To him the art of
Painting js indebted for the perfection to which it is
arrived by means of this new invention : and thus
John of Bruges's works encreafing in beauty, were
bought up by the great, and had one of the firft
places in their cabinets.
The picture which he fent to Alphonfo, king of
Naples, was the occafion of the difcovery of the fe-
. cret of Painting in oil in Italy* as we have fhewn
in the life of Antonio da Meffina, John ef Bruges
was efteemed as well for the folidify of his judg
ment, as fo? his Skill in Painting. The duke of
Burgundy had fo good an opinion of his merit, that
' Jie made him a cjpunfellor of flate. He died in
Bruges, anno.1441, and was buried in StDonatus's
church. His fifter Margaret would never marry,
that fhe might be the more at liberty to exercife her-,
felf iri Painting, which fhe paffionately loved.

ALBERf

eminent P A I NT E R S. 219
ALBERT DUR ER
WAS born at Nuremberg on Good-friday,
anno 1471, the fame day of the year which
gave birth to Raphael Urbin. Albert Durer, a cu
rious jeweller and goldfmith of that town, was fa
ther of Albert whofe life we write, and taught him
his own art, and that of graving. At fifteen years
of age he put him to Michael Wolgemuth, a good
Painter in Nuremberg, Van-Mander being in an
error when he fays he was Martin Schon's difciple.
It is true Albert would very fain have had him for
his mafter, but Martin's death prevented it.
After having fpent three years with Michael Wol
gemuth, he travelled to Flanders, and from thence
through Germany to Venice. At his return he mar
ried, being then near three and twenty years of age ;
about that time he began to publifh fome of his
prints. He graved the three Graces, fome Deaths-
Heads, and other bones of dead men, and a Hell
with diabolical fpectres, after the manner of Ifrael
pf Mechlin. Above the three graces there is a
globe, on which thefe three letters are to be feen,
O. G. H. as much as to fay in the German tongue,
O Got't Hute ! God defend us from enchantments !
He was then about 26 years old, for it was in the
year 1497, that he graved this piece. Having put
his genius in motion, he applied himfelf to the ftudy
pf defign, and became fo great a mafter of it, that all
his cotemporary countrymen of the profeffion made
his works their rule, and even feveral Italians bene
fited themfelves by his prints, as they have done
fince, though with more addrefs and difguife.
He was careful in all his plates to put down the
year in which they were graved, a very commend
able thing, for t.he curious may judge by that how old

220 The LIVES of
old he was when he did them. In the picture of
our Saviour's paffion, he difppfes the Lord's fupper
according to the opinion of Oecolampadius. That
of Melancholy is his fineft piece, and the things
that enter into the cptnpofition of his fubjects, area
proof pf Albert's fkill $ his Madonna's are, fingular
ly beautiful.
Albert put down alfo on his pictures. the year in,
which they were painted ; and Sandrart, who faw
more of them than any one elfe, fays he did not fee
any one of an older date than the year j 504 ; by
which he gives us to underftand, that Albert did
nothing of that kind till he was thirty-three years of

age.

Maximilian the emperor, gave Durer for the arms
of Painting three crowns, two in chief, and one in,
point. The character of a man of honour, which he al
ways maintained, his good fenfe, and his eloquence,
gifts bellowed on him by nature, procured him a feat
among the Counfellors of the city of Nuremberg.
His genius was fo univerfal, that he followed the bu
finefs of his profeffion, and, at the fame time, with
eafe minded the affairs of the public. He was labo
rious, of a fweet difpofition, and his fortune fo good,
that he might have enjpyed a pleafant reppfe, if his
wife had not difturbed his happinefs. She was of
fuch a covetous, greedy temper, that though they,
had no children, and were rich enough, yet fhe was
, always teazing him to get mpre. Her clamours were
So troublefome to him, they diftracted him in his.
labours, and made his life uneafy. To get rid of
her he went into the Low-countries, where he con
tracted a clofe friendfhip with Lucas of Leyden. His.
wife's trouble, her tears, and prornifes to behave
herfelf better for the future, prevailed on his friends
at Nuremberg to advife him how much fhe was al
tered, and to invite him to return. He was perfuad- ed

eminent PAINTERS. 221
ed by them to try her once more* but fhe foon grew
as bad as ever, and though he was one of the moft
prudent and beft natured men in the world, fhe
ufed him fo ill, that he broke his heart with forrow*
in the fifty- feventh year of his age, anno 152R.
Albert himfelf wrote his father's life four years
before he died ; Sandrart has given an account of it
after that of Albert the fon, who wrote moft of
the things himfelf which we have faid of him.
He talks very freely, and with a great deal of hu
mility of his father's poverty, how hard it was for
him to get his bread, and of the mifery he lived in
while he was young. The moft furprizing thing in
his whole life is, that he could work fo much, and
finifh fuch a vaft number of pictures, when his
circumftances were fo low as they were at firft, and
his wife fo great a fhrew. He wrote a treatife of
geometry, perfpective, fortification, and the pro
portion of human figures. Several authors have
fpoken of him with honour, and among others,
Erafmus and Vafari.
Reflections on the works of ALBERT DURER.
NO man ever fhewed fo vaft and Univerfal a
genius for the arts as Albert Duret. After
he had tried almoft all of them, and exercifed him
felf in them fome time, he at laft refolved to con
fine himfelf to Painting and Graving. Though by di
viding his time between the one and the other art,
One would think it would haVe hindered his perfec
tion in either, yet he mattered them both by an ex
traordinary application, and became perfect in both
Graving and Painting. But example, and the firft
things that prefent themfelves to ours eyes when we
apply to any profeffion, being apt to incline our
gout to the fame way, and to give the fame turn
to our thoughts, Albert fuffered for want of being put

222 ^ LIVES 5/
put into a right method at firft j by the fight of the
moft beautiful pieces, by a good education^ and by
the ftudy of the antique. His Vein was fruitful^
his compofition grand, and though the Gothic gufto
prevailed in his time and country, yet his produc
tions afforded matter enough, not only for the Ger
man Painters, but even for the Italians to learn byi
He was bold in the execution of his defigns.
He did whatever he fet himfelf about, and was fo
clean and fo exact in all his performances, that one
may perceive he, was entirely mafter of the prin
ciples of his art, which he had laid down as fuch in
his mind, and which related chiefly to defign : how
ever, it is furprizing, that having been at fo much
pains to know the ftructure of human bodies, he
fhould make fo little ufe of it ; for in moft of his
works, except his virgins and virtues, which accom
pany the emperor Maximilian's triumph* his defign
is poor and of an ill gufto. He imitated nature on
ly according to his own idea of her, and was fo far
from encreafing her beauty, pr feeking out the
graces that may be found in her, that he very rarely
copied thofe beautiful places which fortune often
furnifhes a Painter with. He was more happy in
the choice of his landfkips, which are generally fet
off with agreeable and extraordinary profpedls.
In fhort, his performances, as much as they were'
admired by his countrymen and cotemporaries, do
not deferve now to be examined according to the
rules of the feveral parts of Painting ; for, if there
is one good property in them, there are a great
many bad ones. Neverthelefs, we muft do that ju-
ftice to Albert's memory, to own, that though his
defigns were of a Gothic gufto, they were learned*
and the novelty of his prints acquired him a great
deal of reputation; upon which Vafari fays of him*
" If this excellent and exact artift, whofe genius was
" fo univerfal, had been born in Tufcany, as he was
" in

eminent PAINTERS. 223
'* in Germany, and had had the opportunity of flu-
'* dying the beautiful pieces that are at Rome, as the
" reft of us have done, he would have been the beft
" Pointer of Italy, as now he is to be reckoned the
** moft rare and moft celebrated genius of the Fle-
" milh fchool."
G E 0 R G E P ENS,,
OF Nuremberg, ftudied Raphael's. works very
muqh, and underftood the art of graving on
copper, as well as that of Painting. He affifted
Marc Antonio in divers of his performances, and
when he returned to his own country, he drew a
great many pictures, and graved feveral plates on
fubjects of his own invention, .which are fo many
proofs of the beauty of his genius and of his Skill.
He put down the letters of his name on his pieces
thus, Gi P. and was an artift very famous in his
time. ¦-, _ , ,v^
PETER CANDITO,
OF Munich, was a man of Skill ;' he painted al
moft all the palace of Munich, for Maximi
lian, duke of Bavaria, who had taken him into his
fervice. Fie drew the defigns of the hermits of Ba
varia, which were graved by Raphael and John
Sadder, as alfo feveral other things of his defigning.
The four doctors of the church, which'he defigned,
were engraved by Giles Sadder.
At the fame time flourifhed Matthew Grunewalt,
who painted after the manner of Albert Durer.
CORNELIUS ENG EL BERT,
OF Leyden, was cotemporary with Candito and
Grunewalt. Several very good pieces of his
' drawing

224 the L I V E S of
drawing are to be feen at Leyden and Utrecht. He.
had two fons, who imitated his manner very exact
ly, Cornelius Cornelii, and Lucas Cornelii. The
latter finding there was nothing to be got by Paint
ing, fo little was it encouraged iri his time and
country, was forced to turn cook • but his genius
would not let him abandon an art in which he might
eafily arrive to perfection, fo he returned to his firft
profeffion* and became a mafter.
He went to England, and was employed by
Henry VIII. who took him into his favour as well
as into his fervice.
B E R NA R D Van O R L A T,

OF Bruflels, was Painter to Margaret, gover-
nefs of the Low-Countries, for whom he did
feveral fine pieces* as alfo for the churches in that
and other cities in Brabant and Flanders. When he
drew any picture of confequence, he laid fome leaf-
gold for his ground* and painted upon it, which
kept his colours frefh, and in certain places added a
luftre to them, efpecially in a celeftial light, which
he painted in a picture of the day of judgment, that
is in the Chapel of the alms-houfe at Antwerp. He
drew a great mariy defigns for tapeftries by order of
the emperor Charles V. and the chief of the tapeftry-
work which Was done for the pope, ahd other princes
at that time, after Raphael's defighs, was committed
to his care to fee them well executed. He was one
of Raphael Urbin's difciples*
MIC HA EL C O X I S,
OF Mechlin, learnt the principles of his art of
Bernard, van Orlay, after which he went into
Italy, was Raphael's difciple, and generally made
ute of his ideas in the pictures he drew, for his own
invention

eminent PAINTERS. 225
Invention was barren and brought forth with diffi
culty. His defign and colouring were of Raphael's
gout. When he returned to Flanders, he had the
management of the execution of Some of Raphael's
defigns for tapeftry. He died at Antwerp, anno
1 5^2, being fourfcore and fifteen years of age.
LU CAS of L E T D E N
WAS taught the firft principles of Painting
by his father, but nature had bellowed on
him fo many advantageous qualities for the art, that
at nine years old he began to engrave, and at four
teen publifhed feveral plates, as confiderable for their
beauty as their number. His knowledge of Paint
ing was as forward as that of graving, and his per
formances in both were exact and clean. He foU
lowed the ftudies neceffary to his profeffion with ex
treme diligence ; and if the time he fpent in look
ing after the effects of nature, had been employed in
ftudying the antique, what was faid of Albert Du-
rer on the like occafion, might have been faid of
him, Vizi, that his works would have been admired
in all ages. He was magnificent in his way of liv
ing, dreffed well, and fpent his money freely.
Lucas and Albert carried on a friendly correfpon-
dence together, and were emulous of each other's
works, without jealoufy. When Albert put forth a
plate, Lucas publifhed another, and leaving it to the
world to judge of their merit, they were the firft that
didjuftice to one another, praifing each other's per
formance, without either envy or jealoufy; " bafe
*' paffions in fome men of art, for which no excel-
<c lence can atone." The friendfhip between Al
bert and Lucas encreafed very much at their inter
view in Holland, whither Albert went to vifit his
competitor and friend, two names which are very
feldom to be reconciled. Some time after Albert's
Q_ return

226 The LIVES of
return to Nuremberg, Lucas made a tour to Zea
land and Brabant, to vifit the Painters of thofe pro
vinces; which journey not prily coft him a great
deal of money, but his life alfo, for it is. faid a Flufh-
inger, of his profeffion, out of jealoufy of his me
rit, poifoned him at an entertainment to which he
had invited him. He lived in a languifhing Con
dition fix years after, during which time he almoft
always kept his bed. What troubled him moft was,
that he could not work at eafe; however, he vhad
fuch a love to his art, that, ill as he was, he could
not forbear working a-bed; and being told, that
his application to it in the condition he. was. in
Would haften his end, he replied, " Be it fo; I
" will have my bed to be a bed of honour, and
" cannot die in a better pofture than with my pen-
** cil in my hand." He was fcarce forty years old
when he departed this life* anno 1533 ; and per
haps the poifon that did him moft hurt, was fol
lowing his bufinefs with too muchearneftnefsinhis
tender age, when nature would have formed a better
conftitution for him, had fhe not been prevented by
Other employments, about which he fet her to work.
^U I NT IN MATSTS;,
Otherwife called,
The FARRIER of ANTWERP.
AFTER having followed the trade of a farrier,
or blackfmith, near twenty years, he fell fick
of a diftemper, which hindred his working fo much
.that he could not get his bread, fo he was forced to
go home to his mother for fubfiftence ; but fhe being
both old and poor, had much ado to maintain her
felf. While he was at his mother's, a friend of his
.coming to fee him, by chance fhewed him a print,
which a frier had juft then given him. At the fight
of it, he felt within himfelf a violent inclination to
copy

eminent PAINTERS. 227
copy it, which he did with fome fort of fuccefs, and
this begot in him a defire to learn the art of Paint
ing. He began to ftudy it, and finding himfelf, as
it were, in another element, both natural and plea-
fant, he grew well, and made a confiderable pro
grefs In his new profeffion. An accident happened
foon after, which quickened his zeal to arrive to a
perfection in the art. He fell in love with a Pain
ter's daughter, who was very handfome, and belov
ed by a Painter much more a mafter than he was.
Love and emulation puftied him on in the profecu-
tion of his ftudies, and made him leave nothing un
done that might contribute to render him more
fkilful, in order ,to fupplant his rival.
This ftory is told in another manner by fome who
will have love to have been the fole agent in the
matter, and that Cupid took the hammer out of his
hand, and put the pencil into it. This is the com-:
mon opinion, and his epitaph is much to the fame
purpofe, as alfo feveral epigrams written on the fame
fubject. There are a great many pictures of his
drawing at Antwerp, and among others a defcent
from the crofs, in our lady's church. He generally
did half figures and portraits, by which means his
works being to be. removed with eafe from place to
place, are difperfed throughout all Europe. His
manner was lingular, and had nothing in it like
that of other Painters. It was finifhed, and his co
louring ftrong. He lived a long time, and died
anno 1529.
JOHN of CALCAR, or CALKER,
NAtive of Calcar, a town in the dutchy of
Cleves, was avery excellent man, but his un
timely death hindred his fhewing himfelf to the
world as otherwife he would have done. In the
year 1536, he entered the fchool of Titian, and
Q^ 2 made

228 The LIVES of
made fuch progrefs in it, that feveral of his pic
tures and defigns have paffed for Titian's, in which
many good judges have been deceived, and it is pro
bable many more will be fo. From Venice he went
to Rome, where, having made himfelf very well
acquainted with Raphael's manner, he ftaid a while,
and then proceeded to Naples, in which city he
died, anno 1 546. It was this Calcar who defigned
the anatomical figures for Andreas Vefalius's book
of phyfic and anatomy, as alfo the portraits of the
Painters, that are before the lives written by Vafari,
which is enough to ferve for an encomium upon
him. Among other pieces he drew a nativity, re-
prefenting the angels around the infant Chrift, and
has fo ordered the difpofition of his picture, that
the light proceeds all from the child. It is an ad
mirable piece. Rubens who was owner of it, would
not part with it as long as he lived, but after his
death Sandrart bought it, and fold it again to the
emperor, who (et a high value upon it.
PETER KO U C
WAS born in the town of Aloft, and difciple
to Bernard van Orlay, who had lived with
Raphael. He went to Rome, and having a happy
difpofition of genius, improved himfelf fo much' by
the fight of the beautiful things he faw there, that
he formed an excellent gout, and became a very
correct defigner. When he returned to his own
country, he undertook the charge of directing the
executing of fome tapeftry work after Raphael's de
figns ; and burying his wife, after he had lived with
her ten years without having any children, he was
perfuaded by fome merchants of Bruffels, to under
take a voyage to Conftantinople ; but when he ar
rived there, finding there was nothing for him to
do but to draw defigns for tapeftry, the Mahomme- dan

eminent PAINTERS. 229
dan religion not allowing the Turks to reprefent
any figure, he fpent his time in defigning the parti
cular profpects in the neighbourhood of Conftanti
nople, and the manner of the Turks living, of
which he has left many wooden cuts, that may a-
lone fuffice to give an idea of his merit. In one of
thefe pieces he has reprefented himfelf under the
figure of a Turk, Handing upright, and pointing
to another Turk who holds a pike, After his voy
age to Conftantinople, he went and fettled at Ant
werp, where he drew feveral pictures for Charles V.
and in the latter part of his life, he wrote a treatife
of fculpture, geometry and perfpective. He alfo
tranflated Vitruvius and Serlio into the Flemifh
language, being himfelf a very good architect. He
died in the year 1550.
ALBERT ALDEGRAEF,
OF the city of Zouft in Weftphalia, where he
painted a great many fine things for the
churches, and among others, a nativity, worthy the
admiration of the curious. He did very little elfe-
where, bufying himfelf more about, graving than
Painting, as we may griefs by the vaft number of
prints which are every where to be feen of his, and
by which one may fee he was a correct defigner,
that his expreffions were graceful, and that he would
have made an excellent Painter,, had he. travelled in
to Italy.
JOHN of MA B US E,
BORN in. a village of Hungary called Mabufe,
was the cotemporary of Lucas van Leyden.
After having in his youth worked very much, he
went to Italy, from whence he came to Flanders*
and was the firft that fhewed the Flemifh. mafters
Q^ 3 how

230 The LIVES of
how to treat of hiftorical fubjedts in their compofi-
tions, and to expofe the naked, which had not till
his time been put in practice. His pieces are very
common in the Low-countries and in England. He
was in his younger days fober and ftudious, but in
the latter part of his life, too much addicted to
drinking. The marquis of Verens entertained him
in his fervice many years; and this nobleman be
ing informed that the emperor Charles V, intended
to come and lodge with him ; to receive him more
magnificently, ordered that all his domeftics fhould
be dreft in white damafk, and Mabufe among the
reft was to be fo arrayed : but Mabufe, inftead of
giving meafure to have a fort of robe made for
him, that he might make his appearance with other
of the marquis's fervants, defired to have the da
mafk, pretending he would contrive a whimfical
fhape with it, for the diverfion of the fpectators ;
whereas his true meaning was to fell it, to raife mo
ney for the tavern, which he accordingly did ; for
knowing that the emperor was to come by' night,
he thought he could manage fhe matter well enough,
by the help of the dark ; wherefore when the day
appointed by the emperor for his vifit came, Ma
bufe, inftead of filk, fewed white, paper together,
and painted it like damafk, with great flowers, mak
ing it up as a robe fhould be made, and fo took his
place in the train of the marquis. He was put be
tween a poet and a mufician, whom the marquis
kept alfo in his houfe.
Though the emperor faw his train of domeftics by
flambeau-light only, he was fo pleafed with it, that
the next day he would have them march before him
again, tp view them the more attentively. He
flood at a window to fee them pafs by, the marquis
Handing near him : when Mabufe appeared between
his comrades, the emperor took particular notice of
the Painter's robe, laying :he never faw fo fine a
damafk

eminent PAINTERS. 231
damafk. The marquis fent for him, and the
cheat being difcovered, the emperor laught heartily
at it : however, the marquis fearing it would be
thought he had dreffed up his men in paper for the
emperor's reception, was fo angry with Mabufe,
that he threw him into prifon, where he remained a
long while, minded his work very affiduoufly, and
drew abundance of defigns. He died in the year
1562.
JOHN S C H 0 R E L,
WAS born at a village called Schorel near
Alkmaer in Holland. He was Mabufe's
difciple, and worked fome time with Alhert Durer.
While he was travelling up and down Germany he
met with a frier, who was a lover of Painting, and
then going to Jerufafem ; which made him defirous
to accompany him- He defigned in Jerufalem, on
the banks of the river Jordan, and in feveral other
places Sanctified by the prefence of Jefus Chrift the
Saviour of the world. His fubjects were fuch as
piety and curiofity fuggefted. In his way home
he ftopped at Venice, worked there a while, and
having a defire to fee Raphael's Painting, went to
Rome, where he defigned his and Michael Angelo's
works, after the atitique fculptures, and the ruins
of the ancient buildings. Pope Adrian the IV,
being about that time advanced to St Peter's chair,
he gave Schorel the charge of fuperintendant of
the buildings at Belvedere ; but after the death of
this pontiff, who reigned little more than a year and
an half, Schorel returned to theLowTCOuntries. He
flaid a while at Utrecht, and drew feveral rare
pieces there. He paffed through France as he re-.
turned home, and refufed the offers which were made
him on the part of Francis I, out of his love to eafe
and a quiet life. He was endued wfth feveral. virtues
Q. 4 and

232 ft LIVES 5f
and fciences, being both a mufician, poet and orator.
He underftood four languages well, the Latin,
French, Italian and German. His good humour
and good qualities, got him the love and efteem of
all that knew him. He died anno 1562, in the fixty^
feventh year of his age. Two years before his der
ceafe, Anthony More, his difciple, drewhis picture,
LAMBERT LOMBARD,
OF Liege, was very induftrious to learn every
thing that related to his profeffion. He ftu
died the antique very much, and was the firft that
brought into his country a method very far from
the Gothic and barbarous gufto, which was then
predominant there. He fet up a fort of academy
at his houfe, where, among many more, Hubert
Goltius, Frans Floris, and William Kay, were his
difciples. The prints which were engraved after
his works fhew what his gout was. Sandrart and
others pretend that Suavius and Lombard were
the fame perfon. He fays, that Lombard in his
youth was called Lambert Suterman, and that af
terwards he changed his firname into Suavius, as
more harmonious than Suterman. Thus he put
down on his prints, L. Suavius Inventor. Sand
rart adds, that Van-mander miftakes in making
Lombard and Suavius two perfons. The curious
may exercife their criticifms on this matter, by
comparing the prints marked with each of their
names one with another, which Sandrart affures us
were done by one man at different times. Domi-
nick Lampfon, fecretary to the bifhop of Liege,
very well known to the learned world, wrote the
life of Lombard, who was his intimate friend.
The fame Lampfon wrote a copy of verfes on
Lucas Gaffel, a rare landfkip Painter at that time.
He was very idle, and lived and died at Bruffels. •
JOHN

eminent PAINTERS. 233
JOHN HOLBEIN,
BEtter -known by his German name Hans Hol
bein, was the fon of John Holbein, a fkilful
Painter, who lived at Augfburg, where he worked a
long time, and then removed to Bafil in Swiffer-
land. Here Hans, or John his fon, was born in
the year 1498. He learnt of his father the firft
rudiments of the art, and followed his ftudies with
extreme eagernefs ; but the elevation of his genius
foon raifed him above his mafter. His productions
had a great deal of force in them, and were of a
great character. He painted our Saviour's paffion
in the town-houfe of Bafil, in a pidlure confifting
of eight parts, and containing as many fubjects of
Chrift's fufferings. He painted alfo in the fifh-
market of that town a dance of peafants, and
death's dance : thefe two pieces are engraved in
wood, Erafmus, who was his friend, and had had his
pidlure drawn by him feveral times, imagining that
Swifferland was a very improper country to do juf-
tice to Holbein's merit, propofed to him to go to
England, promising, by means of Sir Thomas More,
to prepare the way for his favourable reception by
the King. Holbein readily accepted the propofal,
and the rather, becaufe his wife was fuch a terma
gant, fhe would never let him be at reft. In Eng
land he drew a vaft number of admirable portraits ;
among others thofe of Henry VIII, and his children,
prince Edward, the princefs Mary, and the prin-
cefs Elizabeth. He painted hiftory-pieces in feveral
places, two of which are grand compofitions, viz.
the Triumph of Riches, and the Condition of Po
verty. Frederic Zucchero, whom the king of
England fent for out of Italy, was mightily fur-
prized at the fight of Holbein's works, faying they
were

234 The LIVES of
were not inferior to either Raphael's or Titian's.
Holbein painted alike in every manner, in frefco,
in water-colours, in oil, and in miniature. He de
figned with crayons, or the pen* with wonderful
facility, and the great variety of his defigns aire
without number.
There happened an accident in England which
would have been fatal to him, had not the king
protected him. Oh the report pf Holbein's cha
racter, a lord of the firft quality came to fee him ;
bat it being, at a time when he was drawing a figure
after the life, he entreated his lordfhip to put off the
honour he intended him to fome other day. The.
lord taking this for an affront, broke open the door,
and very rudely went up flairs. Holbein hearing a
noife, came out of his chamber, and meeting the
lord at the Stair-head, fell into a violent paffion,
pufhed him backwards, and flung him down flairs
from top to bottom. The nobleman was very much
hurt, and the croud that came about him being wit-
neffes of his fall, it was a terrible mortification to
him. His men would have revenged their mailer's,
quarrel, but Holbein having barricadoed his door,
had time to fave himfelf on the top of the houfe ;
and making the beft of his way to court, told the
king what had happened to him, before the lord
could come to make his complaint. His majefty
promifed to protect him, and the lord arriving
fome time after, the king commanded him not to
attempt any thing againft Holbein. This Painter-
died of the plague at London in the year 1554.
being about fifty-Six years old. It is amazing to
think that a man born in Swifferland, and who had
never been in Italy, fhould have fuch a gufto, and
fo fine a genius for Painting. Sandrart relates, that
Rubens having been to fee Hontorft, at Utrecht*
and thence proceeding in his way to Amfterdam,
was. accompanied by feveral Painters, and by Sand rart

eminent PAINTERS. 235
rait among the reft. Their conversation running all
on the works of the learned, and of the Painters in
particular, it fell at laft on Holbein. Rubens fpoke
much in his praife, and advifed thofe of his pro
feffion to obferve narrowly his Death's Dance ; fay
ing, he had learned a great deal by it, as well as by
Stimmer's wooden prints, having .defigned feveral
things himfelf in his youth. Holbein had one good
difciple, Chriftopher Amberger of Augfburg, who
painted very much in frefco in divers places of
Germany. We fhall fay more of Hans Holbein, when we
come to treat of the Englifh fchool ; in which clafs
he ought to be placed, having performed moft of
his beft pieces in England ; and to the encourage
ment he met with in the court of Henry the Eighth,
the world owes all that this Painter did in hiftory,
which acquired him the reputation, not only of a
fine, but of a fublime genius. We fhall alfo place
all thofe Painters that flourifhed in England, in the
Englifh fchool ; and we may as reafonably do it, as
Monfieur de Piles has put Ribera, a Spaniard, in
that of Lombardy, and crouded Ferdinand Ellis,
Philip de Champaign, and his nephew, all Flamands,
in that of France.
T 0 B T S T I M M E R,
OF Schaffhaufen, was a very good Painter;
proofs of which he has given in his painting
in frefco on the frontifpieces of feveral houfes in
Frankfort, and in his own country; as alfo in fe
veral pictures Which he drew at Strafburg* and for
the Marquis of Baden. Among a great number of
wooden prints which are extant of his, thofe of the
Bible, that were publifhed in the year 1586, are
very much efteemed, and are the fame by which-
Rubens told Sandrart he had profited more than by
any

236 OLIVES of
any others. Sandrart himfelf call's this book a trea-
fury of fcience for the art of Painting. Bernard
Jobius, a printer at Strafburg, has put forth a great
many of his prints. Stimmer died young. He
had two brothers ; the eldeft painted on glafs, the
other graved admirably well in wood. I know no
more of either of them.
JOHN CORNELIUS VERMEYEN,
WAS born in a village near Haerlem. The
emperor Charles V. took him into his fer
vice, and he attended him in divers expeditions, par
ticularly that of Tunis. He painted feveral hiftori
cal events of that enterprize, the defigns of which
were afterwards executed in magnificent tapeftries
for Philip II, who left them in Portugal, where they
remain to this day. He worked a long time in the
monaftery of St Gervaife at Arras, in .Bruffels, and
in other cities of the Low- countries. The emperor,
Charles V, loved to fee him ; for befides that he
was handfome and well made, his beard was fo long,
that when he flood upright, it touched the ground,
for which he was called John the Bearded. He
died at Bruffels, anno 1559, in the fifty-ninth year
of his age. His tomb is in St George's church, as
alfo his epitaph, which he wrote himfelf.
ANTHONY MORE,
A Native of Utrecht, was difciple to John Scho
rel, and a great imitator of nature. His man
ner was ftrong, true and firm. He drew a vaft
number of portraits in the courts of Spain, Por
tugal, and that of Charles V. for which he was
paid very high prices, befides the prefents that were
made him •, by which means he got a good eftate.
He travelled into Italy, and though his chief bufi nefs

eminent PAINTERS. 237
nefs was drawing of portraits, he has, however, done
fome hiftories very fine in their kind. There is one
of thefe in the Prince of Conde's cabinet, in which
our Saviour is reprefented rifen from the dead, be
tween St Peter and St Paul. , The merchant, who
fold this picture to the prince, got a great deal of
money by fhewirig it at the fair of St Germain.
There is an equal degree of force and truth in it.
Anthony More died at Antwerp, at fifty-fix years
of age.
PETER BRUEGHEL,
CALLED
Old B RU E G HEL,
TO OK his name from the place of his birth
Brueghel, near Breda. He was a peafant's
Son* and Peter Kouc's difciple* whofe daughter he
married. He worked with Jeremy Kouc, after
whofe manner he did a great many things. He
went to France, and afterwards to Italy. Though he
has treated of all forts of fubjects, yet he delighted
moft in drawing Sports, dances, marriages, and
meetings of country people ; among whom he often.
mingled himfelf, to take the more exact notice of
their actions, and to fee what they did at thofe
times; which obfervations made him the beft Pain
ter of that kind that ever was. He ftudied land
fkips in the mountains of Friuli, was very ftudious
and referved, minding nothing but what contri
buted to his advancement in the knowledge of his
profeffion, wherein he became very famous. There
are feveral of his pictures in the emperor's cabinet,
and the reft of his works are difperfed up and down
Europe, efpecially in the Low-countries. He en
tered himfelf in the Academy of Painters at Ant
werp, anno 1551-
FRANS

238 , ft LIVES of
FRANS FLO R IS
WA S the fon of a good feujptor at Antwerp,
and followed his father's profeffion till he
was' twenty years old, when he went to Liege to
learn the art of Painting of Lambert Lombard, and
from thence travelled to Italy, where he applied
him&lf ftrenuoufly to defigning. Accordingly he
defigned every thing that was to his gout, and above
all, Michael Angelo's works. When he returned
into his own country, he grew famous and rich, his
performances beinggood and.numerous ; but though
he was a man of fenfe, and his converfation agree
able to perfons of the beft condition, yet he aban
doned himfelf fo to the love of wine, that he be
came intolerable even to his moft intimate friends :
neverthelefs, he loved his bufinefs as much as he did
his bottle. He worked feven hours a day with ap
plication and pleafure, and the remaining part he
fpent with .his drinking companions. He never
played unlefs he was forced to it, and ufed to fay,
•"r My work keeps me alive, but play would kill
" me." He was called the Raphael of Flanders.
He died anno 1 570, at 50 years of age.
CHRISTOPHER SCH WARTS,
WAS born at Ingolftadt, and Painter to the
Duke of Bavaria. He did a vaft number
of pieces at Munich, as well in frefco as in oil.
Sandrart fpeaks much in his commendation, and as
if he was one of the moft fkilful Painters of his age,
efpecially in frefco. He died anno 1594.
WILLIAM KAY,
OF Breda, ftudied the art of Painting at Liege
with Frans Floris, under Lambert Lombard.
Sandrart having commended him as a fkilful Pain
ter, praifes him alfo as a man of honour. He lived at

eminent PIA I N'TE R S. 239
at Antwerp very fplendidly. He drew a great num
ber of portraits, -little" inferior to thofe of Anthony
More. As he was shewing; the duke of Alvafs picture,
an officer belonging to the courts of juftice came to
receive his excellency's orders concerning the count
d'Egmbnt. i-Kay pretended he did notundejiftand
Spariifh, So thetluke fpoke. his mind freely in his
prefence,' and: bad the officer fee-that the count was
fcxecuted without delay; whichiorder made Such an
impreffion on the mind of our Painter, who lojre$
the Nobility of his country, that he went home, fell
lick* and died**- anno 156S. YL O
H U BE R T G O LTJU ^ ~\
'.. : >"fi ' . "^ -"''
A -Native of Venlo, .was bredupatWirtembUrg,
where his parents lived, and learnt the .firft
-priircipies of hisart of Lambert Lombard. He had
a particular genius for antiquity, and publifhed Se
veral large and fine volumes on the hiftory of me
dals. He did little in Painting. He. had two wives,
and the latter was fo ill humoured, that: it fhprtened
his days.
PETER and FRANCIS POURBUS,
FAther and Son, the former born at Goude* "tnd
the latter at Bruges. Each of them in the
place of his birth did a great many fine pieces,, whidi
are yet in the churches, and remain fufficient proofs
of their capacity. Francis having been, for Some
time, his father's difciple, removed to Frans Floris,
whom he excelled in colouring. He was a better
Painter than his father, - and there are admirable
pictures of his drawing in the town-houfe at Paris.
The father died in ,the Year- 1583, and the fon,
anno 1622. DITERIC

240 The LIVES of
DITERIC BARENT,
OF Amfterdam, was fon of a very ordinary Pain
ter, but the darling difciple of Titian, with
whom he lived a long while, and whofe picture he
drew, which is now in the hands of 'Peter Ifaac, a
Painter in Amfterdam. When he left Venice, he
returned to that city and fettled there,, where he
performed many rare pieees, and died at forty-eight
years old, anno 1582.
JOHN B 0 Ls
OF Mechlin, "was born in the year 1 534, he was
a very fkilful man, and worked almoft always \
in little, as well in oil, as in miniature arid diftem
per.: He was employed two years by the elector
Palatine at Heidelberg, from; whence he went to
Mons, and thence to Amfterdam, wherd he died,
anno 1593. Goltius engraved his epitaph, and his
picture with it. James and Rowland Savery were
his difciples.
MA RT I N HE M S K IRK,
WAS apeafant's fon. His father lived in a
village called Hemfkirk in Holland, where
Martin was bonu. In his youth he was fo dull, that
the mafter with whom he was put fent him back
to his father, defpairing that he would ever be good
for any thing. Hemfkirk's genius, like fruit that is
ripe late, fome time after ftirred him up to try once
more his fuccefs in the art. He went to another
mafter, and by indefatigable application arrived to a
great degree of perfection in his profeffion. He
was fome time under the difcipline of Schorel, whofe
reputation made him defirous to learn of him. His
genius,

eminent PAINTERS. 241
fenius, by little and little, made its way through ail
ifficulties, and he became a correct Painter, eafy
and fruitful in his inventions. He went to Rome,
and intended to ftay there a long time ; but after he
had been there about three years, an accident hap
pened to him, which obliged him to return to his
own country. He fettled at Haerlem, and lived
there the remainder of his days. Moft of his works
were engraved. Vafari gives a particular account of
them, commends them, and fays, Michad Angelo
was So pleafed with one of the prints, that he had a
mind to colour it. However, one may fee by the
prints of Hemfkirk's works, that he did not under
stand the claro obfcuro, and that his manner of defign •
ing was dry. He was threefcore and fixteen years
old when he died, anno 1574.
CHARLES van MANDER
WAS a gentleman born. His father was lord
of the manor of Meulebrac in Flanders,
where his fon Charles was bred, and a great deal of
Care taken about his education. The youth fhewing
early an inclination to Painting, his father put him
to Lucas de Heer, a famous Painter in thofe days,
and afterwards to Peter Udalric. While he was
under the difcipline of the latter, he drew feveral
hiftory pieces, taking the fubjects from the holy
fcriptures : at the fame time he wrote plays, for he
was a Poet as well as a Painter. When he was about
twenty fix years old he went to Rome, where he
ftaid three years, and then removed to Germany,
At Vienna he made feveral triumphal arches for the
emperor Rodolphus's public entries, after which he
returned to Meulebrac, the place of his nativity.
The war breaking out about religion, he retired
Co Courtray, where he painted feveral things for the
R churches,

242 The LIVES of
churches, and particularly a St Catharine, which
was very much commended.
When he returned to his eftate at Meulebrac, he
was robbed of all he had, arid having nothing left
for his fubfiftance, he went aboard a veffel bound
for Haerlem, where he foon recovered the wealth he
had loft, arid Spent his time in the exercifes of Paint
ing and Poetry. Among other things, he drew the
hiftory of Chrift's paffion, the prints of which were
graved by Geyen. Goltius, and the two Cornelius's
joining with him, they formed a fort of academy in
the city of Haerlem, to defign after nature, for the
inftrudtion of young Pairiters. His works, inprofe
and verfe, are fo numerous, we fhould tire the rea
der to name them all here. Befides a treatife of
Painting, he wrote the lives of the Flemifh Painters.
He was killed by an ignorant phyfician in the Sixty-
eighth year of his age, anno 1607. His body lies
buried in the old church at Amfterdam.
He had a fon, whofe name was Charles, of his
father's humour and profeffion: the king of Den
mark invited him to Copenhagen, where he lived
with the reputation of a fkilful man.
MA RT I N de VOS,
OF Antwerp, travelled all over Italy. He was
correct in his defigns, and eafy in his inven
tion ; but there is nothing that touches one in his
performances: however, they are very numerous,
moft of them are engraved, and the prints are to be
feen. It was after his defigns that the Sadelers graved
their hermits. He alfo drew the defigns of the life
of Chrift, which Vierx engraved. He was very' fat,
and very old when he died, which was in the year
of our Lord 1604.
JOHN

eminent PAINTERS. 243
J 0 HN S TRA DA
WAS born at Bruges, anno 1527, and defcend
ed from the ancient and noble family of the
Strada's, which, after the death of Charles de Goude,
the thirteenth earl of Flanders, who was affaffinated
for his tyranny in St Dona's church in Bruges, was
difperfed up and down every where, and became al-
moftextinct. The Painter we are fpeaking of went
tft Italy, and remained fome time at Florence,
.where he performed feveral pieces in frefco, and in
oil, for the great duke. Vafari fet him to work on
the Paintings which were drawing in that prince's
•cabinet. He defigned horfes very well, and his
genius made him incline to paint huntings. He died
-anno 1604, in the 77th year of his age. Tempeft*
was his difciple.
BARTHOLOMEW SPRANGHER
WAS the fon of a merchant of Antwerp, where
he was born in the year 1546. He learnt
the principles of his art of feveral mafters, and then
went to Rome, where cardinal Farnefe took him into
his fervice. This cardinal having undertaken to ad
vance him, recommended him to pope Pius V- who
employed him at Belvedere, where" Sprangher was
thirty-eight months drawing the picture of the day
of judgment, which picture is ftill over that pope's
tomb. While he was working upon it, Vafari told
. his holinefs, that whatever Sprangher did, was fo
much time foft-. Whether he fpoke it out of envy,
or out of diffike of Sprangher's manner, we cannot
decide ; it is probable it might be from an ill opinion
of his performances; for it is Strange that Sprangher,
who formed his manner in Italy, fhould have im
proved it no more by the beautiful things he faw
R 2 there,

w The LIVES of
there, and fhould give himfelf up entirely to the
Warmth of art irregular fancy. I fay this without
any intention to leffen the merit of his works, which
have agreat deal of fpirit in them, and were efteemed
by many perfons of quality, efpecially by the pope,
who commanded him to go on, notwithftanding
what Vafari faid againft him : however, it was on
condition he fhould fhew his defigns before he began
any pictures for his holinefs, to the end they might
be corrected where they wanted it. By this means
Sprangher finifhed his thoughts, which before were
little more than fketches ftruck out of the fire of his
imagination : upon all which we may make this re
flection, that it was not his gout of defign that pleafed
the pope and the Romans, who approved his perfor
mances, but that there was fome other part of the
art, in the manner of this Painter, which was un
known to Vafari, and which had fo good an effedl
on the eyes of fuch as were not prejudiced againft
him, that it fupported the character of his works, in
fpite of jealoufy or envy.
Sprangher, after having made' abundance of pic
tures in feveral places of Rome, was chofen/ by
John of Bologna, the duke of Florence's fculptor,
to be fent to the emperor Maximilian II. who had
defired a fkilful Painter of him. Sprangher did a
great number of pictures for that emperor, and Ro-
: dolphus who fucceeded him at Vienna and Prague.
He went afterwards into his own country, and tra
velled from one city to another in the Netherlands,
having been abfent from thence thirty-feven years.
He was very much honoured wherever he came,
and when he had feen all the places he intended to
fee, and vifited all his friends, he returned to Prague,
where he fettled, and died in a very old age.

HENRY

eminent PAINTERS. 245
HENRY GOLTIUS,
WA S the fon of John Goltius, a famous
Painter on glafs. He was born in the year
1558. in a village called Mulbrec, in the dutchy of
. Juliers. He learnt his art at Haerlem, and married
there. His wife had had a former hufband, and
by him a fon, whofe name was Matthew, whom
Goltius taught to engrave. His troubles, occafioned
by fome croffes in his domeftic affairs, threw him
into a diftemper which turned to a fhortnefs of
breath, and that to fpitting of blood, which con
tinued three years, and he could find no remedy for
it : in defpair of life he refolved to travel to Italy.
His friends did what they could to diffuade him
from a journey, which they thought none but a
madman would undertake in his condition. They
fhewed him what danger he was about to run, and
that his health was fo ill fettled it might coft him
his life. He anfwered, " He had rather die learn-
" ing fomething, than live in fuch a languifhing
" Slate as he was in ; and that fince his own country
" agreed with him no better, he would try an-
" other." Accordingly he went through moft of
the chief cities of Germany, where he vifited the
Painters, and the curious. To prevent his being
known, he paffed for his man's fervant, pretending
he was entertained by him for his fkill in Painting.
By this means he heard what one and the other faid
of his works, without knowing who he was, which
was a great pleafure to him. His difguife, his di-
verfipn, the exercife of his journey, and the diffe
rent air of the countries through which he travelled,
had fuch an effect upon his mind and, body, that he
recovered his former health and vigour,
He defigned an infinite number of pieces at Rome
and Naples, as well after the antique, as after Ra-
R 3 phael,

246 The LIVES of
phael, Polidoro, and other famous mafters. He
painted very little himfelf, and his diftemper tak
ing him again, he was forced to enter into a new
courfe of phyfic. The phyficiaris cUred him by a
milk diet, and advifed him to return to his native
air. He came back to Haerlem, where he graved
feveral things in feveral manners, and at laft hav
ing formed a particular one, he put forth abun
dance of fine prints, drawn after the defigns which
he brought out of Italy with him.
One may perceive, by the prints that were of
his invention, that his gout of defigning was not
very natural, and that his manner bad fomething
in it that was wild : however, it is vifible alfo, that
he managed his graver with great fleadinefs, and
extraordinary lightnefs. He died at Haerlem, anno
1617, -at 59 years of age.
J 0 H N van A C H,
O called from the place of his father's abode,
which was Aix la Chapelle. He himfelf was
born at Cologn, in the year 1556. Having been
Sprangher's difciple for fome time, he travelled
from one city to another, all over Italy, feek-
ing after opportunities to improve himfelf in the
ftudy of his art. From Italy he went to Germany,
where the emperor Rpdolphus took him into fa
vour, and fent him to Rome to defign the antiques.
This prince was a paffionate lover of the fine arts,
a good critic in them, and a great encburager of
merit in all artifts. John Van Ach, at his return,
worked a long while for the emperor. His per
formances deferve praife, and got him the character
of the greateft mafter of his time. The emperor
valued him as well for his prudence, as Skill* ; and
he employed all his credit at the imperial court,
to oblige men of merit. He died there loaden with
riches

eminent PAINTERS. 247
riches and honour, and beloved and efteemed by all
that knew him.
JOSEPH HE I NT S,
OF Bern, was entertained in the emperor Ro-
dolphus's fervice, at the fame time that John
van Ach, Sprangher, Hufnagle, Brueghel, Row
land Savery, John and Giles Sadder, and others
were employed by him. The emperor fent him
into Italy, to defign the fineft ftatues and pictures,
and he fucceeded fo well therein, that he was par
ticularly favoured by that prince, for whom he did
a great many admirable pieces, which were engraved
by the Sadeler's, Lucas Killan, and Ifaac Mayer of
Francfort. He died at Prague, very much lament
ed by perfons of the beft quality, for he was him
felf a man of honour. He had a fon, who was a
Painter.
MATTHEW and PAUL BRIL, Brothers,
OF Antwerp, were good landfkip Painters,
and good topographers. Matthew being em
ployed on the works of the Vatican, his brother
Paul came to Rome, where they did each of them
feveral things in frefco. Matthew died in the year
1584. Paul, his younger brother, who lived to be
72 years old, left a vaft number of rare pieces be
hind him, when. -he departed this life, anno 1622.
His works are in moft- of the cabinets of the curi
ous, and very much efteemed by them.
CORNELIUS CORNELIUS,
OF. Haerlem, was fon of Peter Cornelius, a
fkilful Painter. He was born iri the year
1562, and though he had never been in Italy,'drew a
R 4 great

248 ' The LIVES of
great many very fine pieces, and bred up good dif
ciples. He joined with Charles van Mander, in
eredling an academy of Painting at Haerlem, about
the year of our Lord 1595.
ADAM van N 0 0 R T,
OF Antwerp, was fon and difciple of Lambert
van Noort. He painted in great, and had
the reputation of being a mafter. He was fo full
of bufinefs, he had not time to go out of his own
country. He was Rubens's firft mafter, and died at
Antwerp, anno 1641, being fourfcore and four years
old.
O T HO V E N IU S,
>R Odtavio Venus, a Dutchman, was defcend
ed of a confiderable family in the city of Ley-
den, and born in the year 1556. He was carefully
educated by his parents in the ftudy of the belles
lettres. He learned at the fame time to defign of
Ifaac Nicholas. He was but fifteen years old when
the civil wars obliged him to leave his country ; he
retired to Liege, finifhed his ftudies, and there gave
the firft proofs of the beauty of his mind. He was
particularly known to cardinal Groofbeck, who gave
him letters of recommendation when he went to
Rome, where he was entertained by cardinal Ma-
duccio. His genius was fo adlive, that he at once
applied himfelf to philofophy, poetry, the mathe
matics and Painting. He became a great proficient
in defigning, under the difcipline of Frederico- Zuc
chero. He acquired an excellence in all the parts of
Painting, efpecially in the knowledge of the claro
obfcuro ; by which he was reckoned in Italy to be
one of the moft ingenious and moft univerfal men of
his age, He lived at Rorne feven years during which time

eminent PAINTERS. 249
time he performed feveral rare pieces, and then paf-
fing into Germany, was received into the emperor's
fervice. After this the duke of Bavaria and the elec
tor of Cologn employed him ; but all the advantages
that he got by his fervice in the courts -of foreign
princes, could not detain him there ; he had a de
fire to return into the Low-countries, whereof Alex
ander Farnefe, prince of Parma, was then gover
nor. He drew his picture, armed cap-a-pe, which
confirmed his reputation in the Netherlands. After,
the death of that prince, Venius retired to Antwerp,
where he adorned the principal churches with his
Paintings. -The arch-duke Albert, who fucceeded
the prince of Parma in the government of the Low-
countries, fent for him to Bruffels, made him ma
fter of the mint, and though it took up much time,
Otho found leifure to exercife himfelf in his profef
fion. He drew the arch-duke, and his wife' the
infanta Ifabella's portraits in great, which were fent
to James I. king of Great-Britain : and to fhew his
knowledge of polite learning, as well as that of
Painting, he publifhed feveral treatifes, embellifhing
them with cuts of his own defigning ; as Horace's
emblems, the Life of Thomas Aquinas, and the
Emblems of love ; all which I have feen, and in
which there is a great deal of art and grace. Ve
nius dedicating the emblems of profane love to the
infanta Ifabella, fhe obliged him to do the like by
divine love. Lewis XIII. made him very fair of
fers to tempt him to enter into his fervice, but he
would never leave his own country, Satisfying him
felf with the character and employments he held
there.- He was the firft fince Polidore Caravaggio,
who reduced the claro obfcuro, to a principle of the
art of Painting: Rubens perfected what he began,
and the whole Flemifh fchool learned it of him.
Venius died at Bruffels, anno 16345 in the three-
'.."...- fcorc

250 OLIVES 5/
fcore and eighteenth year of his age. He had two
brothers, Gilbert, who was a Graver, and Peter* a
Painter. He had alfo the honour to breed up the
famous Rubens in his art.
JOHN BOTTENHAMER,
WA S born at Munich in Bavaria, in the. year
1564. He learnt the rudiments of Painting
of his father ; but he formed his manner in Italy*
under the difcipline of Tintoret, whofe difciple he
was. He painted in frefco and in oil ; his invention
was eafy and agreeable; he worked very much in
frefco at Munich and Augfburg, where there are
great proofs of his ability ftill remaining. He got
money apace, but being extravagant, fquandered it
away as raft as he got it.
PETER CORNELIUS DERICK,
OF the city of Delft, imitated Baffano's man
ner fo naturally, that the curious are often de
ceived by it.
Sir PETER PAUL RUBENS,
WHOM, in fome fort, we may call the ho
nour ofPainting, was originally of Antwerp,
where his fatHer John Rubens," of noble extraction,
held the office of counfellor in the Senate: when the
civil wars broke out, they obliged him to leave his
¦country, and retire to Cologn ; in which city his Son
•Peter Paul Rubens was born in the year 1577. The
care his parents took of his education, and the vi
vacity ofhiswit, made every thingeafyto him, that
he had a mind to learn. He was So ingenious, that
it was thought: his; merit would . advance him to his
¦father's poft : but he had not refolved upon any pro
feffion

eminent P A I NT E R S. 251
profeffion when his father died, and the troubles
in the Netherlands abating, his family returned to
Antwerp. He continued there his ftudies of the
belles lettres, and at his leifure hours diverted him
felf with defigning, feeling in himfelf a ftrong incli
nation to the exercife of that art, to which he was
carried away by a fecret impulfe of nature, who had
Sowed the feeds of it deep in his mind. His mo
ther, perceiving his defires to improve himfelf in
it grew ftronger every day, permitted him to learn
to defign of Adam van Noort, who was a Painter
of fome note; but when Rubens had been long
enough with him to fee that he was not for his
purpofe, he removed to Otho Venius, who was not
only a good Painter, but a man of wit, mafter of
the principles of his art, and well verfed in the bel
ies lettres. Thefe rare qualities agreeing with Ru
bens's genius, the mafter and difciple contracted an
intimate friendfhip, and this was the occafion of
his giving himfelf up entirely to his art, which
he at firft intended to learn only for his pleafure ; to
which, the loffes his family fuffered in the civil wars
were no fmall inducement.
He learned with fo much eafe, and worked with
fo much application, that it was not long before he
equalled his mafter. He only wanted to improve
his talent by travel : to that end he wj&ntjtp Venice,
and in the fchool of Titian<pjrfeSed-4usIEnQw-
ledge" ^ bf*the^prma£fes_pt_c^Sunng.
In this citylie^became acquainted with one of the
duke of Mantua's gentlemen, who propofed to him,
on behalf of his mafter, to enter into that duke's
fervice in thefamequality. The excellent Paintings
which are at Mantua, and of which Rubens had
heard much talk,, were the chief motives to his ac
cepting this propofal. Hefoon grewin credit at
the court of Mantua, where having carefully flu
shed Julio Romano's works, he made no long ftay.
Thence

252 The LI V E S of
Thence he went to Rome, and with the fame care
"applied himfelf to the ftudy of the antique, the
works of Raphael, and every thing that might con
tribute to his perfection in his art. What was a-
greeable to his gout he made his own, either by
copying, or making reflections upon it, which he
presently wrote down ; and he generally accompa
nied thofe reflections with defigns, drawn with a
light ftroke of his pen, carrying always about him
two or three fheets of blank paper for that purpofe.
While he was in Rome, he drew the pictures for
the altar of the church of Santa Croce, and others
for the Chiefa Nova, belonging to the fathers of
the oratory.
He had been feven years following his ftudies in
Italy, when he received advice that his mother was
dangeroufly ill. He took poft immediately and re
turned to Antwerp, but his mother died before
his arrival. Soon after he married Catharine de
Brents, with whom he lived four years. He loved
her extremely, and when fhe died, was fo troubled
at her death, that he left Antwerp for fome time,
endeavouring to divert his forrow by a journey to
Holland. He went to Utrecht, to vifit Huntorft,
for whom he had a great value. Sandrart, who was
then Huntorft's difciple, waited upon Rubens to all
the cities of Holland, and fays, that as they were
on their way from one town to another, Rubens,
fpeaking of the works of the Painters, that he had
feen in his journey, preferred Huntorft's manner of
Painting, and Blomaert's compofitions, to any he
had feen ; and that he was fo in love with Cornelius
Polemburgh's pictures in little, that he defired
him to draw fome for him. Rubehs's fecond wife
was Helena Forman, who was indeed a Helen for
beauty, and helped him very much in the figures of
women, which he painted. ' ; - Rubens's

eminent PAINTERS. 253
Rubens's reputation fpreading over all Europe,
there was never a Painter but coveted to have fome
thing or other of his drawing; and he was fo im
portuned on this account, that he was forced to leave
his defigns to be executed by his difciples, whofe
pictures he touched over again with frefh views, a
lively underftanding, and a readinefs of hand, an
fwerable to the quicknefs of his wit, which got him
a good eftate in a fmall time. But there is a vaft
deal of difference between thefe pieces, and thofe
that were all of his own 'drawing. The former are
an injury to the reputation of the latter, for they
are generally ill defigned* and lightly painted.
Queen Mary of Medicis, wife of Henry IV be
ing defirous that Rubens fhould paint the Luxem
burg galleries at Paris, invited him to come thither j
whither he came, at her requeft, to take a view of
the places, and draw his defigns for two of thofe
galleries. The hiftory of that queen's life, was in
tended for the fubject of one of his pieces, and the
life of Henry IV. - forthe other. Rubens began the
gallery firft, that was to be painted with the ftory
of the life of Mary of Medicis, which he finifhed;
but the king's death happening prefently after,
hindered his compleating the- hiftory of his reign^
towards which he had begun feveral pictures. The
queen, who loved Painting, and defigned very
neatly herfelf, obliged Rubens to draw two of the
pictures that were part of her ftory, in her prefence,
that fhe might have the pleafure to fee him paint.
While Rubens was at Paris, the duke of Bucking
ham happened to come there, and became acquaint
ed with him. He was taken with his good fenfe v
;and finding it to be equally folid and penetrating,
he recommended him to the infanta Ifabella, who
made him her ambaffador in England, to negotiate
a peace with King Charles I. in the name of her
nephew Philip IV. king of Spain, and in her own. The

254 The LI V E S of ,
*The treaty took effect, and. King Charles, in ac
knowledgment of the fervice he had done the
crown of England, prefented him, in full parlia
ment, with a fword and garter, both of them en
riched with diamonds, and together worth twelyg
thoufand crowns. „.j
[We muft defire the reader's excufe for gjvmghjni
the trouble of reading the laft paragraph, which is as
falfe as ridiculous ; but there fcarce everwas a French
hiftorian, who out of the inveterate hatred the French
bear naturally our nation, hasnot every where, when
he fpeaks of the affairs of England, .done it with all
the difadvantage and falfhood that malice could fug-
geft. Even this writer, otherwife fair and equal in
his report ofthings, canrtot forbear reflecting on the
honour of our country, and to do it is guilty of the
greateft abfurdity in the world. He makes king
Charles prefent Rubens with gifts to • the. valUe of
three thoufand pounds, for concluding a peace be
tween England and Spain, as if England was fo
fond of the friendship of the- Spaniards, or fo afraid
of their power, that fhe thought fhe could not
reward the man fufficiently, that had been a chief
instrument in the treaty; which is as likely as that
the king fhould do him fo much honour in fyfi.par-
liament; a falfity too obvious to need confutation.
J3ut fuch is the veracity of the French writers, when
t.hey have any th jng to fay of England, they will not
name thofe of our nation, whom they cannot,' with
out more than common affurance, mention but'with
-honour; and for that reafon the whole Englifh
School was funk by this hiftorian. We fhall fay more
of it hereafter. The truth of Rubens's fuceefs in
the court of England, is, be concluded the treaty,
and painted the banquetting-houfe, for which the
king paid him fo much money; and as he was a
man of merit, knighted him. He fold the duke of

eminent PAINTERS. 255
of Buckingham fo many pictures, ftatues, medals
arid antiquities, that the duke paid him ten thoU-
fand pounds for the purchafe. He "tyas his intimate
friend ; and Rubens's character was fuch, that the
duke got as much honour by Rubens's friendfhip,
as Rubens did by his ; for if the one was great in
favour, riches, power and dignities, the other was
as great in fame, merit, knowledge, and the glory
of being the prince of his profeffion. To return to
monfieur de Pile's hiftory of him.]
When he went to Spain, to give Philip an ac
count of his negotiation, he had alfo the honour of
knighthood from him, befides many magnificent
preSents. He drew the portraits of the royal family,
and copied fome of Titian's for his own ufe.
While Rubens was in Spain, Don John, duke of
Braganza, (who was afterwards king of Portugal)
being a lover of Painting, and hearing much talk of
Rubens's excellence in that art, wrote to fome lords
that were his friends in the court of Madrid, to de^
fire they would fo order the matter, that Rubens
might vifit him at Villa Vitiofa; the place of hii
refidence. Rubens was well enough pleafed with
the journey, arid fet out with a great train,' which
fome of the duke's friends giving him notice of, he
was fo frighted that he fent i. gentleman to meet
him, and tell him, the duke his mafter being oblig
ed to go from home about an extraordinary affair,
defired him not to come any farther, and that he
would accept of fifty piftoles for the charge he had
been at in coming fo far. Rubens refufed the piftoles,
faying, he did not want any fuch Supphyy having
brought two thoufand along with him, which he in
tended to fpend in the duke's court in fifteen days,
the time be had allotted for his ftay there. Sir

256 The LIVES of
Sir Peter returning to Flanders, had the poft of
fecretary of Slate conferred on him ; however, he
did not leave off his profeffion, the extent of his
underftanding being large enough to do the duties
of his office, and to exercife himfelf in his art. Thus
loaden with riches and honour he lived feveral years.
At, laft the gout, with which he had been a long'
time afflidled, flew up to his ftomach, and killed
him, anno 1640, in the fixty third year of his age.
He left two Sons by his fecond wife ; the eldeft fuc
ceeded him in the office of fecretary of ftate, and
the other was very well provided for by the lhare-of
his father's eftate which fell to him. "
He was good-natured and obliging ; his genius
was full of fire, his fenfe folid arid fublime. He
was univerfally learned ; and for the politenefs; of
his manners, and the perfection of his knowledge,
he was beloved and efteemed by. perfons of the beft
rank. He fpoke fix languages ; and when he wrote
to men of learning, or made any obfervations on
his art, he always did it in Latin.
., Never Painter produced fo many, and fo great
comppfitions as Rubens. The palaces of feveral
princes, and the churches in Flanders, can give fub-
ftantial proofs of this affertiom It is difficult to
decide where his fineft pieces are. There is hardly
a place in Europe, but has fome token of his abi
lity, however, the cities of Antwerp and Paris,
feem to be the depositories of his moft valuable
Paintings. The good judges and fkilful Painters,
who examine his works with care, will eafily be
convinced that Rubens not only carried the art of
Painting to a very high degree, but that he opened
a way, which will lead thofe that proceed in it, to
perfection. He had a great many good difciples, as David
Teniers, Van Dyck, Jordan, Jouft, Soutmans,
Diepembeck, Van Tulden, Van Mol, Van Houk,
Erafmus

eminent PAINTERS. '257.
Erafmus Qyillinus, and others; of all whom Van
Dyck diftinguifhed himfelf moft, and did his maf
ter moft honour.
Rubens at firft propofed to himfelf to imitate
Michael Angelo da Caravaggio's manner of Paint
ing ; but finding it too laborious, he left it, and
formed another' more expeditious and agreeable to
his genius.
One Brendel, a Painter, who was alfo a famous
•chymift, coming to fee him, afked him if he would
join with him in Searching after the philofophers-
ftone ; telling him tb encourage him, he had little
more to do to come at it, and that they might both
of them make their fortunes by it. Rubens an-
Swere.d, He came too late by above twenty years,
for he had himfelf found out thephilofophers-ftones
by the help of his pencil and colours,
Abraham Johnfon, a fkilful Painter of Antwerp^
whofe only fault was lazinefs and debauchery, com
plaining of fortune, and being jealous of Rubens,
challenged him, propofing to him to draw each a
pidlure, as a trial of Skill, and to leave it to certain
critics, to determine whofe performance was beft.
Rubens did not think fit to accept of the challenge,
anfwering, That he willingly yielded the preference
to him ; that both of them fhould continue to do
their beft, which he intended to the utmoft of his
power, and no doubt the public would do them
both juftice.

S REFLEC

258 'The L I VE S of ¦
REFLECTIONS on the WORKS
O F
Sir PETER PAUL RUBENS.
IT is very eafy to perceive by the Works of this
Painter, that his genius was of the firft order,
which he cultivated by a profound knowledge in
all forts of literature, by a nice enquiry into every
thing that had relation to his profeffion, and by in
defatigable labour. Thus his- invention was inge
nious, and accompanied with all thofe circumftanCeS
that were worthy of a place in his fubject. He paint
ed in all kinds, -often the fame things, but very
^differently. No! man ever treated allegorical fub
jects fo learnedly and clearly as Rubens ; ahd as al
legories are a fort - of language which conftantly
ought to be authorized by ufe, arid generally under
ftood, he always introduced thofe fymbols" in his
pieces, which medals, and other monuments of an
tiquity, have rendered familiar, at , leaft, < to th&
learned. As his invention was ingenious, fo his difpofition
was advantageous ; every particular objedt in his
pictures was feen with pleafure itfelf, and contributed
alfo to the good effect of the whole together. '
Though Rubens lived feven years in Italy ; though
he made a confiderable collection of medals, ftatues,
and engraved flones; though he examined, underftood,
and extolled the beauty of the antique, as appears
by a manufcript of his, the original of which is in
my cuftody, yet, through education, and the nature
of his country, he fell into a Flemifh character, and
fometimes made an ill choice, offending againft the
regularity of defign : however, though this is a fault
that is blameable wherever it is found, and though his
knitting of the joints is a little too extravagant, yet
the

eminent PAINTERS. 259
the beft judges muft confefs, that Rubens was very
far from being ignorant in defigning ; for in moft
of his pictures he has fhewn a great deal of pene
tration in it. There is a piece of his drawing in the
city of Gaunt, a reprefentation of the fall of the,
damned, in which there are near two hundred figures
defigned with a good gufto, and very correctly. '.
By this we may perceive, that Rubens's errors in de
fignirig proceeded from the rapidity of his produc
tions. There are abundance of his pidtures at Paris,
efpecially in the Luxemburg galleries. I refer the
impartial critics to thofe pieces, and they will,find
enough, in the divinities and principal figures at
leaft, to fatisfy the nicety of their judgment.
He expreffed his fubjects with equal energy and
perfpicuity, to which be added noblenefs and gran
deur. His particular expreffions are fuitable to the
fubject. The Spectator is every where moved by
them, and there are fome of them of a fublime cha
racter. His attitudes are fimple and natural without cold-
nefs, contrafted and animated without exaggeration,
and varied with prudence.
His figures are adjufted with a good gout, and
his draperies are fet with art. They are diverflfied
and agreeable to the fex, age and dignity of the
perfons reprefented. The folds are large, well
placed, and expofe the naked without affectation.
He has fhewn as much judgment in his landfkips
as in his figures ; and whejLhkjxr^eXejitA^efp^cts
njiwr^llyjujwatefifl anjijnfipjd^ as thpfe ojTlanders
arejj^ren3ers them picquant by„the.ciaro. obfcuro,
and by_ tKe acdcfents^^SJ^h he introduces into his
compfiSj.tion. The forms of his trees are riot very f
elegant. They refemble thofe of his own coun-'
try too much, and his touches arc not fo fine as ,¦
Titian's. *
S 2 ' His

260 The LIVES of
His architecture is heavy, and has fomething of
the Gothic in it. He often nukes ufe of the li
cences; but they are judicious, advantageous/ and
imperceptible. Every thing that depends on colouring is admi
rable in Rubens. He advanced the knowledge of
the, claro obfcuro .more jthan any Pjmtej;,. ever .did*
and^IKewedT the neceffity of it.
By his example, he made the method of pleafing
the eyes a precept. H,e collected his objects after
the manner of a bunch of grapes, of which the
grapes that are in the light make altogether a mafs
of light, and thofe. that are in the dark, a m afs of
darknefs. Thus all the grapes making one fingle
object, the eyes behold them without diffraction,
and may at the fame time, diftinguifh. them with
out confufion. '
f_The reader will perceive. we differ in the tranfla
tion of this fimile^ from the tranflation of the. fame
comparifon in the firft chapter. As plain and fa
miliar as it feemed to monfieur de Piles, and the
Painters, we wanted to be more enlightned in it to
make it clear to fuch as are not of the profeffion.
We have been literal in rendering it into Englifh in
this place, and becaufe monfieur de Piles has exa
mined it better in his observations on monfieur de
Frefnoy's Art of Painting, we Shall add that expla
nation to this here. His words are thefe:. .
Titian, by this judicious and familiar comparifon,
means that a Painter ought to collecl the objetls, and to
difpofe them in fuch a manner as to compofe one whole,
the feveral contiguous parts of which may be enlightened,
many Jhadotved, and others of broken colours, to.be in
the turnings, as on a bunch of grapes, many grapes,
which are the parts of it,, are in the light, many, in the
fhadow, and the. reft faintly coloured, to make them go
farther back : Titian once told Tintoret, that in bis
greateft

eminent PAINTERS. 261
greateft ivorh a bunch of grapes had been his principal
rule, and- his fur eft guide. ]
This affemblage of objects and light is called a
group, and let the number of the figures that en- ,
ter into a compofition be never fo great, Rubens
never made above three groups in one piece, that
the fight might not be feattered by a multiplicity
of objedls, alike fenfible and expofed. He alfo in
duftrioufly concealed the artifice as much as poflible,
and only thofe that understand its principles can dis
cover it.
His carnations are very frefh, each in its charac
ter. His tints are juft, and employed with a free
hand, without being jumbled by the mixture, for
fear they fhould fully and lofe too much of their
luftre or truth, which appeared in them when the
work was firft done. Rubens obferved this maxim
with the more care, becaufe his performances are
grand, and confequently to be viewed at a diftance ;
wherefore he endeavoured to preferve the character
of his objects, and the frefhnefs of his carnations.
To this end, he not only did his utmoft to keep
his tints pure, but he made ufe of the moft lively
colours to have the effect he intended. He fucceed
ed in his endeavours, and is the only perfon who
underftood how to join a great luftre to a great cha
racter of truth ; and, among fo much brilliant, to
maintain a harmony, and a furprifing force ; for
which reafon we may reckon the fupreme degree,
to which he raifed colouring, to be one of the moft
valuable talents of this Painter.
He was a man of univerfal genius, and excelled
as well in hiftory-painting as in portraits, landfkips,
animals, and every thing that was proper to be
painted. His labour was light, his pencil mellow, and his
pictures finifhed ; but not like fome Painters, who
S 3 with

262 The LIVES of
with overftraihing and earneftnefs of finifhing their
pieces, do them more harm than good. He had
feveral difciples who executed his defigns ; on which
account many pictures are attributed to him that
were not of his doing. His own works, to which
he gave the laft hand, fhew, that never Painter was
more eafy in the execution of his defigns, and that
the wonderful effect which they have on the eyes of
the Spectator, did not proceed fo much from his
confummate experience, as from the certainty pf
his principles.
ADAM ELSHEIMER,
lORNat Francfort upon the Main, was a tay-
lor's fon, and at firft a difciple of Philip Uf-
fenbach, a man of fenfe, who aiming at a great
many things, had little experience of the practical
part of the art, though he was mafter of the theory.
Adam having learned of him as much as he could
teach him, went to Rome, where he fpent the re
mainder of his days. He was very ftudious, and
exercifed himfelf chiefly in little figures. He finifhed
every thing he did extremely : his colouring was
good, and his compofition ingenious. Count Gaude
of Utrecht graved feven pieces after him with equal
finenefs and force. There were feveral other prints)
engraved after his works, part of which he etched
himfelf, and part were graved by Madelain du Pas,
and others.
His memory was fo good, that if he had feen
any thing, he would keep it in his mind for fome
time, and then paint it exactly without defigning it
when he firft faw it. Though he lived in reputation
at Rome, and fold his pictures at high prices, yet he
took up fo much time in finifhing them, that he could
not fell enough to anfwer the expence of his houfe :
this

eminent PAINTERS. 263
this made him fo melancholy, that he neglected
his bufinefs, and lived only upon what he could bor
row ; by which means he ran fo far in debt, that not
being able to get out of it, he was thrown into pri-
fon, where he fell fick ; and though he was foon re-
leafed, his diftemper continued. He could not bear
the difgrace, nor furvive it. His difeafe and trou
ble encreafing, carried him to his grave in the year
1 610. The Italians themfelves, who had a parti
cular efteem for him, lamented the lofs of him.
James-Earneft-Thomas of Landau was his difciple,
and his pictures are fo like Adam's that they are
often taken the one for the other's.
ABRA HA M B L O MA E R T,
BORN at Gorcum, anno 1567, followed his
father to Utrecht, where he was educated, and
always lived. His father was an architect; his
mafters fome ordinary Painters, whom he met with
by chance ; and he looked upon the time he fpent
with them, as fo much thrown away. He formed
a manner to himfelf after nature and as his genius
directed him. It was eafy, fruitful, graceful, and
univerfal. He underftood the claro obfcuro. The
folds of his draperies were large, and had a good
effect ; but his gout of defigning had too much of
his own country in it. There were a vaft number
of prints graved by the beft gravers, after his works.
He died at fourfcore years of age, anno 1647. He
had three fons, of whom Cornelius, the excellent
graver, was the youngeft.

Si HENRY

264 the LIVES of
HENRY StENVICK.
ST E N V I C K was the place of his nativity. He
learnt the rudiments of his art of John Uries.
He delighted in drawing the perspectives of the in-
fides of churches, and did every thing in this way
that could be done. The wars of Flanders drove
him out of his own' country to Francfort, where he
Settled and followed his profeffion till he died, anno
1603. He had a fon who took a fancy to the fame
kind of Painting. He was employed by Charles I.
king of England. He lived very honourably at
London, and when he died, his widow removed to
Amfterdam, where fhe got her living by painting
perfpectives, as her hufband and father-in-law had
clone before her,
ABRAHAM JOHNSON,
OF Antwerp, had a wonderful genius, for Paint
ing, and in his youth did fome things that put
him above all the young Painters of his time; but
falling in love, he neglected his ftudies and bufi
nefs to follow his courtfhip. The young woman
lived at Antwerp, and he was fo affiduous in his
addreffes, that he gained, and married her. Now,
as if he had no more to do, fince he had got a wife,
he minded nothing but his pleafures, and foon
fpent what he had laid by before he married. His
circumftances growing low, inftead of blaming his
own lazinefs, he complained pf the little juftice done
his merit. He grew jealous of Rubens, challeng
ed him to draw a picture with him, and propofed
feveral perfons to judge whofe performance was beft
when they had done them. Rubens replied, " He
*' willingly fubmitted to him in that point, and the
¦*"*• world tyould do them both juftice," refufing tp
accept

eminent PAINTERS. 26^
accept the challenge. There are fome of John-
fon's works in the churches at Antwerp, and a de-
fcent from the crofs, which he drew for the great
church at Boifleduc, a piece fo admirably well per
formed, that it has been taken for Rubens's, and
indeed, that is not inferior to the works of that
Painter.
GERARD SEGRE,
OF Antwerp, went to Rome, and after having
ftudied the principles of his art fome time,
gave himfelf up entirely to Manfrede's manner, and
at laft excelled him in the force and union of his co
louring, as one may fee by his Painting at Antwerp,
and elfewhere. But Rubens and Vandyke's manners
being generally approved of, Segre was forced to
change his, or his pictures would have lain upon his
hands. His good fenfe, and the knowledge he had
of his art, made the change eafy to him, and he fuc
ceeded in his new ftyle. He died at Antwerp, in the
year 1651, leaving a fon of his own profeffion be
hind him.
MICHAEL JOHNSON MIREVELt,
BORN at Delft, anno 1568, was a goldfmith's
fon, and the difciple of Anthony de Montfort
of Blocland. He learned his art very eafily, and
though he was fuccefsful in his hiftory-pieces, yet by
little and little he left off that fort of Painting, and
did nothing but portraits, which he performed with
beauty and facility. His reputation was fo great,
that he drew a prodigious number of them, and
fold them at what price he pleafed. He never
would take lefs than 150 Florins a-piece. William
Jaques of Delft graved after him, and his prints
are both numerous and fine.
GOR^

266 the L I V E S of
CORNELIUS S C HUt,
OF Antwerp, was born with a lively imagina-,
tion, and a great talent for Painting, which
is feen by his productions. He always feafoned
them with poetical ideas. He had little bufinefs ;
and imputing -it to Rubens's reputation, he was
very angry with that Painter, railing at him as one
that was covetous ; but Rubens took no other re
venge of him, than to procure him work.
GERARD HUNtORSt,
OF Utrecht, was born in the year 1592, and
paft for one of the beft Painters of his time.
He was Blomaert's difciple ; he afterwards went to
Rome, where having ftudied defigning, he exercifed
himfelf with fo much application and fuccefs in
drawing night-pieces, that nobody ever did it fo
well as he. When he returned to Utrecht, he drew
Several hiftory- pieces. He was fo fober, and a man
of fo much honour, that moft of the young men of
quality of Antwerp, were fent to him to learn to
defign. He alfo taught the queen of Bphemia's
children to defign; the prince-palatine, and the four
princeffes, their Sifters, were his diSciples; among
whom, her highnefs the princefs Sophia, and the
abbefs Maubuiffon, diftinguifhed themfelves by their
Skill in Painting. Charles the Firft, king of Eng
land, invited Huntorft to come to London, where
he did feveral grand performances for his majefty ;
when he returned to Holland, he painted the prince
of Orange's houfes of pleafure, in which he drew
abundance of poetical fubjects, as well in frefco as
in oil, particularly in the palace called la Maifon du
Bpis, the boarded houfe, half a league from the
Hague. Sir

eminent PAINTERS. 267
Sir ANtHONY VANDYCK,
WAS born at Antwerp, in the year 1599.
He had the happieft pencil that ever, any
Painter was bleft with, Correggio only excepted ;
befides whom none can difpute that excellence with
him. Vandyck was Rubens's difciple, and affifted
him in the performance of his -moft confiderable
pieces. He went to Italy, flaid a fhort time at
Rome, and then removed to Venice, where he flam
med the cream (if you will allow the phrafe) of
Titian's works, and the works of the whole Vene
tian fchool, to ftrengthen his own manner ; proofs
of which appeared in the pictures he drew at Ge
noa, where he left behind him many excellent
pieces. When he returned to Flanders, he did fe
veral pieces of hiftory, that rendered his name fa
mous all over Europe ; but believing he fhould be
more employed in the courts of foreign princes, if
he applied himfelf to Painting after the life, he
refolved, at laft, to make it his chief bufinefs, know
ing it not only to be the moft acceptable, but the
moft advantageous part of his profeffion. Befides,
he was willing to fignalize himfelf by a talent,
which nature had particularly favoured him with.
Cardinal Richlieu invited him into France, where
not liking his entertainment, he flaid a very little
while ; and thence went to England, being fent for
by king Charles, who received him very graeioufly.
He was fo much employed in drawing the portraits
of the royal family, and the lords of the court,
that he had no time to do any hiftory-pieces. He
did a prodigious number of portraits, about which
he took a great deal of care at firft ; but at laft he
ran them over haftily, and painted them very flight-
ly. A friend of his afking him the reafon of it,
He replied, " I worked a long time for my repu-
" tation.

268 the LI V ES- of
ic tation, and Ido it now for my kitchen." By
this method he got a good eftate, -married a woman
of quality, and kept a noble hoUfe. He died in
London in the year 1641, at forty- two years of
age. It is probable he ihortned his days -by waft
ing his fpirits with too much application to his bu
finefs, without which he could not have performed
the vaft number of pictures that came out of his
hands. Hanneman arid Remy were his beft difciples.
Reflections on the works of Sir AN t HO NY
VANDYCK.
NEVER did any difciple profit more by his
mailer's leffons, thanVandyck did by Rubens's.
However, though he was born with a fine genius ;
though his judgment was Solid, and his invagination
lively ; though he learned with- eafe* and practifed
betimes all his matter's principles, yet his mind was
not of fo large an extent as that of Rubens's.
His compositions were full, and conducted by
the fame maxims, as were thofe of Rubens's ; but
his invention was not fo learned, nor fo ingenious
as his mailer's. Though he was not very correct,
nor very well grounded iri the part of defigning, he
has neverthelefs done fome things in that kind that
are worthy of efteem ; when with the delicacy of
his choice, he obferved nature faithfully .and judi-"
cioufly : he drew feveral portraits of a fublime cha
racter ; he difpofed of them fo, that it gave them
an equal degree of life and grace. He always dfef-
fed them according to the fafhion of the timesi
from which he drew what was moft for the advan-*-
tage of Painting, and fhewed by it, that nPthing is
too hard for art and genius, which can make the
moft ungrateful things beautiful. He defigned his
heads and hands with the utmoft perfection, and
acquired a habitude of making the "latter- exactlybeauti-

eminent.; P AT I ,N . TERS. 269
* beautiful and proportionable.. He chofe his atti
tudes agreeabki to the perforis, arid took his time
to draw a face-when.it had its beft looks^ on. - He
obferved its charms and. graces ; he kept them ; in
his.mind, 'andnofconly imitated natUre, but height
ened her as far as he could do it, without altering"
the likenefs. .. ThuS,: ibefides the truth in Vandyck's
pictures, there is an art which the, Painters before
him feldom made ufe of. It is difficult to keep
within bounds in doing fo. A Painter ought to See
with Vandyck's eyes, to find out what is tp be found-
in that < matter,, to; make ufe of his difcoveries,
and not to tranfgrefs the limits which nature has
prefcribed him : nay, Vandyck 3 himfelf, as admi
rable a genius as he- was, has not always put his ar
tifice in pradtice without abufing it, efpecially in
the latter partTif his life. Indeed his laft portraits
want riiucli of the beauty and correctnefs of his
firft. ." His judgment was -ripe betimes, for his moft va
luable pieces were drawn while, he; was young, when
he.didnhis beft to: eftablifh his reputation. The
portraits he drew of the moft fkilful Painters, his
friends; his performances at Genoa, and. thofe he
did in. the^ firft J fix. and feven years of his abode
in England, are His -fineft productions, and what.
acquired him the character of, the beft Painter: of
his time. Some of his laft works,,;. which are .alfo
in England, are flight things': the. colouring is weak,
and falls into the lead; neverthelefs, his pencil) is
happy. every where-,- it is light, flowing, mellow,
and: does not Contribute a little to the life, which
Vandyck put into every thing ^he painted. ,r If his.
performances are not' alike perfect, all in the laft
degree, they carry with them,, however, a great
character of fpirit, noblenefs, grace and truth ; in-
fomuch that pnef may fay of him, that excepting
"Titian only, Vandyck furpaffesall the Painters that-
¦xanhf!' r went

ijo i.the L IV E S of
went before him,: or have come after him, iii por
traits, and that his hiftory-pieces, in the opinion
of good judges, deferve a place among the works
of the Painters of the- firft rank, rn .;-;:--
« We refer the reader to the Englifh fchool for
«« a further account of this great mafter; for as he
" did the greateft number, and the moft valuable
** of his performances in England ; as the genius of
" our country, preferring portraits to hiftory-pieces*
<£ inclined him to apply himfelf wholly to Painting
" after the life ; as he received all the encourage-
" merit in England which was -due to his merit,
tc lived here, married and died here, So he moft
" defervedly ought to be placed in our School, of
'*• which he is the honour, and indeed of the art
" itfelf." fst ^ -J-
A DR. I A N B R 0 W E R,
OF Oudenarde, was born in the year 1608.
He painted in 'little, and delighted in repre-
fenting the actions of the peafants of his own coun
try. His fubjects are generally low, but his expref
fions are fo lively, and his colouring fo good, that
his pictures- are worth their weight in gold. His
fault was fotting; he was extravagant and carelefs,
and confequeritly always poor, which he made a
jeft of, being of a very pleafarit humour, though he
could not hold ft long. His debaucheries and irre
gular way of living fhortened his days, for he died
in the thirty-Sixth year of his age, not leaving e-
nough behind him to bury him. He was at firft
buried in the common church-yard ; but his works
growing every day more and more in efteem, the
magiftrates of Antwerp refolved topreferve his me
mory by raifing a rtoble tomb over him. His corps
was taken up again, and buried a fecond time in
the Carmelites church, a vaft croud of people at
tending

eminent PAINTERS. 271
tending it to th6 grave, over which; a magnificent
tOtnfc was erectedj being a lafting proof of the ve
neration paid by the citizens of Antwerp to merit
in all ages.

'or

CORNELIUS POELEN BURCH,
BORN at Utrecht In the year 1586, was a dif
ciple of Blort. He went to Rome, and for
fome time ftudied Raphael's works, which he de
figned. He afterwards applied himfelf wholly to
landfkips, taking Adam Elfheimer's manner for his
pattern: at laft having ftudied. nature more, he
formed a particular ftile,, which., was faithful and
agreeable;, and , following his genius, he always
drew frnall figures. When he returned to Holland
he worked very affiduoufly to make himfelf known.
The king of England having Seen fome of his
pieces, Invited him to his court, and allowed him a
yearly penfion. Returning to Utrecht he had fb
much bufinefs, he could not go through with it.
His pictures being to be carried frprri place to place
with eafe, were fent for from all parts. Rubens
liked his manner fo well, that he defired Some of
his pieces, which Sandrart undertppk to fend him.
His works are to this day known and efteemed all
over Europe. He died at 74 years of age, anno
1660.
ROWLAND S A V E R Y,
A Fleming, was the fon of an ordinary Painter.'
His firft exercife in his art was to imitate all
forts pf animals after nature ; and he became fo
fkilful, that the emperor Rodolph, who had a
good tafte, took him into his fervice, and fent
him to Friuli to ftudy landfkips on the mountains,
in which he fucceeded. His defigns are generally drawn

272 the LIVES of
drawn with a pen, and are wafhed over with diflfe*
rent colours, as near as he could to nature, in the
object he defigned. , He collected all his drawings
into a book, which he carefully confulted. .This
book is now in the emperor's cuftody. ¦ Giles Sade-
ler, and Ifaac his difciple, graved feveral of his
landfkips : the fineft of them all is the piece in which
St Jerom is reprefented : it was done by Ifaac Row*
land who died at Utrecht in a good old age.
JOHN tORRENt IUS^ -
OF Amfterdam, generally painted fmall figures,
and though he was never out of his own coun
try, he has done fome things with great force and
great truth. He loved to paint nudities, and was
very extravagant in his lewd fancy. His friends
often reproved him for it to no purpofe. Inftead
of growing better by their advice, to excufe his
wicked inclinations, he fell into a damnable herefy,
which he fpread about himfelf, and by which his
obfcene figures were not only juftified, but com
mended. He was taken up for his horrible tenets,
and denying what was fworn againft him, the rha-
giftrates put him to the torture. He died in the
midft of his torments, and his lewd pictures were
burnt by the hands of the common hangman, anno
1640.
FREDERIC B REND EL,
OF Strafburgh, painted in diftemper with a great
deal of fpirit and facility. He was William
Baur's mafter.

WILLIAM

eminent PAINTERS. 273
WILLIAM BAUR,
OF Strafburg, was Brendd's difciple, had a
great genius, but the fury of his imagination
hindered his ftudying the antique, and beautiful na
ture, and prevented his throwing off the barbarous
gout of his country. It is true he was fome time
at Rome, but his ftudies were wholly employed a-
bout architecture and landfkip, and he took no care
to form a grand gufto, or learn how to fhew the
naked, which he defigned very ill. He painted
fmall figures in diftemper on vellum : his pencil was
light, -his general expreffions and compofitions beau
tiful even to fublime. He ftudied his trees at la
Vigne Madame, and the palaces in and about Rome
were his models for architedture. He himfelf etch
ed Ovid's Metamorphofes ; the figures were of his
own invention, and make a volume by themfelves.
Several of his defigns, of fubjects taken out of the
holy fcriptures, and other hiftories, were graved by
Melchior Ruffel, and make another Volume of
prints. By thefe two books one may perceive the
extent of William Baur's genius. He died at Vienna
in a very little time after he married, anno 1 640.
HENRY GAUD E, Count-Palatine,
BORN at Utrecht, and defcended from an illuf
trious family in thofe parts. Fie took fuch a
fancy to defigning, that there was not a young
Painter in his time, who defigned fo well as he did
in his youth. He went to Rome, while Adam EI-
fheimer was there, with whom he contracted a clofe
friendfliip, and not only bought of him what pic
tures he had already finifhed, but paid him before
hand for as many as he fhould make in feveral
T years

274 the LIVES of
years'! Henry returning to Utrecht, graved thofe
feven pictures after Adam's work, which the curi
ous admire for their Angular beauty. A young wo
man that would have married him, gave him a
philtre, which, inftead of making him in love with
her, took away his fenfes. He grew a perfect fot,
and talked like an idiot on any thing but Painting,
on which he would difeourfe very rationally and ju-
dicioufly as long as he lived.
DAVID t E N I E R S, tKeElder,
OF Antwerp, was one of Rubens's difciples in
his own country, and Adam Elfheimer's at
Rome ; by which means, when he returned tp Ant
werp, he made a. mixture of Rubens's and Elfhd-
mer's manners. He drew1 onjy fmall figures, for
which he was famous. He died in the ye#r 1649.
JOHN VANHOU C,
OF Antwerp, was one of Rubens's good dif
ciples. He went to Rome, where his know
ledge in colouring was admired. In his way back
to Flanders, paffing through Vienna, the arch-duke
Leopold took him into his fervice, which kept him
there till the year 1650, the laft of Van Houc's life,
who died in the prime of his age.
JAMES F O U ^U I E R,
A Fleming, born of a good family, was de Mom-
pre's difciple, and one of the moft celebrat
ed and learned landfkip Painters that ever was.
The difference between his pictures and Titian's,
confift rather in the countries reprefented, than in
the goodnefs of the pieces. The principles of the
one and the other are the fame, and the colouring alike

eminent PAINTERS. 275
alike good and regular. He painted for Rubens,
of whom he learned the moft effential part of his
art. The eledtpr-palatine employed him at Heidel
berg; a°d thence he went to Paris, where, though
he worked a long time, and was well paid for what
he did, yet he grew poor through his want of con-
dudt, and died in the houfe of an ordinary Painter
palled SUvain, who lived in the Suburbs of St Jaques.
He had two pupils that followed his manner: their
^ames were Rendu and Bellin.
P Et E R VA NL AE R,
Commonly called
BAMBOCCIO,
WAS born in the city of Haerlem. He had
a wonderful genius for Painting, and though
,-he.mmded chiefly the .ftudy of Small figures, yet he
was a Jiniverfal. man, and very induftrious in his
Search, after every thing that had relation to his
profeffion. He made along ftay at Rome, where
_hB. .Bias, bdoved: and. fifteemed by the Painters his
-{©©temporaries. His manner was fweet and true.
The Italians gave him the name of Bamboccio, on
account of his extraordinary figure : his legs were
.long* -his body fhort, and his head funk into his
ifhoulders ; but the beauty of his mind more than
made amends for the deformity of his body, and
his good nature and good manners hid the difa-
greeablenefs of his perfon. He died- at threefcore
years old by an accident, falling into a ditch near
the City of -Haerlem, in which he Was drowned. It
appears by the manner of his death, that divine
vengeance purfued him for a crime he was guilty of
at Rome while he lived there. He was one Lent
raken&hree or four times, with five Dutchmen of
T 2 his

276 the LIVES of
his acquaintance, eating flefh on the banks of the
Tiber, without having any neceffity for it. A di
vine, who had advifed them often not to do fo, fur-
prized them at it once more, arid feeing that fair
means would not do, threatened to put them into the
Inquifition : and both the prieft and the Dutchmen
being very much exafperated, they threw him into
the river. It is obfervable, that all thefe five Dutch
men died by water.
[The reader will remember that the author is a
Frenchman and a catholic, and the offenders Hol
landers and proteftants.]
JOHN BOOtH and his Brother HENRY,
F Utrecht, were both Blomaert's difciples,
and both of them very ftudious and induflri-
ous in their profeffion. They went to Ronie^ where
Henry applied himfelf to landfkips, imitating- the
manner of Claude de Lorrain* and John -ftudied
the drawing of figures and animals in imitation of
Bamboccio's manner. Both of them fucceeded in
their feveral kinds. They agreed to paint apidture
together; John drew the figures, and the animals,
and Henry the landfkips, reconciling their manner
fo well, that one would have thought the. piece had
been all of one man's doing. By this means they
finifhed their pictures with fo much eafe, and fold
them fo faft* that they refolved to continue their
joint-labours, Henry's death broke off their part
nership. He fell into a canal at Venice one night
going home, and was drowned. He was one pf
Bamboccio's accomplices in the death of the prieft.
John returned to Utrecht, where he worked arid
lived with reputation.

DANIEL

eminent PAINTERS. 2jj
DANIEL SEGRE,
OF Antwerp, was ajefuit, brother to Gerard
Segre, and delighted in painting flower-pieces.
He drew them with fo much frefhnefs and lightnefs,
that his performances were much efteemed. He ob
ferved this method in the difpofition of them, to
make them ferve for a border to fome little picture,
which was placed according to his direction.
Sir BALTHAZAR GERBIER,
OF Antwerp, born in the year 1592. He painted
fmall figures in diftemper ; and Charles I.
king of England, was fo well pleafed with his per
formances, that he invited him to his cpUrt. The
duke of Buckingham perceiving he was a ma n of
very good fenfe, as well as a good Painter, recom
mended him fo zealoufly to his majefty, that he
knighted him, and fent him to Bruffels, where he
a long time refided in' quality of agent for the king
of Great Britain.
HERMAN S WANFIELD,
Commonly called
The HE R M IT at ROME,
NOT only becaufe he generally was alone among
the ruins in the neighbourhood of Rome, Ti-
Voli, Frefcati, and other places1; but becaufe he
often left his companions to go into the country,
and ftudy landfkips after nature. He became a
mafter of that fort of Painting, and alfo defigned
figures with a very good gufto.
; T 3 G j£ X*

278 The LIVES of
GELDORP, or GELTHORP,
WAS a Painter of fo little merit, that he Should
not have been named here, had not his in
dustry to get money been very extraordinary. He
underftood colours tolerably well, but had much ado
to defign any thing ; fo he ufed to procure other
Painters to defign feveral heads, feveral feet and fe
veral hands upon paper, which Was pricked and
rubbed over with coal-duft, to affift him in his
drawing. Thus he maintained himfelf by the ig
norance of his chapmen.
OLIVER,
OF London, painted all forts of fubjects in dif
temper, but was moft employed in painting
after the life. He drew abundance of portraits in
the courts of king James I. and king Charles I,
and no body did better in that kind than himfelf.
He had a difciple, whoSe name was Cooper,
whom queen Chriftina of Sweden entertained in her
fervice. Lely, an Englifhman, drew very good portraits
after Vandyck's manner, as well for the heads, as
die drefs and adjuftments.
[This is all the French hiftorian thinks fit to fay of
the Englifh fchool; though we fhall prove, that it
has been much more fruitful in mafters than the
French, whofe getiius in Painting, like that in mu
fic, is vain and trivial. The eternal red and yellow,
that make the principal part of their colouring, is an
jnftance how natural it is for them to love a glaring
and falfe luftre, even in the arts, as well as in their
government. In this fhort account of the Englifh
Painters he cannot help erring; for though Sir

eminent PAINTERS. 279
Peter Lely was entirely an Englifh Painter, he was
not an Eng4ifhman.J
CORNELIUS van H E E M,

O

F Antwerp, was an excellent Painter of fruit,
flowers, and other inanimate things.

ABRAHAM DIPEMBECK,
OF Boifleduc, was very much employed in his
youth in painting upon glafs, and afterwards
entering the fchool of Rubens, became one of his
beft difciples. His invention was eafy and ingeni
ous. The prints that were graved after his works
are proofs of it ; and among others, thofe he made
for a book, intitled, The temple of the mufes ;
which performance, is alone fufficient to ferve for an
encomium on this Painter.
DAVID TENIERS, the Younger,
PAinted generally fmall figures. He defigned
well; his manner was firm, and his pencil
light : As for copying of other mens works, he
was a perfect Proteus. He transformed himfelf in
to as many mafters as .he undertook to copy, all
whom be counterfeited fo exactly, that to this day
it is hard to diftinguifh the copy from the original in
all his pieces of that kind. The arch-duke Leopold
made him director of his Paintings, and by his
means the pictures in his gallery were engraved.
REMBRANT van REIN.
HE took hisfirname from the place of his birth,
Van-Rein or Rhine, a village fituated on an
arm of that river, which runs through Leyden. His
T 4 father

280. The LIVES of
father was a miller, and his mafter one Lefman, a
tolerable good Painter of Amfterdam ; but he owed
all the knowledge he acquired in his profeffion to
the goodnefs of his underftanding, and the folidity
of his reflections. However, we muft not think to
find correctnefs of defign, nor a gufto of the antique
in his works. He ufed to fay, he aimed at nothing
more than to imitate living nature, making that na
ture confift only in things created, fuch as they ap
pear. He had old pieces of armour, old inftruments,
old head-dreffes, and abundance of old fluff of di
vers forts hanging up in his work-houfe, which he
faid were his antiques : neverthelefs, though he pre
tended to defpife antiquity, and to form to himfelf a
hew manner, he was very curious in getting the fine
defigns.thaLcame.out- of -Italy, and had a great col
lection of them ; as alfo of Italian prints, though he
made little or no ufe of them ; fo true it is, that.
education and habit have a mighty power .over the
i minds, jp£ men. Notwithstanding he profited him
felf fo little by the antiquities, he drew a great num
ber of portraits, with force, fweetnefs, and truth
of likenefs, that Surprize the Spectator. His man
ner in etching was very like that in Painting: it was
expreflive and lively, efpecially in his portraits, the
touches of which are fo a-propos, that they exprefs
both the flefh and the life. There are extant about
two hundred and fourfcore prints of his drawing,
His own portrait is drawn in feveral of them ; and
one may guefs by the year, which is put down on
thofe prints, that he was born in the beginning of
the laft century. There are none of the dates be
fore the year 1628, and none after 1659. Three
\ or four of them fhew, that he was at VejaicjjnjjfS^
iand 1636. He married in HollandTHe graved
his own and his wife's portrait together. He touched
fiis prints over again four or five times, to change
the claro obfcuro, and heighten the effect that had

eminent PAINTERS. 281
on the fpedlator. It appears he did not always like
to have them worked off on white paper : feveral of
his works are done on paper faintly ftained, chiefly
on China paper, which is of a reddifh tint, andthefe
proofs are very much fought after by the curious.
He had a way in his graving, that was never
heard of before, as I know of; it had fomething of
a black manner in it. Though he was a man of good
fenfe, and had got money, yet he loved to keep
mean company. Some of his friends told him of
it ; to whom he anfwered, " When I have a mind
*' to unbend and recreate my mind, I do not care fo
" much for honour as I do for liberty." And being.
once reproved by fome perfons who could be free
with him, for the Singularity of his manner in the
ufe of colours, which made his pictures rugged and
uneven ; he replied, " I am a Painter, and not a ]
" dyer." He died at Amfterdam in the year'
1668.
REFLECTIONS on the WORKS
O F
REMBRANT.
THE example of Rembrant, is a very fenfible
demonftration of the power which habit and
education have over the mind of man ; arid that
genius is by fo much the more valuable, by how
much the more it is cultivated. This Painter was
born with a talent, and a happy difpofition of foul.
He was a man of fenfe ; his vein was fruitful ; his
thoughts fine and lingular ; his compofitions expref-
five, and his fancy lively : but having, with his
milk, fucked in the gout of his country, being bred
up in the continual view of a heavy nature, and npt
knowing till it was too late, a likenefs or truth more

282 The LIVES of
perfect than that which he had always pradtifed;,his
productions have too much of his habitude in them,
„ notwithftanding the good feed that was fown in his
if] mind. Thus we cannot find in Rembrant, eithj*
1 1 j Raphael's gout, "_ or that of the antique, or any poe-
i'IJ tical thoughts, or elegance of .defign.' We meet with
' nothing but what the nature of his country and a
lively fancy were capable of producing. He has
fometimes enriched the poverty of his fubjects, by a
happy motion of his genius, but having no certain
knowledge of beautiful proportion, he eafily re-
lapfed into the ill gout, to which he had accuftomed
himfelf. For this reafon he painted very few hiftorical
fubjedts, though he defigned an infinite number of
thoughts that were as fenfible and as piquant as the
productions of the beft mafters. I have enough of
his defigns in my cuftody, to convince every im
partial judge of the truth of this affertion; and
though the invention of his prints is not fo ingeni
ous as that of his defigns, yet the beauty of the
claro obfcuro, and of the expreffions, is fuch as is
rarely to be met with in other mafters performances.
It is true, he had not a talent to choofe what was
moft beautiful in nature for his imitation, but had a
wonderful genius for reprefenting objects that were
prefent before him. The portraits he drew were
fufficient to juftify what I have Said ; and are So far
from being below the works of any other mafter,
that there are few which can fland the comparifon
with his.
If his out-li'nes are not correct, the touches ©f his
defigns are full of life ; and we may perceive in the
portraits which he graved, that every Stroke of his
graver, like that of his pencil, gave life and like-
neSs to his objects, and Shews the excellence of his
geriius. He underftood the claro obfcuro in the higheft
degree. His local colours are a help to each other, and

eminent PAINTERS. 283
and are moft valuable by comparifon. His carna
tions are as true, as frefh, and as perfect in the fub
jects he has reprefented as Titian's. Both of thefe
Painters were convinced, that there were certain
colours which deftroyed each other* if they were
mixed to excefs, and that they fhould be as lit
tle fhaken as poflible by the motion of the pencil.
They prepared their firft lay with colours that kind
ly united, and were as near to the life as poflible.
On this they laid their virgin tints, with light
ftrokes of the pencil ; and thus they imitated the
force and frefhnefs of nature.
The difference between thofe two Painters in this
matter, is, Titian managed his art fo ingenioufly,
and withal fo profoundly, that it is imperceptible j
whereas, to look clofely on Rembrant's works, one
may eafily diftinguifh his, though at a convenient
diftance his Painting appears very well united, both
by the exactnefs of his ftrokes, and the harmony of
his colours. He was mafter of his pencil, and of
the part of colouring ; which is an undeniable prPof
that his ability was above certfure* for he poffeffed
the beft parts of his art in a fovereign degree.
GERARD D OU,
OF Leyden, was a difciple of Rembrant ; and
though his manner of working was quite diffe
rent from his mailer's, yet he owed his knowledge*
and the principal rules of colouring to Van Rein. He
painted little figures in oil, which though they are
hot a foot high, are nevertheless as much finifhed as
if they had been as big as the life. He drew always
after nature, and viewed his originals in a convex
mirror. He did. very few portraits of great lords or
ladies* becaufe perfons of their quality have not pati
ence to fit fo long as he would have had them. The
refident

284 the LIVES of
refident of Denmark's wife fitting to him for her
picture, he was no lefs than five days in drawing
her hand only, not to mention how much time he
took up about her head. By this method his works
feem almoft as perfect as nature herfelf, without
lofing any thing of the frefhnefs, union, or force of
colouring, or of the claro obfcuro.
The common height of his pictures did not, ex
ceed a foot, and his price was fometimes fix hun
dred, fometimes eight hundred, and fometimes a
thoufand livres each picture, more or lefs, according
to the time he fpent about it, reckoning after the
rate of twenty fols an hour. His painting- room was
open a-top, for the light to enter, that he might
have the better opportunities for his fhadows, and it
was built on the fide of a canal to avoid dull. He
pounded his colours on cryftal. He locked up his
pallet and pencils when he had done work, and when
he began it he refted himfelf a little till the duft was
laid. In fair weather he generally went abroad in the
fields to take the air, and repair the lofs of his Spi
rits, for he was fo indefatigable in his labour, that it
confumed him very much.
There are a great many reflections to be made on
his manner of Painting, and I cannot tell whether it
is as imitable as it is admirable ; for Painting requires
an extraordinary fire, and that is inconfiftent with
the patience and attention which are requifite in
fuch fort of productions. One would think, that
the main Skill of a Painter is to do great things with
a little work, that a picture may feem finifhed at a
proper diftance ; but Gerard believed, that great
knowledge and great labour were compatible, and
that an artift ought to imitate every thing he difco
vers in his model at a nearer view. All that can be
faid of it is, that Gerard Dou's pieces, confifting of
few figures, did not fatigue the fancy much, and that he

eminent' PAINTERS. 285
he was born with a particular talent for fuch fort of
performances.
F RA NC ISM I ER I ,S,
OF 'Leyden,. was difciple of Gerard Dou, and
followed his mailer's manriet entirely. His
gufto: of defigning was better, his compositions
were more graceful, and his colouring more fweet.
He made ufe of a convex mirror, as well as Dou.
There are few of his pieces to be feen, for, dying
young, he did not finifh many. There is one of his
of about fifteen inches long*, in which he reprefents
a mercer's fhop^the mercer fhewirig his ftuffs, and
the cuftomer eheapning of them. There are feveral
forts of ftuffs unrolled in the piece,' and one fnay
very plainly percdve the difference between them.
The figures are good, and the compofition in every
part of it is admirable. He had two thoufand franks
for this piece ; and all that have feen it, were ferry
for the untimely death of So great a mafter. He
lived as if he did not intend to 'trouble the wbrld
long. He took no care of his affairs, he defpifed
order; eecoriomy, arid was very extravagant. This
conduct- brought him into debt, 'and his debts into
prifon. He was Several times thrown into jail, and
once his creditors kept him there longer than ordi
nary"- It was propofed to him to paint to pafs
away the time, and his creditors offered to take a
picture Sor their money. He arifwered, It was im
poffible to work infuch a wretched place, for that
the fight of the grates, and the rattling of the chains
disturbed his fancy. His irregular courfes fhortened
his life, and carried him off in the flower of his age,
anno 1683.

HANNE-

286 The L I V E S of
H AN NE M AN,
OF the Hague, was Van Dyck's difciple, and
always followed his mailer's manner with
fuccefs. He drew abupdaoce of portraits, which
are difperfed up and down in tl>e United Provinces j
and thofe he copied after Van Dyck are taken for
originals.
J A ,ME S J 0 R D A N S,
OF Antwerp, was born; \a the year 1594, anj
learned the principles of his art of Adam Van
Nport. He ftudied the works of the other ..famous
Painters of that city, and made fuch nice pbferva-
tions on nature, tljat the manner he formed tp ¥m-
felf acquired him the reputation of being one of the
greateft mafters of the Low Countries. He wanted
Only tp have- been at Rome, as he fhewed hirnfelf by
his efteem of the Italian Painters, and by the pajns
fie took to copy Titian, Paolo Veronefe, the Baffans
and Caravaggio's works, wherever he lit upon them.
He was hindered travelling thither by .an early mar
riage, which he contracted with his mafter Adam
Van Noort's daughter. His talent was for large pic
tures. His manner was ftrong, Sweet and faithful.
It is faid that Rubens, whofe beft principles he had
made fiimfelf entirdy mafter of, apd for whom he
worked, fearing he would excel him in colouring,
employed him a long time to make large cartoons
for tapeftries, in diftemper, after Sketches in colours,
of Rubens's own doing. The tapeftries were for the
king of Spain ; and Jordans, by a contrary habitude,
weakened his knowledge in the principles of colour
ing, which before was ftrong, and reprefented the
truth of nature in a wonderful degree. He per
formed many excellent pieces in Antwerp, and other cities

eminent PAINTER S. 287
<itifes:of Flanders, as alfo for the kings or" Denmark
arid "Sweden. He was indefatigable in his labours,
ahq. all his recreation Was the company of his friends,
whom he Vifited in the evening, his pleafant humour
being a great relief to the fatigue* Of his profefifon.
He died at fourfcore and four years old, anrid 167&.
ERASMUS ^U I L LINUS,
OF Antwerp, Avas born in the year 1607. He
at firft profeffed himfelf a philofopher, but he
loved Paintihg fo much, that lie was forced to- give
way to his inclination, and change his prdfeffiom
He learned his art of Rubens, and became -a very
good Painter. He did feveral grand performances
in Antwerp, and the places thereabouts, for churches
and palaces ; and though he airhecl at nothing more
than the pleafure he took in the exercife df Painting,
yet when he died, he left behind him a general efteem
of his Skill, and a wonderful character of merit ih
his art.
JOACHIM SANDRART,
WAS born at Francfort the 12th of May,
1606, and was fon of Laurence Sandrart,
who, having educated him at the grammar- fchool,
and finding .his inclination was to defigning and
¦graving, Suffered him to take his own courfe. Joa-
chitn was fo eager to learn, that he went a-foot'to
Prague, to put, himfelf to Giles Sadeler, the famous
.¦graver, who perfuaded 'him not tb mind graving,
but apply his genius to Painting. He accordingly
weht to Utrecht, and was fome time under the dir-
cipline of Gerard Huntorft,. who took him into
England with him, where he flaid till the year' 1627,
In which the duke pf Buckingham, the patron of
Painters and Painting, was affaffinated by Felton at
Portf-

*88 The LIVES of
Por tfmouth . Among the rare pieces which Sandrart
faw in England, there is mention made in his life of
the" twelve Cefars bigger than the life, drawn by Ti
tian, and engraved by Giles Sadeler. It is faid alfo,
that after the duke of Buckingham's death, the em
peror Ferdinand Ill's agents, bought the pieces that
were in that duke's cabinet for their mafter, who
adorned his palace at Prague with them, where part
of them are to this day.
Sandrart being at Venice, copied Titian's, and
Paolo Veronefe's fineft pictures. From Venice he
went to Rome with Blond the graver, his coufin-
german ; where having flaid fome years, he became
one of the moft confiderable Painters of his time.
The king of Spain fending to Rome for twelve pic
tures, of the moft fkilful hands that were then in
that city, Guido Reni, Guercino de Cento, Giofep
pino, Maffimi, Gentilefchi, Pietro da Cortona, Va
lentino, Andrea Sacchi, Lanfranco, Domenichino,
Pouffin and Sandrart, were chofen to draw the
twelve pictures which were fent to that king. The
marquis Juftiniani coming to the knowledge of him,
defired to have him in his fervice, and gave him the
direction of the graving of the ftatues in his gal
lery. Sandrart, after a long ftay at Rome, went to
Naples, from thence to Sicily and Malta, and at
length returned through Lombardy to Francfort,
where he married. A great dearth happened foon
after, which made him leave Germany to go to Am
fterdam, where he formed a fociety of the curious.
The famine abating in Germany, he returned to
Francfort. Not long after, he took poffeffion of
the manor of Stokau, in the dutchy of Neuburg,
which was fallen to him ; and finding it very much
out of repair, he fold all his fine pictures, defigns,
and other curiofities, to raife money to put it in or
der 5

eminent PAINTERS. 289
def j which he had fcarce done before the war broke
out between the Germans and French, when the
latter, the greateft incendiaries in the world, burnt
his houfe entirely to the ground. He rebuilt it, and
made it better than ever ; but fearing a fecond inva
sion, he fold it, and fettled at Augfburg, where he
performed feveral fine pieces : among others, he
, did the twelve months of the year there, which were
graved in Holland, with adefcription of each piece
under it in Latin verfe.
His wife dying, he left Augfburg, and went to
Nuremberg, were he fet up an academy Of Paint
ing. Here he publifhed feveral Volumes on fubjedts
relating to his profeffion, in which he worked till he
was threefcore and feventeen years Old.
The moft confiderable of his treatifes is, The lives
of the Painters, being an abridgment of Vafari and
Ridolfi for what concerns the Italian Painters, and of
Charles van Mander for the Flemings of the laft
century. The reft he collected from memoirs of his
own, which he gathered from the report of others,
or his own knowledge ; and from his work we have
taken the greateft part of what relates to the Flemifh
Painters of this century, in the account we have
given of them.
The life of Sandrart is written at large, at the
end of the book we have fpoken of in the former pa
ragraph. The author of it has not put down the day
of this Painter's death, and we have not been able to
learn it elfewhere. He mentions a great number of
pictures, very large and very full of work, as alfo
abundance of portraits drawn by Sandrart, of whom
he fpeaks as of an excellent Painter. Having feen
nothing of his doing, we can make no judgment of
his Skill; however, if one may judge of it by the
prints inthelives of the Painters, to which his name
is put, he was no extraordinary artift. We may rea
sonably commend him for the love of his profeffion,
U which

2,90 The LIVES */
Which appears every where through the whole trea
tife, and for his intention to be Serviceable to the
young Painters of his nation, by fettiog before their
eyes, the fine ftatues and fair edifices in Rome.
HENRY VERSCHURE, a Dutch Painter.
NAture, adorns the world by variety of genius's,
as fhe em-bellifhes the earth by diverfify of
fruits ; and though fhe produces both the one and the
other, fometimes fooner and fometimes later, foe
gives to each its, grace and its merit. Henry Ver-
fehure, bom at Gorcum in the year 16.27, was the
fon of a captain then in the fervice of the Slates of the
United Provinces. He was one of the fruits that are
ripe early, and his father was very careful to have
him well educated. Perceiving by the pleafure Re
took in defigning, as Soon as he had the ufe of hi?
reafon, that he had a violent inclination to Painting*
he put him at eight years of age to a Painter at
Gorcum, who did nothing but portraits. Henry
fpent his time in defigning till he wasthirteen years
old, when he left his mafter, the face-Painter at-Gor-
cum* to learn the greater, principles of his art of
John Bot at Utrecht, who was then in reputation.
He lived with him fix years, at the end of which term,
finding he knew enough of Painting, to benefit him
felf by the fine things that are in Italy, he travdled
thither in the twentieth year of his age. He wentfirft
to Rome, and employed himfelf in defigning the
figures he faw there, and in frequenting the acade
mies -, but his genius inclining him to paint animals,
huntings and battles, he ftudied every thing that
might be ufeful to him in that way. He defigned
landfkips, and the famous buildings, not only in the
neighbourhood of Rome, but all over Italy. This
employment gave him a relifh of architecture. He
became fkilful in it, and one may he by bis pictures what

eminent PAINTERS. 291
what inclination he had for this art, and the good
gout he contracted in it. He made a long ftay at
Rome, Florence and Venice. In the latter city, he
grew into efteem with the perfons of the beft quali
ty, by the excellence of his performances and thepo-
litenefs of his manners. At laft, having lived ten
years in Italy, he refolved to return to his own
country. He paft through Switzerland into France,
and while he was at Paris, met with the Burgoma-
fter Marfevin's fon, who was going to make the
tour of Italy : a little perfuafion prevailed with Ver-
fchure to accompany him. He returned thither,
ftaid there three years Ibriger, and then came back to
Holland, arriving at Gorcum in the year 1662.
His talent for battles put him upon employing it
in that fort of Painting. He gave himfelf up en
tirely to the motions of his genius, and to exercife it
with fuccefs ftudied every thing that generally paffes
in ah army. He made a campaign anno 1672, and
was particularly ftudious to obferve horfes of all
kinds and countries. He defigned feveral encamp
ments, the events in battles, routs and retreats;
what happens after a victory, in the place of battle
among die dead and dying mingled with horfes,
and abandoned arms. His genius was fine and fruit
ful, and though there was a great deal of fire in his
thoughts, and in his work, yet having ftudied much
after nature, he formed a particular gufto, which ne
ver degenerated into what we call manner, but com
prehended a great variety of objects, and had more
©f the Roman than the Flemifh gout in it, with
allowance for his Subjects, which are almoft all mo
dern; the fcenesof his pictures are generally beauti
ful, and the figures that compofe them full of fpirit.
His chief delight was in his profeffion. He had al
ways a crayon in his hand; and wherever he came,
defigned fomething or other after nature, if he met
with any thing to bis gout, or after a good picture,
U 2 either

292 The LIVES of
either figures, buildings, or animals. For this end
he always carried fome blank paper or book about
with him. I have Seen a Score full of his drawings.
His beft performances are at the Hague, Amfter
dam, and Utrecht. He was a man of fo much
fenfe and honour, that he was chofen to be one of
the magiftrates of the city he lived in. He accepted
of the office, on condition he was not required to
quit his profeffion, which he loved better than his
life. He fpent his time very happily, honoured as a
magiftrate, efteemed as an artift, and loved by every
body ^ when happening to undertake afmall voyage
by fea, he was caft away two leagues from Dort, and
drowned the 6th of April 1690, aged 62 years. I
have in my cuftody a large volume of his defigns,
the fight of which will fhew his merit more than all
I have faid of him.
GALP AR NETSCHER,
BORN at Prague, in Bohemia, was the fon of an
engineer, who died in the fervice of the- re-
publick of Poland, His mother being a Roman
Catholick, was forced to leave Prague, when the
Proteftants made themfelves mafters of that city.
She carried three fons with her, of whom Galpar
was the youngeft. A few leagues off from the town,
fhe ftopt at a caftle, which, when fhe leaft expect
ed it, was befieged, and making a vigorous refift-
ance, thofe that were within it were foon reduced to
extreme want. Galpar's two brothers were, among
others, ftarved to death.
His mother fearing to lofe him in the fame man
ner, found a way out of the caftle, and made her
efcape with the only child that was left her. Every
thing failed her, but courage. She traveled on with
her fon in her arms, and chance guided her to
Arnheim

eminent PAINTERS. 293
Arnheim in Guelderland, where fhe met with fome
relief for herfelf and her fon.
A doctor of phyfic, whofe name was Tulkens,
a man of wealth and worth, took a fancy to young
Netfcher, and had him well educated, intending to
breed him a phyfician ; but the force of his genius
.carrying him to the ftudy of defigning, Tulkens
gave way to it, and fuffered him to follow his incli
nation to Painting. When he was at fchool, he
could not forbear fcrawling a defign on the fame
paper upon which he wrote his themes. By this his
patron faw it was in vain to think of making a doctor
of him, fo he was put to a glafier (the only man in
Arnheim who knew any thing in Painting) to learn
to defign.
Netfcher, in a very little while, finding he knew
more than his mafter, went to Daventer, to place
himfelf with one Terburg, who was burgomafter of
the town, and a fkilful Painter. He drew all his
pieces after nature, and had fuch a particular talent
for painting of fattins, that in all his compositions
he contrived fome reafon or other to bring them into
his pictures, and to difpofe of them So, that they
might receive the principal light.
Netfcher retained this affectation a long time;
and though he did not introduce his fattins into all
forts of fubjedts, as his mafter did, yet he made
ufe of them in feveral of his pieces : however, he
was fo prudent as not to let the affectation appear.
Having acquired a good hand at Terburg's, he
went to Holland, where he worked a longtime for
picture-Sellers, who impofing on his eafinefs, paying
him fmall rates for his pieces, and felling them at
great ones, he refolved to deal no more with them,
but to go to Rome and improve himfelf farther in
his art. He embarked on board a Ship bound for
Bourdeaux, where, when he arrived, he lodged at a
merchant's houfe, whofe kinfwoman he married;
U 3 and

294 ; the LIVES of
and being diverted by a ftronger inclination than
that he had for Painting, he gave over all thoughts
of going to Italy, and returned to Holland.
He fettled at the Hague, the good fuccefs of hitf
works inviting him to flay there ; and experience
proved to him, that the beft way for him to main
tain his family, which began to grow numerous, was
to apply wholly to drawing of portraits. He became
fo perfedl, arid fo famous in this fort of Painting,
that there was fcarce any confiderable family in Hoi-
land that had not portraits of his doing. The fo
reign minifters feldom went from the Hague with
out carrying fomething of his drawing with them*
By this means his pieces are to be met with in moft
parts of Europe. Don Francefeo de Melos, the
Portugal ambaffador, had his own picture, and fe
veral others, drawn by him. Moft of thofe pieces
are now at Lifbon, in the cuftody of the arch-
bifhop. Charles II. king of England, being charmed with
Netfeher's performances, did his utmoft to tempt
him into his fervice, offering him a large penfion.
But Netfcher having got enough, for his, and his fa
mily's fubfiftance, preferred the tranquility of his
Own way of living to the tumultuous life of a great
court. The pain he geiierally was in, difturbedthe
happinefs of his condition. He had been troubled
with the gravel ever fince he was twenty years old ;
and the gout takiiig him feveral years after, both
together brought him to his grave at the Hague,
anno 1684, iri the 48th year of his age.
He was one of the beft Painters of the Low
Countries, at leaft of thofe that worked in little. His
defigns were corredl, but his gufto in that part of
his art never varied from that of his country. He
underftood the claro obfcuro very well, and among
his local colours, which were all good, he had a par
ticular talent for painting of linen. His manner of
Painting

eminent PAINTERS. 295
Painting was very mellow ; his touches were riot ap
parent ; however, they were finifhed. When he
intended to give the laft hand to any piece, he rubbed^
it over with a varnifh which did not dry in two or
three days, and during that time he had leifure to
manage his colours over and over to his liking ; thofe
efpecially that being neither too hard nor too liquid,
were the more eafily united to thofe which he added
a- new, without lofing any thing of their frefhnefs
or their firft quality.

U 4

THE

296

the LIVES of

THE

LIVES

O F T H E

FRENCH

PAINTERS.

BOOK VII.

, T is difficult to affign any time fo the
beginning of Painting in France *¦ for
when Francis I. fent for Rpffo and Prif
maticcip, there were feveral Painters in
France, who were able to work under
the direction of thofe two mafters, and abundance
pf other Italian Pabters whp came to Paris fof
employment. Thefe French Painters were Simon,
le Roy, Charles and Thomas Dorigny, Louis
Francois, Jean Lerambert, Charles Charmoy, Jean,
and Guijlaume Rondelet, Germain Munier, Jean de.

eminent PAINTERS. 297
de Breuil, Guillaume Hoey, Euftache du Bois,
Antonine Fantofe, Michel Rochelet, Jean Samfon,
Gerard Michel, Jannet, Corneille de Lion, du
Moutier le Pere, and Jean Coufin. Though fome
of thefe Painters were greater mafters than others,
yet their works were not fo confiderable as to deferve
the attention of the curious in our days, unlefs we
will except the performances of Jannet, Corneille de
Lion, du Moutier, and Jean Coufin: of thefe the
three firft drew an infinity of portraits, among which
tiiere are fome that are tolerably fine.
JEAN COUSIN,
AS for Jean Coufin, he is worthy a particular
commendation. He was born at Sucey, near
Sens, and ftudied the fine arts fo ftrenuoufly in his
youth, that he became profoundly learned, efpeci
ally in the mathematics, which is a great help to
the regularity of defign. By this means he was cor
redl enough in that part of Painting, and has print
ed a book on the fubject, that has born many impref-
fions; and alone, as Small as it is, and as little a fi
gure as it makes, will fuffice to preferve Coufin's
memory a long time. He wrote alfo of geometry
and perfpective. Painting on glafs being very much
in vogue in thofe days, he applied himfelf mofe to
that than to drawing of pidtures. One may fee fe
veral fine performances of his in the churches of the
neighbourhood of Sens, and fome in Paris, particu
larly in St Gervais's church, where, on the windows
of the choir, he painted the martyrdom of St Lau
rence, the hiftory of the Samaritan woman, and that
of the Paralytic. There are feveral pictures of his
doing in the dty of Sens, as alfo fome portraits 2
but the chiefeft of his works, and that which is moft
efteemed, is his picture of the laft judgment, This

298 The LIVES of
This piece is in the facrifty of the Minims at,
Bois de V incennes, and was graved by Peter de Jode,
a Fleming, a good defigner. This picture Shews
the fruitfulnefs of Coufin's genius, by the number of
the figures that enter into the compofition : how
ever, one would wifh there had been a little more
elegance , of defign in it. J;!J
He married the daughter of the lieu tenant general
of Sens. He carried her to Paris, and lived there
the reft of his days. His learning and agreeable hu
mour acquired him the efteem of the great. He was
well received at court, and in favour with four kings
fucceffively ; Henry II. Francis II. Charles IX. and
Henry III.
He worked alfo in fculpture, and made admiral
Chabot's tomb, which is in the chapel of Orleans*
belonging to the Celeftines in Paris. We cannot
tell, exadlly in what year Jean Coufin died. It is
certain he was living anno 1689, and arrived to a
very great age.
Du BR EUIL and BUNE L.
THESE twp Painters, after Primaticcio's death,
were employed to finifh the Paintings he was
to have done himfelf, had he lived long enough.
The former painted fourteen pictures in one of the
chambers at Fontainbleau, called the Stoves, and in
conjunction with Bund, did the little gallery in the
Louvre, that was burnt in 1660. They both died
in the reign of Henry IV.
MARTIN FRIMINET,
OF Paris, was the difciple of his father, a very
indifferent Painter ; but emulating the young
men who followed the fame profeffion at that time,
he refolved to travel to Italy. His chief abode was at

eminent PAINTERS. 299
at Rome, where he lived feven years, ftudying Mi
chael Angelo's works more than any thing elfe. For
this reafon his manner, ever after, was not unlike
that great Painter's, as one may fee by the chapel of
Fontainbleau, which is moftly of his doing. Hebe-
gan this work in the reign of Henry IV. who ho
noured him with his efteem, and continued it in the
reign of Lewis XIII. who conferred the order of St
Michael on him ; but he did not enjoy this honour,
nor the favours of the court long, for before he had
quite finifhed. his work, he fell fick and died in the
year 1619, aSec^ fifty-two years. Abundance of
Painters came after Friminet, but, inftead of im
proving his manner, they fell into an infipid gout,
to the fcandal of the French Painting, This gout
lafted till Blanchard and Voilet arrived from Italy.
There were other Painters, whom, becaufe they
were employed in painting the king's palaces, I
think fit to name, as du Perac, Jerome Baullery,
Henry Lerambert, Pafquier Tetelin, Jean de Brie,
Gabriel Honnoit, Ambroife du Bois, and Guillaume
du Mee.
FERDINAND E L L E,
T Hough he was born at Mechlin, ought to be
placed among the French Painters, for that
he worked moft of his time at Paris, where he drew
a vaft number of portraits. However, becaufe he
was a foreigner, Louis, Henry, and Charles Bau*
brun, were better paid than he for their pictures*
though they were inferior to him in their art. He
left two Sons behind him, who followed the fame
profeffion.

VARIN%

300 The LIVES of
;; V A R I N,
BORN at Amierrs,' painted at Paris with fuc
cefs. The picture over the high altar of the
barefooted Carmelites church, near the Hotel de
Luxemburg, is of his drawing. We mention him
the rather, becaufe he helped to put Pouffin in the
way of Painting.
JACQUES BLANCHART,
OF Paris, was born in the year 1600. He learnt
the rudiments of Painting of Nicholas Bullery,
his uncle, whom he left at twenty years of age to
travel into Italy. When he came to Lyons, in his
way thither, he accidentally met with fome bufinefs
in his profeffion, which being both for his profit and
improvement, he accepted, and ftaid there four
years. Then he paft on to Rome, where he ftaid
eighteen months : from thence he went to Venice,
and was fo charmed with Titian's colouring, and the
manner of the Venetian fchool, that he refolved to
follow it entirely. He ftudied it with fo much fuc
cefs, that a noble Venetian engaged him to work for
him ; but being ill fatisfied with the Venetian's fer
vice, he foon left it, and Venice not long after, to
return to France. The novelty, the beauty, and
the force of his pencil, drew the eyes of all Paris
upon him ; and his Painting became fo much in fa
fhion, that he was out of the mode who had not
fomething or other of his drawing in his cuftody.
Thus his eafel-pieces became fo common as they are
at this day. He painted two galleries at Paris, the
firft is in the houfe that belongs to monfieur the firft
prefident Perrault, and the other, where he repre
fented the twelve months of the year, belongs to
piohfieur de Bullion, fuperintendant of the finances. But

eminent PAINTERS. 301
But that which; got him the moft reputation of all
his performances, was the picture he drew at No-
tre-Dame for the firft of May. He reprefented the
defcent of the Holy Ghoft ; and that church pre-,
ferves it with care, as one of the fineft pieces that
belongs to it.
Blanchart was in a likely way of making his for
tune in the flower of his age, when a fever and an
impoftume in the lungs carried him off in his
38th year. He had two wives, by the firft he had
a fon and two daughters. His fon followed his fa
ther's profeffion, and maintained his character with
honour. It is eafy to imagine, that of all the
French Painters, .Blanchart was the beft colourift,
by his ftudying that, part of Painting in the Vene
tian fchool. There: are few grand compofitions of
his drawing, but his Painting in the two galleries I
have mentioned,. and his picture in the church of
Notre-Dame, are fufficient proofs that he did, not
want genius; and if he did little, that was graved,
it was becaufe he was moftly taken up with Madon
nas, which hindered his exercifing himfelf about fub
jects of greater extent.
S I MO N V 0 U%T,
BORN at Paris, anno 1582, was fon and difciple
of Laurence Vouet, an brdinary Painter. He
knew fo much of his art by the help of his ftudies
elfewhere, that at twenty years old monfieur de
Sancy, who was going ambaffador to Conftanti
nople, took him to be his Painter. When he was
there, he drew the portrait of the Grand Signior,
and though it was impoffible to do it otherwife than
by his memory, and by a view of him at the am-
baffador's audience, yet it was very like. Having
drawn fome other portraits at Conftantinople, he
. took Shipping arid went to Italy* . where he flaid
fourteen

3*02 The L I V E S of
fourteen years.. He was chofen prince of the aca
demy of St Luke at Rome; arid Lewis XIII. who*,
in cbnfidefatiori of his -capacity* had allowed him a
penfiori during his abode at that City, Sent for him
in the year 16'iy, to "work in his royal palaces j and;
above all at Luxemburg.
He drew portraits in crayons and paftel with
fuch facility, that the king admired and delighted
to fee him work. He'alfo learnt of him to defign,
in which his majefty made a wonderful progrefs in
a little time, drawing feveral portraits, which Very
much refembled fome of the moft confiderable per
fons at court.
VoUet's reputation encreafihg^ daily, his bufinefs
encreafed with it. I fhall not trouble the reader
With a particular account of his productions ; the
palaces and chief hbufes at Faris are full of them ;
befides he drew a great niamber of pictures for
churches and private men.
At Rome he imitated Caravaggio' and Valentine's
manner. But when fie cafiwrto PatisV he had fo much
work that he formed a mariner to himfelf, more
expeditious, by great fhadows and by general tints,
which he made ufe of, and fucceeded in the better,
becaufe his pencil was brifk, livdy and light. It
would be a matter of wonder to think, what a pro
digious number of pictures he drew, if we did not
"knowthat he had a great many difciples whom he
bred up in his manner, who were fkilful Painters,
and executed his defigns with eafe, though they
were not finifhed fo well as they fhould have been.
1 France is indebted to him for deftroying the iri-
fipid and barbarous manner that reigned then, and
•for beginning to introduce a good gout. In this he
was affifted by Blanchart, of whom we have been
Speaking. The novelty- of Vouet's manner, and
the kind reception he gave every body that came
to him, made the French Painters his cotempora ries

eminent P A I NT E R S. 305
ries fall into it, ahd ferought him difciples from all
parts, as well thofe who made profeffion of the o-
ther arts depending on defign,. as thofe who pro-
feft the art of Painting only. Moft of the P&iht-
ers, who have fince been any ways famous in their 1
profeffion, were bred up by him ; as le Brun, Per-
rier, P. Mignard, CJhaperoji, 'Perfon, le Sueur,
Corneille,"T5brTgny, Tartebat, Belli, du FreShoy, ,
and feveral others,, whom he employed in making
the ornaments of his pieces, /and defigns for tape-
ftries* as Jufte d'Egmont, Varidriffe, ijcalberg, Fa-
t'eL Bdli»» VanBoucle, Bcll-Aoge, Cottelle, &c".
without reckoaang a great number:, of young per
fons, who learned. to defign • of him. Dorigny*
who was his fon-intbuw^ as well^s his pupil, graved
his father-in-law's works, Vouet, rather fpent with
labour than with years, died anno 1641, in the fif
ty-ninth year of his age. . He had a brother, whofe
name, was Aubin Vouet, who fainted after his man
ner, and Was a ,foief able performer.
Vouet's works' were agreeable* in fcornparifon with
thofe that had hithcrco been made in France ; but
he was every when: :.a mannerift* as wdl in defign
irig. as in colowring*: which was always bad. Thfct
paffions of the SbUl . are not at all expreft in his ft- f
guresj, and he contented himfeltf with giving a ce»~
taurgrace,tP. his heads, which had no meaniiig iri
jt. , His cielings are the fineft part of his perform
ances, and Shewed, his difciples the way to niake
finer than any Erancejhad feen before.
Vouet had one advantage above- other Painters :
there never was a iraifter, whofe manner made foch
an impreffioB on the minds of his difciples, and was
80 generally followed by them. But it muft be
owned, that if this manner deftrpyed the infipid
rgoUt in France, it introduced-cirae fo unnatural, fo
wild, and bring eafy, fo univerfal, that his difci
ples, and moft of the French Painters, .have been
:. ' debauched

304 the LI V E S of
debauched by it. They can hardly get rid of it to
this day : and to fpeak truth, I -believe Vouet fol
lowed his intereft more than his judgment in form
ing that expeditious manner, we have already men
tioned.
NICHOLAS POUSSIN,
WAS bom at Andd, a little city in Nor
mandy, in the year 1594. His family,
however, were originally of Soiffons, in which city
there were fome pf his relations officers in the Pre-
fidial Court. John Pouffin, his father, was of no
ble extraction, but born to a Very fmall eftate. rHis
Son Nicholas feeing the narrownefs of his circurii-
ftances, determined to fet up for himfelf as foon as
poflible, and chofe PaintingSor his profeffibn, hav
ing naturally a ftrong inclination to that art. At
eighteen years old he went to Paris, to learn the
rudiments of it. A Poidlovin lord, who had taken
a liking to him, put him to Ferdinand, a face-
Painter, whom Pouffin left in three months time*
to place himfelf with Lallemant, with whom he
ftaid but a month; for perceiving he fhould never
learn any thing of fuch mafters, he refolved not to
lofe his time with them, believing he fhould pro
fit himfelf more by ftudying the works of great maf
ters, than by the difcipline of ordinary Painters.
He worked a while in diftemper, and did it with
extraordinary facility. The cavalier Marino being
at that time in Paris, and knowing Pouffin's genius
was above the fmall performances he was employed
about, perfuaded him to go with him to Italy ; but
Pouffin having either fome bufinefs that detained
him in Paris, or being difcouraged, by two vain at
tempts he had made before to undertake that
journey, he did not accompany the cavalier : how
ever, he promifed to follow him in a little time.
He

eminent PAINTERS. 305
He was as good as his promife, though not till he had
drawn feveral other pictures in Paris, and among
the reft, the death of the Virgin, for the church of
Notre-Dame. Having finifhed his bufinefs, he fet
out for Rome, in the thirtieth year of his age.
He there met with his old friend, the cavalier
Marino, who was mighty glad to fee him, and to
be as ferviceable as he could to him, recommended
him to cardinal Barberino ; telling his eminence,
" Verderete un Giovane che a una furia di diavolo."
The cavalier, on whofe affiftance and protection
Pouffin very much depended, dying foon after he
came to Rome, and cardinal Barberino, who defired
to be acquainted with him, having no opportuni
ty for it, Pouffin had no body to affift and encou
rage him. He could fcarce maintain hiihfelf. He
was forced to give away his works for fo little, as
would hardly pay for his colours : this was his laft
Shift. However his courage did not fail him. He
minded his ftudies affiduoufly, refolving, whatever
came of it, to make himfelf mafter of his pro
feffion. He had little money to fpend, and that
hindered his converfing with any one, which gave
him an opportunity to retire by himfelf, and de
fign the beautiful things that are in Rome, as well
antiquities, as the works of the famous Roman
Painters. Though he refolved when he went from France,
to copy the pidlures of the greateft mafters, yet
he exercifed himfelf, xery.Jutk^that, . way. He
thoughtTIt^buigTrDD examine them well, to make
his reflections upon them, and that what he fhould
do more, would be fo much time loft ; but he had
anpthex_opinion of the jintjque^figures. He de
figned them with care,'_arid rormeoluch an high
idea of them in his mind, that they were his prin
cipal qbjedt, and he applied himfelf entirely to the,
-^ X -"" -ftudy

3o6 the LIVES of
ftudy of them. He was convinced, that the fource
of every beauty and every arace rofe from.JLhoJe
excellent-pieces, and that the ancient fculptors hjd
drained nature to render their figures the admira
tion of pofterity. His clofe friendfhip with two
1 ancient fculptors, 1'Algarde and Francois Flamand,
in whofe houfe he lodged, Strengthened, and per
haps begat his inclination : be it as it will, he never
left it, and it encreafed in him as he grew older,
which may be feen by his works.
It is Said, he at firft copied Some of Titian's
pieces, with whofe colouring, and the touches of
his landfkips, he was infinitely pleafed, and endea
voured to imitate them, to fet off the good guftq
¦ of defign, which he had contracted by his ftudy of
v the antique. Indeed, it is obfervable, that his jjrft
pieces are painted with a "better gout of colours than
| his laft. But he Soon fhewed by his performances,
that generally fpeaking he did not much value the
part of colouring, or thought he knew enough of
it, to make his pictures as perfect as he intended,
He had ftudied the beauties pf the antique, the ele-
gance,-the,grand. gufto, the _cprrectnefs, the vari
ety of proportions, the adjuftments, the order of
the draperies, the noblenefs, the fine air, and bold
nefs of the heads; the manners, cuftoms of times
and places, and every thing that was beautiful in
the remainder of the antique fculpture, to fuch a
degree, that one can never enough admire the ex
actnefs with which he has enriched his Painting in
all thofe parts of it.
He might, if he had fo pleafed, have deceived
the judgment of the public, as well as Michael An
gelo did, who, having made a ftatue of Cupid
broke off an arm of it, kept it by him, and buried
the reft of the figure in a place which he knew was
to be dug up. The ftatue being found, every body took

eminent PAINTERS. 307
took it for antique, till Michael Angelo, applying
the arm he had by him to the body of the figure,
convinced the critics that they were all miftaken ;
though they are of all men the hardeft to be convinced
that they are in an error. We may with as much
reafon believe, that if Pouffin had painted in fref
co on the ruins of an old wall, and kept any part
of it by him, the world might as eafily have been I
perfuaded, that his Painting had been the work of \
Some famous antique Painter, as they were fatisfied 1
that Michael Angelo's Cupid was a piece of anti
quity, there was fuch conformity between his Paint
ings and what have been really difcovered in that
manner, and are certainly antiques.
"Tie ufed frequently to examine the ancient fculp
tures in the vineyards about Rome, and this confirm
ed him more and more in the love of thofe anti
quities. He would fpend feveral days together in \
making his reflections upon them by himfelf. It
was in thefe retirements that he cpnfidered the ex
traordinary effects of nature, with refpect to land
fkips, that he defigned his animals, his diflances,
his trees, and every thing which was excellent and
agreeable to his gufto.
Befides that Pouffin ftudied the antique exactly,
he alfo made curious obfervations on the works of
Raphael and Domenichino, who, of all Painters,
in his opinion, invented belt, defigned moft cor
rectly, and expreffed the "paffions of thefoid jnoft
lively; three things which Pouffin looked upon as
fhemoft effential parts of Painting.
He neglected nothing, in fhort, that could ren
der his knowledge of. thefe three parts of his art
perfedl. He was altogether, as curious about the ge
neral expreffion of his Subjects!, which he has adorn
ed with every thing that he thought would excite
the attention of the learned.
X 2 He

308 the LIVES of
He has left no grand compofitions behind him*"
and all the reafon we can give for it is, that he had
no opportunity to do them *- for we cannot ima
gine, but it was chance only that made him apply
jhimfelf wholly to eafel-pieces, of a bignefs proper
for a cabinet, fuch as the curious required of him.
Lewis XIII. and monfieur de Noyers, minif-
ter of ftate* and fuperintendant of the buildings^
wrote to him at Rome, to oblige him to return to
France : he confented to it with a great deal of
difficulty. He had a penfion affigned him, and a
lodging ready furnifhed at the Tuilleries. He drew
the pidlure of the Lord's Supper for the chapel of
the caftle of St Germain, and that which is in the
Jefuits Novitiate at Paris. He began the Labours
of Hercules, in the gallery of the Louvre : but
the fadtion of Vouet's fchool railing at him, and
¦ his works, put him out of humour with his own
country. He was alfo weary of the tumultuous
way of living at Paris, which never agreed with
him ; wherefore he fecretly refolved to return to
Rome, pretending he went to fettle his domeftic
affairs, and fetch his wife ; but when he got there,
whether or no he found himfelf as in his center, or
was quite put off from any thought of returning to
France, by the deaths of cardinal Richlieu and the
king, which happened about that time, he never
left Italy afterward.
H<T continued"working on his eafel-pieces, and
fent them from Rome to Paris, the French buying
,them every where as faft as they laid hands on them,
I if they were to be bought for money, valuing his
': productions as much as Raphael's. Felibien, who
has written the life of this Painter very correctly,
and at large, gives a particular account of his pic
tures, and a defcription of thofe that are moft
efteemed. Pouffin,

eminent PAINTERS. 309
Pouffin, having lived ^happily to his threefcore
and eleventh year, died paralytic, anno 1665. He
married Gafper's fifter, by whom he had no chil
dren. His eftate amounted to no more than fixty
thoufand livres; but he valued his eafe above riches,
and preferred his abode at Rome, where he lived
without ambition, to making his fortune elfewhere.
Bifhop Maffimi, who was afterwards a cardinal,
vifiting him on a certain time, their converfation
lafled infenfibly till it was night, and the prelate be
ing about to take coach, Pouffin took the candle
in his hand, lighted him down ftairs, and waited
on him with it to his coach. The bifhop was for-
ry to fee him do it himfelf, and could not help fay
ing, " I very much pity you, monfieur Pouffin,
" that you have not orie fervant : And I pity you
" more, my lord, replied Pouffin, that you have
" fo many." He never made words about the \
price of his pictures ; he put down his rates on the
back of the canvas, and it was always given him.
He had no difciple. Moft Painters efteem, with
out imitating him. His manner is too inacceflible,
and when once they enter upon it, they cannot go
through with it.
Reflections on the works of P 0 U S S I N.
POUSSIN was born with a great- and fine
genius for Painting. His early love of the
antique figures put him upon ftudying them with
care, and by his ftudies he came to the knowledge
of all their beauties, and of the difference between
them, as to their goodnefs. He was an excellent
anatomift, and acquired a confummate habitude of
defign, after the antique gufto ; yet even in his de
figns he did not confider nature, as the origin of
ail beauty, fo much as he fliould have done. He
thought fculpture was tp be preferred before her,
X 3 though

310 the L I V E S of
though fhe is the miftrefs of all arts, and always va
lued the imitation of the ancients more than the life.
By this means the naked of his figures, in moft
part of his pictures, has fomething in it refem-
bling painted flone, and is rather, like the hardnefs
of marble, than the delicacy of flefh, full of blood
and life.
His invention in hiftorical and fabulous fubjedls is
ingenious, as alfo his allegories. He chofe them
well. He preferved decorum in all of them, efpe
cially in his heroical fubjects. He introduced every
thing that could render them agreeable and inftruc-
tive. He expreffed them according to their real
character in joining the paffions of the foul in par
ticular, to the expreffions of the fubjects in general.
His landfkips are admirable for their fites ; the
novelty of the objects of which they are compofed;
the naturalnefs of the earth; the variety of the
trees, the lightnefs of his touches; and in Short,
the Angularity of the matters that enter into the
compofition. They would have been every way
perfect, if he had flrengthened them a little more
by the local colours, and the artifice of the claro
obfcuro. When occafion offered, he adorned his pictures
with architecture. He did it with a fine gout ; and
his perfpective, which he underftood to perfection,
was exactly regular. ,
He was not always happy in the difpofition of
his figures ; on the contrary, he is to be blamed for
diftnbuting them in the generality of his compofi-
tions too much in baffo relievo's, and on the fame
line; his attitudes are not varied enough, nor fo
well contrafted as they might be.
His draperies in all his pieces are commonly of
the fame fluff, and the great number of his folds
hinders the fimplicity, which adds a grandeur to
the works. As fine as his genius was, and as exten- five,

eminent PAINTERS. 311
five, it was not fufficient for all the parts of Paint
ing. He loved the antiquities fo entirely, and ap
plied himfelf to them fo much, that he had not
time to confider his- art in every branch of it. He
neglected colouring. We may perceive by his
works in general, that he knew nothing of local
colours and claro obfcuro: for which reafon, almoft
all his pictures have a certain grey predominant in
them, that has neither force nor effect. Some of
the pieces of his firft manner, and fome of his fe
cond, may however be excepted. Yet to examine
the matter narrowly, We fhall find, that where any
of his colouring is good, he is indebted for it to
what he"remembred of that part of his art in the
pictures he copied aftter Titian, and was not the ef
fect of any intelligence of the Venetian Painters
principles : in a word, it is plain Pouffin had a very
mean opinion of colours. In his life, written by
Bellori Felibien, there is a Sincere confeffion that he
did not understand them, and had as it were aban
doned them ; an undeniable proof that he never was
mafter of the theory of colouring. Indeed, his co
lours, as they appear to the Spectators, are nothing
but general tints, and not the imitation of nature,
which he feldom confulted about them. I fpeak
of his figures, and not of his landfkips. In the lat
ter he feems to have confidered the natural colours
more, and it is not difficult to guefs at the reafon
of it : for not being able to find out landfkips in
the antique marble, he was forced to feek after it
in nature.As for the claro obfcurP, he never had any know
ledge of it, and if we meet with it in any of his
pictures, it carne there purely by chance. Had he
known that artifice to be one of the moft effential
parts of Painting, as well for the repofe of the
fight, as to give force and truth to the whole com
pofition of a picture, he would always certainly
X 4 have

312 the L I V E S of
have made ufe of it. He would have fought after
a way to group his objects and his lights to the
beft advantage ; whereas, they are fo difperfed in
his pieces, that the eye knows not where to fix itr
felf. His chief aim was to pleafe the eyes of the
underftanding, though without difpute, every thing
that is instructive in Painting, ought to communi
cate itfelf to the underftanding only, by the fatisfac-
tionof the eyes, by a perfect imitation pf nature;
and this is the whole duty, and ought to he the whole
aim of Painting.
Pouffin, by neglecting to imitate nature, the
fountain of variety, fell often on very apparent re
petitions, both in the airs of his heads, and his
expreffions. His genius was rather of a noble, maf-
culine and fevere character, than graceful ; and one
may fee by the works of this very Painter, that
there may be beauty fometimes where there is no
grace. His manner was new and fmgular; he was the
author of it ; and we muft 0*wn, that in the parts
of his art which he poffeffed, his ftile, as we have
faid elfewhere, was great and heroic ; and that, take
him altogether, he was not only the beft Painter
of his own nation, but equalled the beft Painters of
Italy. *
FRANCOIS P E R R I E R,
A Goldfinch's fon of the Franche Compte, was
a debauched young man, and running away
from his parents, went to Rome. As he was on his
journey thither his money fell fhort, when a blind
man, who had alfo a mind to go to Rome, per
fuaded him to lead him, pffering him a Share of
the alms he got by begging on the road. Perrier
having no other way to Subfift, accepted of his of
fers, and in this equipage arrived at Rome, where he

eminent PAINTERS. 313
he was again very much embarraffed to find out
means to maintain himfelf; for his blind beggar's
affiftance either failed him, or was not fufficient to
fupport him. He was reduced to terrible ftraits at
his firft coming, but the neceffity he was in, and
the facility of his genius, in a little time put him
in a way to get his living. He acquired an eafy
and agreeable manner of defigning, and his gufto
was fo good, that feveral young men addreffed
themfelves to him to mend their defigns : fome fo
reigners bought his of him to fend their friends to
pleafe them, and engage them to fupply them with
money. He became acquainted with Lanfranco, whofe
manner he endeavoured to follow; and at laft he,
could manage his pencil with the fame eafe as he
did his crayons. Finding that he could difpatch a
great deal of bufinefs, he refolved to return to
France, and Hopping at Lyons he painted the Car-
thufians cloyfter there. From Lyons he proceeded
to Paris, and having worked fome time for Vouet,
who engroffed all the grand performances, he took
a fecond journey to Italy, where he ftaid ten years,
and returned to Paris, anno 1645. About this time
he painted the gallery of the Hotel de la Vrilliere,
and drew feveral eafel-pieces for private perfonsi
He died profeffor of the academy.
He etched feveral things with a great deal of fpi
rit, and among others the fineft baffo relievo's
that are in Rome, a hundred of the moft celebrated
antiquities, and fome of Raphael's works.
He alfo graved in the claro obfcuro fome antiqui
ties, after a manner, of which, it was faid, he was
the inventor; but Parmeggiano, as I have obferved
elfewhere, ufed it a long time before him. It con
fifts in two copper plates, whofe irnpreffion is made
on paper faintly Stained -, the one plate is engraved

3J4 ft LIVES cf
after the ufual way, and that prints the black, and
the other, which is the Secret, prints the white.
JA^UES St EL LA,
BORN in the year 1596, was the fon of Fran
cis Stella, a Fleming by nation, who in his
return from Italy, Stopping at Lions, fettled there ;
ahd in that city, Jaques, of whom we are fpeak
ing* was born. He was but nine years old when
his father died, and having exercifed himfelf fo long
in the art of Painting that he thought he was ca
pable of improving by the fight of the rare pieces
that are in Italy, he went thither when he was a-
bout twenty years of age. Palling through Florence*
the great duke Cofmo di Medicis, hearing of his
being there, employed him with other Painters, to
prepare the decorations of a pompous feftival, which
he intended to hold at the celebration of his fon's
marriage. The duke perceiving that Stella was a man of ca
pacity, affigned him lodgings, and a penfion equal
to that of Callot, who was then at Florence. He
ftaid in this city feveri years, and performed feve
ral things in Painting, defigning and graving.
From thence he went to Rome, where he lived
eleven years, which he fpent chiefly in ftudying
the antique fculptures and Raphael's Paintings.
When he had acquired a habitude of a good tafte,
drawn divers pictures that were engraved, and got
a great reputation in Rome, he refolved to return
to his own country ; intending however to pafs from
thence into the fervice of the king of Spain, who
had ordered his agents to invite him more than
once to except of that employment. He took Mi
lan in his way to France. Cardinal Albornos of
fered him the direction of the academy of Painting
in that city, but he refufed it. When he came to
Paris,

eminent PAINTERS. 315
Paris* and had feen his friends, he began to prepare
for his voyage to Spain ; but cardinal Richlieu heart
ing of it, ftopped him* giving him hopes of a bet
ter fortune at home. He prefented him to the
king, who affigned him a penfion of a thoufand
livres a year, and lodgings in the gallery at the
Louvre. Stella foon fhewed himfelf to be a mafter, and the
king honoured him with the order of St Michael,
which encouraged him to do his beft. He painted
feveral large pidlures for the king, by whofe com
mand the greateft part of them were fent to Ma
drid. He worked alfo for churches and private
perfons. Being very laborious, and the winter-days fhort,
he fpent the evenings in defigning the hiftories of
the holy fcriptures, country Sports, and childrens
plays, which were engraved, and make a large vo
lume. He alfo drew the defigns of the frontif-
pieces of feveral books of the Louvre impreffions,
and divers antique ornaments* together with a ftife
of Julio Romano's, which he brought out of Italy
with him. He Worked fo iridefatigably, that it
wafted him extremely, and broke his conftitution.
He confumed away for five or fix years before he
died, which was in the fifty firft year of his age*
anno 1647.
REFLECTIONS on the WORKS
O F
S t E L L A*
STELLA had a fine genius, his productions
came eafy out of his hands, and he treated*
with a like facility* all forts of fubjedls. His talent
was rather gay than terrible, his invention was no
ble, his expreffions moderate, his attitudes eafy and
natural, his difpofition fomewhat cold, but the
whole

3i6 the LIVES of
whole-together agreeable. He acquired a gopd gout
of defign by his long ftay in Italy; and by his ea
gernefs to learn, became correct in his out-lines. His
application to work, made it eafy to him. His co
louring is not well digefted, his local colours not
enough characterized, and his carnations have too
much vermilion in them, and are commonly the
fame. He at laft degenerated into what we call
manner, and very feldom confulted nature. Take
him, with all his good and bad qualities, as a Pain
ter, the firft weigh down the laft. He had certain
ly merit ; and had hd ftudied the Venetian manner
more, his own had been more valuable.
MARtIN de CHARMOIS,
Sleur de Laure, procured fo many advantages for
the French Painting* that it would be ingrati
tude not to make mention of him in this account of
the French Painters. He loved the arts of Sculpture
and Painting fo paffionately, that he became a great
mafter of the theory of both of them, and could per
form in the one and the other with facility, to the
fatisfaction of the beft judges of his time. He was
neither Painter nor Sculptor by profeffion. Theplea-
fure his genius took, in exercifing itfelf, was the only
motive he had to handle fometimes the pencil and
fometimes the chiffel. He had fuch an idea of Paint
ing, that he could not endure to fee able Painters
oppreffed by the hard ufage of fome head mafters ;
and often took them from their oppreffors, that they
might with more freedom exercife thofe arts that are
of all others the moft free. He fhewed them the
nobleneSs of their profeffion, and employed all his
credit to deliver the art of Painting out of the lan-
guifhing condition to which it was reduced by the
evil practices of fome mafters, who had rendered it
as mean as any common trade ; but monfieur da
Charmois

eminent PAINTERS. 317
Charmois did his Utmoft to reftore it to its place
among the liberal arts. He affembled the moft
fkilful of the profeffion, formed a fociety, of whom
the twelve eldeft Painters were to be the governors,
and himfelf the director.
Thus he laid the foundation of the famous aca
demy of Painting, which the king afterwards formed
into a corporation ; gave them feveral privileges, al
lowed them a place to meet in, in his palace ; made
officers, fettled profeffors, and affigned penfions to
the moft confiderable of that body, to encourage
them in their performances, and to reward the me
rit of fuch as were worthy the royal bounty.
De Charmois was fecretary to the marefchal de
Schomberg, colonel of the regiment of Swifs guards ;
and though the duties of his employment took up
moft of his time, yet he found fome leifure hours to
divert himfelf with Painting. I cannot tell pofitive-
ly when he was born, when he died, or when he
was director of the academy ; but it is certain he
behaved himfelf in that office with a prudence an
fwerable to his zeal and merit.
EU S t AC HE le SUEUR,
BORN at Paris in the year 1 61 7, was Vouet's,
difciple, and had fo great a talent for Painting,
that he wanted nothing but to have been bred up in
a better fchool than his mailer's, to render him an
accomplifhed Painter. He invented with eafe, and
his execution was always worthy his defigns. He
was ingenious, difcreet, and delicate in the choice of
his objects. He imitated the antique gufto in his
defigns ; but aiming to appear always delicate, his
proportions are fometimes too tender, and his figures.
of an immoderate length. His attitudes are fimple
and noble, his expreffions fine, lingular, and very
wdl adapted tp the fubject. His draperies, are fet
after

3i8 the LIVES of
after the gout of Raphael's laft, works. In his FoId$
he obferved the order of the antique, and generally
made ufe of the fame fluffs the ancients ufed.
His colouring is compofed of general tints, with-.
out choice or ftudy. Fie took fo little care to leave
off Vouet's manner in his colours, that one would
think he did not believe it tp be bad, nor that the
part of colouring was of fuch importance in his art,
as indeed it is ; or perhaps he put off his enquiries
about it to fome other time. He contented himfelf
with a received cuftom in the choice of his colours,
which all the Painters in Paris, except Blanchart,
followed implicitly. Whatever was the reafon of
it, he knew nothing of the local colours, nor of the
claro obfcuro ; but he was fo much a mafter of the
other parts of Painting, that there was a great like
lihood pf his throwing off Vouet's manner entirely,
had he lived longer, and had once relifhed that of
the Venetian fchool ; which he would certainly have
imitated in his colouring, as he imitated the manner
of the Roman fchool in his defigning.
For immediately after Vouet's death, he perceived
his mafter had led him out of the way, and by con
sidering the antiquities that are in France, and by the
fight of the defigns and prints of the beft Italian maf
ters, particularly Raphael's, he contracted a more
refined ftile, and fhewed that the rare pieces of the
antique, which are in France, are fufficient to give
a Painter a good tafte, without going to Italy for it,
provided the Painter is born with a happy genius for
his profeffion. Le Sueur's works are a proof of
this pofition ; among others, his life of St Bruno,
which is in the cloifter of the Carthufian monaftery
at Paris. This, in my opinion, is the moft confi
derable of all his performances ; and by this, as alfo
by many other of his productions, one may judge
that le Sueur may, with reafon, pretend to a place
among the beft Painters of his nation. . .
LAUREN

eminent PAINTERS. 319
LAUREN de la HIRE,
WAS in great reputation in his time, and the
only Painter of all his countrymen who did
not follow. Vouet's manner. His own was not much.
better. His gufto was as bad, but it was more ftu
died, more finifhed, and more natural ; however, it
was jalways infipid. His landfkips are more valued
than his figures. He finifhed them to a nicety* and
painted them very properly. He was fo in love with
the aierien perfpective, that he confounded his di
stances in a cloud, according to the method he had
learnt of Defargues. He did the fame in his fi
gures, as wdl as in his diftances ; for excepting thofe
that are on the firft lines, all the reft are loft in a
mift,, in proportion to their diftance. His fon left
the profeffion of Painting to follow the mathema
tics, to which his genius inclined him, and be
came one of the moft fkilful mathematicians of our
time.
MICHAEL DO RIG NY,
BORN at St Quintin in Picardy, was Vouet's dif
ciple and fon-in-law. He followed his father-
in-law's manner very Servilely. . He etched moft of
his works, and preferved the true character of their
author. He died profeffor of the academy in the
year 1665, at 48 years of age.
CHARLES ALFONSE du FRESNOY,
WA S born in the year 1,61 1. His father was
a famous apothecary in Paris, who bred him
up a Scholar, intending to make a phyfician of him.
In the firft two or three years of his ftudies at the
college, hjs father, had hopes, by the progrefs .he
made.

320 The LIVES of
made in learning, that he would anfwer his expecta
tions ; but fo foon as he got up into the upper forms,
and began to relifh poetry, his genius that way fhewed
itfelf, and he carried away the prize from all his
competitors of his ftanding. His inclinations grew
Stronger, the more, he exercifed in it; and it was
thought, by his. beginning, he would in the end
make one of the greateft poets of his age ; but his
love of Painting being equal to that of poetry, it di
vided, and confequently weakened his talent.
At laft there were no more thoughts of his being
a doctor; he declared openly for Painting, notwith
standing the oppofition he met with from his pa
rents, who omitted no fort of ufage which they
thought would oblige him to turn his ftudies another
way. They had a mean idea of Painting, looking
upon it as a pitiful trade, and not as the moft noble
of all arts.
The more he. was opppfed in his inclination, the
more eager he was to be a Painter ; and without lof-
ing any time in deliberating what to do, he gave
himfelf over entirely to the folicitations of his ge
nius, and fell to ftudying the art. He was about
twenty years old when he began to defign, which
he learned of Perrier and Vouet : but he had fcarce
been two years a feholar to both of them, before he
went to Italy, anno 1634. Mignard coming thither
in the following year, they contracted an intimate
friendfhip, which lafted as long as they lived.
When du Frefnoy came firft tp Rome, he could
not get his bread ; his parents, whofe advice in
the choice of his profeffion he had defpifed, would
not fupply him, and what money he carried out
with him was foon fpent. Thus having neither
friends nor acquaintance, he was reduced fo low,
that he was forced to live upon bread and cheefe:
however, he bore all with patience, comforting
himfelf with the opportunities he had of improving in,

eminent PAINTERS. 321
in the ftudy of Painting, which he continued with
ardour, till Maynard came, and then he fared bet
ter. His foul was not fatisfied with common know
ledge, he would go to the root of his art, and ex
tract all the quintessence out of it. He Studied Ra
phael and the antique with application, and every
night he defigned in the academies with extraordi
nary afliduity. According as he made difcoveries
in his art, he wrote reflections upon them in Latin
verfe. One light led him to another, and" by de
grees he acquired the knowledge of all things necef
fary to his profeffion: he then formed the defign
of writing his poem. When he had done it with
pqual care and fuccefs,' he communicated it to the
beft judges, from whom he expected either informa
tion or approbation.
He had a particular love for Titian's works, pre
ferring therh to any other whatfoever ; becaufe he
faid, " Titian was of all Painters the moft perfect
*' imitater of nature." He copied all the pictures
that were in Rome with incredible induftry.
He, Underftood the Greek and Latin poets very
wdl* and fpent fo much time in reading and con
versing with the curious about his art, that he had
little left for Painting. Befides, he feemed when
he painted todo it with pain; which might pro
ceed either from his profound knowledge of the
theory, which reftrained his hand, or from his hav
ing never learned of any one how to handle his pen
cil. By this means he was very flow in his produce
tions. Whatever was the occafion of it, he did
very little in the practical part of Painting. Hav
ing ftudied the. dements of Euclid, and his gufto
in. architecture being excellent, he painted the re
mainders of the old Roman architecture that are in
and about Rome. He fold his pictures for fubfift-r
ance, or rather gave them away for little or nothing-.
Y ' All

322 The LIVES of
All his works do not exceed fifty pieces, befides
fome landfkips which he drew for private perfons,
and his copies after Titian.
Of all his performances, that which he valued
moft, was his poem upon Painting. He was very
defirous to have it printed, but knowing it would
be to no purpofe to do it without publifhing a French
verfion with it, and being himfelf incapable to tranf-
late it, by his long abfence out of France, by which
he had almoft forgot his native tongue, he put off
his impreffion to a better opportunity.
At laft I tranflated it into French *, at his requeft,
and to his liking. He intended to write notes upon
it, to illuftrate his thoughts ; but he was prevented
by a paralyfis, of which he died, at a houfe of one
of his brothers, four leagues from Paris, anno 1665,
in the 54th year of his age.
* From this French verfion Mr Dryden tranflated
Frefnoy's poem, as is very plain by the Gallkifms in his
own, which that great mafter of the Englifh tongue
would not have been guilty of, had he not been forced to
it by the difficulty of tranflating a treatife written upon
an art which he profeffes he knew little of. He was
obliged to follow the author literally, for fear if he loft
fight of him never fo little, he fhould mifs his way ; and
what were reafons for that immortal poet to make fo
faithful a verfion, to be fure were much more fo for us;
who, befides that we were as much ftrangers to the
terms of art as he was, wanted his copiaverborum,
and hisfhining eloquence to adorn the fubjecl. But this
we muft fay for ourfelves, that our care, as became us,
to do well was greater, though our natural and acquired
helps were lefs. t The author of this treatife tranflated
monfieur du Frefnoy's de arte graphica, and wrote the
notes upon it in French ; but not thinking that treatife
fufficient to inform the curious of every thing that relates
to the art, he wrote this differtation thirty years after*
wards,

eminent PAINTERS. 323
wards, and added the lives of the Painters to it. From
bis judgment, and the excellence of his treatife on Paint
ing, we were convinced that fomething was wanting in
monfieur du Frefnoy's, whofe merit no man knew better
than mtfnfieur de Piles ; and for the fatisfaeJion of all
lovers of the art, we refolved to render it into Englifh,
REFLECTIONS 01 /^ WORKS
O F
Monfieur du F R E S N 0 Y.
I "Was intimately acquainted with du Frefnoy, was
his friend and confident, and he permitted me to
fee him paint, a favour he feldom did any body,
becaufe he took a great deal of pains in his Paint
ing. His mind was fo full of knowledge, and all forts
of learning, and his memory fo great, furnifhing
him with matter of all kinds whenever he wanted
it, that his converfation, though very profitable, was
too much interrupted by digreffions, by which means
he often forgot his principal fubject. This was oc
cafioned, as fame have faid, by the abundance of his
thoughts, and the fire of his fancy. As for my
part, who knew; him familiarly, and had made ob
servations on his judgment, as alfo on the vivacity
of his imagination, I confefs I always thought it to
be fine, but not at all lively, on the contrary, the
warmth of his fancy was very temperate. His firft
thoughts never pleafed him, he always corifidered a
thing twice, and digefted it in his mind with all ima
ginable application, that he might embellifh it with
convenient graces, and thofe lights that he acquired
fey his learning.
Purfuant to the principles he laid down in his
poem, he endeavoured to execute his thoughts.
Y % He.

324 the LIVES of
He worked very flowly, and, I, wifh his vivacityhad ¦
been as great as fome imagined it, that there might
have been more fpirit in his pencil, and that his.
ideas might have been put in the faireft light. .
However, by the theory of his art, he reached
the end he aimed at ; and it is to be wondered that
the fame theory that was fufficient to make him cer
tain of the goodnefs of his works, had not em
boldened his hand. All that can be faid of it is, that
great fpeculation flands in need of great practice,
and that monfieur du Frefnoy's was only what he
had got by the performance of a few pieces.
It is eafy to perceive he endeavoured tp imitate
the Caracci's gout of defign, and Titian's colouring,
in all his works, which he often confeffed himfelf.
There never was any French Painter who came fo
near Titian as Frefnoy. One may fee a proof of it
in the pidlure he drew at Venice for Marco Paruta, a
noble Venetian, wherein he reprefented a Madonna
in a half-length, and alfo in another he made for the
fame nobleman,, reprefenting a Venus lying along;
What he has painted in France is of the fame gufto,
chiefly his performance at Rinei for monfieur Bpr-
dier, comptroller of the finances, which is efteemed
the fineft of his productions, by the beft judges; But
if he did not draw pictures enough to make his name
known in feveral parts of Europe, his poem upon
Painting will live as long as the art, and his name '
be preferved in it, while the world has any value for
the profeffion.
NICHOLAS M1GNARD,
OF Troyes in Champagne, was elder brother to
Pierre Mignard, furnamed the Roman; Though
his reputation was not equal to Pierre's, yet he was
mafter of fo many of the parts of Painting, that he
- is by no means to be reckoned among the ordinary
Painters.

eminent PAINTERS. 32c"
Painters. Their father, whofe name was Pierre,
was a Soldier, and ftaid twenty years in the king's
fervice. He gave his two Sons liberty to follow the
inclination they had to Painting. Nicolas learned
the' principles of the art of the beft Painter that was
.¦at Troyes ; and to encreafe his knowledge, went to
ftudy at Fontainbleau after the antique figures that
were there, and after Primaticcio's Paintings : but
feeing that the fountain of all the beauties he flir-
.digd was in Italy, he travelled thither. Being em
ployed at Lions, he ftaid there fome time, though
not fo long as at Avignon, where he fell in love with
a- young woman, whom he married when he came
:back:from Italy ; on which account he was called
Mignard of Avignon. He ftaid two years at Rome*
arid Several years at Avignon with his father-in-law.
He wis fent for to court by the king, who had fome
.knowledge of him while he was at Avignon, when
he(.werituo meet the infanta of Spain, whom he
married, anno 1659.,
-; Mignard arriving at Paris, was employed by the
court,!; and by private perfons, about divers works*
in which he fhewed his ability. He drew abundance
of portraits ; neverthelefs his talent was more for
hiftor.y-Painting. His invention was ingenious, arid
he delighted in treating of poetical fubjects : how
ever, the fire of his imagination was very moderate,
for which he made amends by great correctnefs, and
the nicety of his work. His extraordinary applica
tion to it threw him into a dropfy, of which he died,
anno 1668, very much lamented by all that knew
him; for he was equally a man of honour and a
good Painter. He was rector of the academy when
he died; and that whole body affifted at the folem-
nity of his funeral, which was performed in the
church of the Mendicant friers of the order of Sc
Bernard, where he lies buried. •ah ;zl: *¦'•
.0 Y 1 CLAUDE

326 the LIVES of
CLAUDE V IG NO N,;
BORN at Tours, followed at firft Michael An
gelo da Caravaggio's manner, and fome. of his
pictures in that kind have a great deal of force in
them. He difpatched his work fo faft, that he did
an infinite number of pieces. To go through with his
bufinefs, he formed to himfelf a more expeditious
manner than that of Michael. Angelo da Caravaggio,
but it was not fo ftrong as that which he ufed in imi
tation of Caravaggio. His performances were done
with eafe, and he had a particular way of ufing his
tints. He placed them on the canvafs, without
mixing them on his pallet, and as he painted, he
always added colours, not mingling them by the
motion of his pencil, as other Painters do. By this
means the fuperficies pf his pictures are very rugged.
His manner, which is purely a manual practice, is
eafy to be known. He feldom confulted nature, or
the antique. There is nothing extraordinary either
in his invention.or expreffion, and therefore his pieces
were little fought after by the curious. His chief
excellence was in diftinguifhing the manner of feve
ral mafters, and in fetting a price on pictures. He.
died in the year 1 670, in a good old age.
SEBASt IEN BOURDON,
BORN at Montepelier, had a genius fo fiery that
it would not let him reflect fufficiently, nor ftudy
the effential parts of his art, fo much as he ought to
have done to render him perfect in it. When he
was in Italy he loft his time in quarrels, and one of
them obliged him to leave Rome before he had half
finifhed the courfe of his ftudies. However, his ta
lent was eafy, and he did fo. many good things in
his yputh, that the wprfd had conceived great hopes of

eminent PAINTERS. 327
of his being a mafter in his riper years. The fine
arts being interrupted by the civil wars in France, he
travelled to Sweden, whither he was tempted to go
by the reputation queen Chriftina had for patronizing
learning and the arts ; but her majefty employing
him only to draw her portrait, he did not flay long
there. The warmth pf his genius would not let him
live idle, fo he returned to prance to feek for em
ployment. Though he did not altogether anfwer
the expectation, of the curious in every thing relating
to his profeffion, yet. he kept up his character by
extraordinary comppfitipns, and by, the livdinefs of
his expreffions ; but his genius not being guided- by
folid judgment, it evaporated often into extravagant
conceptions, whichj though .they, might for a little
while pleafe the fpectator for their novelty and odd-
nefs, yet when he began to examine them* he foon
found. they were wild and -unreafonable. He fuc
ceeded better in his landfkips than, in his hiflory-
Painting ; he drew the former very well. I have
feen divers of them, that are the beautiful effedls of
his imagination * and the whimficalnefs of them ren
ders them the more agreeable,, becaufe there are
fpflte very extraordinary things in them, which he
Studied after nature,„and performed with a ready and
eafy hand. It is true, his fites are not very regular,
though they are not very common, ndther~do they
always, agree with their plan. His pieces are feldom
finifhsd* and thpfe that are moft So, are not always
(he. moft fine. He one time laid a wager with a
friend .of his that lie would- paint twelve heads after
the life, and as big as the life, in one day, and he did
it. Thefe heads are not the worft things he ever did.
He often made the ground of his canvas to ferve for
hair, not, by leaving.it uncovered,, but by working
the, colours again with the end of his pencil-flick.
He did a vaft number of pictures. His moft
confiderable pieces are, the gallery of monfieur de
Y 4 Ber-

328 the LIVES of
Eretonvilliers, in the ille of Notre-Dame, arid the
feven works of mercy, which he etched by himfelf.
That which is the moft efteemed of all his perfor
mances, is the martyrdom of St Peter, drawn by
him for the May *, for the church of Notre-Dame,
which is kept as one of the choiceft rarities in that
cathedral. He was aCalvinift; however, his niorals
and manners were good, and he was very much va
lued and refpected by the royal academy of Painting:
and fculpture, of which he was rector. He was -at
work for the king, in the lower part of the Tuille-
ries when he died, anno 1662, being about fixty
years of age.
SIMON FRANCOIS,
BORN at Tours, in the year 1 606. In his youth
, he was . very devout, and declared for a religi
ous life. He would fain have been a capuchin ; but
his friends hindering him,, he fought after a profef
fion that might affift him in raifing his foul to the
love of God ; and by chance looking on a picture of
our Saviour's nativity, with which he was extreme
ly touched, in hopes of being- able to draw fome
pieces, whofe effect on the fpedlators might be as
lively, he refolved to turn Painter. Thus it was not
put of inclination that he took to Painting, but a
call, which had fomething extraordinary in it; for
his genius was cold enough, though his fenfe was
otherwife folid, and fufficient to carry him through
all the difficulties, in the way to perfection in that
art. <
We defire the reader to believe, where he meets with
any fuch notable inftances of the bigotry and ridiculouf- nefs
* A pi&ure which is every year painted for the church of
Notre-Dame, and is expofed on the firft of May, from whence
it is called the May.

eminent PAINTERS. 329-
nefs of the French, papifts, when they 'have any thing to
fay of their religipn, thai we the tranflators are entirely.
guiltlefs of the author's weaknefs' and fuperftition.
Francois had no other mafters to teach : him but
the good pictures he copied. He at: firft drew feme
portraits; and' monfieur de Bethune, his patron,*
going ambaffador to' Rome, took Iiim with him,
having, procured a penfion to befettled on him, to
encourage him in his ftudies. He lived in Italy til^.
the year 1638, and in his return hohiewards he paft
through Bologna, where he contracted a friendfhip
with Guido, who drew his picture. ...**•
At his arrival in France, he was fo happy as to
be the firft Painter who had the honour to draw the
picture of the dauphin, of whom the queen was
juft brought to bed. This his. firft performance fu<|»
ceededfo well, that he had reafon to hope the rniffig;
ters, who were fatisfied with it, and had promised tq
protect him, would accordingly have procured-,him
fome greater emplpyment, and have made his' for,^
tune ; but falling into difgrace, though he did not
deferve it, he topk a difguft at the court, left it, and,
refolved to lead" a retired life, more conformable to,
his firft intentions. "' . -¦
' In this retirement he came to a refolution to paint
only fuch things as might be an afliftarice fo Jiim iri
his way to heaven: he meant pieces of devotion*
in which he employed himfelf fo.mUch, that the' reft
of his life was a perfect pattern pf chriftian piety.
Among all the- virtues which he lived in, the exer-
dfe of his patience was moft confpicubus ; for being
eight years together troubled with the flone, he en
dured that terrible affliction with incredible con
stancy. He died- in the year 1671, and the-ftone
that was taken out of him after his death weighed a
pound. , .
There

33Q the L I V E &t gf ¦
There are none of his pictures iri- the cab'metaof
the curious ; there are. fome in the churches in Paris,
and it is not difficult, tp perceive by his productions,
that the author was more devout than fkilful. How
ever, his fkill is very much JO. be commended, inas
much as he knew how to make ufe of his art to, carry
him to heaven,, which is much to be preferred before
the. acquiring a vain reputation,
Ii is new to an Englifh reader to hear, that Painting,
is the way to falva'iioh ; but fuch is trl<e blindnefs and
extravagance of the religion, of, Mr. neighbour sy who.
pretend to be the moft fenfible dni polite nation, in- fhe,
univerfe.
'-" "' .;,.. .. J~::,- ¦ •¦"•*
PHILIP de CH4MPAGN:E,..
BORN at, Bruffels, anrip 1602. His parents
: were" of mean defeent, buthoneft. Iri his youth
Hd. fhewed an extraordinary inclination to Painting.
He1 'changed his mafters, who were all pf them, ordj-r
naiy '.Painters, feveral times ; at Jaft he lighted pri
pPUquiere, of whom he learnt landfkip. Asfortiie,
other. kinds of Painting, he owed, his excellence in
them wholly to his affiduity iri' working, and the de;*
fire he had tp advance himfelf in the knowledge of
his profeffion. }
n: He was fo eager to learn, that he Spared no pajris
in feeking after a perfon whofe leffons might be Sa
tisfactory to him ; but finding npnewho could teach
him fo much as he wanted to be taught, he refolved
that nature only fhould be his mafter, and he, imi?
tated her afterwards in all his performances very re?
gularly ; but his choice was none of the beft.
At nineteen years of age he thought it time to
travel into Italy, intending to take France in hi§
way, and to flay there as long as his occafions re
quired. When he came to Paris, he placed himfelf
¦" : with

eminent PAINT El S. 331
with Aleman, an ordinary Painter, w-ho, though he
knew little of the matter, had the moft bufineftof any
of his profeffion at that time. He left him to be
private a while', and follow his ftudies. He lodged
in the college of Laon, where Pouffin alfo dwelt,
after he returned out of Italy the firft time. Thefe
two Painters meeting together there, became good
friends, and fo continued. One du Chefne, a very
ignorant Painter, who like the reft of the pretend-1-
ers in all arts, was forward and pufhing in his,
had by his impudence and intereft, procured to be
employed about the Paintings of the palace of Lux
emburg. This man fet Pouffin and de Champagne
at work under him. Pouffin did a few fmall pieces
in the deling, and Champagne drew fome Small
pictures in the queen's apartment. Her majefty
liked them fo well, that du Chefne was afraid he
would get -his employment from him ; whereupon
de Champagne, who loved peace and quiet;nef"s;
perceiving du Chefrie's jealoufy, to cure him of
it, returned to Bruffek, to take his leave of his
friends, and from thence he refolved to go through
Germany to Italy. He was fearCe got there, when
a letter came to him from the abbot of St Am-
broife, who was Surveyor of the buildings, to ad-1
vife of him of du Chefrie's' death, and to invite him
to return to France, which he did. He was pfe-"-
fently made director of the queen's Paintings, and
fhe gave him a penfion of twelve hundred livres a
year, with lodgings in the palace of Luxemburg.
About that time the queen ordered him to work
at the Carmelites; and he married du Chefrie's
daughter. Being a great lover of his bufinefs, and
having a great deal of it, he went through all with
pleafure, as well as labour. There are a vaft num
ber of his pieces at Paris, and in other parts of the
kingdom. Among other places, there are fome pic
tures pf his in the two monafteries of the Carme lites,

332 the LI V E.S of
lites, in the Suburbs of St Jaques, in la Rue Cha-
pon, at the Palais Royal, in ehechapter-ho'ufe: of
Notre Dame at Paris, and in feveral churches: in
that city ; without reckoning an infinity of portraits}
which he drew, , that are noted for their likenefs',; as
welf_as for thdr being finifhed, to a ; great degree.
Monfieur Poned, Counfellpr iri the court of Aids,
who was one of his particular friends,! defired him;
one Sunday, to-) draw his daughter;'*- picture, who
the Monday following" was tp profefs: herfelf a fifter
of the Carmelites in la Rue Chapon* and after that
day ,fhe was not to be feen " by : any lay-man j but
Champagne making it a fcruple of confcience: on
account of the day, would not touch his pendl- on
the Sunday, whatever his friendfaid or offered-him
in order to prevail with him to make her portrait;
for he was very : diftnterefted, .as well as a gopd
chriftian: a proof of which I fhall give in the' fol
lowing relation. • ¦ .)
Cardinal Richliey had offered to make his, and
his family's fortune, in cafe he would , quit the
queen mother's fervice. De Champagne always
refufed tp defert his miftrefs ; and the cardinal com
mended his fidelity, ;and valued him the more, be
caufe he perfifted .. in his -duty to; the queen. t The
cardinal's chief valet de chambre, who propofedhis
entering into his eminency's fervice, added, that
whatever he defired, the: cardinal, he was fure,
would grant him. Champagne replied, " If mon-
'-' ;figneur the. cardinal could make him a better
" Painter, the:,only thing he was ambitious of, it
*' would be fomethirig; but Since that was impof-
*c fible, he only begged the honour of the continu-
*' ance of his.e-minency's good graces." The va
let de chambre told the cardinal . de Champagne's
anfwer, which inftead of offending him, encreafed
his efteem of this Painter;, who, though he refufed to
enter into his fervice, did not however refufe to
work

eminent. PAINTERS. $33
work for? him. Among other things, he drew his
picture for him, at feveral fittings, and it is brte of
the beft pieces he ever painted in his life.
He had a long while been famous in his profef
fion, when le Brun arrived at Paris from Italy.
The latter, as well by means of his protectors, who
were powerful perfons, as through his ability, Soon
put himfelf at the head of all the French Painters'
and Paintings, and was made principal Painter to the
king ; Champagne Shewing no difguft at the prefe
rence which was given le Brun to his prejudice.
He had a fbn* and two daughters < by his wife.
Two of thefe children dying, he loved the Survivor,'
a daughter, with the more tendemefs arid paffion.
He permitted her to follow her inclination to a re
ligious life, ! and fhe entered herfelf in the nunnery
at Port-Royal. For her fake he had a love for the
convent, and all that belonged to it in any wife,
who going under the name of Janfenifts in thofe
days, Champagne was thought to favour their opi
nions. -He died in the year 1674, being 72 years
old. He was beloved by all that knew him, both
as a good Painter and a good man.
REFLECTIONS on the works
of ¦¦-.:)
De C HA M P AG N E.
AS great a defire as Champagne had in his
youth to attain to perfection in the art of
Painting, there appears no elevation in his perform
ances ; however, he did abundance of pieces, and
had a facility of invention, but his genius was cold,
and his gout in a great meafure Flemifh.
- . He applied himfelf always to nature, whprri he
faithfully imitated. He did not know how to dif-
, ppfe pf his objects,: fo . as tp give them life and
motipn.

334 the LIVES of
motion. He was ignorant of the art of retrench
ing thofe things,( in imitating nature, that hinder
the mellowiiefss fightriefs, and good gufto of Paint
ing,, and of adding that which makes the life of a
picture. All his knowledge confifted in a fervile
imitation, in the performance of which he neither
followed his genius, nor the rules of his art. I
cannot fee by his productions, that he penetrated
into the beft principles of Painting ; nor, except
ing his defigns, which are regular enough* that
there is any thing picquant in any of his pictures.
I muft do him the juftice to confefs, I have
feen fome of his local colouirs that have been very
good, fome heads well imitated, and the colour
ing very ftrong ; yet they were ftill as it were in an
unmoveable pollute, and feemed as infenfibfe as
even feme living models often appear to be.
To corredl nature in representing her, to add to
her all the beauties She is fufceptible of, to -distri
bute all the lights and fhadows that accompany her*
advantageoufly, fis the work of a perfect Painter;
a good artift fhould imitate her as fhe prefents her
felf to him with facility, and preferve a character of
truth, though he adorns his fubject only with the
beauties before his eyes, without penetrating into all
thofe that would agree with it. On this account
Champagne deferved the reputation that he lived in \
the rather, becaufe he had a good method in draw
ing landfkips, and underftood perfpective very well.
He alfo finifhed his pidlures to a nicety, and. ex
ercifed the office of rector the royal academy of
Painting many years.
JEAN BAPTISTE de CHAMPAGNE,
WAS Philip's nephew, and born at Bruffels.
He was bred up ih the profeffion of Paint
ing by his uncle. They lived So lovingly together, and

eminent ? P A I N T E R S. 3 35
and had fuch a reciprocal efteem one for the other,
that the nephew followed the unde's manner, though
there was not fo much force and likenefs in his
pictures as in Philip's. As for Other things, iht\
fentimenls were the fame, both as to their art and
their morals, jean Baptifte travelled to Italy, wherfe
he ftaid but fifteen months ; and while he was there
he did not mend his gufto, keeping always to that
which he learnt of his uncle. He died profeflbr Of
the academy, in the year 1688* in the 43d year of
his age.
N I C H OLAS LOIR,
OF Paris, was the fon of a fkilful goldfmith.
He wanted neither genius to invent, nor firft
to perform, though there is nothing iri either of thefe
qualities* that may not be found in an ordinary Paint
er. There was no delicacy nor elevation in his
thoughts. He had a good guft in defigning. His
pidlures were drawn with fadlity, and his per
formances clean ; yet he did not give himfelf timft
to digeft his thoughts. As faft as any thing came
into his head, he executed it immediately, fome
times while he was talking. He had acquired fuch
a habitude, and had fuch a happy memory, that
what he had feen in Italy, was always Serviceable
to him. He undertook alike all forts of fubjects,
and drew figures, landfkips, architecture and orna
ments* with equal fuccefs. There are abundance of
pictures of his drawing, both public and private, at
Paris. He painted feveral galleries and apartments j
and among the reft the palace of the Tuilleries
was in part painted by him. He died anno 1670,
in the 55th year of his age, being then profeffor of
the academy of Painting.

CHARLES

.336 ¦¦¦¦the" LIVES of
C HARL E S le B R UN,
F Paris,- wa£i born with all the difpofitions ne
ceffary to render him a great Painter. He
made ufe pfLhis talent, as foon as he could make
.ufe of his reafon. He, cultivated it by continual
Study; and fortune,, who never left him, as well as
merit, put him in the way to fhew it to advantage.
He was the fon of an ordinary feulptor, who lived
In the Place Maubert. This feulptor was employ
ed about fomething in the garden of the Hotel
Seguier. He ufed to carry his fon with him thi
ther, and to make him copy fome defigns after
him. Monfieur the chancellor walking in the gar
den one day, faw the young man defigning, and
took notice that he did it with eafe and facility*
for one of his years; from whence he concluded
it -was the effedl of no common, genius. He was
pleafed with the lad's phyfiognomy, and liking his
good inclination to the art of Painting, bid him
bring his defigns from time to time as he drew them,
which he did, arid the chancellor afterwards took
care to advance him, Supplying him with money, to
encourage him in the profecution of his ftudies.
. The young man, animated by monfieur de Se-
.guier's favour, made fo wonderful a progrefs in his
profeffion, that the chancellor recommended him
to Vouet, who was then Painting the library of the
Hotel Seguier, and was looked upon by all the
French Painters, as the Raphael of France.
Le Brun, at fifteen years old, drew two pictures
which furprizedthe Painters of thofe times. The
firft was the, portrait of his grandfather, and the
other reprefented Hercules knocking down Dio-
medes's horfes. Monfieur the Chancellor Seguier
fome time .after perceiving by le Brun's eagernefs to
learn, and the progrefs he had made in his art,
that

eminent P A I N T E R S. 337'
that he was fit to travel to Italy, fent him thither,
anno 1639, and maintained him there three years,
allowing him a large penfion. While le Brun was
at Rome, he perfected himfelf in the knowledge of
thofe parts of his art, that got him Univerfal repu
tation. The young Painters, who return from
Rome, in their way home to the other parts of
Europe, generally ftop at Venice, to learn, at leaft,
a tincture of colouring, but le Brun had not that
curiofity. The firft picture he drew when he came back to
France, was the Brazen Serpent, which is in the
convent, of the monks of Picpus. He afterwards
did feveral other pieces for monfieur the chancellor,
his protector.
When he compared his own works with thofe of
his coteriiporary Painters in France, he knew what
a value to put upon himfelf ; and the defire he had
to make himfelf known, put him upon Soliciting to
have the drawing of thofe pieces that were to be
expofed fo public view. To this end he drew the!
picture for the May, for the church of Notre-Dame,
two years fucceffively. The firft year he painted
the Martyrdom of St Peter, and the fecond that of
Stephen. Le Sueur, of whom we have fpoken^
was the only Painter who difputed the fuperiority
in his art with him ; but whether it was that le
Brun was thought more fkilful than le Sueur, or
that his manner was more in vogue ; or elfe that
his friends were more numerous, or more potent,
he always had the advantage of his competitor in
opportunities to Signalize himfelf by grand compofi-
tions. Monfieur de Lambert's gallery in the ifle of No
tre-Dame, and the feminary of St Sulpitius, fet
tled his reputation on fo folid a bafis, that mon
fieur FoUquet, who was then fuperintendant of the
Finances, employed him to paint his fine houfe of
Z Vaux

338 the LIVES of;
Vaux le Vicomte. Le Brun has fhew$ there the
greatnefs of his genius, and the depth of his know
ledge, efpecially in the apartment called the Cham
ber of the mufes. Ope of the ceilings in that, houfe
is efteemed the beft piece he ever did.
Monfieur Fouquet, tp engage him wholly in
his fervice, allowed him a penfion of twelve thou
fand livres a year, and paid him befides for his per
formances^' After monfieur Fouquet's imprifon-
ment, the king, who refolved to have the arts flou->
rifh in his kingdom, as well as the fciences, caft
his eyes on le Brun, ennobled him, honoured him
with the order of St Michael, and made him his
principal Painter. •• _ . >
In this poft he gave ftill greater demonftratiptti
of his merit to his majeftyj thaii ever he. had; done
before. Monfieur Colbert, minifter of State, and
fuperintendant of the royal buildings, valued, him as
the beft Painter in the world. Le Brun laid the
project of confirming the foundation, of the aca
demy of Painting, by his majefty's authority. He
prefented it to monfieur Colbert, and.Colbett pro
pofed it to the king, not only tp confirm it, but to
render it more illuftrious than any thing of that kind
ever was. The revenues of the academy were en
larged, new flatutes were made, and that body waa
to confifl of a protector, a vice-protedtor,, .-a direc
tor, a chancellor* four rectors, fourteen profeffors,
of whom one was to be for anatomy, and another
for mathematics. There were alfo to be affiftaats
to the rectors and the profeffors, feveral- counsel
lors, a fecretary, and two ferjeants.
He drew up another project for an academy at
Rorne, to be founded by the king, for the ufe of
the Frendh ftudents who travel thither, in which
there was a director to be maintained, to take charge
of the penfioners whom the king was to fend, from
time to time, to ftudy at Rome, and. who. by their
educa-

eminent P A.I.'NIT E R S. 335
education there.,, might be made capable of ferK*
ing his majefty in ; fida Paintings,, fculptures .and
buildings* . ,,.-""".::.-
' Le BrUn was very ..zealous to advance the fine arts
ih France. In ;this he Seconded the king's good in
tentions, who entrofted monfieur Colbert with the
exgcutipn. of his orders. That minifter did nothing
without confulting le Brun, and this Painter not
only undertook the charge of taking care of the
performances of things in general, but alfo was
very careful about his own in particular, finifhing
his pictures with- the greateft induftry, and inform
ing himfelf exactly of every thing that related to
ius art, either by reading good authors, or consult
ing, men of learning. .,-!>". .<. •-*".•_• ;
;; His works at.Sceaux, and in feveral houfes ih
jParis, Spread his. fame all over Europe ; but efpeci
ally what he did forithe king, the moft confiderable
of which are his large pictures, containing the hif
tory of Alexander the Great, in the Veiling of the
gallery of Versailles, and the great Stair-cafe there.
. ._When the king .made le BrUri his principal
Painter* he gave him alfo the direction of the manu
factures at the Gbbdins, which he minded with fuch
application, that there was nothing done there, that
Was not. after- his. defigns.'' He d fed in the year
i6o.0_, in his lodgings at the Gobelins. His tomb
is in a chapel he purchafed in the church of St
'Nicholas du Chardorinet, where his widow erected
a magnificent maufoleum for him.
REFLECTIONS 'on fhe WORKS
of C HAR LE S k B R UN.
THE. application with which le Brun followed
his- ftudies at Rome, and-advanced bimfelfin
the knowledge of his art ; as alfo the firft pictures
he drew after bis return, gave the world a great opi-
: Z & nion

340 •¦• ithe L I VES of
nion. of his ability: neither were they deceived" in
their expectations ; andas the fig-tree produces fruit,
without bringing forth flowers firft, fo he was ripe
almoft as foon as he was green, and his firft pieces
were perfect, .though not in fo great a degree as thofe
that he drew afterwards. : Every thing that came
out of :hia hands. was; mafterly; infomuch, that one
may .in Some meaSure fay of him, that the progrefs
¦he made in his art, was not to Jearn it, fince he
Jknew" it. already, but to render him' one of the greatr
eft Painters of his age.
_ri.He.h"ad.a,fine..geriius, his- fenfe was penetrating
.andtblid, andtiis, invention eafy, though with r-eflec-
-tipn.;... He nevgrjadmitted any .thing into the com
pofition of his pictures without confidering well of
,k before. He confulted books, and men of learn-
JngV'thathe might omit nothing, which was con-
•jvenient for him to introduce into his piece. His
.expreffions were ingenious, and there was nothing
outrageous in his fire. Upon the fight of his firft
productions* one would have thought he would have
had a particular, talent for foft and tender fubjects.
.He drew moftly pieces of devotion in his younger
days, and had: no opportunity to fhew the grandeur
of his genius ; . but in: his future Paintings he made it
appear that his talent was univerfal; that he could
excel alike in the ferious manner as well as in the
gay, in the terrible,; as well as in the tender.
, He treated pf allegorical fubjedls with a great deal
of fancy ; but inftead-:of taking his ftories from the
fable, as is generally done, he invented them all
himfelf: however, by this method, his pictures
were like fomany-senigma's, which the Spectator
would not givetumfelf the trouble to unriddle.
. He always efteemed. the Roman fchool for de-
, fign* though he inclined to imitate that of Bologna
in his ftile and ;guftp, and in particular Annibale
Caracd, whofe manner he followed. Though his
gout

eminent PAINTERS. 34 r
$*out is not {o lively as that Painter's, it is lefs loaden,
more equal, more graceful, and always correct. His
attitudes are well chofen, natural, expreflive,1 and
judicioufly contrafted; his draperies are well- -fet*
agreeable, and fhew the naked with difcretipri ;' but
there is no great variety in his folds. His expref
fions, in all his reprefentations, are beautiful. He
ftudied the paffions with extraordinary application*
as appears by the curious treatife he compofed Ori
them, which he adorned with demonstrative figures j
neverthelefs, even in this he feems to have but one
idea, and to be always the fame, degenerating into
habitude, or what we call manner. It is true that
habitude is beautiful, but for want of examining na
ture, and feeing that fhe can exprefs the fame paf
fions Several ways, fome of which are very lively
and piquant, -he has very much leffened the value
of his productions in the opinion of the critics.
What I have faid of the paffions may ferve for his
defigns, both of figures and the airs of his heads, for
they are almoft always the fame, though they are
well chofen ; which doubtlefs proceeded either from
his reducing nature to a habitude he had contracted,
or elfe from his not having enough confidered the
diverfity of which fhe is fufeeptible; for the Painter
ought to obferve her particular productions as care
fully as her general.
Le Brun, when he came back from Italy, faw the
neceffity of leaving offhiswild and trivial tints, which
his mafter Vouet made ufe of for expedition-fake,
He got rid of them in a great meafure. He tem
pered them, and brought them hearer the truth;
yet, whatever pains he took to leave them off quite,
he always retained in his ftile tints that were too ge
neral, efpecially in his draperies and carnations, and
did not enough mind his reflects, which contribute
very much both to the force and roundnefs of ob
jects, and to the union and likenefs of imitatiori.
Z 3 His,

34? the L IVES of
His local colours are bad ; he was too carelefs in
his endeavours, tp give each object its true charac
ter by this part of his art : for this reafon only his
pictures, as we fay, fmell always of the pallet* and
have not the effect as to the fenfation pf nature* as
thofe of other mafters have, whofe local colours are
more ftudied. For a proof this affertion, the. SpeCr
tator need only put one of le Brun's pelt- pieces, by
one of the beft of the Venetian School; he will find
the excellence of the comparifon in*the part of the
local colours, that all is on the fide of the Venetian
picture, arid that le, Brun comes infinitely fhort of it
on that account. This method will diredt him in
all cafes wherein he would judge of the goodnefs of
the Ipcal colours.
As le-Brun erred in that part of his art, fo he com-*
mitted afauk in his lights and fhadows. He feldom
took care to make the fore-part of his pictures fuffi-r
pientiy brown, and was of opinion, that great lights
ought not to be placed in. the hindmoft part of a
picture; by which means moft of his works have
very little effedl. .
It is not the fame as to his intelligence of. the
claro obfcuro, though he did not ftudy that fomueh
as he ought to have done in his youth ; yet in his
riper years he Saw the, neceffity of it, and pradlifed
it with fuccefs. His grand compofitions, containing
the hiftory of Alexander the Great, are fufficient
proofs of his knowledge of this artifice.
His laft productions, which are his beft* Shews
the extent of. his ability and genius, and the prints
that are .graved after them* will fender his name fa--
mous tp all pofterity.
He was an. univerfal Painter; he performed well
alike in all kinds, landfkip only excepted. His
pencil waslight andmellow. He was equally exact
and eafy in hjs performances. In a word, as much
as he is to he cenfured for making his ftile too ideal. and

eminent PAINTERS. 343
and unnatural, and not diversifying it, he was, how
ever, mafter of fo many parts of his art, that he
deferves a place among the Painters of the firft rank;
and whatever a faction may fay or do, to leffen the
value of his works, his memory is revenged on it,
by the praife that is ftill given him throughout all
Europe; and no doubt posterity will continue to do
juftice to his merit.
I fhould now fay fomething of Pierre Mignard, a:
native of Troyes, and principal Painter to the king ;
but his life being Shortly to be publifhed at large,
together with adefcriptionof his Paintings, the rea
der will excufe my preventing the zeal of that au
thor by weaker praifes. His pictures that are to be
feen in the publick places, may in the mean time
ferve to fatisfy the world of his Worth ; and the
Paintings in the great hall at St Cloud, which is
one of the moft considerable works iri its kind that
ever was made, is fufficient to give fatisfaction to
the impatience and curiofity of the publick with re
ference to monfieur Mignard's character.
CLAUDE G E L E E,
•Otherwife called,
Le L O R R A IN.
THE means that fortune tpok to draw this
Painter out of hia native obfcurity, and ren
der him one of the famous men of his age in his pro
feffion, are very extraordinary and Surprising. In
his youth his parents put him to School, but he was
fo dull at his book that they found it was fo much
time loft, fo they bound him apprentice to a paftry-
cook. He ferved his time out, though to little pur
pofe ; and not knowing what to do with himfelf, he
went, in company of fome young fellows of the fame
Z 4 trade,

344 the L IV ES of
trade, to Rome, to feek after fome employment to
get his livelihood. He knew nothing pf the Ian-.
guage, and was befides very ill bred, fo np'body
cared to fet him at work. Chance at laft brought;
him to Auguftino Taffo, who hired him to pound
his colours, clean his pallet and pencils, look after
his houfe, drefs his meat for him, and do all his houf-
hold-drudgery, Auguftino keeping no other fervant.
His mafter, in hopes to make him Serviceable to
him in fome of his greateft works, by little and
little taught him fome rules of perfpective. Lorrain
at firft could hardly be brought to underftand thofe
principles of art ; but when he began to have fome
notion of them, and to profit by his induftry, he
took heart. His foul enlarged itfelf, and he fet about
his ftudies with wonderful eagernefs. He would be
in the country from morning to night, making his
obfervations on the effects of nature, and in painting
or defigning them. Sandrart relates, that being in
the country with him to ftudy together, le Lorrain
made him obferve, with as much nicety as' if he
had been well verfed in phyfics, the caufes of the
diversity pf-the fame view or profpect,- explaining
why it. appeared fometimes after one fafhion, and
fometimes after another, with refpedl to colours, in
stancing in the morning dews and evening vapours.
His memory was fo good, that he would paint with
a great deal of faithfulnefs what he had Seen iri the
country, when he came home. -He was fo abforbed
in his labours, that he never vifited any body. His
diverfion was the ftudy of his profeffion, and' by
mere force of cultivating his talent, he drew fome
pidlures that got him an immortal reputation in the
kind of Painting to which he took. By this we may
perceive, that constancy and afliduity of working,
will be too hard for the heavinefs of a man's intel
lectuals. He did not perform without difficulty ;
and his performance not anfwering his intention, he
would

eminent PAINTERS. 345
would fometimes do and undo the fame pieces feven
or eight times over. There was nothing of manner
m his touches, and he often gave a tendernefs to his
finifhed trees by glazing.
Notwithstanding he was very careful to learn a
good gout of defigning in the academy, yet, the .fi
gures that are in his landfkips are all defigned with
an ill gufto- He died at Rome, anno 1678, jn an
extreme old age.
BARTOLOMEO MORILLO, or MURILLIO,'-
ASpanifh hiftory-Painter, born at Seville, of a
noble family. He had been wonderfully ad
dicted to drawing from his infancy, which made his
father put him to be inftrudled in that art. Having
finifhed his ftudies under an eminent mafter, he went
for America, where he continued his profeffion with
great induftry ; but finding himfelf not like to irii-
prove according to his expedlation, he returned to
Seville, and meeting there with none that could in
ftruct him, went for Rome, where he improved to
the admiration of all men. After fome time fpent
there, he returned to Spain, where he was much em
ployed by the king and his court. He painted fe-
yeral hiftory-pieces for the late king Charles of
Spain, which were fent by him to Rome, as a pre-
fent to the pope, arid where they began to call our
artift another Paolo Veronefe. There are many no
ble altar-pieces of this Bartolomeo in Spain, and
fome in Flanders, which are yet in great efteem.
He was a perfon well verfed iri feveral kinds of lite
rature, being much admired while he lived, and
univerfally lamented at his death. He died in the
year 1682, and was interred with great.pomp and
folemnity, his pall being born up by two mar-
quiffes, arid four knights of different orders. We
hayefeveral eminent pieces of this mafterin England,

34& the L I V E $ of
confifting of beggar-boys as big as the life, playing'
together in different actions. Some of thofe belong-'
ing to the earl of Mdfort's collection were fold in
the banqueting-houfe at a good rate* and of which
there are 'abundance of copies extant among us by
different hands.
H E R NA N D E Z el M U D O,
-  ¦)
ASpanifh hiftory-Painter, difciple of Titian, and
deaf and dumb from his cradle.. He wasTSo
good an imitator of his mafter, that his pieces are
in great efteem at Madrid. He was employed, by
King Philip II. to do many pieces at the Efcuriaij
which that king had then newly built ; but above all
others, his moft famous pictures were thofe of the
four evangelifts, which- he painted in frefco at the
four corners of the upper great cloifter of the monks.
Upon the finifhing that of St- John in the ifle of
Patmos, this Painter became fo proud of his perfor
mance, that heexpreffeda great defire the king
fhould come and fee it ; which being notified to his
majefty, he accordingly came : but being brought
thither with an expectation to fee a pleafant piece,
and finding nothing but St John in a defart rocky
country, which could afford little pleafure, he was
by no means pleafed with the fight, Which he imme
diately declared. The deaf and dumb Painter ob
ferving by his actions and countenance, how little
the king underftood the excellence of his piece,
through want of a true gufto in the art, fo foon as
ever his majefty's back was turned, fuddenly caught
up the two corners of his cloak, and making them
into the fhape of affes ears, and clapping them to the
fides pf his head, fignified, pointing at the king,
that he was an afs for pretending to give judgment
of what he fo little underftood. " ... ,~ n
OF

eminent PAINTERS.

w

O F

TASTE, AN D
Its Variety with refpe£t to feveral
NATIO NS.
FTER having written of the 'Pain*
ters of feveral nations in Europe, we
thought it might be a-propos to fay
fomething of the different taftes of
thofe nations. We have fpoken of the
grand gufto in its place, and have Shewn that it
ought always, to be met with in a perfect piece j
and that it is that which chiefly characterizes a per
fect Painter: but there is a general, gufto in marar
kind, which is alike fbfeeptible of purity and cor
ruption, and becomes particular by the ufe it make*
of particular things. We will here endeavour to ex
plain it, and Shew how it is formed, and in what it
terminates. One may reafon of the tafte of the mind, in fome
meafure* as of that of the body. There are four,
things to be confidered in the tafte of the body, viz,
i. The organ.-
2. The things, eaten, or that are tailed.
3. The fenfation which they caufe.
4. The habitude which this fenfation produces in
the organ by repetition, Ir

348 the LI VES of .-.
In like manner there are four things to be con
sidered in the tafte of the mind, viz.
I. The mind which taftes.
2. The things that are tailed.
• g. The application of thofe things to the mind,
or the judgment that the mind makes of them.
4. The habitude caufed by feveral judgments re
peated, from whence a conftant idea is formed in the
mind. From thefe four things we may infer,
That the mind may be called tafte, inafmuch as
it is confidered as an organ.
That things may be faid to be of a good or ill
tafte, as they contain, or are diftant from the beau
ties which art, good fenfe, and the approbation of
feveral ages have eftablifhed.
That the judgment which the mind makes of an
object at firft, is a natural tafte, which may after
wards be perfected or corrupted, according to the
temper of the mind, and the quality of its objects.
In a word, that the judgment repeated, produces
a habitude, and that habitude a fettled idea, which
gives us a continual inclination to the things that we
have approved, and are of our choice.
Thus what we call gufto in Painting, is by little
and little formed in the minds of men who are cu
rious in the art. Though every gufto is not good,
yet every particular man believes his the beft. For
this reafon tafte may be thus defined ; " It is the
«' habitual idea of a thing conceived to be the beft
«' in its kind."
There are three forts of tafte in Painting. The
natural gout, the artificial, and the gout of each
nation. The natural gout is the idea we conceive of .any
thing at the fight of fimple nature. The Germans
and Flemings feem very rarely to leave this idea ;
and it is the common opinion that Corregio had no
other.

eminent PAIN T E R S. 344
other. What makes the difference between his ideai,
and theirs, . is, in that ideas are like liquors, that take
the form of the veffeb into which they are poured.
Thus the natural gout is mean or Sublime, according-
to the talents of particular perfons, arid the choice
they are capable to make pf the objects of nature.
- ThV artificial gout is the idea we conceive at the,
fight of another man's works, by the good opinion
we have of our matter's knowledge arid leffons. In
a word, by education, the gout of each nation is art
idea, which the works that are made or Seen in 'any;
particular country forms in the mihd of thpfe who'
dwell iri it. The different taftes of nations may be
reduced to fix, the Roman, the Venetian, the Lom
bard, the German, the Fiemiih, and the French. \
^"The Roman tafte' is an idea 'of the works that are
to be met with in Rome : now it is certain, the moft
¦valuable works which are in Rome, are thofe we call
antiques, and the modern productions made in imi
tation' of them, whether it be in Sculpture or Paint
ing. The rarity of-; thefe pieces confifts Chiefly in
the beauties of defign,' the fine choice of the atti
tudes; the delicacy of the expreffions, the fair order
of the foldings, and a fublime ftile to which the an
cients- raifed nature,* and the moderns after them, in
the beginning of the fixteenth century. It is no*
wonder therefore that the Roman ' gout, which
minds only the parts we have mentioned, fhould be
deficient in colouring, it could not acquire a relifh of
that from the antiquities j colours are not to be found
•there, and we consequently mifs them in the Roman
tafte. The mind of man is too narrow, and his
life too-Short, to take in all the parts of Painting,
and at once to poffefs them to perfection. The
Romans did not defpife colouring ; indeed they
could not well defpife a thing of which they had
never any juft idea ; but the other parts of the art,
whercqf

350 the LIVES of
whereof they were better informed, and -endeavoured!
moft to be perfedl in, hindered their ftudying that
of colours: They had not kifure to dp it, .and did
riot value them fo much as they pqght, to have done,
becaufe they did not underftand them fo much. ¦
The Venetian tafte is quite di went from the ^Ro
man. The latter neglected colouring a little. too
much, and the former did the fWe by defign 5 there
being very few antiques at Venice, and fewrpieces
of fculpture or Painting of. -the lioman tafte.; The
Venetians-applied themfelves to expreft beautiful
nature, which they took from objects in their own
country -? they characterized" therri by comparifon,
hot only, by fhewing the value, of the true -colour of
brie thingby the true colour of another \ but hy choof-
ing in this oppofitibn an harmonious vigoyr of co
louring, and every thing that might render their ob
jects the more prpbable, the more like, and the more
Surprising. , ,
The Lombard tafte confifts in a flowing mellow
defign, in which a fine choice of nature is nrringletjla
little with the antique, in colours very nearly ap
proaching thofe of the life, and laid onwith a, light
pencil. Corregip is the beft example of this gout,
and the Caracci, whp endeavoured to imitate him*
are more correct than he in their defigns, but- infer
rior to him even in their gout of defign, . in grace,
in delicacy," and in colouring. Annibale, while he
ftaid at Rome, .learnt fo much of fhe Roman gout,
that I do not reckon any thing he did, after he had
half finifhed the Farnefe gallery, among the works
bf the Lombard fchool.
Neither do I place among the Lombard Painters,
thofe mafters who* though they were bom in Lpm-
bardy, imitated the Roman or Venetian fchools in
their tafte ; becaufe, in this cafe, I have more re
garded the manner they followed, than the country
where they were bom. The Painters, and the cu
rious,

eminent PAINTERS. 351
rious, who, for example, have pot Palma Vecchio,
Moretto, Lorenzo Lotto, Morone, and feveral
other gaoct Lombard Painters in the Lombard.
fdaooL have "infehfibly occafioned a great deal of
coB&&^asxy aid made Some .perfons believe that the
Venetian aindLombatt-d fchools were tht fame thing,
becaufe tbofjj Lombards, whom I have mentioned,
followed Giorgione's and Titian's manner entirely.
I.u&d formerly to talk after the Same rate, accord
ing tothis-crmfiafed idea, 'becaufe the greateft pare
of our French Painters talk fo ; but reafon,. arid the
Italian authors, who have treated of this matter,
convinced me of my error, and fet me right.
; The German tafte,: is what we commonly Call the
Gothic gout. It is an idea-of natfure, as we fee her1
generally with- her defects* iand not as fhe might be
in. her purity. The Germans, have imitated her
without-choice, and have only cloathed their figures
with long draperies, the foldings of which are dry
and broken. They minded the finifhing of. their pb-
jedts more than the good difpofition of them. The
expreffion of their figures is always infipid, their de
fign dry, their colouring indifferent, and their per
formances well laboured. However, there have
been fome German Painters, who ought to be dif-
tinguifhed from the reft of their nation ; and who,
in fome parts of their art, were equal to the beft ma
fters of Italy.
The Flemifh tafte differs only from the German
in a greater union of well chofen colours, in an ex
cellent claro obfcuro, and in a more mellow pencil :
I except three or four Flemings from the common.
Painters of that nation. They were Raphael's difciples,
and brought their mailer's manner of defign and co
louring out of Italy with them. I alfo except Rubens
and Van-dyck, who viewed nature with penetrating
eyes, and raifed her effects to an extraordinary ele
vation,

$& 'the LIVES, &c.
vation, though they retained fomething of the-Flem-
ifh tafte in the. gout of defign.
The French tafte has been always So divided, that
it is difficult to give a juft idea of it. The Painters
of that nation feem to differ very: much from each
Other in their produdtioris. Intheirtravels to Italy,
jfome of them thought it fuffcient to ftay at Rome*.
and there they fell ¦ ih with the Roman gout. O-i
thers- lived at Venice, and returned with a particular
inclinatiori for the" Venetian fchool, and Some of
them applied themfelves with all their induftry, to
imitate nature as they found her. Among the moft
Skilful French Painters, who died within thefe laft
thirty or for ty years, Some followed the antiquegout ;
others: that of Annibale Caracci in defigning, and
both the one and the other .are trivial enoUgh in their
colouring. But they were otherwife poffeffed of fo:
many fine parts of their art, and have managed their
fubjects ,with So much elevation, that their works'
will always be the ornament of France, and the ad-;
miration of pofterity.

the En d of Monfieur de Pile s\j treatife.

Ihe

( 353 )

rF^HE Reader will eafily perceive, that though
-* ** the French author has not vouthfafed to do
jujliee to the Painters of our nation, yet he has
very little to fay of thofe ofyhis own ; and the
laft fentence of his book agrees fo ill with his ac
count of the French Painters, and the French
tafte, that had not the authors of that nation
been the vaineft writers in the world, when they
talk of their countrymen, he would not have been
guilty of fo ridiculous a jhurifh m their favour.
The beft of their Painters were much more irife*
rior, in all the parts of the art, to our Van
Dyck, than Van Dyck was to Raphael and Ti
tian. In the following pages we fhall prove,
that the Englifh Painters and Paintings, both
for their number and their merit, have a better
claim to the title of a School, than thofe of
France. But the French would fain thrujl
themfelves into all the honourable places, as well
in the arts and fciences, as in the empire of
Europe.

#&*&%to%toWf!i®&ii>W\%®&%9>%&%®

A N

354

An ESSAY towards an

A N

ESSAY TOWARDS AN
ENGLISH SCHOOL
PAINTERS.

A.
Mr ROBERT A G G A S,
Commonly called
A U G U S,
A S a good Englifh landfkip Painter,
both in oil and diftemper. He was
alSo fkilful in architecture, in which
kind he painted many feenes' for the
play-houfe in Covent-Garden. There
are not many of his pictures extant
of thofe that are, the moft confiderable
is a piece of landfkip prefented by him to the com
pany of Painter-ftainers, (whereof he was a member)
and which now hangs in their hall. He is reckoned among

among us

Englifh School ^PAINTERS. 355
among the beft of our Englifh landfkip Painters ;
and became eminent, not fo much by his labour and
induftry, as through the bent of his natural genius.
He died in London, in the year 1679, and about
the 60th year of his age.
Mr HENRY ANDE R TON
WA S a face Painter, and difciple of Streater,
in great efteem about the year 1 665, which
he did not long Survive. He travelled to Rome,
where he ftudied fome years after the antique, and
at his return drew the beautiful dutchefs of Rich
mond, which recommended him to draw king
Charles II. and moft of his court. He interfered in
his bufinefs with Sir Peter Lely, and had a great
Share of reputation in thofe times. He was likewife
a landfkip Painter and in ftill life ; as alfo, a good
imitator of his mafter, Serjeant Streater, till he left
his way, and fell to face Painting.
Mr EDMUND ASHFIELD 1
WA S a gentleman well defcended, who drew
both in oil and crayons. He was difciple to
Mr Wright, and painted fome heads as big as the
life. He firft found out the way to multiply the
number and variety of tints in crayons, and there-)
with to draw various compledlions, in imitation of
oil-painting. This he performed on paper, and
practifed feveral years with deferved applaufe. He
brought thofe heads to ten pounds price. From him
the prefent Mr Luttrel had his inftrudtion, who has
improved that invention, and multiplied the variety
of colours to effect any thing ; as alfo found out a
method, unknown before, to draw with thofe chalks
or crayons on copper-plates, either by the life, or
hiftorically.
A a 2 JOHN

356 An E S S A Y towards an
B.
JOHN BAPTIST GASPARS,
Commonly called
L E L Ys BAPTIST, ..
WAS born at Antwerp, and brought up in
the fchool of Thomas Willeborts Boffaert, a
difciple of Vandyck. Coming over into England
in the time of the civil wars, major general Lam
bert took him into his fervice ; and upon the happy
reiteration of, king Charles II. Sir Peter Lely being
received for his majefty's principal Painter, he. em
ployed Baptift to paint his poftures, which he per-
. formed very well, and after his death he did the like
for Mr Riley, and afterwards for Sir Godfrey Knelier.
This Baptift was a great judge pf Painting, and like-
wife eminent for his defigns for tapeftry, having
been an admirable draftfman in the academy. He
died in London about fourteen years ago, and lies
buried at St James's.
"JOHN BAPTIST MO NN OYER,
Commonly filed the Flower-Painter,
WA S born at Lifle in Flanders, and brought
up at Antwerp. His: bufinefs there jyajs
hiftory-painting ; but afterwards he returned to
Lifle, and applied himfelf to painting, flowers, where
in he fucceeded to admiration. Monfieur le Brun
having undertaken the Painting of Verfailles, em
ployed Baptift to do the flower part, wherein he
fhewed his excellence, as is yet to be feen in that
palace. Flis grace the duke of Montague being
then ambaffador in France, and obferving the curi-
oufnefs

Englifh School ^PAINTERS. 357
oufnefs of this Painter's work, invited him over
to England, and employed him in conjunction with
meffieurs Rouffeau and la Force, to adorn his mag
nificent houfe in Bloomfbury, where a great variety
of flowers and fruit of this mafter are to be feen,
and thofe the beft pf his performance." There are
alfo feveral other pieces of his at my lord Carlifle's,
my lord Burlington's, and other perfons of quali
ty ; but the moft curious : of all, is the lookirig-
glafs at Kenfington palace, which he painted for the
late queen Mary, of glorious memory, her majef
ty fitting by him almoft all the while. His flow
ers have generally in them a loofenefs and freedom
of penciling, together with a luftre of colouring,
which is inimitable. They are alfo of an ordon-
nance very beautiful and furprizing, bearing a good
price fuitable to their great worth, and are eafy to
be diftinguifhed from . thofe of other mafters, by
coriiparing them together, the only way to arrive
at a diftindliori of one man's works from another's.
His beft performances are owned to be in England.
He.beganayaftcollectionoffine flower-prints, many
of which were executed by his own. hand, and the
reft1 finifhed by his direction. He died in Fng-'
land about ten years ago, and lies buried ar St
James's.
Mr FRANCIS BARLOW,
WAS born in Lincolnfhire, and at his com
ing to London put apprentice to one Shep
herd, a face-painter, with whom he lived but few
years, becaufe his fancy did not lie that way, his :
genius leading ' him wholly to drawing of fovvl,
fifh, and beafts ; wherein he arrived tp that perfec-.
tion, that had his colouring, and penciling been as
good as his draughts, which were moft 'exact, he
might have eafily excelled all that went before him
A a 3 in

358 An ESSAY towards an
in that kind of Painting, of which we have an in-
flance in the fix books of prints after him, now
fold by Mr Tempeft. He drew fome cielings of
birds for noblemen and gentlemen in the country.
There are feveral prints extant after the defigns of
this mafter, among which are the cuts for a new,
edition of Efop's fables, in which undertaking he
wanted due encouragement. He alfo drew feveral
of the monuments in Weftminfter-Abby, and in
Henry VII's chapel, which were intended for a large
edition of Mr Keep's Monumenta Weftmonafteri-
enfis. But notwithftanding all Mr Barlow's excel
lency in his way, and though he had the good for
tune to have a confiderable fum of money left him
by a friend, he died poor in the year 1702.
Mrs' M^lJr B E AL,
WA S an Englifh gentlewoman, bom in Suf
folk, who having learnt the rudiments of
Painting of Sir Peter Lely, drew after the life, and
had great numbers of perfons of good rank fat to
her, efpecially the greateft part of the dignified
clergy of her time ; an acquaintance fhe got by her
hufband, who was much in favour with that robe.
She was little inferior to any of her cotemporaries,
either for colouring, ftrength, force or life ; info-
much that Sir Peter was greatly taken with her per
formances, as he would often acknowledge. She
worked with a wonderful body of colours, was ex
ceedingly induftrious, and her pidlures are much
after the Italian manner, which fhe learnt by hav
ing copied feveral of the great mafters of that coun
try, whofe pictures fhe borrowed out of Sir Peter's
collection. She died at her houfe in Pallmall about
fix years ago, being 65 years old, and lies buried at
St James's.
ED-

Englifh School of P A I N T E R S. 359
EDWARD du BOIS,
WAS a hiftory and landfkip Painter, but chiefly
the latter ; and was born at Antwerp. He
was difciple to one Groenwegen, a landfkip Painter
likewife, who refided many years in England, and
had been fome time in Italy. Du Bois alfo travelled
to Italy, where he continued eight years ; during all
which time he Studied the antiquities, and painted
after the Italian gufto, jointly with his brother, a
Painter, now living here. He worked fome time
in Paris, and in his way to Italy did feveral pieces
for Charles Emanuel, duke of Savoy. Soon after
his return to Holland, he carne to England, and
died in London about feven years ago, being 77
• years old. He lies buried in St Giles's church. He
and his brother, by their extraordinary induftry,
have made one of the fineft collections, of clofet
pieces efpecially, of any in England.
DANIEL BOON,
WA S a Dutch droll Painter, and a great ad
mirer of uglinefs and grimace, both in his
fmall and great pictures, in which he feldom for
got to endeavour to raife mirth in his country-men,
and ours of the feme fublime genius. He died
lately.
JOSEPH BUCKSHORN,
WAS a Dutch Painter, born at the Hague,
who came over to England about the year
1670. He was efpecially eminent for his copies
after Sir Peter Lely, whofe manner he came fo near,
that feveral heads of his have been miftaken, by
good judges, for that great mailer's. He copied
A a 4 alfo.

360 An ESSAY towards an
alfo Vandyck, and the prefent lord Rockingham
has the picture of the earl of Strafford done by him,
after that great Painter. He was Sir Peter Lely's
drapery-painter for many years, and died in Lon
don, at the age of thirty-five, being buried in St
Martin's church.
BUSTLER,
WA S a Dutchman, both a hiftory and face
Painter, in the reign of Charles II. There
is a good pidlure partly performed by him, in the
poffeffion of Mr Elfum of the Temple, which confifts
of three boors playing together, in different actions,
by Mr Buftler; a good landfkip behind, by Mr
Lanckrinck ; arid a little dog on one fide, by
Hondius.
NICHOLAS B YE R,
AS a hiftory and face Painter, born at Dron-
them in Norway. He was much employ
ed by the late famous Sir William Temple, at his
houfe at Shene, near Richmond in Surry, where he
died about twenty or twenty one years ago. He
was a Painter of good hopes, but died young, the
effedl of an intemperate life. He lived with Sir
William three or four years, during all which time
he was conftantiy employed by him, in one fort, of
Painting or other. One thing is remarkable of him,
and that is* that he was the firft man that was bu
ried in St Clements Danes after it was rebuilt, and
which had been firft built by his countrymen.

.¦:«W'! Mr-

Englifh School of PAINTERS. 361
C.
Mr J O H N CARINGS,
WA S an Englifh landfkip-Painter, who lived
the better part of his time in Holland, and
drew many views of that country in a manner very
neat and elaborate. His pieces bore a very great
price in his life-time, but having very little befides
their neatnefs to recommend them, they have fince
been lefs efteemed. He died at Amfterdam above
fifty years ago.
Mrs A N N E CARLISLE,
WAS an Englifh gentlewoman, cotemporary
with Vandyck. She copied the Italian maf
ters fo well, that fhe was much in favour with
king Charles I. who became her patron, and pre-
fented her and Sir Anthony Vandyck with as much
ultra marine at one time, as cofl him above five
hundred pounds. She died in London about 26
years ago.
FREDERIC CAUSABON,
alias KERSEBOOM,
WA S born at Solingen, a city of Germany, in
the year 1623. At eighteen years of age he
went to Amfterdam to be inftrudled in the art of
Painting, but by whom is uncertain. From therice
he removed to Paris in 1650, and worked fome years
under monfieur le Brun ; but afterwards he was fent
to Italy by the chancellor of France, and maintained
there by that minifter fourteen years, two whereof
he fpent with Nicholas Pouffin,, of whofe manner
Jie, was fo nice an imitator, that fome of Iris pieces have

362 An E S SA Y towards an
have been taken for his. Thus qualified for hif-
tory-painting he came to England ; but not finding
encouragement here in that way, he bent his ftudies
towards portraits, wherein he was not unfuccefsful,
either as to drawing or likenefs. He was the firft
that brought over the manner of Painting on glafs,
(not with a print, as the common way now is) in
which he performed fome hiftories arid heads exceed
ingly well. Perfpective he underftood thoroughly,
having been difciple to two excellent mafters in that
art. He fpoke five languages admirably well, and
was, in fhort, an accomplifhed Painter. He died
in London in the year 1 690, and lies buried in St
Andrew's Holborn.
FRANCIS de C L EY N,
WAS a Dutch Painter, and mafter of the tape
ftry works to king Charles I. at Mortlack,
for which he painted cartoons in diftemper. He
was very eminent for his invention, and made fe
veral defigns that were extraordinary fine, for paint
ers, gravers, fculptors, &c. among which were the
cuts for fome of Ogilby's books. He died at Mort
lack a little before the restoration.
ADAM C O L 0 N I,
Commonly called the Old,
WAS a Dutch Painter, born at Rotterdam, but
who refided a great while in England, and
became efpecially eminent for his fmall figures in ru
ral pieces, for his cattle, country- wakes, fire-pieces,
&c. He alfo copied many pictures of beafts after
Baffan, particularly thofe of the royal collection*
which are efteemed his beft performances. He died in

English School s/PAINTERS. 363
in London in 1685, aged 51, and lies buried in Sc
Martin's church.
HENRY alias ADRIAN COLONI,
WAS the fon of the before-mentioned. He was
inflrudted by his father, and brother-in-law
Mr Van Dieft, and became a good drafts-man, as
a great number of academy-pieces drawn by him
teftify. He often wrought upon the fmall figures
in his brother Van Dieft's landfkips ; and they re
ceived no fmall addition of beauty from what he
did, efpecially when he ftrove to imitate the man
ner of Salvator Rofa. He died young, about the
year 1701, at 33 years of age, and lies buried in
St Martin's church. He was a perfon of lively in
vention, and painted very quick.
Mr H E N R Y COOK,
WAS an Englifh gentleman, and hiftory-
Painter, who had his education here, and
fome part of it in the univerfity of Cambridge. He
was a perfon of good reading, judgment and experi
ence ; and after he had travelled fome years in Italy,
and been an affiduous copier of the beft mafters,
became not only a great critic in Painting, but al
fo a good performer, as appears by many public
pieces of his, viz. the altar-piece at New-college-
chapel in Oxford ; what he has done at Chelfea-col-
lege, at Hampton-Court, and on many cielings and
ftair-cafes of this town and kingdom. His excel
lent collection of pictures, fold at his death, fpeak
his relifh; wherein were many fine copies of the car
toons of Raphael, and after moft of the beft ma
fters, performed by himfelf. His copies after the
cartoons are particularly remarkable, being drawn
in turpentine oil, after the manner of diftemper, of

364 An ESSAY towards an
of which he is Said to be the inventor. He died
in London the 1 8th of November 1 700, aged near
58, and lies buried in St Giles's church.
Mr ALEXANDER COOPER,
WAS the elder brother of Samuel Copper
Efq; and, together with him, brought up
to limhing by Mr Hofkins, their uncle. He per
formed well in miniature; and- going beyond feay, be
came limner to Chriftina queen of Sweden;. yet
was far exceeded by his brother Samuel, who was
much the greater mafter. He did likewife landfkip
in water colours exceedingly well, and was account-,
ed an extraordinary draftfman..
SAMUEL C 0 O P E R Efq;
WAS .born in London in the year 1609, and
brought up under his uncle, Mr Hofkins.
He was fo good a, performer in miniature, that our
nation may be allpwed to boaft of him, having far ex
ceeded all that went before him in England in that
way, and, even equalled the moft famous Italians ;
infpmuch that he was commonly ftiled the Vandydo
in little, equalling that mafter in his beautiful co-,
louring, and agreeable airs of the face, together/with
that ftrength, relievo, and npble fpirit; that foft:
and tender livdinefs of the flefh, which is inimi
table.^ He had alio a particular talent in the loofe'
and gentle management of the hair, which he , ne
ver failed to exprefs well : but though his pencil was
thus admirable, yet his excellency was chiefly con
fined to a head, for below that part of the body
be was not always fo fuccefsful as could have been-
wifhed. The high prices his pieces ftill fell at,
thpugh far fhort of their value, and the great efteem-
they.are in even at Rome, Venice* and in France, are

Englifh School of PAINT E R S. 365
are abundant arguments of their great worth, and
have extended the fame of this mafter throughout
all parts of Europe, where art is valued. Hefo.far
exceeded his mafter, and uncle, Mr Hofkins, that
he became jealous of him, and finding that the
court Was better pleafed with his nephew's per
formances than with his, he took him in partner
with him; but ftill feemg Mr. Cooper's pidlures
were more relifhed, he was pleafed to difmifs the
partnerfhip, and fo our artift fet up for himfelf,
carrying moft part of the bufinefs of that time be
fore him. He drew king Charles II. and his queen,
the dutchefs of Cleveland, the duke of York, and
moft of the court : but. the two piecesof hi§ which
were moft efteemed.,! were thofe of Oliver Cromwel,
and of one Swihgfield. The former is now in the
hands of Richard Graham Efq; and by him high
ly valued. The French king once offered one .hun
dred and fifty pounds for it, yet could .riot have it.
The other is in the collection of colonel Robert
Child, who fets a great value. Upon it. This laft
picture Mr Cooper having carried to France, it in
troduced him into the favour of that court, and
was much admired there. He likewife did feveral
large limnings in an uriufual fize, which are yet to
be feen in the qUeen's clofet, and for which his
widow received a penfion during her life from the
crown. That which brought Mr Copper to this ex
cellency, was his. living in the time of Vandyck,
many of whofe pictures he copied, and which made
him imitate his ftile. Anfwerable to his abilities in
Painting, was his great Skill in mufic, efpecially
the lute, wh'ereori he "was reckoned a mafter. Fie
was many years abroad, and perfonally acquainted
with moft of the great men in Holland and France,
as well as thofe of his own country ; but he was yet
more univerfal by his works, which were known
throughout all parts of Chriftendom. He died in
London,

366 An E S S A Y towards an
London in the year 1672, at fixty-three years of
age, and lies buried in Pancras church in the fields,
where there is a fine marble monument fet over him
with the following infeription.
H. S. Mm
SAmuel Cooper Armiger,
Anglia Apelles,
Seculi fui, fcf Artis Decus,
In qud excolendd
Sicut Neminem, quern fequeretur, invenit,
It a nee, qui eum affequatur, eft habitwrus.
Supra omne Exemplum,
Simul ac omne Exemplar,
Minio-Graphices Artifex fummus,
Summis Europa Principibus no tus,
Et in Pratio habitus ;
Cujus porrb egregias Animi Dotes,
Ingenium expolitifjimum,
Linguarum plurimarum peritiam,
Mores fuavifftmos,
Ut tam brevis Tabella riti compleSli poffet
Jpfius unicl Manu delineanda fuit :
Sed Modeftior ille,
Dum per Ora, Oculofque omnium, Famd volat,
Gineres hie potius fuos optavit delitefcere,
Ipfe, in Ecclefia Pace, feliciter requiefcens
Chariffimd Conjuge Chriftiand.
Obiit quinto Die Mali, Anno ? ^Etatis fus 63.
JSalutis MDCLXXII.
Mr C R 0 S S,
WA S a famous copier in the reigns of king
Charles I. and II. A ftory goes of him,
that being employed by king Charles I. to copy
feveral eminent pieces in Italy, and having leave
of the ftate of Venice to copy the famed Madonna
9 of

Englifh School. of PAINTERS. 367
of Raphael, that was in St Mark's church, he
performed the talk fo admirably well, that he is
laid to have put a trick upon the Italians, by
leaving his picture for the original, which laft he
brought away with that celerity and caution, that
though feveral jto effengers were fent after him, he had
got fo much the flart of them, that he carried the
piece dextroufly off. Afterwards, in Oliver's days,
the then Spariifh ambaffador here, Don Alonfo de
Cardenes, bought this pidlure when the king's goods
were expofed to fale, together with the twelve
Cefars of Titian, and the king Charles on the dun
horfe by Vandyck (of which laft there is a good
copy by Sir Peter Ldy in the Middle-Temple
Hall) all which, fome fay, remain in the Efeurial to
this day. Though others affirm, the picture of king
Charles on the dun horfe, is now in the poffeffion
of the duke of Bavaria, who bought it of one Myn
heer van Cullen. This Mr Crofs copied likewife,
admirably wdl, Titian's Eiiropa, which picture of
his is now in the colledlion of the earl of Kent. :
D.
HENRY and JOHN D ANKERS.
HENRY was a good landfkip-Painter, and
employed by Charles II. to paint all the fea-
ports in England and Wales ; as alfo all the royal
palaces ; which he performed admirably well. He
was firft bred a graver, but upon the perfuafions of
his brother John took to Painting. He ftudied
fome time in Italy, before he came to England.
He worked for great numbers of our nobility and
gentry, and had good rates for what he did, being
efteemed the neateft and beft Painter, in his way,
of that time. He left England in the time of the
popifh plot,- being a Roman Catholick, and diedfoon

368 '^« ESSAY towards an
foon after at Amfterdam. As for John Danker"**
he was a good hiftpry^Painter, and lived for many
years after his brother, dying in like manner at
Amfterdam.
WILLI AM D E RYKE,
WAS a hiftory-Painter .born at Antwerp.
He was firft bred a jeweller, but afterwards
took to Painting.: He for many years drew hifto
ry as big as the life iri England, with tolerable fuc
cefs. T'n his works there were many excellent marks
of a boldnefs Of pericil, whatever there might be
wanting in grace, and pleafing variety. He died
about feven years ago, leaving behind him a daugh
ter, whom he had instructed in his art.
Lord Bifhop D I G B Y.
THE reverend lord bifhop of Elfin. in Ireland,
may very well find a name in this account
of the Englifh Painters, fince he has defervedly
raifed one in that kingdom, where he arrived to
be a fpiritual peer. His limnings have much of
beauty and juflnefs of draught in them, and are
to a great degree elaborate, with a due regard to
the graceful part of nature. He is a fingle inftance
of any perfon of that dignity, that has made fo con
fiderable a progrefs in this art, as to be voted a ma
fter, either in that kingdom or this, how com
mon foever it is in other nations for the clergy to
apply themfelves to Painting.
Mr WILLIAM D O B S O N,
WAS a gentleman born in the year 1610, in St
Andrew's parifh in Holborn, and defcended
from a family at that time very eminent in St Al
bans

Englifh School ^PAINTERS. 369
bans. He was both a hiftory and face-Painter, be
ing cotemporary with that great mafter Sir An
thony Vandyck, whofe excellencies he came very
near, though he failed in fome of his graceful parts ;
yet we are to confider he wanted the opportunities
the other had of becoming perfect. The greatnefs
of his genius fhone through the meaner employ
ments, which were his allotment ; being put out ap
prentice very early to one Mr Peak, a flationer, and
trader in pictures in the city of London, with whom
he ferved his time ; yet had, by his mailer's procure
ment, the advantage of copying many excellent
pictures, efpecially fome of Titian and Vandyck ;
the manner of which two mafters he, in fome mea
fure, always retained. How much he was behold
en to the latter of thofe two great men, may eafi
ly be feen in all his works. He was alfo farther in
debted to the generofity of Vandyck, for present
ing him to king Charles I. who took him into his
protection, kept him in Oxford all the while his ma
jefty continued in that city, fat to him feveral times
for his picture, and caufed the prince of Wales,
prince Rupert, and moft of the lords of his court
to do the like. He was a fair middle-fized man,
of a ready wit, and a pleafing converfation, yet be
ing fomewhat loofe and irregular in his way of liv
ing, he, notwithftanding the many opportunities
he had of making his fortune, died poor at his
houfe in St Martin's-Lane, in the year 1647, anc*
the 37th of his age. This is to be remarked of
our artift, that as he had the misfortune to want
fuitable helps in his beginning to apply himfelf to
Painting, fo he wanted alfo due encouragement,
which the unhappy times of civil war could not
afford ; yet he fhone out through all thofe difadvan-
tages, which fhews us what he might have been had
Rome been the place of his education. There are
in England feveral hiftory-pieces done by him, of
B b which

370 An E S S A Y towards an
which his grace the duke of Buckingham has one
in his collection, of great value. His portraits are
defervedly efteemed among us, to which nature in
clined him fo powerfully, that had his education
been but anfwerable to his genius, England might
juftly have been as proud of her Dobfort, as Venice
of her Titian, or Flanders of "her Rubens. The
greateft number of his pictures are to be feen in and
about Oxford, where he refided many years.
E,
GERRARD EDEMA,
WAS a landfkip-Painter, born at Amfterdam,
and difciple of Everdine, whofe manner he at
firft followed. He came into England about the
year 1670, and became very famous for landfkip.
His manner was afterwards broad and bold, in imi
tation of fome Italians. His pictures commonly
afford a feene of cliffs, cafcades, and views (as the
learned Dr Burnet in his Theory calls it) of a broken-
world. He chofe a country uncultivated, full of
rocks, and falls of water ; the latter of which he
never failed to exprefs well, difperfing a gentle
warmth throughout the whole, to make amends
for the horror of the profpedl, which generally
reprefents Norway or Newfoundland ; places in
which he ftudied, as Everdine, his mafter, did be
fore him ; after whom there are many prints, ex-
preffing a country wild and rude. Mr Edema di:
ed at Richmond in Surry, whither he had retired
for the recovery of his health, about the year 1 700,
and the 40th year of his age. His too great in
temperance Shortened his days.

Mr

Englifh School of PAINTERS. 371

Mr WILLIAM FAITHORN,
WA S a difciple to Mr Peak, painter to prince
Rupert. After the civil wars broke out he
went into the army, when being taken prifoner in
Bafing-houfe, and refufing to take the oaths to Oliver,
he was banifhed into France, where he ftudied feveral
years under Champagne, a famous Painter of that
time, and arrived to a very great perfection in cor
rectnefs of drawing. He was alfo a great proficient
in graving, as likewife in Painting, efpecially in
miniature, of which there are many inftances now
in England. He died in Black-Friers about the
beginning of king William's reign, and was there
buried, being near y$ years of age. His praife was
celebrated by his friend Mr Flatman, in the follow
ing copy of verfes on his book of drawing, graving
and etching.
Should I attempt an elogy, or frame
A paper ftrutittre tofecure thy name,
The lightning of one cenfure, one ftern frown
Might quickly hazard that, and thy renown.
But this thy book prevents that fruitlefs pain,
One line fpeaks pur elier thee, than my beft ftrain.
Thofe myfteries, like to the fpiteful mold
Which keeps the greedy Spaniard from his gold,
Thou doft unfold in ev'ry friendly page,
Kind to the pre fent, and fucceeding age.
That hand, whofe curious art prolongs the date
Of frail mortality, and b affiles fate
With brafs and fteel, can furely able be
To rear a lofting monument for thee.
For my part I prefer, to guard the dead,
A copper -plate before afiheet of lead.
B b 2 So

372 An ESSAY towards an
So long as brafs, fo long as books endure,
So long as neat-wrought pieces, thou'rt fecure.
A Faithorn fculpfit is a charm canfave
From dull oblivion, and a gaping grave.
Mr T H 0 MA S FLATMAN,
¦flTAS both a Poet and Painter. He drew in
W miniature, as may appear by the following
ftanza in his pindarique ode, called the Review,
where he thus Speaks of himfelf as a limner.
To extricate my felf from love,
Which I could ill obey, but worfe command,
I took my pencils in my hand,
With that artillery for conqueft ftrove ;
Like wife Pigmalion then did I
My felf defign my deity ;
Made my own faint, made my ownfhrine %
If fhe did frown one dafh could make her fmile,
All bickerings one eafy ftroke could reconcile :
Plato feign' d no Idea fo divine.
Thus did I quiet many a froward day,
While in my eyes my foul did play,
Thus did the time, and thus my felf beguile ;
Till on a day, but then I knew not why,
A tear fall'n from my eye
Wc.fh'd out my faint, my fhrine, my deity :
Prophetic chancel the lines are gone,
And I muft mourn o'er what I doted on :
I find ev'n Giotto's circle has not all perfetlion.
Now fince Mr Flatman's works fpeak for him in
one kind, I will leave the others to do fo too, though
perhaps limning was his greater excellence. He died
in London fome few years ago. Le

Englifh School ^PAINTERS. 3 73
Le FE V R E de V E N I S E,
WAS a French hiftory-Painter, who came into
England in the reign of king Charles II. He
was better at defigning, as appears by his works,
than at Painting. He had a particular excellence in
ftaining marble, which he did feveral times for
prince Rupert. He died in London about twenty-
nine years ago, and lies buried in St Martin's church,
Mr J 0 H N FREE MA N,
WA S a good hiftory-Painter in the reign of
king Charles II. He was thought to have
been poifoned in the Weft Indies, but he returned
to England, and died here ; yet his genius was fo
impaired by that attempt on his life, that his latter
works failed of their ufual perfedlion. He was
looked upon as a rival to Mr Fuller, infomuch that
his brother, colonel Freeman, offered to lay a wager
of one hundred pound that he fhould draw a figure
with that mafter; which challenge, for what reafon
I know not, was never accepted. Mr Freeman was
in his drawings, efpecially in the academy, moft ex
traordinary, and equal to any of our modern maf
ters. He was, in his latter days, fcene-Painter tp the
play-houfe in Covent-Garden, where many of his
works are ftill to be feen.
Mr I S A A C FULLER,
WAS an Englifh hiftory Painter of good note.
He had a great genius for drawing and de
figning hiftory, which yet he did not always execute
with due decency, nor after an hiftorical manner ;
for he was too much addicted to modernize and
B b 3^ buriefque.

374 «^« E S S A Y towards an
burlefque his fubjects, there being fometimes araw-
nefs of colouring in them, befides other extravagan
cies fuitable to the manners of the man : but not-
withftanding all that a critic may find fault with in
his works, there are many perfections in them, as
may be feen by his Refurrection at All-fouls college
chapel at Oxford, to which that at Magdalen college,
though performed by the fame hand, cannot in the
leaft compare. There is alfo at Wadham college, in
the fame univerfity, an hiftory- piece of his, in two co
lours only, admirably well performed; for whatever
may be objected againft this mafter, as one that
wanted the regular improvements of travel to con
fider the antiques, and form a better judgment, he
may be reckoned among the foremoft in an account
of Englifh Painters. He ftudied many years in
France under Perrier, and underftood the anatomical
part of Painting, perhaps equal to Michael Angelo,
following it fo clofe, that he was very apt to make
the mufcelling two Strong and prominent. Among
his works, there are feveral fine pieces in many great ,
taverns in London, which are not efteemed the
worft of his performances. He died in London
above thirty years ago. G.
MARK GARRARD,
SO N of Mark Garrard, was born at Bruges in
Flanders. He was fome time principal Painter
to queen Elizabeth, and afterwards to queen Anne,
confort-royal to king James I. He was both a good
hiftory and face Painter, and died at London in the
year 1635, in the 74th year of his age. There are
feveral prints after him now extant among us.
HENRY

Englifh School gfPAINTERS. 375
HENRY G A S C A R,
WAS a French face Painter, encouraged here
by the dutchefs of Portfmouth, whofe pic
ture he came over to draw. Many following her
example, employed him alfo, fo that he got a great
deal of money in England in a fhort time -, nor could
our wife nation then fee the difference between him
and his cotemporary Sir Peter Lely. What he
wanted in the graceful part, in draught, and a good
choice of nature, the talent of but very few, he Ufu-
ally made up with embroidery, fine cloaths, laced
drapery, and a great variety of trumpery, ornaments
which took for a while, till at length monfieur
found that his gay cap-and-feather manner would no
longer fucceed here ; which made him leave England
about twenty or twenty-five years ago. By a pre
vailing affurance, cuftomary with his nation, he has
fince impofed as much on the Italian nobleffe, as he
did on thofe of England ; and was lately living at
Rome, though we hear he is now dead. He is re
ported to have carried above ten thoufand pounds
out of England.
HORATIO GENTILE S C H I,
WA S an eminent Italian hiftory Painter, born
at Pifa, a city ih the dukedom of Tufcany.
After having made himfelf famous at Florence,
Rome, Genoa, and in moft parts of Italy, he went
for Savoy, whence he removed to France ; and at
laft, upon the invitation of king Charles I. came
over to England, and was well received by that
king, who appointed him lodgings in his court,
gave him a confiderable falary, and employed him
in his palace at Greenwich, and other public places.
The moft remarkable of his performances in Eng-
B b 4 land,

37° -An E S S A Y towards an
land, were the cielings of Greenwidi and York-;
houfe, the latter of which are now in the collection
of the prefent duke of Buckingham. He did alfo a
Madonna, a Magdalen, and Lot arid his two daugh
ters, for king Charles, all which he performed ad
mirably well. The piece of his which was moft
efteemed abroad, was the Portico of cardinal Benti-
voglio's palace at Rome. Fie made feveral attempts
at face-Painting while in England, but with little
fuccefs, his talent lying wholly towards hiftory, with
figures as big as the life, He was much in favour
with the duke of Buckingham, and many of the
nobility of that time ; but after twelve years "conti
nuance in England, he died here at eighty-four years
of age, and lies buried in the queen dowager's
chapel at Somerfet- houfe. His print is among the
heads of Vandyck, he having been drawn by that
great mafter. He left behind him a daughter,
ARTEMISIA GENTILESCHI,
HO was but little inferior to her father in
hiftories, and even excelled him in portraits ;
a manner of Painting which moft are inclined to at
tempt who come to England, where it is chiefly in
vogue. She lived the greateft part of her time at
Naples in much fplendor, and was as famous all over
Europe for her amours as for her Painting. She re
commended herfelf to the efteem of the Skilful by
many hiftory-pieces as big as the life ; among which
the moft celebrated was that of David with the head
of Goliah in is hand. She drew alfo the portraits
of fome of the royal family, and many of the nobi
lity of England.

Mr

Englifh School of P A I N T E R S. 377
Mr RICHARD GIBSON,
Commonly called the Dwarf,
WA S difciple of Francis de Cleyn, and an emi
nent mafter in the time of Sir Peter Lely, to
whofe manner he devoted himfelf, and whofe pictures
he copied to admiration. Being page to a lady at
Mortlack, She put him to de Cleyn to learn to draw,
which he obferved he had a particular genius to.
He had the honour to inftruct in drawing the late
queen Mary, when princefs of Orange, and the pre
fent queen Ann, when princefs ; he went over to
Holland to wait on the princefs Mary for that pur
pofe. He painted both in oil and water colours, but
chiefly the latter. He was greatly in favour with
king Charles I. (to whom he was page of the back-
flairs) infomuch that that king gave him his wife in1
marriage, who is likewife a dwarf, and ftill living,
though of a great age. On this wedding, Mr Wal
ler made that copy of verfes which begins thus :
Defign or chance makes others wive,
, But nature did this match contrive ;
Eve might as well have Adam fled,
As fhe denied her little bed
To him, for whom Heav'n feem'd to frame,
And meafure out this only dame, &c.
He alfo received confiderable favours from Philip
earl of Pembroke, who was his patron. He drew
Oliver Cromwel feveral times, and died in Covent-
Garden foon after the late revolution, at three
fcore and fifteen years of age, lying buried in that
church.

Mr

27% An E S S A Y towards an
Mr WILLIAM GIBSON
WAS nephew to the foregoing, and inftructed
bothby him and Sir Peter Lely. His great
eft excellency lay in his copies after the laft of thofe
two mafters, whofe manner he made it his chief en
deavour to imitate, and wherein he was not altoge
ther unfuccefsful. He became an eminent limner,
and drew great numbers of portraits for many of the
beft rank. His great induftry was much to be com-
rnended ; for purchafing not only the greateft part
of Sir Peter's collection after his death, but likewife
for procuring from beyond feas a great variety of
valuable things in their kind ; infomuch that he may
well be faid to have had the beft collection of draw
ings and prints, after the greateft Italians and other
mafters, of any perfon of his time. He was a great
encourager of the art he profeffed. He died of a le
thargy in London, and was buried at Richmond in
Surrey, in the year 1 702, at fifty-eight years of age.
His kinfman, Mr Edward Gibfon, was inftructed
by him, and firft painted portraits in oil ; but after
wards finding more encouragement in crayons, his
genius lying that way, he made a confiderable pro
grefs therein, till death intervening put a ftop to
all his endeavours. He died young, at thirty-three
years of age, arid lies likewife buried at Richmond.
Mr JOHN GREEN HILL,
WAS a gentleman defcended from a good fa
mily in Salifbury, where he was born. He
was difciple to Sir Peter Lely, whofe manner in a
fhort time he fuccefsfully imitated, and became a
great proficient in crayon draughts, as he afterwards
did in Painting. He failed very little of his mailer's
excellencies, who firft neglected, and then became jealous

Englifh School of PAINTERS. 379
jealous of him as a dangerous rival ; for he never let
him fee him paint but once, and that was by a ftra-
tagem. Mr Greenhill had long had a defire to fee
Sir Peter manage his pencil, but fo fhy was that great
artift of revealing his rnyftery, that he would never
lend him the leaft affiftance all the while hq was with
him ; which made Mr Greenhill, after he had left
him, have recourfe tp a wile to procure that which
he muft otherwife have defpaired of. He procured
Sir Peter to paint his wife's picture, through which
means he had an opportunity to ftand behind and
fee what he did -x which being greatly to his fa-
tisfadlion, on a double account, he made his mafter
a prefent of twelve broad pieces, and fo took the pic
ture away with him. Having thus obtained his end,
he in a little time became exceeding famous for face
Painting, infomuch that had he not died young, the
effect of too free livirig, England might have boafted
of a Painter, who, according to his beginnings, could
not have been much inferior to the very, beft of fo
reigners, whom we have always fo much encouraged
in the portrait way. He was moreover poetically
inclined, and very agreeable in converfation ; which
won fo much on Mrs Behn, that fhe endeavoured
on her part, to perpetuate his memory, by the fol
lowing elegy.
What doleful cries are thefe that fright my fenfe,
Sad as the groans of dying innocence ?
The killing accents now more near approach,
And the infetlious found
Spreads, and enlarges all around,
And does all hearts with grief and wonder touch.
The famous Greenhill' s dead •' ev'n he
That could to us give immortality,
Is to th' eternal filent groves withdrawn ;
Youthful as flowers fcarce blown, whofe op'ning leaves
A wondrous and a fragrant profpeil gives,. Of

3 80 An ESSAY towards an
Of what its elder beauties wou'd difplay,
When it fhou'd flourijh up to rip'ning May.
Witty as poets warm'd with love and wine,
Yet ftill fpar'd heav'n, and his friend,
For both to him were facred and divine ;
Nor cou'd he this no more than that offend.
Fix'd as a martyr, where he friendfhip paid,
And gen'rous as a God,
Diftributing his bounties all abroad,
And foft and gentle as a love-fick maid.
Great mafter of the nobleft myftery,
That ever happy knowledge did infpire ;
Sacred as that of poetry,
And which the wond'ring world does equally admire.
Great nature's works we do contemn,
When we on his do meditate ;
The face and eyes more darts receiv'd from him.
Than all the charms fhe cou'd create ;
The difference is his beauties do beget
In the enamoured foul a virtuous heat,
Whilft nature's groffer pieces move,
In the coarfe road of common love.
So bold, yet foft, his touches were ;
So round each part, fo fweet, fo fair,
That as his pencil mov d, men thought it preft
The lively imitated breaft,
Which yields like clouds where little angels reft :
The limbs all eafy, as his temper was,
Strong as his mind and manly too ;
Large as his foul, his fancy was, and new,
And from himfelf he copy'd ev'ry grace ;
For he had all that cou'd adorn a face,
All that cou'd either fex fubdue.

Each

Englifh School of PAINTERS. 381
Each excellence he had that youth has in its pride,
And all experienc'd age can teach,.
At once the vig'rous fire of this, ,
And every virtue, which that can exprefs,
In all the height that both cou'd reach ;
And yet, alas ! in this perfetlion dy'd,
Droop 'd like a bloffom with a northern blaft,
When all the fhatter'd leaves abroad are caft,
As quick as if his fate had been in hafte.
So have I feen an unfix' d ftar,
Outfhine the reft of all the numerous train,
As bright as that which guides the mariner,
Dart fwiftly from its darken 'd fphere,
And ne'er fhall light the world again.
Oh, why fhou'd fo much knowledge die,
Or with his laft kind breath,
Why cou'd he not to fome one friend bequeath
The mighty legacy.
But 'twas a knowledge giv'n to him alone,
That his eterniz'd name might be
Admir'd to all pofterity,
By all to whom his grateful name was known.
Come all ye fofter beauties, come,
Bring wreaths of flow'rs to deck his tomb ;
. Mixt with the difmal cyprefs and the yew*.
For he ftill gave your charms their due ;
And from the injuries of age and time,
Secur'd the fweetnefs of their prime ;
And beft knew how t' adore that fweetnefs too.
Bring all your mournful tributes here,
And let your eyes a filent forrow wear,
Till ev'ry virgin, for a while become
Sad as his fate, and like his piclure dumb^
JOHN

382 An E S S A Y towards an
H.
JOHN HANNEMAN
WA S both a hiftory and face Painter, born at
the Hague. He was difciple to one Rave-
fleyn, and came into England in the reign of king
Charles I. He was employed for fome time under
Mytens, principal Painter to that king, and conti
nued here fixteen years, at the end of which he went
for Holland, and there drew the princefs dowager
royal, his highnefs the prince of Orange, and all
the court. He likewife drew a picture, reprefent -
ing peace, in the ftates-chamber at the Hague ; as
alfo the pidlure of two ufurers telling their gold,
for mynheer van Wdnwing. Whilft he was doing
this laft piece, he happened to want money, where
upon fending to the perfon he was working for to
borrow a fum, it was accordingly fent him. When
the pidlure was finifhed, it was carried home, and
the price demanded paid for it ; but when mynheer
thought to have the money he had lent (having flip-
ed the opportunity of flopping it out of mere gene-
rofity) he was anSwered, that the gold which he had
borrowed was all put into the picture (meaning that
which the mifers were telling) and that he muft ex
pect no further Satisfaction. This Painter died a-
broad about twenty years ago.
Mr JOHN H A Y L E S
WAS a good face Painter, cotemporary and
competitor with Sir Peter Lely. He was
fo excellent a copift, that many of the portraits which
he did after Vandyck, pafs at this day for origi
nals of that ingenious man. He died in London, in

English School of P A I N T E R S. 383
in the year 1679, and lies buried in St Martin's'
church.
EGBERT HEMSKIRK
WAS born at Haerlem, and difciple of de
Grebber. He became very eminent for
Painting drolls after the manner of Brawer. His
grofs and comical genius fucceeded for a long while
among us. In moft of his converfations, as he call
ed them, you may fee the picture, and read the man
ners of the man at the fame time : but to fpeak of
his Painting part, a thing chiefly aimed at in this
fhort account, there is little fault to be found with
it, urilefs fometimes with the foulnefs of the colour
ing. His drunken drolls, his wakes, his quakers-
meetings, and Some lewd pieces, have been in vogue
among the waggifh collectors, and the lower rank
of virtuofi. He went in this kind a great way, but
after all fell far fhort of Brawer, Teniers, and the
reft of his noble fore-runners, in the ftudy of fots
paradice. He often introduced his own picture
among his drolls by means of a looking-glafs he had
upon his pallet. He was a man of humour, and for
that valued by the late earl of Rochester, for whom
he painted feveral pieces. He died in London about
two years ago, leaving behind him a fon whom he
had inftructed in his way.
Mr NICHOLAS HILLIARD
WA S a celebrated Englifh limner, who lived
above an hundred years ago. He drew
Mary queen of Scots in water-colours, when fhe
was but eighteen years of age, wherein he fucceeded
to admiration, and gained a general applaufe. He
was both goldfmith, carver, and limner to queen,
Elizabeth, whofe picture he drew feveral times, par-'
ticular.lv

3 84 An E S S A Y towards an
ticularly once, when he made a whole length of her,1
fitting on her throne, which piece was defervedly
efteemed. There are, moreover, two beautiful
pieces of his, now in the poffeffion of Simon Fan-
Shaw, Efq; and by him valued, not without reafon,
as it is the opinion of fome good judges, at above
fifty guineas each, though not much bigger than a
crown-piece. One of thefe is the picture of our
artift himfelf, with this infeription in gold letters
round it.
Nicolaus Hilliardus Aurifaber, Sculptor, & cele-
, bris Illuminator Sereniffim<£ Regina Elifabetha,
Anno 1577. ALtatis fuis 30.
The other is the pidlure of his father, fome time
high fheriff of the city and county of Exeter, with
this infeription in gold round it.
Richardus Hilliardus quondam Vice-Comes Civita-
tis £5? Comitatus Exonia, Anno 1560. Mtatis
fu<e 58, Annoq; Domini 157 7.
Thefe two pictures in miniature are fo mafterly
done, that not only the faces are finely coloured,
and naturally with a good rdievo ; but alfo the heads
arid, beards are fo well performed, that almoft each
fingle hair is expreffed. Now, though theSe two
pieces were alone Sufficient to preServe the memory
of this great artift, yet cannot I omit adding what
the famous Dr Donne fays of him, in a poem of
his, called the Storm. His words are thefe,
-An hand, an eye,

By Hilliard drawn, is worth an hiftory.
At what time he died, never came to my know
ledge, and fo I hope the reader will excufe that
omiffion.
HANS

Englifh School of P A I N T E R S. 385
HANS HOLBEIN.
MOnfieur de Piles having given the reader an
account of Holbein's birth and education in
the German fchool, we fhall only relate here Some
thingsomitted by him, more particularly what con
cerns him as an Englifh Painter. His manner was
extraordinary and unufual, differing from both that
of the ancients and moderns, fo that it feems as
if he had not been incited or inftructed by any ex
ample, but rather that he followed purely the dic
tates of his own genius ; and though it be doubted
by fome, whether he ever faw any of the rarities
of Italy, or had any mafter, yet there is nothing
to be feen of his doing but what is painted to the
utmoft perfection. This is manifeft by that piece of
his called Death's Dance, in the Town-hall of Bade,
the defign whereof he cut neatly in wood, and af
terwards painted : which appearing wonderful to
the learned Erafmus, he requefted of him to draw
his picture, defiring nothing fo much as to be re
prefented by fo judicious a hand. This being per
formed, and Erafmus perceiving by his rare art
that he deferved a more plentiful forfcune, he per
fuaded him to go to England ; promifing him
confiderable advantages from the bounty of king
Henry VIII. At his requeft Holbein fet out for this
kingdom, bringing along with him Erafmus's pic
ture, and letters recommendatory from that great
man, to the then lord chancellor, Sir Thomas More.
Sir Thomas received him with all the joy imagina
ble, and kept him for three years at his houfe ; dur
ing which time he drew his picture, and thofe of
many of his friends and relations ; all which were
hung up in the great hall of that houfe. The king
coming one day, upon an invitation, to dine with
Sir Thomas, and at his entrance into the hall, be-
C c holding

386 An ESSAY towards an
holding fo many ravifhing objects, the pictures
feeming almoft as much alive as the perfons, who
were all there prefent, his majefty fo much admired
the excellency of the Painter, that he next day Sent
for hirn, and entertained him in his Service upon
very advantageous terms. The king from time to
time manifested the great efteem and value he had
for him ; and upon the death of queen Jane, his
third wife, fent him to Flanders to draw the pic
ture of the dutchefs dowager of Milan, widow to
Francis Sforza, whom the emperor Charles V. had
recommended to him for a fourth wife ; but it be
ing upon the king's defection from the Roman fee,
he rather chofe to match with a Proteftant princefs,
in hopes by that means to engage the Proteftant
league in Germany in his intereft. Cromwell, his
prime minifter, (Sir Thomas More having been re
moved and beheaded) propofed Ann of Cleves to
him ; but whether the king was diffatisfied with
her having made a fort of pre-contract with the
fon of the duke of Lorrain, or did not approve
her principles, being a Zwinglian, he was not over-
fond of the match, till Cromwell, who had a mind
to effect it to fecure himfelf againft the Papifts
whom he had difobliged, fent over Hans. Holbein
So draw her picture likewife ; who, as the lord
Herbert of Cherhury fays in his hiftory, was repre
fented by this artift fo very fine, that when the
king came to fee her portrait •» he immediately re-
folved to marry her ; though it feems, by the fame
account, that the Painter, perhaps purfuant to the
iqftructions he had received from Cromwell, had
followed the beauty of his fancy more than that of
nature, forafmuch as the king was pleafed with
the picture, fo foon as ever he faw the lady he was
difgufled at her, yet he afterwards married her,
thac he might not diibblige the princes of Germany.
When Erafmus wrote his Morias Encomium, he
fent

Englifh School of PAINTERS. 387
fent a copy of it to Hans Holbein, who reading it
was fo pleafed with the feveral defcriptions of fol
ly, that he defigned all of them in the margin, but
having not room to draw the whole figures, he
pafted a piece of paper to the leaves where he could
not do it -, and when he had done fo, he fent the
book to Erafmus for a prefent. Erafmus feeing he
had drawn the picture of a fat Dutch lover hug
ging his lafs and his bottle, for the reprefentation of
an amorous fool, wrote under it, Hans Holbein,
and fo returned the book to the Painter ; who, to
be revenged of him, drew the picture of Erafmu*
for a rnufty groper, that bufied himfelf in Scrap
ing up old manuferipts and antiquities, and wrote un
der it<Adagia. The original book is in the library
at Bafle ; and monfieur Charles Patin when he re-
fided there, defired leave of the magiftrates to have
the plates of all Holbein's figures engraved, that
he might publifh them in a new edition of Moriae.
Encomium : this edition is the beft of that book,
before which is prefixed the life of Holbein at large
with two prints of him, the one drawn when he
was young, and the other when he was old. Thefe
two prints are very much unlike one another :
there is alfo an account of all his pieces, and in
whofe poffeflion they are. He uSed to paint with
his left hand, and a print of him done by Hollar
is ftill extant, representing him drawing in that
manner. Holbein not only drew the aforefaid pic
tures, but alfo thofe of Henry VII. and Henry
VIII. on the wall of the palace of White-hall,
which perifhed with it in the late fire. Some endea
vours were ufed to remove that part of the wall on
which thefe pictures were painted, but all proved
ineffectual. He drew many other pictures in Eng
land, particularly a large piece of Sir Thomas More,
and his family, which was lately to be Seen at Bafils-
Lye houfe in Oxfordfhire; but fome queftion whe-^
C c 2 ther

388 yf» ESSAY towards an
ther this picture was done all by Holbein or not.
Shave feen the following tetraftic upon him, by
a foreigner, which I thought it not improper to
infert. Egregius pitlor magno qui gratus Erafmo,
His quantum accrevit laus, Bafileia, iua ?
Divifus noftro. te fufcipit orbe- Britannus
Holbene,' ;orbe uno laus tua non capitur.
This Painter was as celebrated in miniature, as
he was in oil-colours, and moreover performed a
multitude of defigns for gravers,, fculptors, jewel
lers, &c. He lived and died at Whitehall, in thofe
lodgings which are now the paper-office.
WEN CES LAUS HOLLAR,
AS a gentleman born at Prague in Bohemia,
in the year 1607. He was by nature much
inclined to miniature and etching, in which laft art
he became exceeding famous ; though he was not a
little difcouraged therein by his father, who would
have had him follow other ftudies. In the year
1627, he left Prague, and vifited many cities in
Germany; when coming at laft to Colen, he wait
ed upon the earl of Arundel, .that truly great and
noble patron of arts, who was there on his embaffy
to the emperor, to Vienna, and afterwards came
over with him to England. He lived here for fome
time, and drew many churches, ruins, perfons, and
views, which he afterwards etched, and which will
always be in good efteem : his particular excellency
was etching, and there are. great numbers of his
prints in England to do him that juftice my pen
muft not pretend to. Fie at laft got into the fer
vice of the duke of York, but upon the breaking out

English School of PA INTERS. 389
out of the civil wars, retired to Antwerp, and there
died. .
ABRAHAM H 0 N D I U S,
WAS born at Rotterdam in the year 1638.
He was a Painter whofe manner was univer
fal. He drew hiftory, landfkip, cielings, and fmall
figures ; but above all the reft, beafts and hunting
pieces were his principal ftudy. In all thefe kinds
his colouring was often extravagant, and his draft
as commonly uncorredt. He delighted much in a
fiery tint, and a harfh way of penciling, fo that
few of his pictures being without this diflinguifhing
mark, his Paintings are eafy to be known. The
dogs; and huntings he drew are in good requeft,
though fome of his later performances are carelefs ?
he being, for many years, afflicted with the gout
fo feverely, that he had prodigious Swellings, and
chalk-ftones in moft of his joints, the effects of a
fedentary and irregular life. This diftemper oc
cafioned his death in London, about the year
1691.
Mr J 0 H N HO S K I NS,
WA S a very eminent limner in the reign of
king Charles I. whom he drew, with his
queen, and mofSof his court. He was bred a face
Painter in oil, but afterwards taking to miniature,
he far exceeded1 what he did before. He died in
Covent-Garden about forty years ago. He had two
confiderable difciples, who were Alexander and Sa
muel Cooper, the latter of whom became much the
more eminent limner.
Cc 3 JAMES

390 An E S S A Y towards an
JAMES HO U S M AN,
alias HU Y S MA N,
'AS, a hiftory and face Painter, who refided
in England in the timfiof Sir Peter Lely /and
endeavoured to rival him in the portrait way. j He
was born at Antwerp, and bred up to Painting un
der one Bakerel, who was brought up with Van
dyck in the fchool of Rubens. This Bakerel was
riot much inferior to Vandyck, as is to be feen in
feveral churches of Antwerp, efpecially in that of
the Auguftin monks, where Vandyck and he have
painted to out-vie each other, and both had com
mendations in their different ways, though the fu
periority was yielded to neither. But Bakerel, be
ing a Poet as well as a Painter, he wrote a fatire up
on the Jefuits, on which account he was forced to
take leave of the city of Antwerp ; fo that Houfman
having by that means loft his mafter, came for
England. Some of his hiftory pieces are well paint
ed, his colouring being bright and fanguine, and
in the airs of his faces he out-did moft of his
countrymen, who often know better how to per
form the Painting part than to choofe the beft life,
or execute agreeably any defign. Some Cupids of
his were much admired ; but what he valued him
felf moft upori, was the pidlure of Catherine^ the
queen dowager of England. This picture did' him
great fervice, fo that he dways boafted of that per
formance, arid 'called himfelf her majeSty's Painter.
He carried the Compliment yet farther, for in all
his hiftorical pieces, for a Madonna, a Venus, Pr
any Suitable figure, he always introduced Something
of her refemblance. The moft famous piece of his
performance was over the altar of that queen's cha
pel at St James's, now a French church. He died in

EnglifH School ofP A INTERS. 391
in London about ten years ago *, and lies buried in
St James's.
CORNELIUS JOHNSON,
alias J A N S E N S,
WA S an excellent Painter both in great and
little, but above all his portraits were admi
rably Well performed. He was born in, and refid-
ed a long while at Amfterdam, from whence he
came over to England in the reign of king James I.
and drew feveral fine pictures after that king, and
moft of his court. He alfo lived in the time of
king Charles I. and was cotemporary with Vandyck,
but the greater fame of that mafter foon eclipfed his
merits ; though it muft be owned his pictures had
more of neat finifhing, fmooth Painting, and la
bour in drapery throughout the whole; yet he want
ed the true notion of Englifh beauty, and that free
dom of draught which the other was mafter of.
He died in London. c
MARTIN JOHNSON,
THE famous feal graver, was alfo an extraor
dinary landfltip Painter after nature. He
was bred, it is true, to graving Seals, but painted in
his way equal to any body. He arrived at a great
excellency in landfkip-views, which he ftudied with
application, making a good choice of the delight
ful profpects of our country for his fubjects, which
he performed with much judgment, freenefs, and
warmth of • colouring. Several of his landflcips are
now in the hands of the curious in England, though
they, are very fcarce. He died in London about
the beginning of icihg James the Second's reign.
Cc 4 WIL-
* Ar. B. This work was firft publifhed in "Englifh in the
Year i;o6.

302 An ESSAY towards an
K.
WILLIAM de KEISAR,
'AS a very neat landfkip Painter, after the
manner of Elfheimer. He was perfectly
of the Dutch gout, minding little particulars more
than the whole-together. He wrought fome time
with Mr Loten, the landfkip Painter. He imi
tated various manners, and drew fome forts of cat
tle and birds very well. He alfo painted tombs,
and feveral forts of flone-work in imitation of Ver-
gazoon. He was not unfkilful in Painting of ar
chitecture and flowers. He died in London about
fixteen years ago. — .
Mrs ANN KILLIGREW,
WA S a young gentlewoman, daughter of Dr
Killigrew, mafter of the Savoy, and one of
the prebendaries of Weftminfter. She painted fe
veral hiftory pieces, • as alfo fome portraits for her
diverfion, exceedingly well ; as likewife Some pieces
of Still-life. Mr Becket did her picture in mezzc-
tinto after her own Painting. She was alfo a ppe^-
tefs, and .wrote a book of poems which were print
ed. She lived unmarried, and died young about
twenty years ago.
Mr JOHN ZACHARY KNELL ER,
WA S born at Lubeck, and brother to the prer
fent Sir Godfrey Kneller. He travelled in
fo Italy, and when he came to England, painted fe
veral portraits in fmall, very neat. He did alfo fe
veral pieces in flill-life exceedingly well. At laft
he took to water-colours, and copied divers of his
brother's portraits, in miniature, with good fuccefs.
He

Englifh School o/PAINTERS. 393
He died in Covent-Garden about four years ago,
and lies buried in that church.-
BBuckeridge Efq; having written the greateft
• part of the lives of divers Painters treated of
in the Essay towards an Englifh fchool, at the
requeft of Mr Savage ; and having at different times
collected from Sir Godfrey Kndler's own mouth the
following account of himfelf; he gave it to Mr
platt, for the envoy of Florence* who defired it for
the fatisfadtion of the Great Duke, to whofe gallery
Sir Godfrey had lately prefented his own picture,
drawn by himfelf : it was thought proper to infert
it here, to do juftice to the fame of fo eminent a
genius.
Sir GODFREY KNELL ER.
HE was born at Lubeck. His grandfather en
joyed an eftate near Hall in Saxony, where
he lived in great efteem among feveral princes of
Germany, efpecially with count Mansfelt and the
bifhop of Hall ; to the former of which he was fur-
veyor general of his mines, and infpector of his, re
venues. He had one fon by his wife who was of the fa
mily of Crowfen, on whom he bellowed a liberal
education, fending him for his better improvement
in learning to the univerfity of Leipfic, from
whence he removed into Sweden, being imployed
by queen Eleanor, dowager of the great Guftavus
Adolphus. This fon, Zachary Kneller, father of
Sir Godfrey, was much favoured by the faid queen
until her death ; after which he fettled and married
at Lubeck, and having ftudied architecture and the
mathematics, he obtained from that city a penfion
as their chief furveyor.
He

394 An E S S AY towards an
He was no ways wanting in any care or expence
in the education of his fon, Sir Godfrey Kneller ;
whom he fent to Leyden after he was Sufficiently
inftructed in the Latin tongue, to purfue his ftudies
in that univerfity, where he applied himfelf to the
mathematics, particularly to fortification ; he being
at firft defigned for fome military imployment. But
his genius leading him Strongly to drawing figures
after the hiftorical manner, he foon made great im
provements in it, fo as to be much taken notice of
and incouraged. From this city he was removed to
Amfterdam, and placed for his better inftrudtion
under the care of Rembrant, the moft famous Painter
of that time in Holland : but his fcholary not con
tented with that gufto of Painting, where exact de
fign and true proportion were wanting ; his father
fent him into Italy at the age of feventeen, and com
mitted him to the care of a near relation. He ftudi
ed at Rome under the favourable influence of Carlo
Marat and the Chevalier Bernini, and began to ac
quire fame in hiftory-Painting, having firft ftudied
architecture and anatomy ; the latter aptly difpofing
him to relifh the antique ftatues, and to improve
duly by them. But removing to Venice, he foon
found there great marks of civility conferred on him
by the Donati, Gartohi, and many other noble fa
milies, for whom he drew feveral hiftories, portraits,
and family pictures, by which his fame was con-
fiderably increafed in that city : but this could not
detain him there. By the importunity of fome
friends he was prevailed on to come into England,
where his Skill and merit foon made him known ;
fo that he drew the picture of king Charles II.
by the recommendation of the duke of Monmouth
more than once, with fuch fuccefs, that his majefty
ufed to come and fit for his pidlure at the houfe
where Sir Godfrey dwelt, in the Piazza Covent-
Garden. He was fent by this prince into France to
draw

Englifh School of PAINTERS. 395
draw the French king's picture, where he had the
honour of drawing likewife moft of his royal family,
for which he received fome considerable prefents
from that great promoter of arts ahd fciences ; but
this did not influence him to ftay long in that king
dom, though it happened at the death of .his great
patron king Charles II.
At his return he was well received by king James
and his queen, and conftantiy imployed by them
until the grand revolution : after which he con
tinued principal Painter to king William, who dif-
tinguifhed him by the honour of knighthood ; nei
ther the king or queen ever fitting to any other per
fon ; and what is more remarkable, is, that he has
had the honour to draw ten crowned heads ; four
kings of England, and three queens, the Czar of
Mufcovy, Charles III. king of Spain, now em
peror, when he was in England ; and the French
king, Lewis XIV. befides divers electors and
princes : by which means his reputation became
fo univerfal, that the emperor Leopold dignified
him as a nobleman and knight of the holy Roman
empire, by patent, which he generoufly fent him
by count Wratiftan, his embaffador in England,
anno 1 700. in which there is acknowledgment made
of the Services of his anceftors to the houfe of Au
stria. By this patent he is infcribed in the number
and Society of noblemen, with all the privileges
of fuch as have enjoyed the fame honour for four
defcents, paternal and maternal. The late king
William fent Sir Godfrey Kneller to draw the elec^
tor of Bavaria's picture at Bruffels; and prefented
him with a rich gold chain and medal as a parti
cular mark of the efteem he had for him. From
feeing and Studying many noble works of Rubens,
he began to change his ftile and manner of colour
ing, imitating that great mafter, whom he judged
to have come neareft to nature of any other. Moft of

396 An E S S A Y towards an * "
of the nobility and gentry > pf England have -had
their pictures drawn by him; from which a great
number of mezzotinto prints, and others ingraved
have been made, which fpeak for him by the high
efteem they are in all over Europe. His draught is
moft exadt, no Painter ever excelled him in a fure
out-line and graceful difpofal of his figures, nor
took a better refemblance of a face, which he fel
dom failed to exprefs in the moft handfom or agree
able turn of it, and in that likewife which was moft
prevailing and to the beft advantage ; always add
ing to it a mien and grace fuitable to the character,
and peculiar to the perfon he reprefented. His ma
jefty king George I. created him a baronet of Great
Britain. He always lived in the greateft efteem and
reputation ; abounding no lefs in wealth than fplen-
dor; in both far furpafling any of his predeceffors.
He Spent the latter part of his time at Whitton,
near Hampton-Court, where he built a houfe after
a compleat manner, and furnifhed it in all refpects
accordingly. His Angular humanity and addrefs, and his Skill
in mufic and languages, recommended him to the
friendship and familiarity of many noble perfons of
the Englifh nation, particularly to the fete duke of
Devonfhire, the old earl of Leicefter, and the late
earl of Dorfet, and-tp many others, ftill living. Be
fides the honours already mentioned, Sir Godfrey
Kndler was, out, of the great, regard paid to him
by the univerfity of Oxford, preferred by that learn
ed body with the degree of doctor of the civil law.
He was( alfo admitted gentleman of the moft ho
nourable privy chamber to king William, queen
Ann, and to his prefent majefty ; and has been in
feveral reigns honoured with being a deputy lieu
tenant of the county of Middfefex, and in the com-
miffion of peace for that and other counties. The
following lines deferve a place in this account of him..
Kneller

Englifh School of P A I N T E R S. 397
Kneller, whofe hand by power fupreme was taught
To reach the higheft images of thought,
To imitate what gods themfelves. had ibade,
And paint their works in varied light and fhacfej
By art ev'n nature to preferve alive, ;-,- -, ., : :' ...
And make mortality itfelf furvive : ^ :-. .
Whofe hand from envious Time catch'd ev'ry grace,
Balk'd his keen feythe, and'fav'd the matchlefs face;
The tree of life held out before the view,
And beauty's paradife wherein it grew,
With all its pleafing charms, its lovelieft features)
drew.
Whofe Skill, not only to the looks confin'd,
Unveil'd to fight the beauties of the mind;
When now h' had finifh'd all this world could fhow,
Whate'er was fair* or great, or good below ;
When now" his day was done* Kneller is gone,
His fun is fet to rife in worlds, unknown :
Though gone to thofe, on earth his afhes lie,
Glorious remains of what could only die :
Whofe fame ne'er can. Whofe works Shall ever raife
His own, the nobleft monument pf praife.
His piStures in public places.
KING William on a white horfe, at Hampton-
Court.
The celebrated beauties of his time, there alfo.
The king of Spain, now emperor, at Windfor.
A Chinefe convert, there ; a whole length.
The duke of Glocefter, at the lower houfe, there,
King George at Guildhall, London. -
Dr Wallis, and his own picture, at Oxford. His

39& An ESSAY t<m*r4f **
His own ftair-cafe at Whitton, moft part of it drawn
by himfelf, the reft by la Guerre.
A family piece for the duke of Buckingham,
Queen Ann, and the duke pf Gloce'fter.
The kitt-catt club, at Mr Tpnfon's feat at Bara
Elms.
Sir Ifaac Newton.
Lady Mary Wordey Mountaguey •
. "',•', , L. '.'>-.-¦'.•"
Major-General LAMBERT,
WAS a great encourager of -Painting, and a
good performer in flowers, as is yet to be feen
In the duke-ofXeeds's houfe at . Wimbledon. It is
probable he might have learnt, this art, or, at leaft
been furthered in it by .Baptift Caspars, whom he
received into his fervice at his coming to England,
in the time of the civil wars. His eldeft fon John
Lambert Efq; painted alSo faces for his diverfion
very well, of whom many pictures are ftill" to be
feen. This laft gentleman died about four year?
ago, at his eftate in Yorkfhire.
PROSPER HENRICUS
LANCKRINCK,
WAS of German extraction, and as near as can
begueffed, born in theyear 1628. His fa
ther being a foldier of fortune, came with his wife
and only fon (this Profper) into the Netherlands*
and that country being then embroiled in war, pro
cured a colonel's . command, which he enjoyed not
many years, dying a natural death at Antwerp. His
widow being a difcreet women, fo managed her
. fmall fortune, as to maintain herfelf fuitable to her
hufband's quality, and give her fon liberal educa tion,

Englifh School of P A I N T E R S. 399
tion, defigning him for a monaftery; buthis yaung->
er years difcovering a natural genius to Painting,
by his continual fcrawling on paper, fhe was oblig--
ed to comply therewith, though with the greateft re-
luclancy, and put him to a Painter; , Now, though
he may be fuppofed to have learnt of this perfoft
the rudiments of his art, yet the city-academy of
Antwerp was his chiefeft preceptor. His advances,
in the fcience were prodigious,, and his natural ge-i
nius being for liberty, led him to that delightful
branch of Painting, landfkip, wherdn he had the^
advantage of mynheer Van Lyan's collection*
which was very large, and full of curious pieces of
all the eminent mafters of Europe, Mr Lanckrinck
made his principal ftudy after the pictures of Ti
tian and Salvator Rofa ; and for his great fkili was
foon taken notice of by the curious. His mother
dying, he came to his fortune young ; and being
admired for his performances, refolved to come to
England ; where he met with a reception fuitable to
his great merit. Sir Edward Sprag, that noble!
fea-commander, being a great lover of Painting,
became his patron, recommending him to Several
perfons of quality, and the virtuofi of that time *
among whom was Sir William Williams, whofe
houfe was finely adorned with this mailer's pic
tures, but was not long after moft unfortu
nately burnt; fo that of this great Painter there
are now but very few finifhed pieces remaining ; he
having beflo wed the greateft part of his time, while
in England, on that gentleman's houfe. He was
alfo- much courted by Sir Peter Lely, who employ
ed him in painting the grounds, landfkips, flow
ers, ornaments, and fometimes the draperies of
thofe pictures he intended to gain efteem by. As
to his performances in landfkip only,1"*" they were
wonderful, both as to the invention, harmony, colouring

400 An ESSAY towards an
colouring and: warmth; but above all furprizingly
beautiful and free in their Skies, which by general
cpnfent excelled all the, works of the moft eminent
Painters in that kind. This may appear by fome
piecesiof his, yet to he feen in th'e.cuftody of thofe
curious lovers of art,. Mr Henly, Mr Trevour and
Mr Auften, the father of which laft was his great'
friend and patron.,.. His views, are generally broken,
rude and unconimon, having in them fome glar
ings of light welLnndefftood, and warmly painted..
The only cieling I ,>know of his painting, was at
Richard Cent's Efq; at Caufham in Wiltfhire,
near Bath, which : is worth feeing. He practifed
moreover drawing after the life, and fucceeded well
in fmall figures,: which were, a great ornament to.
his landfkips, and wherein he imitated the manner
of Titian. ' Mr Lanckrinck being of a debonnair
temper, had:, a numerous . acquaintance, among
whom was Mr Robert Hewit, who being a great
lover- -of Painting, at his death left behind him a
large and noble collection of pictures. Our artift
was hot only a good bottle-companion, and excel
lent cpmpany,. bpt alfo a great favourite of the la
dies, through his complaifance : and comely appear
ance. But amidft all thefe delights, little of the lat
ter part of his life was employed in Painting, they
being believed to have much fhortened his days, for
he died in his middle age in Auguft 1692. No one
of his time gave greater teftimony of a true love to,
and a great knowledge in Painting than Mr Lanck
rinck ; witnefs his noble and well-chofen collection
of pidlures, drawings, prints, antique heads, and
models, that he left behind him, moft of which he
brought from beyond fea.
Mr

Englifh School ofPAINTERS. 4ot
Mr LANIER,
WAS a Painter well fkilled ih the Italian hands.
He was employed by king Charles I. beyond
fea, to purchafe that collection made by him, the
firft Prince we ever had that promoted Painting in
England, to whom he was clofet-keeper. He gave
a particular mark, by which we diftinguifh all the
things of this kind which he brought over. By
reafon of the troubles that enfued, we can give no
account of his death, but that before he died, he had
the mortification to fee that royal collection dif
perfed.
MARCEL1US LAV RON, or LAROON%
WAS born at the Hague in the year 1653, and
firft brought up under his father, who was a
face and landfkip Painter. Afterwards he was put to
a hiftory Painter at the Hague, with whom he ftaid
not long. Then, being very young, he came over
with his father to England, where he was once more
placed with a Painter, one La Zoon, whom not-
having any great opinion of, he was turned over to
MrFlefheer, with whom he ferved his time. When
he came to work for himfelf, he made it his endea
vour to follow nature very clofe, fo that his manner
was wholly his own. He was a general Painter, and
imitated other mafters hands exactly well. He paint
ed well, both in great and little, and was an exact
draftfman ; but he was chiefly famous for drapery,
wherein he exceeded moft of his cotemporaries. He
was likewife famed for pidlures in little, commonly
called converfation-pieces. There are feveral prints
extant after this mafter, both in mezzotinto and
engraving. He died of a confumption, about the
D d age

402 An ESSAY towards an
age of 52, at Richmond in Surrey, where he lies
buried.
Sir P E T E R LELY,
WA S born in Weftphalia in Germany, in the
year 1 6 1 7. He was bred up for fome time
at the Hague, and afterwards committed to the care
of one De Grabber. Coming oyer to England in
the year 1641, he for fome time followed the oatu->
ral bent of his genius, and painted landfkip with
fmall figures, as likewife hiftorical eompofitiona ; but
at length finding face Painting more encouraged
here, he turned his ftudy that way, wherein, in 3
fhort time, he fucceeded fo well that he furpaffed all
his cotemporaries in Europe. In his younger days
he was very defirous to finifh the courfe of his ftu
dies in Italy, but bdng hindered from going thither
by the great bufinefs he was perpetually involved in,
he refolved to make himfelf amends, by getting the
beft drawings, prints and Paintings of the moft cde-
brated Italian hands. This he fet about fo mdufbri-
pufly that at length he obtained what he fought af
ter, and may well be faid to have had the beft cho
fen collection, of any of his time. Among- thefe
we muft reckon the better part of the Arundel col
lection, which he had from that family, many of
the drawings whereof were fold at prodigious rates
at his death, hearing upon them his ufual mark of
P. L. What advantage he had from this expedient,
may fufficiently appear by that wonderful ftile in
Painting which he acquired by his daily converting-
with the works of thofe great men. In his correct
draft, and beautiful colouring, but more efpecially
in the graceful airs of his heads, and the pleafing va
riety of his poftures, together with the gentle and
loofe. management of the draperies, he excelled moft
of his predeceffors, and will be a lafting pattern to
all

Englifh School ofP A I N T E R S. 403
all fucceeding artifts. However, nhe critics fay he
preferred almoft in all his faces a languishing air,
long eyes*' and a drowzy fweetnefs peculiar to him
felf, for which they reckon him a mannerift, and
that he retained a little of the greenifh caft in his
complexions, not eafily forgetting the colours he had3
ufed in his landfkips ; which laft fault, how true fo
ever at firft, it is well-known he left off in his latter
days. But whatever of this kind may be objected
againft this great Painter, it is certain his works are
in great efteem abroad, as well as here, and they
are both equally valued and envied ; for, at that
time, no country exceeded his perfections, as the va
rious beauties of that age reprefented by his hand,
fufficiently evince. He frequently did the landfkips
in his,pwn pictures, ofter a different manner from all
others,^ and better than moft men could do. He
was likewife a good'hiftory-Painter, as many pieces
now among us can fhow. His crayon-drafts are alfo
admirable*' and thofe are commonly reckoned the
moft valuable of his pieces, which were all done en
tirely by his own hand, without any other affiftance.
Philip earl of Pembroke* then Lord chamberlain,
recommended him to king Charles I. whofe pic
ture he drew, when prifoner at Hampton-court.
He was alfo much favoured by king Charles II. who
made him. hisjprincipal Painter, knighted him, and
would -frequently converfe with him- as a perfon of
good natural parts and acquired knowledge* fo that
it is hard to determine whether we was the more
compleat Painter or gentleman. He was well known
to, and much refpected by the people of the great
eft eminence in the kingdom. Becoming enamoured
of a beautiful Englifh lady, he after fome time mar
ried her. His eftate and family ftill remain at Cue,
in the county of Surrey, a place to which he often
retired in the latter part of his life. This great art
ift died of an apoplexy in London, in the year 1680,
D d 2 and

404 An ESSAY towards an
and in the 63d year of his age.. There Is a marble
monument with his bull raifed for him in Covent-
Garden church, where he lies buried, whereof the
carying was performed by Mr Gibbons, and the
epitaph written, as it is faid, by Mr Flatman. A
copy of the latter is'as foflows :
Hie ft tus eft Petrus Lelius,
In Anglid Famd & Divitiis crevit ;
Primus fcilicet in Arte PiUoria Magifier^
Ille Secundus erit qui felicius. imitabitur.
Mire Tabellas animavit, quibks Pratium
Longe hinc dififita ftatuent Secula ;
Ipfe interim digniffimus cui Statua decernatur,
Qua ejus inferos Nepotes refer atyr Gloria.
Obiit Novembris 30 Diei Anno, {f -f mTcSx!^
Proh Dolor I ut ciijus Petydllp tanta Venuftas,
Reddit adhuc Vivos, tot poftfua Funera Vultus ;
Ipfe Cadaver iners, ci? tetro Pulvere mifius
Nunc jaceat. , Cum fe primo fubduxeratUnus
Lelius , innumerifurgunt de Gente Minorum
Pi ffor es, aufifragiles tent are colores ;.
Sic poftquam occubuit Sol Aureus, Aftra repentl
Mile fuos pandunt Cceli Laquearibus Ignes,
Quanquam Mile licet vix Umbram Unius adaquant,
Petre Vale, nunquam merito te Laude fequemur,
Majorem Ihvidid ; neque noftro Carmine vivos
Ni te Gibbonius Spirantem in Marmore fingat.
BALTHAZAR van LEMENS.
AS a hiftory Painter' of a good family in
Flanders, and born at Antwerp. His fmall
pieces of hiftory are very pleafing and well coloured.
His manner was free, and often very graceful. His
misfortunes

Englifh School of PAINTERS. 405
misfortunes in the latter part of his life, wherein he
was pfteq in trouble, might very well give a check
to his fancy, which made him proftitute his pencil
tp every undertaking that produced prefent profit ;
fo that it is no wonder if many of his latter perfor
mances were really very much below himfelf. His
drawings and fketches are excellent, and by fome
thought much better than many of his finifhed
pieces. He died in London, in the year 1 704.
Mr WILLIAM LIGHTFOOT;
WAS a good Englifh Painter in perfpective, ar
chitecture and landfkip. He began in diftem
per, but afterwards took to oil Painting. He was
concerned in contriving and adorning fome part
of the royal exhange. He died in London about
thirty-five years ago.
JOHN L 0 T E N,
WAS a Hollander, and a landfkip Painter.
He lived and painted many years here, in a
manner very fylvan, like the glades and ridings of
our parks in England. He is, for the moft part,
very, cold in his colouring, which is mixed with an
unpleafant darknefs ; however, he underftood well
the difpofition of lights and fhadows. He delighted
particularly in oaken trees, which he almoft every
where introduced into his pictures. His landfkips
are generally very large. He did many ftorms at
land, accompanied with fhowers of rain, tearing up
of trees, dafhings of water and water-falls, cattle
running to fhelter, and the like, which he had a par
ticular genius to* and excellence in. Thefe pieces
were admirably gppd. He painted alfo, many views
pf the Alps in Switzerland, where he lived feveral
years. His works abound atnqng us, fo that it is
D d 3 eafy

406 An ESSAY towards an
eafy to be feen whether this charadler of him be juft
or not. He died in London about twenty-five
•years ago. M.
Mr THOMAS MA N B Y,
WAS a flood Englifh landfkip Painter, who
had been feveral times in Italy, and confe-
quently painted much after the Italian manner. He
was famous for bringing over a good colledlion of
pidlures, which were fold at the banquetihg-hpufe
¦ .about' the latter end of king Charles lid's reign. He
died in London about fourteen or fifteen years ago.
DANIEL MYTENS,
WAS a Dutch portrait Painter in king James,
and king Charles Ill's time. He painted
the pidlures of thofe two kings, the latter of which
is now in the poffeffion of the prefent lord treafurer.
Some of his pictures have been taken for Vandyck's,
whofe manner he imitated. His head is alfo to be
,feen among thofe of that great mafter, whopainted
his picture. He had a penfion from king Charles I.
being his majefty's principal Painter ; and upon
Vandyck's arrival in England, though he loft his
place, yet his penfion was continued tp his death.
O.
MtfSAAC OLIVER,
WAS a very famous limner, who flourifhed
about the latter end of the reign of Queen
Elizabeth. He was eminent both for hiftory and
faces, many pieces of which were in the poffeffion, of

Englifh School of P A I N T E R S. 407
of the late duke of Norfolk ; and being a very good
defigner, his drawings were finifhed to a mighty per
fection, fome of them being admirable copies after
Parmegiano, &c. He received fome light in that
art from Frederico Zucchero, who came into Eng
land in that reign. He was very neat and curious
in his limnings, as may be feen frorri feveral hiftory-
pieces of his iri the queeri's clofet. He was likewife
a very good Painter in little. He died between fifty
and threefcore, in king Charles Ift's time, and was
buried in Black-FrierS, where there was a monument
fet up for him with his bufto, all which has been
fince deftroyed by fire. I have feen a print of him
with this Latin infeription under it ;
ISAACUS OLIVERUS ANGLUS, FicTor.
Ad vivum latos qui pingis Imagine Vultus,
Olivere, Oculos mirifice hi capiunt.
Corpora qua For mas jufto h<ec expreffa Colore
Multum eft, cum Rebus convenit ipfe Color.
Mr P ET E R OLIVER
WAS fon of the before-mentioned, who had
inftructed him in his art. He became ex
ceeding eminent in minature, infomuch that he out
did his father in portraits. He drew king James I.
prince Henry, prince Charles, and moft of the court
at that time. He lived to near threefcore, and was
buried in the fame place with his father, about the
year 1664.

D d 4 Mr

408 An ESSAY towards an ¦
P.
Mr H E N R Y P A E R T,
WA S firft difciple of Barlow, and afterwards
of Stone, the famous copier. He was
brought up a feholar, and fpent fome time at one
of Our univerfities. He painted under Mr Stone
feveral years, but afterwards fell to Painting faces
by the life, yet his talent feemed to be for copying-
He copied with great afliduity in the greateft part
of the hiftory-pieces of the royal collection in Eng
land, and in feveral of them he had good fuccefs.
What he feemed to want was a warmth and beauty
of colouring. He died in London about the year
1697 or 1698.
Mr THOMAS PEMBROKE,
WAS both a hiftory and a face Painter, and dif
ciple of Laroon, whofe manner he imitated.
He painted feveral pictures for the Earl of Bath, in
conjunction with one Mr Woodfidd, a difciple of
Fuller, and now living. He. died in London in the
28th year pf his age, and about twenty years fince.
JACOB PEN,
WAS a Dutch hiftory Painter in the reign of
king Charles II. He was excellent both in
drawing, colouring and compofition, and died in
London about twenty years ago.
Mr EDWARD PIERCE,
AS a good hiftory and landfkipPainter, in the
reigns of king Charles I. and II. He alfo
drew

w

Englifh School of P A I N t E R S. 409
drew architecture, perfpective, &c. and was much
efteemed in his time. Little of his work now re
mains, the far greater part having been deftroyed
by the dreadful fire in 1 666. It chiefly confifted of
altar-pieces, cidings of churches, and the like; of
which laft fort there is one yet remaining done by
Jiim in Covent-Garden church, where are to be found
rnany admirable parts of a good pencil. He worked
fome time for Vandyck, and feveral pieces of his
performance are to be feen at Belvoir^caftle in Lei-
cefterfhire, the noble feat of the duke of Rutland.
He died in London about forty years ago, leaving
behind him three Sons, who all became famous in
their different ways. One was a moft excellent car
ver in ftone, as appears by a noble marble vafe of
his doing at Hampton-court. There is a fine head
of Mr Pierce, the father, in Mr Seamer the gold-
fmith's poffeffion, which was painted by Dobfon. '
Mr FRANCIS le PIPER,
WAS the fon of a Kentifh gentleman, de
fcended from a Walloon family. His fa
ther having a plentiful eftate, gave this, his eldeft
fon, a liberal education, and would have had him
apply himfelf to the ftudies of learning, or hava
been a merchant; but his genius leading him whol
ly to defigning he could not fix to any particular
fcience or bufinefs, befides the art to which he na
turally inclined. Drawing took up all his time,
and all his thoughts ; and being of a gay, facetious
Smour, his manner was humorous or comical.
2 delighted in drawing ugly faces, and had a ta
lent fo particular for it, that he would, by a tran
sient view of any remarkable face of man or wo-
man that he met in the ftreet, retain the likenefs
fo exact in his memory, that when he expreffed it in
the draught,* the fpectator, who knew the origi nal,

410 An ESSAY towards an
nal, would have thought the perfon had fat feveral
times for it. It is Said of him, that he would Ileal
a face; and a man that was not handfome enough
to defire to fee his pidlure, fat jn danger in his com
pany. He had a fancy peculiar to himfelf in his
travels: he would often go away, and let his
friends know nothing of his departure ; make the
tour of France, and the Netherlands a-foot, and
fometimes his frolic carried him as far as Grand
Cairo : he never advifed his friends and relations
of his return, any more than he gave them notice
of his intended abfence ; which he did, to furprize
them alternately with forrow and joy. By this
means, at feveral times he travelled through part of
Itdy, part of France, Spain, Germany, the Ne
therlands and Holland. The greateft, curiofities
that he fought after were the works of the Paint
ers which he examined every where with pleafure
and judgment, and formed to himfelf a manner of
defign, which no man, in that kind, ever excelled,
and perhaps ever equalled. Having a good eftate
of his own, and being generous, as moft men of
genius are, he would never take any thing for his
drawings. He drew them commonly over a bottle,
which he loved fo well, that he fpent great part of
his hours of pleafure in a tavern. This was the
occafion, that fome of his beft pieces, efpecially
fuch as are as large as the life, are in thofe houfes,
particularly at Mr Holms's the Mitre Tavern in
Stocks-Market, where there is a room called the
Amfterdam, which is adorned with his pictures irt.
black and white. The room takes its name from
his pieces, which reprefenting a Jefuit, a Quaker
preaching, and fpmp other preachers of moft reli
gions, that were liable to be expofed, was called the
Amfterdam, as containing an image of almoft as
many religions as are profeffed in that free city. The
. two moft remarkable pieces are the Jefuit and the
Quaker,

Englifh School of PAINTERS. 411
Quaker, whdrein the differing paffions of thefe two
fects are fo admirably well expreffed, that there ap
pears no want of colours to rerider them lively and
perfect. He drew alfo other merry pieces for on£
Mr Shepherd a vintner, at the Bell in Weftminfter,
which Mr Holms purchafed to make his collection
of this matter's pieces the more complete, and the
benefit of fhewing them has not been a little ad
vantageous to his houfe. Mr le Piper drew ano
ther famous droll-piece, representing a cpnftable^
with his mirmidons, in very natural and diverting
poftures. He feldom defigned after the life, ana
neglected the part of colouring ; but yet he Some
times, though very rarely, coloured fome of his
pieces ; and, as we are informed, was not very un-
fuccefsful in it. He was a great admirer and imitator
of Auguftine Caracci, Rembrant, Van Rhine's, and
Hemfkirk's manner of defign, and was always in rap
tures when he fpoke of Titian's colouring ; for not-
withftanding he never • had application enough to
make himfelf mafter of that part of his art, he al
ways admired it in thofe that were, efpecially the
Italians. He drew the pictures of feveral of his
friends in black and white, and maintained a cha
racter of truth, which fhewed, that if he had thought
fit to beftow fo much time, as was neceffary to
perfedl himfelf in colouring, he would have rivalled
the beft of our portrait Painters in their reputations.
Towards the latter end of his life, having brought
his circumftances into a narrower compafs than he
found them on his father's death, he fometimes
took money. He drew fome defigns for Mr Ifaac
Becket, who performed them in mezzotinto. Thofe
draughts were generally done at a tavern; and,
whenever he pleafed, he could draw enough in half
an hour to furnifh a week's work for Becket. His
invention was fruitful, and his drawing bold and
true. He qnderftqod landfkip Painting, and per
formed

412 An ESSAY towards an
formed in it to perfection, He was particularly a
great mafter in perfpective. In defigning of his
landfkips he had a manner peculiar to himfelf. He
always carried a long book about with, him, like a
mufic book, which, when he had a mind to draw,
he opened, and lopking through it, made the lower
corner of the middle of the book his point of fight,
by which, when be had formed his view, directed
his perfpective, and finifhed his picture. His hand
was ready, his ftrokes bold *, and, in his etching,
fhort. He etched feveral things himfelf, generdly
on oval filver plates for his friends, who being, moft
of them, as hearty lovers of the bottle as himfelf^
they put them to thofe ufes that were moft fervice-r
able to them over their glaffes, and made lids with
them for their tobacco-boxes. He drew feveral of
the Grand Signiors heads for Sir Paul Rycaut's hif?
tory of the Turks, which were engraved by Mr
Elder. In the latter part of his life he applied
himfdf to' the ftudy and practice of modelling in
wax, in baffo relievo, in which manner he did a-
bundance pf things with good fuccefs. He often
faid, " he wifhed he had thought of it fooner, for
V that fort of worh, fuited better with his genius
lf than any." Had he lived longer, he would have
arrived to a. great perfection in it. Being one time
at a tavern with Mr Faithorn, Mr Sturt the gra
ver, and others, he fketched a head with a coal on
a trencher, and gave it to MrFaithorn, who touch
ed upon it ; in the mean time Mr le Piper drew
another on another trencher, and exchanged it with
Mr Faithorn for that which he had touched. They
did thus ten times, and between them wrought up
the heads to fuch a height of force, that nothing
could be better done in the kind. Thefe trenchers
are ftill extant, but we could, not hear in whofe
hands they are at prefent. Some time before his
death another eftate fell to him, by the deceafe of
his

Englifh School ©/PAINTERS. 413
his mother, when, giving, himfelf a new. liberty,
on the enlarging his fortune, he fell into a fever
by his free way of living, and making ufe of an ig
norant furgeqn to let him blood, the fellow pricked
an artery, which accident proved mortal. He was
very fat and corpulent, and that might contribute
to the misfortune that happened to him in being let
blood : but however heavy his body was, his mind
was always Sprightly and gay. He was never out of
humour nor dull, and had he borrowed more time
from his mirth to give to his ftudies, hefiad cer
tainly been an honour to his country."-'"' He died in
Aldermanbury about eight yeaj;s, ago, yet lives ftill
•in the memory of his acquaintance with the cha
racter of an accomplished gentleman, and a great
mafter in his art, f His pieces are feattered ,up and
down, chiefly in this city, and the beft, and moft
of them, are in the hands of Mr le Piper, his bro
ther, a merchant of London. His corps was carried
from Chrift-Church hofpital, to the church of St
to/ipry Magdalen Bermondfey ih Southwark, where
jt was buried iri a vault belonging to his family. »
R
R E M 7 G I If S van L E M P U T,
alias R E M EE,
WAS a famous copier in the reign of king
Charles II. of the neat mafters, as Stone was
of the great Italians. He was a native of Antwerp,
and a great copier of Vandyck,, by whom he was
much encouraged. His pieces fometimes, through
the advantage of time upon them, pafs for that
great mailer's, now age has a little embrowned the
tint, foftned the colouring, and perhaps concealed
fome part of the ftifnefs, whereof he flands accufed
by the critics. Fie had one hundred and fifty pound for

414 -An ESSAY towards an
for copying Henry Vli. and Fferiry VIII. in one
piece after Holbein, being the famous picture that
wasi on the wall at Whitehall, whieh was afterwards
burnt. He was very famous for the beft collection
of drawings and prints of any of' his time. It was
he that bought the celebrated piece of kmgCharfesT.
on horfebaek by "Vandyck, now at Hampton-Court*
for a fmall matter in the time of the troubles, which
carrying over to Antwerp, he was' there bid one
thoufand guineas for it, and flood for one thoafe*rid
five hundred; but thinking that riot" enough, he
brought it over to England again, where the times
being turned, he ftill infilling on the feme fum, he
had the picture taken from Mm by due courfe of
law, after it had coft him a great deal of money
to defend. He died in London about thirty years
ago. .' ;i.!v; '¦ a : .'.
JO H N RILEY E%
WAS born in London in the year 1646. He
was an excellent Engfifh portrait Painter,
who arrived to his great fkill in that province,
through the inftrudtion of Mr Zouft, an extraordi
nary Dutch mafter, of whofe manner he retained
much, though perhaps with him he wanted the
Choiceft notion* of beauty ; but for the part of
face-Painting, few have exceeded him of any nation
whatfoever. Had not the gout, that enemy t© $ie
fedentary and ftudious, carried him off, we might
have oppofed a Riley to a Venetian Bombelli, or to
all that the French academy has produced, in that
manner of Painting, to this day. His fame rofe
from the death of Sir Peter Lely, at which time he
was recommended to the favour of King Charles II.
by Mr Chiffinch, whofe pidlure he drew. He was
afterwards employed in drawing fome of the king's
children, and at laft his majefty far to him himfelf.
He

Englifh School of PAINTERS. 415
He alfo drew king James II. and his queen, and
king William and queen Mary upon the revolution,
when he was fworri their majefty's Painter. He was
very diligent in the imitation of nature, and ftudy
ing the Ufe. rather than any particular manner ;JaK
which means he attained a pleafarit and moft agree
able ftile of Painting. His excellence was cqV
fined tp a head, a great number of which do him'
juftice, even in the beft collections of our nation.
He was modeft and courteous in his. behaviour, and
of an engaging coriyerfation. He died in the year
16*91, at 45 years of age, and lies buried in Bifhxjps-
gate church.
PETER ROE ST RAT EN,
WAS born at Haerfem, arid-difciple of Frans
Hals, whofe manner he at firft followed,
but afterwards falling into, ftillrlife, and having
performed an extraordinary .piece, that Sir Peter
Ldy fhewed to-king Charles*; and: which hisiroajefty
approved, he was encouraged- to. purfue that) way*.
which he continued to^its dying day.. He was ami
excellent mafter in Ithat kind of Painting, viz. in.
gold and Silver platey gems, fhdl&: mufical inftran
ments, &c. to alLwhkh he gaive an unufual Inftra
in- his colouring* and for which his> pictures, bear a
good price. Ic is faid; that one day promifingtoi
fhew a friend a whole JehgtfoJdiif- his mafter Frana
Hals, and through. a little delay, his. friend grow-,
ing impatient to fee it, he Suddenly called .up- hisi
wife (his maftes's daughter, whom.heiiad married);
android him She was a whole-length of that mafter..
He died laft fumrner was1 threeyears ira: James Street,
Coverit-Garden, and: lies buried iiuthat: church; r
. ..- . . (\r. '. Mrs

416 An ESSAY towards an
Mrs SUSANNAH PENELOPE
ROSE,
WIFE to Mr Rofe the jeweller, now living*
and daughter to Mr Richard Gibfon tlfe
dwarf, beforeT mentioned, by whom fhe was inftruct-.
ed in water-colours* and wherein fhef performed to-
admiration. She not only copied finely, but alfo
drew exceedingly well after the life in little. "She
died about fix years ago, at forty-eight years of age,^
and lies buried in Covent-Garderi church.
J A M E S ROUS S E AU,
WAS aFrench landfkip- Painter»born at" Paris.
He had' great part of his inftrudtion from
Harman van Swanevelt, who married a relation, of:
his. He afterwards travelled --to Italy, where he.
ftudied fome years, and perfected himfelf in archi
tecture, perfpective and landfkip, by following the
manner of the moft eminent Painters in that kirid,-
arid ftudying the; antiquities, .^Returning to Parisa,
he was wholly -employed, for fome years, by the king
at Marly* and elfewhere ; .but leaving that fervice'
upon the perfecutioh, he retired to Switzerland,
from whence he was invited to return by monfieur
Louyois chief minifter of ftate, upon all the pro-,
mifes of indemnity imaginable, ito; finifh what he
had begun ; which, refuting to do, he notwithftand-;
ing made a prefent to the king of his draughts and
defigns for that purpofe, and moreover nominated a
perfon to perform the work. After a little ftay in
Switzerland he came for Holland, from whence he
was invited over to England by the duke of Mon
tague, who employed him at his flately houfe in
Bloomfbury. Upon his coming over hither, he far
ther

Englifh School s/PAINTERS. 417
ther improved himfelf in the ftudy of landfkip, and
added beautiful groups of trees to the many drafts
he made after nature, in feveral parts of this king
dom. Fiis views are commonly fylvan and folid,
his waters of all kinds, well underftood and tranf-
parent, his fore-grounds great, and generally well
broker, and in a word, the whole very agreeable
and harmonious. His fkill in architecture made
him often, introduce buildings into his landfkips ; as
he did alfo fmall figures, after the manner of Pouf
fin. Many of his pictures may be feen at Hampton-
Court over the doors ; but far greater numbers are
at the dukp of Montague's in Bloamfbury ; where,
in conjunction with La Foffe and Baptift the flower-
Painter, he did the ftak-eafe and many other parts
of that magnificent fabric. He had all due encou
ragement from: that noble peer, who allowed him a
penfion during, life; which, however, lafted but few
years after the finifhing of his grace's houfe.
When we fpeak of Painters, we commonly mean
what relates tp the performance of their art, and'
that we have chiefly confined ourfelves to in this
account,; but in treating of this perfon, we might
lay.a better fcene before us of many inftances of hu
manity- joined with his pious and charitable acts,
efpecially that at his- death, in bequeathing almoft
all he had to his poor Suffering brethren of the Pro
teftant perfuafion here in England. He executed
with his own hand feveral prints in aqua fortis after
his own landfkips, from whence we may form an
idea of this matter's works. Thefe plates are now1
in the poffeffion of Mr Cooper, the print-feller. He
died in London about the year 1 694.

Ee CASPAR

41 8 An E S S A Y towards an
S.
GAS PA R S MIT Z,
Better known by the name of
MAGDALEN SMITH,
WAS a Dutch Painter* who came over to
England about twenty-five years ago. He
pradtifed his profeffion fome time in London; but
afterwards upon the encouragement of a lady of
quality, whom he had inftructed in his art, and
from whom he received a confiderable penfion, he
waited on her ladyfhip over to Ireland, where he
gained the greateft efteem, and had very large prices
for his work. He painted portraits in oil of a fmall
fize ; but his inclination led him moft to drawing
of Magdalens,. from whence he had his name, and
whereof he drew a great number by a certain Eng
lifh gentlewoman, who paffed for his wife. Thefe
Magdalens were very gracefully difpofed, and beau
tifully coloured, expreflive of the character of grief
and penitence, and the whole-together handfomly
ordered. Mr Smitz had moreover a particular talent
for painting fruit, and flowers ; infomuch that one
bunch of grapes of his performance was fold in Ire
land for forty pounds fterling. He feldom failed
to introduce a thiftle in the fore-ground of his Mag
dalens, which he painted after nature with wonder
ful neatnefs. He inftructed with good Succefs Seve
ral Scholars, who have fince made a confiderable
proficiency in the art; but though he got a great
deal of money by thefe and other means, yet through
his irregular way of living, he died poor in Dub
lin about the year 1689.
Mr

Englifh School c/ PAINTERS. 419
Mr THOMAS STEVENSON,
WAS bred up under Aggas, and became a
good Painter, not only in landfkip, but alfo
in figures, and architecture in diftemper. He was
efpecially eminent for feene-painting, though his
works are not fo much in efteem now as when he
was alive.
Mr J O H N STONE,
WAS an extraordinary copier in the reigns of
King Charles I, and II. He was bred up
under Crofs ; and having the advantage of being an
exquifite draftfman, he performed feveral admirable
copies, after many good pictures in England. He
did a great number of them, and they are reckoned
among the beft of the Englifh copies. He did alSo
fome imitations after fuch mafters as he more par
ticularly fancied, which performances of his are ftill
had in great repute, and received into the beft col-
ledtions among us. He fpent thirty feven years
abroad in the ftudy of his art, where he improved
himfelf in feveral languages, he being a man of
learning. He died in London the 24th of Auguft,
1653, and lies buried in St Martin's.
PETER STOOP,
WAS a Dutch battle-Painter, who came into
England from Portugal, with the late
Queen-dowager. His chief ftudy was battles, hunt
ings and havens, which he performed for fome
time with good fuccefs ; but after the arrival of
John Wyke into England, who painted in the fame
way, his pictures were not fo , much valued, by
reafon of the greater excellency of that mafter.
E e 2 This

420 An ESSAY towards an
This Stoop etched feveral prints of horfes, as like-
wife the Queen-dowager's public entry. He died
here about the year 1686.
Mr ROBERT STREATER,
W" AS born in the year 1624, and bred up to
Painting and Defigning under du Moulin.
Being a perfon of great induftry, as well as capa
city, he arrived at eminence in divers branches of
his art, efpecially in hiftory, architecture and per-
fpedtive, wherein he excelled all of his time in
England, and ;fhewed himfelf a great mafter by the
truth of his out-lines, and the method of fore-
fhortning hijs figures, as may be feen by his works.
¦His chief excellence was in iandfkip, having a great
freedom of penciling with equal invention, and was
moreover remarkable for flill-life ; infomuch that
there are fome fruit of his Painting yet to be feen,
which are of the higheft Italian gufto, both forpen-
ciling, judgment and compofition. To do him but
common juftice, he was the greateft and moft uni
verfal Painter that ever England bred ; which we
owe, in fome meafure, to his reading, he beingre-
puted a very good hiftorian, which no doubt con
tributed not a little to his perfection in that way of
Painting. He had alfo a. very good collection of
Italian books, drawings and prints, after the beft
mafters, was always very diligent in drawing in the
academy, and this even in his latter days for the
encouragement of youth ; and, in a word, he may
well be efteemed the moft compleat draftfman of
his time. Upon the happy restoration of King
Charles II. he was made his majefty's Serjeant-pain
ter, his merit having recommended him to that
prince, who was a judge of Painting, and conse
quently knew how to reward it. At length, by
continual ftudy and affiduity, he became So afflict ed

Englifh School of P A I N T E R S. 421
ed with the ftone, that it made the latter part of his
life uneafy to him ; infomuch that to get rid of his
pains, which were moft intolerable, he refolved to
be cut ; which King Charles hearing of, and havings
a great kindnefs for him, he fent on purpofe to
France for a Surgeon, .who came over and perform
ed the operation. Though he did not die under it,
he Survived it but a Short time ; for it was, in great
meafure, the caufe of his death, in the year 1680,
at fifty-fix years of age, after he had lived in great
efteem and reputation all his days. His principal
works were at the theatre at Oxford, fome cielings
at Whitehall, which are now burnt ; the battle of
the giants with the gods, at Sir Robert Clayton's ;
the pictures of Mofes and Aaron, at St Michael's
church in Cornhill ; all the ancient and fine Scenes
in the old play-houfe, and many other pieces of
equal value and consideration, which I have not
room to infert.
JOHN S Y B R E C H T,
A S a landflcip-Painter, born at Antwerp in
Brabant, and brought up in that city under
his father. He was a clofe imitator of nature in all
his landfkips. In his younger days he went upon the
Rhine, and other adjacent places, where he drew
feveral pleafant views in water-colours ; fo that he
fpent more of his life that way than he did in Paint
ing: for which reafon his drawings were more valu
ed than his pictures. The occafion pf his coming
hither was this : the duke of Buckingham, in. his way
home from his embaffy in France, paffing through
the Netherlands, flaid fome time at Antwerp, where
meeting with feveral of this mailer's works in, landr
Skip, he was So well pleafed with them, that he in
vited him over to England, and promifed to make
him his Painter in that way ; which upon his coming
E e 3 over

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426 An ESSAY towards an
over he performed; and he did a great number of
thofe pictures for him at Cliveden-houfe : However,
after three or four years ftay with him, he left him,
and performed feveral pieces for the nobility and
gentry of England, among whom he was for fome
time in vogue. He alfo drew feveral forts of cattle
with good fuccefs, which he commonly placed in
his landfkips. He died about the year 1703, iri
London, and lies buried in St James's church, be
ing feventy-three years of age.
T.
Mr HENRY T I L S O N,
WAS anEnglilh face-Painter of good note, born
in London. After he had been inftructed for
fome time by Sir Peter Lely, in the nature of face-
Painting he travelled for Italy, where he ftaid fix
or feven years, and during that time copied with
wonderful care and exactnefs a great number of
pictures of the_ beft mafters ; by which means, at his
return to England, he became not a little famous in
the portrait- way : and was much more acceptable to
' the curious in his art than he was to a miftrefs, whom
he had courted for a long time, till at length through
a melancholy habit of body, contracted by her un-
kindnefs, and a Sedentary life, he fhot himfelf with
a piftol. He had a particular genius for crayons, in
which he performed admirably well, after the pic
tures of Corregio, Titian, and the Caracci, while
he was at Rome. He died at 36 years of age, and
lies buried at St Clement's.

HENRI

Englifh School ^PAINTERS. 427
V.
HENRY VAND ERBORCHT,
WAS born at Frankendale in the Palatinate,
and ftudied under his father, of the fame
name. By reafon of the wars breaking out, he was
removed to Frankfort in the year 1636; when the
Earl of Arundel paffing by that way in his embaffy
to the emperor, he took him along with him to
Vienria, from whence he fent him to Italy to colledl
what rarities he could procure there for him. At Iris,
return he brought him over to England, and he con
tinued with him to the Earl's death ; upon whofe
deceafe he was preferred to the fervice of the Prince
of Wales, afterwards King Charles II. when after
having lived a confiderable time at London in great
efteem, he returned to Antwerp, where he died.
His father was likewife very much valued by the
earl of Arundel for his fine collection of rarities and
antique curiofities.
JOHN VAND E R-HE YD O N,
WAS a good face-Painter, and a native of Bruf
fels. Coming over to England, he worked
for Sir Peter Lely in his draperies and copying, fe
veral years ; till afterwards marrying^ he went into
Northamptonshire, and was employed by moft of
the nobility and gentry of that county. There are
feveral of his pictures to be feen in thofe parts, efpe
cially at the earl of Gainfborough's, my lord Sher-
rand's, and at Belvoir caftle. He died about the
year 1697, at my lord Sherrand's, and lies buried at
Staplefort iri Leicefterfhire.
Eei , ADRIAN

428 An "E S S A Y towards an
ADRIAN V A N-D I E S T,
WAS a famed landfkip-Painter, born at the
Hague, but whom we may very wdl term an
Englifh Painter, having been brought up here from
his youth. He was chiefly inftructed by his father,
who commonly drew Sea-pieces ; but that which' con
tributed moft to make the fon a mafter, as he often
owned, was drawing after thofe noble views of Eng
land in the weftern parts, and along our Coafts. He
alfo drew many of the ruined caftles in Devonshire
and Cornwall ; being encouraged by that noble peer
the earl of Bath, at his feat in thofe parts. This
Painter's diftances have a peculiar tendernefs, and
his clouds a freedom that few have arrived at. Had
he lived in Italy, or been more encouraged here in
the ftudy of his beft manner, he might have equaled
the greateft landfkip-Painters either of our own, or
other nations ; but the lofs of his legs early by the
gout, and the low prices for which he painted after
wards, checked his fahcy, and made him lefs care
ful in his defigns, which on fome occafions would
be good imitations of Salvator Rofa and Bartholo-
meo. He began a fet of prints after fome very
good drafts done by him from landfkip views, but
before he could finifh them, he ended an afflicted
life in the year 1 704, and the forty-ninth of his age j
and lies. buried in St Martin's church.
Sir ANTHONY VANDYCK,
HAD his firft inftrudtions from Henry Vanba-
len of Antwerp ; but having feen the more
admirable works of Rubens, he left Vanbalen to
follow that great mafter, whom he judged more wor
thy his imitation. Rubens, charmed with his wit,
concealed nothing from him that was neceffary to pa-lifh

Englifh School of P A I ft T E R S. 429
lilh and make him a Skilful artift, being far from en
vying or Seeking to nip his glory in the bud* as many
others would have done. Whilft he lived with this
mafter, there happened a paffage which not a little
contributed to his reputation : Rubens having left a
pkture unfinished one night, and going out* con
trary to cuftom, his difciples made ufe of that opj>
poreunity to fport and play about the room-, when
one, more unfortunate than the reft, ftrikihg at his
companion with" a maul-flick, chanced to throw
down the picture, which receiving fome damage, as
not being dry, the young men were not a little a-
larmed at it, well knowing how Very angry their
mafter would be when he came to find his work
fpoiled. This made them ufe their beft endeavours
to fet things right again ; but finding all ineffectual,
they had recourfe, as their laft remedy, to Vandyck,
who was then working in the next room, entreating
him by all means that he would touch up the pic
ture anew. He complied with their requeft, and
having touched up the piece kft it upon the eafel.
Rubens, coming next morning to his work again,
firft flood at a diftance to view his- picture, as is
ufual with Painters, and having contemplated it a
little, fuddenly cried out, he liked his piece far bet
ter than the night before, the occafion of which be
ing afterwards talked of, it not a little redounded
to the honour of Vandyck, and encreafed his efteem
with his mafter. Whilft he lived with Rubens, he
painted a great number of faces, and among the reft
that of his mailer's wife, which is efteemed one of
the beft pidtures in the Low Countries. He painted
two more admirable pieces for his mafter, one repre-
fenting the feizing of our Saviour in the garden,
and the other the crowning him with thorns. Af
ter having finifhed thefe too fine pidlures, he tra
velled to Italy to fee Titian's works, and at his re
turn made that incomparable piece for the monaftery of

430 An ESSAY towards an
of the Auguftins at Antwerp, confifting of St Au
ftin looking up ftedfaftly to heaven, which appears
all open and fhining with light. The prince of
Orange hearing of his fame, fent for him to draw
his princefs and childrens pidlures, which he per
formed to admiration. No fooner had thefe rare
pieces been feen in public, but the moft confider
able perfons in Holland were ambitious to be drawn
by the fame hand. The nobility of England and
France fent likewife on purpofe for this curious artift,
that they might partake of the fame happinefs ; but
fo numerous were they, that Vandyck not being
able, with his utmoft induftry, to content them all,
drew only thofe he had the moft refpect for, who
gratified him accordingly. Being arrived in Eng
land, he was prefented to King Charles I. by Sir
Kenelm Digby, when the King not only knighted
him as a peculiarmark of his efteem, but alfo made
him a prefent of a maffy gold chain with his picture
fet round with diamonds, and befides fettled a con
fiderable. penfion upon him. He was a perfon of
low flature, but well proportioned; very handfome,
modeft, and extremely obliging; and moreover a
great encourager of all thofe of his country who
excelled in any art, moft of whofe pictures he drew
with his own hand, and. which were engraven after
him by the beft gravers of that time, (as Bolfwaert,
Vorfterman, Pontius, &c.) and fome were etched by
himfelf. He married one of the faireft and nobleft
ladies of the Englifh court, daughter of the lord
Ruthven, earl of Gowry, whofe father being ac-
cufed of a confpiracy againft K. James I. his eftate
was confifeated ; fo that he had no great portion with
his wife, except her beauty and quality. He al
ways went magnificently dreffed, had a numerous:
and gallant equipage, and kept So good a table in
his apartment, that, few princes were more vifited, or

Englifh School ^PAINTERS. 43. i
or better ferved. Towards the latter end of his Jife,
growing weary of face-Painting, and being defirous
to immortalize his name by fome more glorious un
dertaking, he went for Paris, : in hopes to be em
ployed in the great gallery of the Louvre ; but not
fucceeding there, he returned to England again j
and, by his friend Sir Kenelm Digby, propofed to
the King to make cartoons for the banqueting-houfe
at Whitehall, the fubject of which was to have been
the inftitution of the order of the Garter, the pro-
ceffion of the knights in their habits, and the cere
mony of their inftallment, with St George's feaft :
but his demand of 80,000 1. being judged unreason
able, whilft the king was treating with him for a
lefs fum, the gout, and other diftempers, put an
end to his life. He was buried in St Paul's church,
and if any monument was fet up for him, it was
deftroyed afterwards by the fire.
WILLIAM VANDERVELDE,
Commonly called the Old,
WAS an extraordinary fhip- Painter of Amfter
dam. Coming over into England, he was
much employed by King Charles II. for whom he
painted feveral of the fea-fights between the Dutch
and Englifh. He alfo underftood navigation admi
rably well, and is faid to have conducted the Englifh
fleet to the burning of Schelling. He was the Father
of a living mafter, whom no age has equalled in Ship-
Painting, and this we owe to the father's inftruc-
tions, who was an admirable draftfman of all mari
time objects. He lived at Greenwich, to be the
more converfant in thefe things, which were his con
tinual ftudy; and in which King Charles II. and
King James II. gave him all poflible encouragement*
making him their Painter, with a confiderable. fa-
lary,

432 An ESSAY towards an
lary, which was afterwards continued to hi* fbn*
now living, 1706. The father, in his latter days,
commonly drew in black and white, on a ground
prepared on canvas, but which appeared like paper.
He gave an eafy freedom to his fails and tackle, as
alfo to every part of a fhip due proportion with in
finite neatnefs. For his better information in this
way of Painting, he had a modd of the mafts and
tackle of a Ship always before him, to that nicety
and exjtdtnefs, that nothing was wanting in it, nor
nothing unproportionable. This model is ftill in the
hands of his fon. Old Vandervelde died in London
about the beginning of King William's reign.
FRANCIS VAN ZOON,
WAS an eminent Dutch Painter pf fruit, flowers
and plants. He was bred up at Antwerp un
der his father, old Van-zoon, a Painter in the Same
way. Having married a niece of ferjeant Streater 's^
fhe brought him into the bufinefs of feveral perfons
of quality, which firft occafioned his being known.
He painted loofe and free, yet kept clofe to nature,
and all his pictures feem drawn by the life. He be
gan fome large pieces, wherein he propofed to draw
all the phyfical plants in the apothecaries garden at
Chelfea, but which work proving tedious, he defift-
ed from it, having greater encouragement other
ways. He died here in London about the year
1 702, and lies buried at St James's.
HA R MA N V AR E L ST,
WAS elder brother of the famous Simon Varelft,
now living. He painted hiftory, fruit and
flowers, after a very agreeable manner, and well co
loured. He educated feveral fens and one daughter
in the fame way of drawing, moft of whom are ftill
living.

Englifh School of P A I N . T E R S. 43 3
living. This artift ftudied fome time at Rome, and
refided a while in the emperor's court at Vienna,
which, city he left, upon the Turks coming before
it in 1683. He died at London about the year
1699, and lies buried iri St Andrew's Holborn.
HENRY VERGAZOON,
"AS aDutch Painter of landfkip and ruins, but
chiefly the latter, which he performed ex
ceeding neatly. His colouring was very natural,
but "his landfkip part commonly too dark and gloo
my, appearing as if it was drawn for a night-piece.
He fometimes painted fmall portraits, which were
very curious. Vergazoon left England fome time
ago, and died lately in France". ""¦"
F. de V 0 R ST E R MA N,
WAS difciple of Harman Sachtleven, and an ex
traordinary curious and neat landfkip Painter
in little, in which he may very juftly be fajd to
have exceeded all the, Painters of his time. He per
formed his landfkips with wonderful care and neat
nefs, after the Dutch gout ; Sparing no pains in his
views, which commonly reprefent places on the
Rhine, where hehadiludied, and accuftomed him-
felf to take in a large extent of hills and diftance.
The extravagantprices he demanded for his pictures^,
hindered him from bdng often employed by King
Charles II. who was pleafed witri.his manner of
Painting, efpecially that piece he made of Windforr
caftle, now extant in the royal collection- He ac
companied Sir William Soams, fent by Kiflg
James II. on an embaffy to Conftantinople, but upon
thatminifter's death, he returned to France, and died
there. His defign ingoing for Turky was todraw
all-the remarkable views in that empire; but he was
difappointed by his patron's death, without whofe pro-

434 ¦&* ESSAY towards an
protection he durft not attempt it, to the great
regret of all lovers of art. W.
Mr. ROBERT WA L K E R,
WA S an Englifh face-Painter, cotemporary
with Vandyck, and whofe works, by the life,
beft fpeak their own praifes. He lived in Oliver
Cromwell's days, and drew the portraits of thatufur-
per, and almoft all his officers, both by Sea and land.
The great duke of Tufcany bought an original of
Oliver by this mafter, in this manner; having fent
over an agent here to purchafe Oliver's picture for
him, the perfon could light on none to his mind for
a long while, till at length hearing of a woman, a
relation of the ufurper's, that had one, he went to
¦fee it, and found it in all refpedls fo well performed,
that he bid her a good price for it. She not wanting
money, told him, fince fhe had the honour to be
related to the protector, fhe would by no means part
with his picture ; but the gentleman ftill infifling
upon having it, and defiring her to fet what price
ftie pleafed upon it, fhe thinking to get rid of his
importunity by her exorbitant demand, afked him
500 1. fork; when, contrary to her expectation,
he had no fooner heard the fum named but he told
her fhe fhould have it, and accordingly paid down
the money immediately, which, fhe being bound
by her word to take, parted with her picture even
with regret, though at fo great a rate. This is to be
underftood to have happened in the protector's life
time. Mr Walker alfo painted Oliver Cromwel,
and major-general Lambert, both in one piece,
which picture is now in the poffeffion of the earl
of Bradford. His own picture, drawn by himfelf,
now hangs in the founder's gallery, near the public
library

Englifh School of P A I N T E R S. 435
library in Oxford. He died a little before the re-
ftoration.
Mr PA R R E Y WALTON,:
WAS an Englifh Painter, arid difciple of
Walker. He painted flill-life very well,
but his particular excellence lay in knowing arid dif-r
covering the hands of other artifts. He was well
verfed in Italian pictures, and had the care of the
royal collection. Walton was alfo remarkable for
mending the works of many of the great mafters
that had fuffered. either by age or ill ufage, and
this he did by feveral of the beft pictures at White
hall. He died in London about the year 1699.
Mr W I L LIA M W I S S I N G,
WAS a face- Painter, bred up under Dodaens,
an hiftory- Painter, at the Hague. Upon his
coming over to England, he worked fome time for Sir
Peter Lely, whofe manner he fuccefsfully imitated ;
after whofe death he became famous. He painted
King Charles II. and his Queen, King James II. and
his Queen, the prince and princefs of Denmark; and
was fent over to Holland, by the late King James,
to draw the prince and princefs of Orange, all which
he performed with applaufe. What recommended
him to the efteem of King Charles, was his pictures
of the duke of Monmouth, whpm he drew feveral
times, and in feveral poftures. He drew moft of.
the great men -of the court; arid was competitor
with Sir Godfrey Kneller, who was at that time upon
his rife. Mr Wiffing's good manners and com-
plaifance recommended him to moft peoples efteem.
In drawing his portraits, efpecially thofe of the fair
fex, he always took the beautiful likenefs; and when
' any lady came to fit to him, whofe" complexion was any

436 An E S S AY towards an
any ways pale, he would commonly take her by the
harid, arid dance her about the room till fhe became
Warmer, by which means he heightened her natural
beauty, ahd made her fit to be reprefented by his
hand. He died much lamented, at the age ofthir-
ty-one, at the late Earl of Exeter's (Burleigh- houfe
in Northamptonshire) and lies buried in Stamfojrd
church, where that, noble peer erected a monument
for him, with the following infeription :
§uem Batava Tellus educavit,
Gallia aliquando >¦ fovit,
Anglia cumulatioribus beneficiis profeeuta eft,
Artium, quas varias ealhbat, juftior Mftmatrix.
Vir faciilimis & fuaviffimis Moribus,
Inter Florem & Robur Juventa,
Vix Trigefimum Secundum Vita Annum ingreffus,
Willielmus Wiffmgus Hagenfis,
H' S.. E.
Piffor Antiquis Par, Hodiernis Major $
Lelii celeberrimi non degener Diftipuhs.
Heu Faium pracocis Ingenii !
Quamfubitodecerpitur Botrus,
§>yia Ceteris feftinantius maturefcit :
' Cujus ad confervandam Memoriam,
Mwmficentiffimus Joannes Comes Exceftrenfis,
Patronorunt Optimus,
P. M. P. C.
Obiit 10. Die Sept. An. 1687.
There ia a Metzotinto print of him, under which
are thefe words ;
Gulielmus Wiffmgus, inter PiUores, fui Seculi Cele-
berrimos, nulli fecundus ; Artis fua non exiguum
Decus & Ornamentum.
Immodkis brevis eft Altas 
FRANCIS

Englifh School of PAINTERS. 437.
FRANCISWOUTERS,
WAS born at Lyere* iri the year 161 4, and
bred up in the fchool of Rubens. He was
a good Painter of figures in fmall, chiefly riakeds ;
as alfo of landfkips. His merit promoted him to
be principal Painter to the emperor Ferdinand II.
and afterwards coming into England with that Em
peror's embaffador, he was, upon the death of that
prince, made gentleman of the bed-chamber, and
chief Painter to King Charles II. then prince of
Wales. He lived a confiderable time at London
in great efteem, and at length retiring to Antwerp,
died there.
Mr MICHAEL WRIGHT,
WAS an Englifh portrait Painter, born of Scots
parents. He painted the judges in Guildhall,
which pieces of his are defervedly in good efteem.
He alfo drew a Highland laird in his proper habit,
and an Irifh Tory in his country drefs ; both which
whple-lengths were in fo great repute at the time
when they were done, that many copies were made
after them. Mr Wright's manner of Painting was
peculiar to himfelf. He was well verfed in Paintings
and drawings of almoft all mafters. He was like-
wife well Skilled in ftatuary, and had a confiderable
collection of antique medals, of which he was an ex
cellent judge. In his latter days, he waited on my
Lord Caftlemain, in his embaffy to Rome,, and was
his lordfhip's Major-domo. Returning to England,
he died in London about the year 1700.

F f THO MA S

438 An E S S A Y towards an
THOMAS van WYKE.
Commonly called the Old,
WAS father of John van Wyke, a famous
Painter, born at Haerlem. He painted land
fkips, efpecially havens and fea-forts, Shipping and
fmall figures ; but his particular excellency lay in
reprefenting chymifts in their laboratories, and
things of like nature. He followed the manner of
Peter de Laer, alias Bamboccio. He left England,
and lived abroad a confiderable time, but died here
about the year 1686*.
JOHN van WYKE,
SON of the beforementioned, was a Dutch battle-
Painter of great note. He has both in his
horfes and landfkips, a great freedom of penciling
and good colour; as alfo a great deal of fire in moft
of his defigns, feme of which are very large, efpe
cially thofe of fieges and pitched battles, as thofe of
Namur, the Boyne, 8cc. His hunting-pieces are alfo
in great efteem among our country gentry, for whom
he often drew horfes and dogs by the life, in which
he imitated the manner of Woverman. He died at
Mortlack, where he had lived for fome time, about
the year J 702, Z.
Mr Z O U S T, or S O E S T,
WAS an eminent Dutch face Painter, who came
into England about fifty years ago, and
found here encouragement fuitable to his merit.
His portraits of men are admirable, having in them a

Englifh School ^"PAINTERS. 439
a juft, bold draft, and good colouring; but he did
not always execute with a due regard to grace, in
womens faces ; which is an habit can only be acquired
by drawing after the moft perfect beauties, in which
his country did not greatly abound. What we are
moft indebted to him for, is his educating Mr Riley,
of whom I have fpoken elfewhere at large, and
therefore fhall not need to repeat any thing here.
Mr Zouft painted a great many people of quality.
His colouring was very warm, and he was a good
imitator of nature; but, for the moft part, unfor
tunate in his choice. He died in London about the
year 1676.

F I NI S.

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THE
LIVES O F T H E
MOST EMINENT MODERN
PAINTERS, Who have lived fince, or were omit
ted by Monf. De Piles.
By fp>A

Refpicere exemplar Vita morumque jubebo
Dotlum imitatorem. Hor.'

LONDON:
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M,DCC,LIV-

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" '¦^'i**'^

mtk
^^K
Sa^r"**
SPw
wfPIS
fe<fl
plNf
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||ffe@
i^^s\'!^Stfl
cJwjtSj(3 k^j JMrSS-j^
' ^^ss^^a)
TO T H E
HQNO UR A BLE
Lady Lyttlet on.
Madam, Make no doubt but that
Your Lad ysh i p will be
furprized at the imperti
nence of an Author, who has
A 2 taken
DEDICATION.

¦ "*- • ~«K«j«ft

taken the Liberty of prefixing
your Name to a Treatife, before
which, he was afhamed of placT
ing his own. But the fame timi
dity which prevented me difco-
vering myfelf, prompted me to
feek protection from your Lady-
fhip, whofe good Tafte and Judg
ment, I am convinced, are fuffi
cient to defend the Work you are
pleafed to Patronize, from the
Cavils of fuperficial Critics. This
Protection I have Reafon to hope
for, from the Knowledge I have
of Your Ladyfhip's Goodnefs and
Humanity \ as my innocent am
bition

DEDICATION.
bition is only to amufe and in
form, and at the fame Time to
teftify, that I am, with the great
eft Refpedt and Efteem,
Tour Lady [hip's
Moft Obliged,
Moft Obedient
Humble Servant \

j. b.

ERRATA.
Page 9. line 32, for Giaunthio read Giaeintho.
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10. after Grimaldi add, deMo il Bolognefi.
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PREFACE.

HE following fheets, which
are extracted chiefly from a
French author, were col-
leded for private ufe ; but
on the appearing of a new Edition
of De Piles, I was tempted to digeft
them into order, and give them to the
publick, (not fo correct as I could wifh,
but fuch as my time would permit). As
the number of excellent Painters, who
have exifted fince the publilhing that
work, render a Supplement thereto very.
neceffary to thofe that are curious in
Painting ; to inform them of the hiftx>
A 4 rys

PREFACE.
t y, to point out. the excellencies and
defedls, and to fhew the particularities
that diftinguifh the works of thofe ar
tifts, whofe pidlures make a figure, and
defervedly have a place in the beft ca
binets : and it is worth every Gentle
man's while, who is pleafed with, or
intends to collect pidlures, to confider
carefully the diftinguifhing characters
herein afcribed to the works of
the different mafters; as the author
from whom the prefent abbrevation fe
taken (whatever he is as a writer) was
certainly a judge of Painting; and in
laying out his characters, had an op
portunity of having recourfe to the fineft
collections of the beft works of thofe
mafters, whofe particular manners he
endeavoured to defcribe.
I do not doubt, whoever fhall (with a
little confederation of nature) examine by
this teftmoftof the pidlures offered to fale,
under great names, will be not a little fur-
prized, at the affurance of thofe that en
deavour at, and too often fucceed in
fuch

PREFACE.
fuch grols impofitions ; and pafs off
paltry copies, or fuch originals, whofe
beauties are either fo loft by time, or
totally cleaned out, that the buyer pays
for the venerable canvas or board, mere
ly as a relick the divine hand of
fome great mafter was laid on, or elfe
fo painted over, that the real charms,
like thole of a French beauty, are in
tirely hid beneath the artificial repairs.
But what contributes to keep up the
deceit, is the vanity of feveral of thofe
diftinguifhed by the title of Connoif-
feurs ; who are generally men that tra
vel, and not having vivacity enough to
join in the gaieties of the fpritely part
of the world ; or judgment enough to
make thofe ufeful and interefting re
marks which are neceffary to the know
ledge of mankind : To keep up their
importance, aftume the charadler of
arbiters in Virtu, as it is called, though
perhaps all their knowledge confifts in
a few hard names, and as many hard
words, which they throw out with
great

PREFACE.
great gravity and fupercilioufnefs ; and
being ufed to look at pidlures grown
dark with age, fmoaked in churches
with lamps, or ftained and altered with
damps, miftake thofe defedls for beau
ties ; and, deceived by their prejudices^
look with contempt on the clearnefs
of colouring, and the brightnefs of na
ture that mines through a modern
pidlure: while the man of real tafte,
not caring to ftem the torrent of
nonfenfe, leaves them to carry on the
farce without controll.
It is furprizing how partial every na
tion, except our own, is to their artifts ;
a Dutchman will prefer the high fi
nifh of his Mieris and Gerrard Dow,
his Oftade and Berchem ;" the Flem
ing will celebrate his Rubens and Van
dyke, Teniers and Rembrant ; the
Frenchman will boaft of his Le Brun,
Le Sueur, Bourdon, and difpute the
merit of his Pouffin, even with Ra
phael ; while the Italian looks on them
all with contempt. And even in Italy,
every;

PREFACE.
every province difputes for the merit
of its own fchool, againft thofe of all
the others ; whilft the Englifhman is
pleafed with every thing that is not
the prodvjdlion of England.
The Painters, as well as the tajftq
of different countries, have their feve
ral merits. As the Painters of diffe
rent countries had differing views, an4
derived their manner of Painting from
their particular circumftances ; the Ita
lian, and fome of the Flemifh Pain
ters, who painted in churches, large
palaces and cielings, as their works
were to be viewed at a great diftance,
were under a neceffity by the force
of their colouring, the ftrength of their
lights and fhadows, and boldnefs of
their pencil, to produce great effedls,
whilft the eye, at fo great a diftance,
gave the proper union and harmony
to the whole ; which in part vanifhed,
at a near approach.
This union and harmony, the Dutch
Painter, who only fupplied the orna ment

PRE F A C E.
ment to a rich tradefman or merchant's
room, was oblig'd to procure with the neat
nefs of his pencil; as his pidlures, which
were generally fmall, hung clofe to the
fight; which fuch pidlures muft offend,
if painted as the Italian, by the fiercenefs
of their colouring, and the roughnefs
of their furface, which contradled na
ture never admits ; as any man may be
convinced, that will but ufe a proper
glafs. Therefore this partiality to the
produdlions of their own country, as
it is built on a juft foundation, has
fomething in it highly commendable,
if not carried to too great an excefs.
Though partial to our own, we ought
not to be blind to the excellencies of
others. But this is not the cafe of our mo
dern connoiffeurs. Impartiality is not
their merit: they, on the contrary, ob-
ftinately fhut their eyes to the merit of
their own countrymen only ; and whilft
they difcover imaginary beauties in eve
ry thing that is foreign, endeavour to
fhut

PREFACE.
fhut up all the avenues to the advance
ment of arts in their own country, (I
will not add fciences, for in thofe they
are generally too ignorant to inter?-
fere, and in thofe, by the force of ge
nius, we luckily excel.)^ And fo con
firmed are they in their prejudices,
that they will not endeavour to know
what is praife-wprthy in their own
country. How many will talk of the won
ders and grand Gufto of Italy, who
know nothing of the Cupola of St
Paul's, the Ceiling at Greenwich, or
the Stair-cafe of St Bartholomew's Hpf-
pital j works, though perhaps not equal
to fome, yet certainly fuperior to ma
ny boafted performances abroad. But
our modern Virtuofi have not the preten
ces their predeceffors had ; for notwith-
Handing the imputation of Groffiert^,
they have been pleafed to beftow on their
own countrymen fo freely ; the good
fenfe and judgment allowed them by all

PREFACE.
all nations, have enabled them td excel
even in the art of Painting.
Luca Jordano, Imperiali arid Soli-
meni, feemed to emit the feeble rays' of
the fun-fet of Painting in Italy; filice
whofe deaths, hardly any dtie deferving
the name of a Mafter has appeared 5
whilft England can boaft of a Taver-
ner, a Scot, and a ^Lambert, who for
truth and judgment in reprefenting the
moft beautiful effedls of1' nature, are
riot at prefent to be equalled in •"» all
Europe. What Painter has ever turned his
artT to fo ufeful purpofes as Mr Ho-
jgarth ? Others have* thought it a glory
to have amufed the fight, whilft he
has taught his pencil a language to
addrefs the mind, and whilft he fur-
prizes our eyes, reads a ledlure of mo
rality to our hearts. Nor has he ex
celled lefs, when he has turned his
harid to other fubjedls. Befides many
others, who may juftly difpute the pre-
eininence with any thing that Italy, or
any

PREFACE.
any other part of Europe can produce
at prefent ; which plainly proves to
thofe who do not fhut their eyes againft
conviclion, that England does not want
genius's. How glorious would it then bes
for thofe that have a laudable partiality
for their own country, to unite their1
efforts to raife and encourage in our
own nation, thofe that already excel,
to exert thofe abilities to their full ex
tent, and at the fame time to lay a
foundation for the future encourage
ment of thofe, whofe talents may want
and deferve fuch affiftance. r
y. ,x£mt Meecenates non deerunt, Flacce%
v:. - Mar ones.
I dd not doubt that many for want
of attention, look on Painting as an
art, whofe utmoft fcope is ornament;
that the j promoting it is riot of any
confequence to a trading nation. But
oa a clofer examination, the contrary will

PREFACE.
will appear, and this art will be found
to confer honour to every nation, and
to be not only ufeful, but neceffary to
a trading one. Let thofe that are zea
lous for national honour, confider with
what luftre the names of Zeuxis and
Appelles fhine in the Grecian annals,
and how glorious thofe of Raphael
and Corregioj appear in the regifters
of Italy.
The fuperftition of ancient Greece,
as well as modern Italy, as it furnifh-
ed employment, fo it gave the greateft
encouragement to the artift to excel in
a profeffion that was then fo highly
honoured and rewarded; as the hand
was even thought capable of giving a
dignity to the God or Saint, and every
temple was a record of the Painter's
abilities, arid an archive of his fame. —
A great genius will always refledl ho
nour on the country that produced and
encouraged it ; and every patron of
true merit, will, by affording fupport and

P R E P A & &
and affiftarice to the mail of real worth
derive a faffing honour td himfelf.
That Painting is neceffary, will, ap
pear, plain to the loWeft degree of at
tention.  Drawing, Defigning, and
Perfpedlive, are but introdudlory fciences
ta Painting, and indeed imperfedl with
out it. Yet how neceffary are even
thefe rudiments, to the fafety and wel
fare of a nation ? Engineering, Fortifi
cation^ and Tadlics, depend greatly oil
the knowledge of thefe fciences; and
Navigation cannot be carried' on with
out their help. How neceffary are
they to the ufes of life? to* how many
trades are they abfolutely requifite,
which are of the greateft confequence
to mankind ? Can Mafonry, Joinery,
Architecture and Ship-building, be car
ried on without them ? How neceflary
is this art to the Phyfician? how much
the improvement of Anatomy, Surgery,
and natural Hiftory, depend on Paint
ing, the value that is fet on the coloured
figures of anatomy, plants, and other
a parts

PREFACE.
parts of natural hiftory, fufficiently de
clares ; and a commercial nation cannot
poffibly be without its afiiftance.
The art of Writing owes its original
to it, as the firft attempts to convey our
thoughts, was by marking down the7
objedl ; inftead of which, we now fub-
ftitute thofe characters called letters.
Perhaps fome may think this going
too far back, but we are even to this day
obliged to do the fame thing; for in
communicating our accounts of manu
factures, a judicious, drawing contributes
more to explain the fabrick and manner
of working, than the beft account the
cleareft head can draw up. To how,
many manufadlures is Painting abfolute
ly neceffary ? as Tapeftry, Silk-weaving,
various branches of the goldfmiths, toy
and hard- ware trades; in moft of which
branches it is neceffary the Painter fhould
excel, (befides many others which I have
not leifure to enumerate.
As luxury will be the confequence of
wealth, all forts of ornamental manufac tures

PREFACE.
tures will be imported from abroad.
The rich will be always fond of dis
playing their wealth; and of courfe",
amongft other embellifhments, Paint
ings will be purchafed from other coun
tries at a great price, if the art is better
cultivated abroad than at home : but if
the contrary is the cafe, our own artifts
will be employed, and the money ftill
continue to circulate among ourfelves:
and if by proper encouragement a num
ber of excellent Painters can be raifed
amongft us, pidlures, may even become
a commodity for exportation, as well as
toys, filks, or any other of thofe coftly
manufactures that are chiefly for luxury
and oftentation.
The Bifhop of Cloyne puts the fol
lowing queftions in the Querift.
ii Whether human induftry can pro-
" duce, from fuch cheap materials,
<c a manufacture of fb great value, '
" by any other art, as by thofe of Sculp-
" ture and Painting ? Whether pic-
" tures and ftatues are not in fact fo '
a 2 <c much

PREFACE.
" much treafure? and whether Rome
" and Florence would not be poor towns
" without them ? Whether they do *7 2
" not bring ready money as well as '
" jewels? Whether in Italy debts are
" not paid, and children portioned with
" them, as with gold and filver ? Whe-
" , ther if the arts of Sculpture and lie
" Painting were encouraged a- **
" mong us, we might not furnifh our
" Houfes in a much nobler manner
" with our own manufactures ?"
I have added the fentiments of this
great and judicious man, as they give fo
much weight to what I have before ad
vanced, and ferve to fhow, that I am
not lingular in my opinion. Mr Hume
fays, that " thefe arts add to the hap-
" pinefs of a nation, as they extend its
" enjoyments." There is no luxury fo innocent and
juftifiable as the love of pidlures; the
gratification that refults from it, is laft-
ing, harmlefs and noble. What plea-
lure do the parent, the friend, and the
lover

PREFACE.
lover derive from the Painter's art?
which in fome degree alleviates the irk-
fomenefs of abfence, and preferves a part
of what is dearto us even from the grave?
With what delightful magick does it pre
fent the different beauties of nature to
our eyes, and tranfport us from one gay
fcene to another?
Modo me Thebes modo ponit Athenis.
To bring the cafcades of Tivoli, the
horrors of the Alps, the variegated banks
of the Rhine, the verdant fields of Eng
land, covered with the moft beautiful
animals in the world, all into fight, muft
engage our veneration to the art that
produces fuch effedls ; that prefents not
only the heroes of paft and prefent ages,.
but brings even their actions before our
eyes ; and places us without danger in
thofe fields, where theSoldier gathered his
laurels; that enables us to contemplate the
fury of the tempeft, and the dreadful
lightnings that feem to flafh before our
eyes, and allthehorrorsof the deep, with a
philo"

PREFACE.
philofophic unconcern ; and at the fame
time can bid us fee and admire a Warren
and an Anfon,-»a Ruffel and a Blake,
who faced and paffed through thofe hor
rors with intrepidity, to the advantage of
their country, and their own immortal
honour. I hope that every confiderate perfon,
will be convinced of the ufefulnefs and
excellence of this art, and of courfe how
much it is our intereft to encourage it at
home: for if we reflect, that the moft
eminent Painters of Italy were employed
in churches and palaces, and executed
great part of their works in frefco, it will
plainly appear, that a very fmall number
of their pictures, could ever poffibly be
expofed to fale; the choiceft of which
have been fecured for royal collections;
others are deftroyed by the injuries of
time ; few or none but what having been
damaged and dirty, have fuffered great
ly by cleaning and repairing : what tricks
have not been played, by thofe who have
found their account in impofing on the
curious,

PREFACE.
curious, who have afpired at the .reputa
tion of poffeffing the works of the great
mafters, as too many collections charged
with their pretended capital pictures
plainly fhew ? What chance have we then*
of avoiding^thofe impofitions and frauds,;
by which fo many have already fuffered,
but by encouraging our own artifts ?
which we have the more reafon to do at
prefent, as it is hardly probable that the:
art of Painting will ever recover f its
fplendor in Italy, or that the modern ma
fters there fhould ever approach the an
cient ones ; as the number of petty prin
ces is leffened, , and. even fuperftition is
grown cooler, and bigotry has loft its
influence on the minds of the people ;
the Italian Painters have no more incite
ments to excel in great performances, but
are forced to work merely for fupport.
We have at prefent no want of men
of genius to cultivate the art ; and there
are many young men now rifing among
us, who difcover a furprizing difpofition
to excel, and promife one day to become orna-

PREFACE.
ornaments to their profeffion, if their
happy difpofitions are not checked for
want of encouragement. I hope this
will riot be the cafe. I am fure that our
country has as many perfons that are ca-i
pable of patronizing the arts, as any
under the fun.
From them that are able we have rea
fon bo expect this patronage, which will
redound fo much to their own honour;
and with the afliftance of fuch a patriot
fpirit, I fee no reafon to doubt that
Britain may rival modern Italy, or an
cient: Greece in the polite arts of Paint
ing and Sculpture, and that the galle
ries of our nobility arid gentry may" be^
filled with excellent unadulterated Pic
tures by the hands of our own ma
fters.

A

LIST O F T H E
PAINTERS Names.

A

SSELYN, John,

Page 82

B

Bachuyfen, 102
Bacici, alias Gauli, 41
Bartolomeo, 85
Berchem, 94

Caftiglione, John Bene-
ditto, 19
Caftiglione, Balthazar, I

Cerquozzi, alias M. A. de
Bataglia, 7
Chiari, Giofeppe, vide C.
Maratti.
Cignani, Carlo 25
Courtois, James, alias
Borgognone, 89
D
Daghet, Gafpar, 12
De Heem, John David, 74

Fetti, Dominico, 3
b Ferri,

Fefr»| Ciro,

A Lrs
Page
'.. 59

88

Grifner, John
Griqjajaj^ John Franci?,
— - 10

H ...
Hals, Frank, 66
Honderkooterj Melchior, 1091
I

Jqrdang, Luca, r-

34

t of the Page
Maratji, Carlo, If 29
Miel,' John, '*•-*• 72
Mile v Francifco, 121
N
: '"Y* ~'Y. ".- L <l
Neefs,YPeter,  ~ '* tffc

Oftade, Adrian, 80

Pafleri, r wV* Maratti.
Paterre, wVfe Watt'eau/
Petitot, 56
Potter, Paul, 96
Pughet, Peter Paul, 139

Laura, Philippo, 23
L^ingelback, Johr^ 99
Laireflje, Gerrard, [ , 116
Lancret, 129
Lutti, Benedetto, 130

R
Rofa, Salvator, 14
Ricci, Sebaftian, 54
Ruyfdale, Jacob, 114

M

S

Molt, Pietro Francifco, 21

Schiavone, Andrea, 1
t Sacchi,

PAINTERS Names.

Page
Sacchi, Andrea, 4

Vander Heyden, John,
Page no

Snyders, Francis, 64

Vander Kabel, 104

Sachtleven, Herman, 77

Vander Meer, 10 1

Slingeland, John Peter,

Vander Meet de Jonghe,

it 2

ibidi

Schalcken, Godfrey* J 20

Vander Meulen, Antho-

Sdlimene, Francis, 45

thony Francis, 106

T

Vander Neer, Eglon n£

*

Vanderwerf, Adrian, 123

Teniers, David, the elder,

Van Huyfum, John, 132

61
— — the younger, 63

W

.. . — Abraham, 64
Terburg, Gerrard,. 76

Wynants, John, 83
Wouverman* Philip, 86

Jhornhill, Sir James, 136

, p^t#»r ihirfj

TAVin ihirl.

V

Weeninx, John, 92

Van Gowen, John* 69

Watteau, Anthony, 126

Van Uden, Lucas, -j?

THE

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{Trice bound Six Shillings, neatly and correlily Printed)
I.TTMJCLID's Elements of Geometry, the Firft:
JPj Six, the Eleventh and Twelfth Books, tranf
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Youth. By E. Stone. «  Ptolemy, King of E-
gypt, having ajked Euclid whether there was any
other more compendious Way of arriving at Geometry,
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III. The Art of Painting, with the Lives and
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figning, and the Ufe of Prints. Tranflated from the
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T H E

LIVES

OF EMINENT

PAINTERS.

ANDREA SCHIAFONE,
A S certainly a great Painter, though,
like other artifts, he had his faults.
Sebenigo in Dalmatia, in the Vene
tian territory, gave him birth in 1522.
His parents, whofe circumftances
were mean, fent him to Venice whilft
he was very young. His firft employment being to
ferve thofe Painters that kept fhops, his mind opened,
and the ftrength of his inclination for thearr, ferved
B him

2 ft LIVES «/
him inftead of a mafter. Great genius's are born fq.
l^ime difcovers and expands their parts, but does
not give them. The works of Giorgione, Titian,
arid Parmefan, perfected Schiavone.
He ufually painted feats, fronts of houfefs, Sgd
fqmfetimes pictures, which hardly majntairfed %».
He was forced to carry his works to the deafefs hiSj-
feVf. Titian pitied his condition, a'rrd fet rtinr^to
work with other Painters in the library of St Mark.
•He painted, in concurrence with Tintoret, the vifi-
tation of the Virgin for the fathers of the holy crofs.
This work was efteemed, though it was rather hard ;
but Tintoret excelled him in the defign and force
of his colouring. The fame Tintoret, when he
painted, had always before his eyes a picture of
Schiavone. Hisftyle and gout of colouring pleafed
him. He even advifed other Painters to do the
fame, comparing his colouring and manner to Baro-
chio, though his drawing could not ftand the com
petition •, and he certainly would have found fault
with his brethren, if they had not defigned more cor
rectly than Schiavone. This Painter is reckoned one
of the greateft colourifts of the Venetian fchool; his
manner is free, agreeable, and lively; his tafte in
his drapery and his figures are much efteemed by all
Painters, they are graceful and eafy ; the heads of
his women are admirable, and thofe of his old men
well touched ; his attitudes are well chofen, and
contrafted with judgment; and the eafe with which
he worked, is worthy obfervation ; he ufed to make
his tints, and leave them feveral days prepared on
his pallet, without ufing them; by this means he
made his carnations fo frefli, that they feem alive. '
With fuch rare talents, Schiavone could hardly fup-
port himfelf; he was obliged to paint by practice,
and to work quick, as he could not afford himfelf
time for ftudy, the want of which prevented his add
ing correctnefs to the other excellencies that fhine
through

eminent PAINTERS. 3
through his pictures. 'Tis certainly the colouring
that attrafts the fpectator j yet, to be a good Painter,
a man fhould not attach himfelf to only one part of
his profeffion, but ought to endeavour to poffefs all
the feveral branches of it. Schiavone bore his po
verty with patience, though he went fo meanly clad,
that no body would have taken him for a man fo
diftinguifhed in his art.
This Painter is obliged to his acquaintance with
Aretine, to whofe friendfhip he owes the elevation
of his thoughts in his pictures, and part of his re-*
putation. He can be reproached with no fault, but
want of correctnefs. Schiavone died at Venice in
1582, in his 6othyear, not leaving enough to bury
him: his friends fupplied that defect, and buried
him in the church of St Luke, where they put him
up an epitaph. In the gallery of the Arch-duke
are thirteen plates after him, engraved by Van Keffel,
Boel, and others. In the collection of Crozat are
ten, by different mafters.
DOMINICO F E T I,
WAS born at Rome in 1589, and educated
under Ciyoli, a famous Florentine Painter.
We meet with no particular paflages of his life in
the authors who have wrote of Painting; whether
through neglect, affectation, or jealoufy on their
fides, they take no notice of his talents in their
works, though he certainly deferved a very diftin-
guifhing character for his abilities.
As foon as he quitted the fchool of Civoli, he
went to Mantua, where the Paintings of Julio Ro
mano opened the way to him of becoming a great
Painter; from them he took his colouring, the bold
nefs of his characters, and a beautiful manner of
thinking. It were to be wifhed he had copied the
nice correctnefs of that mafter. B 2 Cardinal

4 Ilie LIVES of
i Cardinal Ferdinand Gonzagua, afterwards Duke*
of Mantua, difcovered the merit of Feci ; he retained
him at his court, furnifhed him with means of con
tinuing his ftudies, and at laft employed him in
adorning his palace.
Feti painted with great force, fometimes too dark:
he was very delicate in his thoughts, with a gran
deur of expreffion, and a mellownefs of pencil, that
relimed with the connoiffeurs. His pictures are fcarce,
and much fought after; they are chiefly eafil pic
tures, which are difperfed about, iri different hands ;
he painted very little for churches. Going to Ve
nice, he abandoned himfelf to debauchery, which
foon put an end to his life in the year 1624* the
35th of his age.
The Duke of Mantua regretted him exceedingly,
and fent for his father and fifter, whom he always
afterward took care of. This fifter painted well ;
fhe .became a nun, and exercifed her talent in the
convent, which fhe adorned with feveral of her
works. Other religious houfes in Mantua were alfo
decorated with her paintings.
There are ten fubjects engraved after this mafter
in the Arch-duke's gallery, and nine in the collec
tion of Crozat, by different hands.
ANDREA S A C C II I.
THIS Painter was eminent both for his natural
talents and for the raifing fb many able men
in his fchool. Perhaps it is as difficult to form a
man of abilities, as to acquire the character one's
felf. The Italian authors have not done juftice to
his merit, whom they ought to have reckoned
amongft their greateft mafters.
Andrea Sacchi, or Oche', was born at Rome in
1599. Having received his firft inftructions from
his father, Beneditto Sacchi, he perfected himfelf under

eminent -P A I N> T ER S. 5
tinder the famous Albano, and certainly was his
ableft difciple. His mafter, who perceived him
fprightly, and dextrous at every thing, had the
greateft efteem for. him, and fhewed a particular re
gard to his education. Sacchi' improved more by
his leffons in an hour, than fome of his companions
did in a day. Albano forefeeing to what height he
would carry His art, bred him to work, and gave
him great encouragement. The fmall pictures Sacr
chi painted under his inflection,, were much fought
after by the connoiffeurs, and got him fo much re
putation, that his hand was not equal to the great-
nefs of their demand. The fpirit of the mafter feemM
to have paffed .entirely into the difciple, and com
municated at the fame time the frefhnefsof his pen
cil, his colouring, and other talents.
He had eafy acc'efs to . the palaces of the great;
where . he was received with efteem, and met with
all the encouragement neCeffary to the perfection of
his art. Cardinal Del Monte employed him to paint
his palace; and Cardinal Barberini took him into his
fervice, and fet him to reprefent on the deling in
a hall, the hiftory of divine providence. In that
work, even in the opinion of the Roman Painters,
Sacchi equalled 'the greateft -mafters, particularly
thofe two who feemed to be the compafs he fteered
by, Corregio and Carrache.
His defigns were.nol?ler than thofe of Albano : his
ideas were elevated: -he gave great expreffion to his
figures: ,a grand tafte in his drapery, and a fimpli
city that is feldom found in other Paintings, reigns
throughout. Sacchi formed his gout after all the
great mafters, without refembling any one, or ever
.changing his manner. He loved his art extremely,
and finifhed his pictures with infinite care. It is
hardly credible, that a man agreeable and graceful
in his perfon and converfation, fond of company,
even giving up his time to it, fhould make but few
B 3 friends.

6 ft LIVES 5/
friends. The manner in which he criticifed the work*.
of men of abilities, and the little commerce he af
fected to have with his fellow artifts, drew on him
their hatred. Fie was cotemporary with Pietro di
Cortona, and Bernini, and very jealous of their
glory ; with the latter of whom he had the follow
ing adventure.
Bernini defiring to have him fee the chair of St
Peter, before he expofed it to public view, called
on him to take him in his coach ; but could by no
means perfuade him to drefs himfelf: Sacchi went
out with him in his cap and flippers. This air of
contempt did not end here -, but ftepping near the
window, at his entrance into the church of St Peter*
faid to Bernini, " This is the principal point of view
" from which I will judge of your work:" ahd
whatever Bernini could fay to him, would not ftir
a ftep nearer. Sacchi, confidering it attentively fome
time, cried out as loud as he could* " Thofe figures
" ought to have been larger by a palm :" and went
out of the church without faying another word.
Bernini was fenfible of the juftnefs of his criticifm,
but did not, for all that, think fit to do his work
over again.
Sacchi, though not young, took it into his head
to make a journey to Venice and Lorn bardy, where
he fpent feveral years in ftudying Corregio, and
other great mafters. At his return, he endeavoured
to approach to the manner of Corregio, but it was
too late to begin. He apprehended, he fhould not
find the-colouring of Raphael pleafe him as ufual ;
but having reviewed the apartments of the Vatican,
the miracle of the mafs at Bolfenna made him cry
out, " Here I find again Titian, Corregio, and,
•' what is more than all, Raphael."
No body ever made more fenfible reflections on
Painting than Sacchi.. Pie always confidered his
fubjects well, never leaving anything to chance; always..

eminent PAINTERS. j
always a friend to what was true, he never departed
from it. This character gave him a timidity and
referve in his works, that prevented him fucceeding
fo well in great compofitions, as he did in his more
fimple fubjects. Andrea was never married; he had
only one natural child. He never once defigned,
without confulting nature; a principle which he al
ways followed: for which reafon, his pictures have,
a truth and correctnefs that furprize the fpectator.
St Romuald, in the church of the fame name, is a
mafter-piece of his hand. The union, the accord,
the gout in the defign, and the difficulty of degrad
ing the fix camaldules, all dreffed in white, are ob
jects of admiration.
The gout, with which he had been attacked fe
veral years, prevented his execution of the defigns
and cartoons which he had made for the roof of the
church of St Lewis. While he was at work at the
great altar of St Jofeph a Capo le Caze, on a picture
in which that faint was reprefented waked by an an
gel, he was feized with a diftemper which prevented
his finifhing it. He had before painted, in frefco,
a St Therefa, over the door of the fame church.
This diftemper proved a long one, and carried him
off at Rome in 1661, when he was 62 years old;
His corpfe was buried in a magnificent manner at St
John de Lateran, where there is a fine epitaph to
his memory.
Caefar Fantetti, Joan. Baronius, G. Chateau, have
engraved after Andrea Sacchi. There are three
prints after him in the Crozat cabinet, and one in
the Hefperides, by C. Bloemart.
MICHAEL ANGELO di BATAGLIA,
WAS a name given to Michael Cerquozzi for
his excellence in painting battles. His turn
alfo for painting markets, fairs, and paftoral fub-
B 4 jects,

8 ft LIVES of-
jects, with a number of animals, gained him the
name of M. A. delle Bambocciate. He was born ar!
Rome in 1602. His father was a jetoeller, named"
Marcello Cerquozzi; who foon perceived his fon'3
talent for Painting, by fome defigns he made. Fie
put him under James D'Afe, a Flemifh. Painter,
then in credit- at Rome. He worked under that
mafter three years-; then paffed into the fchool of
Pietro Paolo' Cort-onefe, commonly called Gobbo del
Frutti ; whom he quitted, to follow the manner of
Peter de Laer, called -Bambochio-; a manner that
then took with all the young folks at Rome -. : :
-Michael Angelo furpaffed all his fellow ftudehts
in the goodnefs of his tafte. He had a manner -of
Painting peculiar to himfelf. His chearful temper
appeared iri his pictures. He work'd up the ridicule
in his pieces fo well, and • gave them fo much force
and truth, that it was impoffible not to laugh at
them. He was fo fond of the Spaniards, that he af
fected their drefs. He was "very well made in his
perfon, and a moft delightful companion. By his
pleafant manner of Painting, and the jollity of his
huiiioiir, his painting room' was always filled both
with -Romans and ftrangers. The quickriefs and fa
cility of his pencil were fo great, that on the recital
of a battle, a fhipwreck, or an uncommon figure,
he would exprefs it directly on his- canvas. His co
louring was vigorous, and his touch light. He ne
ver made defigns or fketches : he only re-touched
his pictures, till he had given them the utmoft per
fection in his power. His works were fpread all
over Italy. He could hardly fupply the commiffions
he received. By this means he grew rich apace, and
heaped together fo much money, that it embarraffed
him. The cuftom at Rome of placing riches in the
mount of piety, was not to his tafte. The fame odd
turn that furnifhed fuch extraordinary thoughts for
his pictures, fuggeftfcd as fingular means of fecuring his

eminent PAINTERS. 9
his effects. In fhort, he refolved to bury his mo--
ney. To which purpofe, he fet out one night from
Rome on foot, to hide a large fum of money in a
very retired place he had obferved in the neighbour
hood of Trivoli. The length of the way, and the
weight of the money, prevented his getting there
before day-break, which determined him to bury it
under a hillock. As he was returning to Rome, the
fear left.fomebody fhould find his money, made him
return to the place ; and finding feveral fhepherds
therewith their cattle, he kept watch all day long,
till the fhepherds retired, when he dug up his mo
ney, which he had much ado to carry home; where
he arrived half dead, havingbeen two nights and a
day without fleeping, or taking any nourifhment.
This accident opened his eyes. He placed his mo
ney in the ufual places, which he 'made Ufe of after
wards in pious foundations: But he could never re
cover his health, whatever care his friends took to
procure him that fjleffing. At the time when he
had the "greateft hopes of it, a violent fever feized
him, and carried him off. He ended his days at
Rome in the year 1660, at the age of 58. His epi
taph is fixed up in the church De Orfanelli, which
he had not forgot in his will.
This Painter was never married, nor do we know
of any of his difciples. He was extremely regular
in his manners, faithful to his word, charitable and
particularly kind to Painters. He fpoke well of every
body, even of thofe that depreciated his works.
Thefe good qualities gained him many friends, the
chief of which was Giaunthib Brandi, the famous
Painter. It is to be obferved, that his laft works are beft.
He worked but little in churches; and his hiftory
pictures are much inferior to his others. He often
painted the figures in Vivinni's perfpective pieces.
Wc

io OLIVES 8/
We know only of a vafe of flowers engraved after
him by Coelmans, in the cabinet of Aix.
JOHN FRANCIS GRIMALDI,
IS beholden to the city of Bologna for his nativity,
in the year 1606. He ftudied under the Car-
racches, to whom he was related ; and his progrefs
lhewed his natural difpofition, He foon became dif-
^inguifhed for his landfkips, and alfo defigned figures
well. When he arrived at Rome, he copied all the beau
tiful things that prefented themfelves. Innocent X.
fiid juftice to his merit, and fet him to paint in the
palace of the Vatican, and the gallery of Monte Ca-
vallo, in concert with Paul Scor, and other able maf
ters. This pontiff ufed to come to fee him work,
and f.alk familiarly with him. Prince Pamphili, his
nephew, was likewife fond of him ; and employed
him in adorning his houfe of Bel Refpiro, at the gate
of St Pancrace. The example of thefe Princes
made every body feek after Bolognefe, and think
it a plesffure to have his works. ,
His reputation reached Cardinal Mazarini at Par
ris, who fent for him, fettled a large penfion on
him, and employed him for three years in embel-
lifhing his palace, and the Louvre, by the order of
Louis XIII. The troubles of the ftate, and the cla
mours raifed againft the Cardinal, whofe party he
efpoufed with great warmth, put him fo much in
danger, that his friends advifed him to retire among
the Jefuits. Bolognefe was of ufe to them, for he
painted them a decoration- for the expofition of the
holy facrament during the holy'days, according to
the cuftom of Rome. This piece was mightily re-
lifhed at Paris; the King honoured it with two vifits,
and commanded him to paint fuch another for his
chapel at the Louvre. All thefe works being finifhed,
Francifco

eminent PAINTERS. u
Francifco demanded leave of the King to return to
Italy. At his arrival at Rome, he found his great
patron, Innocent X. dead j but his two fuccefiors,
Alexander VII. and Clement IX. honoured him
equally with their friendfhip, and continued to find
full employ for his pencil, which embellifhed the
frizes of the new apartment and gallery of Monte Ca-
valJo. The Conftable Colonna, and Prince Pam
phili, had Bolognefe in their turns; whilft his ca
pacity and genius difplayed themfelves more and
more. His colouring is vigorous and frefh, his touch
beautiful and light, his fites are pleafant, his frefco
admirable, his leafing enchanting, his landfkips, in
the tafte of Carrache, may ferve for models to thofe
that intend to apply to that branch of Painting, yet
they are fometimes too green. He underftood archi
tecture, and has engraved in aqua fortis forty two
landfkips in an excellent manner, five of which are
after Titian.
Bolognefe was well made, with a behaviour that
inclined every body to love him ; above all, the fa
mous Algardi. The academy of St Luke twice
named him their Prince. He was generous, with-
outprofufion; refpectful to the great, without mean-
nefs; and very charitable to the poor. A Sicilian
gentleman, that had retired from Meffina with his
daughter, during the troubles of that country, was
reduced to the mifery of wanting bread. As he lived
over againft him, Bolognefe was foon informed of
it; and, in the dufk of the evening, knocking at the
Sicilian's door, withoutmaking himfelf known, tofled
in money, and retired. The thing happening more
than once, raifed the Sicilian's curiofity to know his
benefactor : therefore hiding himfelf behind the door,
he ftarted out on a fudden, and falling on his knees
to blefs and thank the hand that had relieved him,
Bolognefe

32 ft i L I V E S of
iBolognefe remained confufed, offered him his houfe,
3nd continued his friend till his death.
.Several other pieces of generality have diftin-
guifhed this artift. Being feized with the dropfy, he
fubmitted to the common fate of mortals, at Rome,
in the year 1680, in his 75th year; leaving a con
fiderable fortune to fix children, of which the young-
eft, named Alexander, was a pretty good Painter.
; " ¦ , *¦ j .
GAS PAR DUGHET,
Sirname'd ¦-.'.
p a u s s 1 n,
HOUGH born at Rome in 16 1 3, was fon of
James Dughet, aParifian, fettled in that city.
,His father, who.had married one of his daughters to
the famous. Pouffin, placed his fon Gafpar under
him; who had, from his earlieft youth, manifefted
an uncommon tal.en't for Paintings Gafpar took the
name of Pouffin from the alliance betwixt them*.
Pouffin, through; he difcovered in him a particular
turn for landfkips, yet encouraged him in the ftudy
of figures, which conftitute one of its principal or
naments. His beginnings were fo happy, that Pouf
fin declared to his friends, that he fhould not have
believed that Gafpar's pictures were of his hand, if
he had not feen him paint them., Gafpar was pafr
fionately fond of hunting, as well as of the country ;
whilft he was purfuing his fport, he did not neglect
any opportunity of defigning the beautiful effects of
nature. His pictures began to be fought after, when
a Milanefe Knight engaged him to come into his
country, which was renowned for hunting. This
wandering life did not agree with him ; he was born
for more ferious purpofes ; and the city of Rome had
charms enough to invite him back thither in a very
little

eminent PAINTERS. 13
little time. The Duke of La Cornia, for whom he
had painted fome pictures with which he- was very
well pleafed, made him come back to Peroufa and
Caftiglione, where he ftaid near a year. But hunt
ing and fifhing engaging him by turns, made him
very negligent and unfaithful to Painting : at laft
he took leave of the Duke, making ; him a' prefent
of fome pictures. The Duke, in return, defrayed
his expences, and conducted him to Rome; where
he arrived, loaded with the marks of the Duke's
bounty. Gafpar, to have it more in his power to defign
after nature, hired four houfes; two in the higheft
quarters of Rome, one at Trivoli, and a fourth at
Frefcati. By the ftudies he made from them, he
acquired a great facility, and admirable touch, and
a great frefhnefs of colouring. Pouffin, who Often
came to fee him work, took great pleafure in adorn
ing his landfkips with excellent figures.
Continual labour, and the fatigue of htinting,' the
amufement of his holy-days, flung him into a dan
gerous diftemper. •' After a long illnefs, he retired
for the air to the Duke of Cornia's at Peroufa. That
nobleman carried him to Caftiglione and Florence,
where he met with a favourable reception from the
nobility, and received commiffions for a great/num
ber of pictures. He went again to Florence, whence
he returned to Rome, with a defign of fetting out
for Naples, where a year was hardly enough to fa
tisfy this engagements to the curiousTwho employed
him. Gafpar, on his return to Rome, painted in frefco
feveral large landfkips, with figures of a confiderable
fize, in the church of St Martin del Monte. It was
then he firft began to imitate the manner of Claude
Lorrain. The Princes of Rome, and the Noblemen
of Italy, were not the only people that employed
him ;• his works were fought after by ftrangers. His firft

*4 The L I V E S of
firft manner was dry ; his laft, vague and agreeable ;
the fecond was beft, it ravifhed the fpedlators with
more fimplicity, more truth, and more knowledge.
No body, before Gafpar, had drawn the winds and
ftorms into their pictures : the leaves feemed agitat
ed ; and the trees, though inanimate, ceafed to be fo
under his hand. His fites are beautiful, in a juft
degradation, with a fine management of his pencil ;
yet his trees are too green, and his maffes too much
of the fame colour.
This Painter, referved in converfation, loved his
Fellow-Painters, and defpifed no body; he enjoyed
all he had in common with his friends. His chear-
ful air, and pleafant humour, drew a great deal of
company about him ; fo that though he was once
worth 30,000 Roman crowns, and never married,
the pleafure he took in often entertaining his friends,
and a fit of ficknefs, which carried him off at the
end of two years, hardly left him enough to bury
him honourably in the church of St Sufanna, in the
year 1675, and the 62d of his age.
Gafpar graved himfelf eight landfkips, of which
four were in Rounds ; De Ligny graved two length
ways ; there is one in the cabinet of Aix. There is
a fet of pieces lately done at London, by feveral
hands, after this mafter.
SALVADOR ROSA, or SALVATORIEL,
EQJJALLY eminent in Painting and polite
learning, was the fon of a carpenter, born at
Naples in 1615. He was educated under Francifco
Francanzano, his relation, a Painter in that city ; and
found himfelf reduced to the neceffity of hanging
out his pictures in public for his fupport. Lanfranc,
pafling by, bought one ; and, to encourage him,
befpoke feveral more. Salvator afterwards ftudied
under. Ribera, under whofe directions he improved greatly.

eminent PAINTERS. 15
greatly. He continued with him till he was twenty ;
when, having loft his father, Ribera took him with
him to Rome. For four years he made confiderable
ftudies, and then entered into the fervice of Cardinal
Brancacci, a Neapolitan j who carried him to his
bifhopric of Viterbo, where he painted St Thomas
touching his Matter's wounds, and feveral other pic
tures. Naples poffeffed him for fome time, but Rome
fuited him beft; yet every where he gained friends,
by his excellent talents for Painting and Poetry.
His reputation now beginning to be eftablifhed,
Prince John Charles de Medicis, who happened to
be at Rome, carried him to Florence, where he re
mained nine years. He divided his time between
Poetry and Painting, for Salvator was a fatiric poet,
and his fatires have been reprinted feveral times ; he
was alfo a good mufician.
The people of polite learning at Florence grew
fond of his converfation, and the lively fallies of his
wit, which were a conftant fund of pleafure and in
ftrudtion ; fo that his houfe became a kind of academy.
There he alfo often had comedies prefented, in which
he acted himfelf. The rooms in which he acted were
adorned with great elegance in a pictorefque man
ner. His comedies grew fafhionable; and every body,
in imitation of him, affected to become actors. Not-
withftanding thefe amufements, he executed feveral
great works for the Grand Duke, and the Prince,
his fon ; who loaded him with their favours. He
was fome time at Volterra, with the Maffei, who
took him to their eftate, where he employed himfelf
in painting feveral pictures, though literature took
up the greater part of his time. He continued here
above a year, and in that time compofed his fatires.
Salvator is a greater Painter in landfkip than in hif
tory; his pictures are adorned with fine figures of
foldiers ; he has painted animals, battles, fea-views*
and fahtaftical fubjects, very well ; but his mafter- piece.

16 The LIVES of
piece was landfkip. His leafing is extremely light
and lively : it is likewife impoffible to engrave with
more fpirit, and a more beautiful touch, than ap
pears in thofe works that we have of his hand.
Though Salvator's ftile of Painting was very good,
his touch admirable, and his manner entirely his own,
as he has imitated no body ; his genius was Whimfi-
cal: for often, without confulting nature, he trailed
too much to practice ; for which reafon his figures
were gigantic, and fometimes uncOrredt. He painted
very quick: he often began and finifhed a picture of
a middling fize in the fame day. His room was fur-
nifhed with a large looking-glafs, before which he
placed himfelf 'in thofe attitudes he wanted ; and this
was all his ftudy. His friend Lorenzo Lippi/ find
ing himfelf at a lofs in puttiug in the landfkips to a
hiftory he had painted, Salvator took up his . pallet
and pencils, and in a little time laid in a piece of
landfkip which every body admired. After Salva
tor left Florence and Volterra, he fixed himfelf at
Rome; where he took it into his head for fome time,
by fixing an extravagant price on his pictures, to
prevent any body from buying them. He took it
mighty ill to be praifed as a landfkip Painter; his
great vanity was being efteemed excellent in hiftory,
and to have it thought that he was fuperior to every
body in the allegorical and poetic parts of Painting.
He did a great number of pictures in churches, which
are certain proofs of his capacity in treating hiftory.
His manner of living was that of a philofopher, which
he affected to fhew in his Paintings, by giving them
a moral fignification. He was fo fond of his liberty,
that he would never enter into the fervice of any
Prince, though often preffed : amongft others, Don
Ferdinand of Auftria folicited him, when he came
to Florence on account of the nuptials of the fon of
the Grand Duke with Margaret of Orleans. As Sal
vator

eminent PAINTERS. 17
Vdf&r was Very lively in his failles of wit, I fhall meri-
- tion a few of therfi.
The Painters of Rome having refufed to admit
him into the academy of St Luke; one day, when
he knew they were affembled, on account of a holy-
day, in a church, where they had expofed their pic
tures, -he fent one of himfelf, in which he had dif-
guifed his manner; and pointing it out to tkemi
told them^ — " That the author of it was a furgeon*
" whom they had refufed admiffion into their acade-
*' my; for which certainly they were in the wrong*
" as they had fuch conftant occafion for him, to
" fet the limbs of thofe poor figures which they lamed
" every day fo unmercifully."
One day, as he was touching a bad fpinetj a per
fon who flood by, told him, it was good for no
thing: " But, fays he, I will make it worth an hun-
" dred crowns V and immediately painted fo fine
a piece on the cover of it, that it fold, on the fpot
for that futru . . >
A certain perfon- intending to adorn his gallery
with the portraits of his friends, fet Salvator to work ;
who made all their caricatures, in which he excelled
perfectly 5 hot forgetting his own, which prevented
their refentment.! His genius naturally led him to
that kind of Painting: which partook of fatire. In
finifhing this Work* he was feized with a fever, fo
that it proved his laft. ;--. ;
This Painter Was exceeding generous, and worked
more for reputation; than to get money, as the fol
lowing adventures clearly fhew;
A certain rich Knight had been haggling with;
him for fome time about a large landfkip ; as he was
frequently coming after it, he always' ajked the price,
to which Salvator, onevery demand, 'added an hun
dred crowns. The Knight mentioned his furprize. ,
He: replied, — a You'll find it a hard matter,,, with all
C ¦',': " your.

18 ft L I V E S of
" your riches, to agree with me." And to prevent
any farther importunity, defaced the picture. , , , •
: The Conftable Colonna having ordered a 1 arge pic
ture, Salvator finifhed it with .great care ; and fcht
it him home, without mentioning any thing about
the price. The Conftable expreffed his fatisfadtion
by a purfe of gold, which he fent in return. Sal
vator, charmed with this behaviour, and finding him
felf greatly overpaid, painted and fent another pic
ture to the Conftable, who made him the fame return-
He afterwards fent him a third, and a fourth; for
each of which, the Conftable advanced the fum : but
on receiving the fifth, he fent him two purfes, and
at the fame time word, that the conteft was by no
means equal between them ; as it was not near fo eafy
For him to fill a purfe, as it was for Salvator to paint
a picture. After a long abode at Rome,: Salvator was feized
with the dropfy ; during which illnefs he married his
maid, who was a Florentine, by whom he had had fe
veral children. He had an extreme averfion to this
marriage, as the woman, who was a mean, low crea
ture, had behaved more as miftrefs, than afervant to
him; and, at the fame time, had beftowed her favours,
without muqh referve, amongft his acquaintance.
Thefe considerations fhocked him greatly, as he was
a man of nice honour; but his confeffor, fupported
by fome of his friends, urging all tflie arguments their
zeal could furrtifh, and finding that his ftrongeft rea-
fbns had nota proper weight, cried, — " But, Signior
*c Salvator, you muft marry her, if you hope to en-
" ter pradife.* He calmly replied,—" Then, if I
" cannot enter into paradife without being a cuckold,
*¦• I muft do it."
This chearfulnefs of temper never left him ; nor
did his diftemper, though tedious, ever alter it. Al
luding to his name, Salvator, he looked upon it as
an earneftof hisfalvation, a.nd that God would never fuffer

eminent PAINTERS. 19
fufrer"the devil to perfecute A man that bore the name
of Salvator. He ended his days at Rome, in 1673,
aged 58. ; He was buried in the Chartreux, over
againft Carlo Marat* where his- epitaph and repre
fentation may be feen in marble.
Salvator has engraved in aqua fortis the following.
plates; — a book of different military habits, andother
fubjects of caprice* of 60 leaves, with the title ; — ,
feyen Uprightprints* amongft which are, the Apollo*
Glaucus* two of St William * &c. fix frizes of Tri
tons, River Gods, and Naiades-,— feven other Upright
prints of a larger fize, amongft which are Alexander
with Apelles, Diogenes, Plato, Dembcritus, and three
allegories.;— four of different forms, Polycrates, Re^
gulus, Oedipus, and the giants;— in. all, eightyfour
pieces: befides what have been engraved after him,
as — a fet of laridikips, by Goupy, of eight leaves ;
—two large chiaro ofcuro's, by Popd;— one : large
allegorical print, by Laurent. There are alfo fome
pieces, in the cabinet of the. Emperor, engraved' in
a-pictorefquetafte, by A.J. Prenner, which contains
four fuits, amounting to two hundred prints, after
different mafters.
JOHN BENEDITYO CASTIGLIONE, ..
WAS born at Genoa, in 1616. He applied!
' himfelf early to the belles lettres, but the love-
of Painting got the better of his other ftudies. The
feveral fchools' he paffed. through fucceffively, pro-
curedium a tafte of colouring, and a very lively man
ner* which made his works much fought after. He
began to ftudy under John Baptift Pagi, with whom
he did not ftay long, believing he could profit more
in the fchool of Andrea de Ferrara. This mafter, with
whom he worked a great while, took pleafure in af-
fifting the growing talents of the young man ; who,
on his part, diftinguifhed himfelf both by his Paint-
C 2 • ings '

¦m ' ft LI VES of
mgs and engravings. To complete his happinefs^
Vandyke came to fpend fome time at Genoa. Be-
fleditto" embraced the opportunity; in his fchoof he
endeavoured to make himfelf perfect in that precious
tone of colouring, and that delicaey of pencil* fo fa
miliar to Vandyke, who was his laft mafter.
Beneditto could not fail of forming a grand man
ner; -he fucceeded equally in facred and profane hif
tory. ; Portrait and landfkip were not out of his way,-
but his natural inclination led him to paftoral fab-
jects, marches, and animals, for which he made par
ticular ftudies. No body ever fucceeded fo well in
that kind of Painting; his defign was elegant, hi&
touch was fkilful, and his pencil vigorous ; his un
derftanding of the chiaro ofcuro was fo perfect, that
it ftruck and furprized all that looked on his works.
His defire of deferving the approbation of great
men increafing, he painted a confiderable time'at
Rome. He afterwards went to Naples, Florence*.
and Parma ; and left in all thofe cities proofs of his.
knowledge. His fortune was not equal to his repu
tation; but, like a truly great mind, without grafp-
ing at riches, he was contented with deferving them-
Venice, at laft, engaged him to perfect his colour
ing. He made furprizing ftudies after Titian, Tin
toret, and Paul Veronefe. The Senator Sacredo com
ing to fee him paint, by his generous behaviour en
gaged him to exercife his pencil in adorning his pa
lace; where, exerting his abilities, he produced moft
admirable proofs of his fkill.
The city of Mantua finifhed his travels. He en
tered into the Duke's fervice, who, on the report of
his merit, received him in the moft gracious manner.
The favoursfhewn him by that Prince, the noble gra
tuities he beftowed on him, and a coach kept for his
fervice, added fpirit to his fkilful pencil. The Duke
of Mantua, who had a natural good tafte for beauti
ful performances,, found him full employment, and hia

eminent PAlN'TEHS. 21
hts palace was adorned on all fides with the works of
Beneditto. Spite of the infirmities to which he was
fubject, he continued his works ; nor do his labours
at all difcover the uneafinefs he fuffered. At laft,
the gout, joining with his other diftempers, ended
his days in that city, in the year 1670, at the age of
54- Beneditto engraved in aqua fortis feveral prints*
in a lively manner; fuch as — Diogenes, with his
lanthorn; — anativity; — the beafts going into the ark;
— the fame fubject in fmall; — the raifing of Lazarus*
great and fmall ;— a flight into Egypt ; — a virgin:with
Jefus;— and an angel waking St Jofeph; — five land
fkips, with fawns and fatyrs; — a magician, with fe
veral animals; — Circe opening Achilles's tomb, to
look for his arms ; — two fets of mens heads, one of
fixteen* the other of fix, amongft which is his own,
anddivers caprices and allegorical fubjedls ;— amount
ing in all to forty feven fubjects: without including
what have been engraved after his pictures by Mace,
Chatillon, Corneille, M. L'Afne, Coelmans, and
others. - - ¦,'¦
PIETRO FRANCISCO MO LA.
IT is not eafy for any man to acquire a greater
name, during his life-time, than Pietro Francifco
Mola. He was born at Coldre, in the diocefe of
Como, in the Milanefe, in 162 1. His father, John
Baptift, a Painter and Architect, foon. found out and
encouraged his fon's inclination for his art.. He car
ried him to Rome, to the cavalier Jofepin, to ftudy,
during his ftay in that city. When he returned to
Bologna, to begin the fort of Caftel Franco, by the
order of Urbin -VIII. he brought back his fon, whom
he placed under the directions of Albano. This maf
ter, finding in his new difciple great talents, joined
Co a fweetnefs of temper, would have married him
• j C 3 to

22 Tlf LIVES of
to one -of his daughters. Mola, not inclined to fuch
m engagement, went to Venice, to ftudy under Guer-
.chino, whofe bold and vigorous manner, and the
works of Titian and Baffan, perfected him entirely,
The jealoufy of Guerchino obliged Mola, -to a fecon^i
feparation. Rome was his refo.urce; there he expofed
his new Venetian Manner, which' gained him a great
name. Innocent X. received him favourably, and
employed him in feveral parts of his palace. He was
fet to paint the chapel of Jefus, where he reprefented
the miracle of St Peter in prifon, and the converfiop
of St Paul ; thefe two pieces in frefco were extremely
well relifhed, and procured him other works..
After the death of InnocentX. Alexander VIF who
fucceeded him, alfo took Mola under his protection,
fLnd made ufe of his pencil to reprefent the hiftory of
Jofeph, in the gallery of Monte Cavallo, for. which
the Pope rewarded him liberally. Whilft he painted
this Pontiff, he remained covered and fitting. Queen
Chriftina, of Sweden, fhewed him great marks of
her favour ;. fhe received him among her offkersj
fettled a handfome falary on him, apd befpoke fpr
veral pictures of him for her cabinet.
Mola was but young when he found himfelf fur-
rounded with all thefe honours. Fortune feemed to
lead him by the hand. Cardinals, Roman Princes,
and religious houfes, ftrove to give him new fubjects
to increafe his reputation, which had been too limited
if it had not paffed the Alps. Lewis XIV. informed
of his abilities, ordered propofals to be made him to
come to his court, with all the allurements that might
be expected from fo generous and magnificent a
Prince. While he was preparing to fet out for Pa
ris, and finifhing a picture that the Pope had com
manded for the Church del Pace, a difpute which
he had for fome time before with Prince Pamphili,
about a cieling which he had painted in his palace of
Yal Montane, and for the payment pf which he was
obliged

eminent PAINTERS. 23
obliged to fue that Prince, occafioned him fo much
vexation, that he fell fick at Rome of a violent head-
ach, that fiezed him while he was painting, and car
ried him off in fix hours, in the year 1666, at the
age of 45.
Mola was chief of the academy, of St Luke ; his
genius was fruitful and lively; a grand defigner, and
yet a greater colourift, though often too dark. He
excelled in landfkip and caricatures. An admirable
eafe is obferved in all his pictures. So many qualities
have juftly entitled him to the character of a great
Painter. There is another Mola, named John Baptift, who.
was alfo a difciple of Albano, whofe manner he fol
lowed entirely. Authors have agreed that he was a
Frenchman ; his landfkip is excellent, but his figures
are dry and hard, wanting that mellownefs that was
fo peculiar to the pencil of his mafter Albano. The
time and place of his death are unknown.
. Coelmans, Spierre, and Pietro Santi Bartoli, have
engraved after Francifco Mola.
P HI L IP P O L AU R I,
OWES his birth to the city of Rome, in 1623.
His father was originally of Antwerp, but
fettled in Italy, where he had two fbns : the eldeft,
Francifco, became an able Painter, by the inftruc-
tion of Sacchi, and died when he was but twenty five
ygars old ; Philip was the fecond. Balthafar, who
was a good Painter, and a difciple of Paul Bril, per
ceived with joy, that his fon Philip, without learn
ing to draw, when he went to fchool, took the faces ¦
of all his pjay- fellows.- So remarkable a difpofition
was an earneft of his becoming a great Painter. His
father placed him under his fon Francifco, who
taught him the firft elements of his art. The pre
mature death of .his brother, obliged him to pafs into
C 4 the

24 The L I V E S of
the fchool of' Angelo Carofelli, his brother in law,
who had acquired fome reputation in Painting. Phi
lip's progrefs was fo great, that • he foon furpaffed
his mafter in every kind. In the mean time he loft
his father, and, foon after, his mafter; who was fo
fond of him, that to make him known, he brought
all the curious ftrangers that came to Rome, to fee
him. *
Philip, who had ftudied much, foon quitted his
firft manner, and^&ppfied himfelf to paint fmall hif
torical fubjects, with back grounds of landfkip, in
a lively beautiful manner.' He alfo painted feveral
large picture's for churches, but did not fucceed fo
well in themas fmaller works. He left feveral pieces
unfinifhed; --' - • '' "
Nature, who had not bellowed her graces on his*
perfon, -endowed his mind with many accomplifh-
ments. He was mafter of perfpective, had a turn
for poetry, and a knowledge of hiftory and fable.
His chearful temper, and the lively fallies of his wit,
rendered him dear to his friends.
His barber hearing he had prefented his apothe
cary with a picture, for the care of him when he was
ill, flattered himfelf with hopes of the fame favour,
and begged a picture of him. Philip, who knew hisi
intention, made his caricature, imitating the ridicu
lous geftures he ufed in talking to him ; he wrote
under the picture, — " This man looks for a dupe,
*'"* and can't find him ;' and fent it to the barber's at
a time he knew that feveral of his friends would
meet in his fhop. Every one of them was ftruck
with the oddnefs of the character, and fell a laugh
ing and joking the poor barber, whom they pre
vented venting his rage on the pidlure ; and though
Philip diverted himfelf at his expence, he never ven
tured to come under his hand afterward*
One cannot fay, that Lauri was one of the firft
Painters of Rome; yet he defigned well and grace fully-

eminent PAINTERS. 25
fully. His landfkip was chearful, and in a good
tafte ; his colouring varied, being fometimes too
ftrong* fometimes too faint. The fubjedls he ge-*
nerajly. paiptedr were metamorphofes, bacchanals,
and often hiftorical fubjedls, which he treated with
great judgment. His pieces of this fort are fpread
a-11 over Europe.
He would never marry, or give himfelf the trou*
ble of forming difciples, His pleafure was, to amufe
himfelf with his friends. He would, on public ho
lidays, diftinguifh himfelf by playing off firer works.
He was always diverting himfelf with one merry
prank or other, the fallies of his lively imagination.
He loved expence, and by his mirth and good hu^
mour feemed to forget he grew old, till a diftemper
furprizedand carried him off at Rome, in 1694, at
the age of 71. His corpfe was attended to St Lau
rence in Lucina, his parifh church, by the academy
of St Luke, who had received him into their body
in 1652. He left a confiderable fortune to his great
nephews, befides feveral legacies.
The four feafons are engraved iq four plates after
him.
CARLO C I G N A N I,
WA S born at Bologna, in 1628. He acquired
a high charadler in the place of his nativity,
having been at the head of the academy of Painting
there for a confiderable time. His father, Pompeo Cig-
nani, of an antient family of Bologna, obferving his
fon.defign after the beft pidlures in his cabinet, readily
forefaw the ability he would one day difplay in that
art. Baptifta Cairo, a Bolognefe Painter, that Pom
peo took into his houfe, firft cultivated this fprout-
ing genius, which grew up in the fchool of Albano,
who always loved him as his own fon. Cignani out
stripped his comrades; he carried away all the prizes W

26 -ft L I :V E S *of
iri. the academy; and his firft effays in Painting ap
peared to be the works of a perfedt mafter. Albano
declared every where, that he^would be the greateft-
fijpport of his fchool ; and even employed him to
paint in his own works. . -..--• '•-
: His reputation now rifing, hi was fent for to Leg
horn, where he finifhed a Judgment of Paris in a-
mafterly manner. At his return to Bologna, Cardi
nal. Farnefe fet him towork in the great hall of the
public palace, where he painted, in two large pieces*-
King Francis I. who healed the King's evil as he
paffed. through vBologna; and the entry of Pope-
Paul HI. into that* city. The fame Cardinal car
ried him to Rome, where he painted two pictures-
in St Andrew de la Valle, and one in the Bafilic of-
St Peter, which is fince fpoiled by thedamps. Three*
years paffed away whilft he was engaged in thefe la
bours at Rome, after which he returned to Bologna,,
where he was loaded with careffes and employment;
ajlthe churches and palaces of that city preferring
to your view different tefti monies of his capacity.
Duke Ranucio, of Parma, ordered him to paint
the walls of a room, in the cieling of which Auguftin
Carrache had expreffed the power of Love. This
Prince directed him to continue the fame fubject,
which he treated with a great deal of elegance. There
was no civility the Dulte did not fhew him, to en-'
gage him to ftay at Parma ; but his domeftic affairs
obliged him to return to Bologna. As foon as he
got home, his firft occupation was to fhew his acknow»
ledgment to that Prince, by fending him a pidlure
of the conception, for the church of that name which '
he had built at Placentia.
Duke Francis Farnefe afterwards preffed him to re
ceive the title of Count and Knighthood, which* thro*
modefty, he had refufed the Pope, and feveral other'
Princes. AU thefe honours added to the public efteem;
his fchool acquired daily new difciples ; and his works ,
increafed

eminent P A I NfTEcR S. 27
inereafed the number of his adrrfirersr Such fuccefs
could not fail of being envied; his enemies publifhed
ftories to his idifadvantage^ they fpoiled the pictures
he, had made undjejt: the portico of the Servites, and
burnt the cartoons he had left there.
The -Elector of Bavaria named Cignani for one of
thofe four moft celebrated Julian Painters, who were
each to fumifh a piece towards embellifbing a church
at Munich, He affigned them a confiderable fum
for their performance, and a reward for him that
fhould fucceed;beft. Cignani fent a holy family; and
if it had not been for the management of thofe that
envied him, had carried the prize.
The -Great Duke of Tufcany, to fhew his efteem
for this Painter, defired his own picture, and feveral
other works that adorn the fine gallery at Florence,
There was nothing wanting now to complete Cigt
nani's glory, but fome grand public work that fhould
be worthy of him.- The cupola of the Madon^, del
Fuoco was offered him in ip*S6,"and he fat out for
that city to undertake it.
. After having continued his fchool fome time at
Bologna, under the care of two of his beft difciples,
he removed it* and alfo his whole family, to Forli.
Cardinal San Cefareo paffing through that city, de
fired a piece by his hand. Cignani prefented him an
Adam and Eve which he had , painted for a ftudy-
The Cardinal gave him five hundred piftoles, telling
him, that he had only paid for his cloth, and that
he looked upon himfelf ftill as obliged to him for th"?
picture. The city of Forli gave him his freedom, after hav
ing been twenty years at work upon that cupola,
which was not finifhed till 1 706. His-fon Felix helped
him greatly in that grand piece of work. In it he
has reprefented paradife, with a large number of
ggures, which ferve to fhew<he extent of his genius. Pops

2$ ' The L I V ES of
Pope Clement XL honoured him with his protec
tion, procured him a number of pieces of work, and
declared him Prince of the academy at Bologna-, ho
nouring that body with his own name, by calling it
the Clementine Academy.
-' He owed all his fuccefs to his merit ; this alone
raifed him to that degree of honour he enjoyed. He
finifhed his labours by the picture of the birth of Ju
piter, which he painted at the age of fourfcore for
the Elector Palatine, in 1715. Cignani being fiezed
with a catarrh, which difabled him from working;
after labouring under it four" years, finding himfelf
finking, he would have burnt a Danae for being too
naked, but his foh'sinterceffiori, -arid promife to co
ver it, preferved it. His death happened at Forli,
in 1 7 19, when he was 9 1 years old. His corps was
expofed under the cupola he had painted ; his fon
Felix celebrated his obfequies with great magnifi
cence, ahd an elegant epitaph ; the academicians of
Bologna paid his memory the honours they owed it,
by a magnificent fervice, and a funeral oration at the
end of the year. Cignani had eighteen children, who.
are all dead.
He had a good countenance, and an honeft heart;
a generous mirid, that inclined him to affift and fup-
port his difciples, to do good to thofe that difobliged
him, and even to commend thofe that fpoke ill of
him. In Cignani is found a frefhnefs and force of pen
cil* a lighthefs of hand, an admirable compofition,
a correctnefs of defign, gra'cefulnefs, mellownefs, fer
tility of genius, an eafe in fpreading his draperies ;
in a word, he may be reckoned amongft the moft
graceful Painters. Above all things, he attached
himfelf to exprefs the paffions of the foul in his cha
racters. The new manner he had formed, was from
Guido and Caravagio, without ever lofing fight of
".•he graces of Corregio,
When

eminent P AINTEHS. 2y
When he defigned, and the defign difpleafed him,
he tore it, and made another, faying, "Whatever
" charige he made, it was always only a defign
*c warmed over again." His pictures, in the man
ner of- Carrache* feerh larger than they are in effect.
The art of placing and difpofing his figures, and a
happy turn of compofition, were among the excellen
cies of this Painter. He is reproached, with finifh
ing his pictures fo much, that he deftroyed die fpirit
of them; that his colouring was too ftrong, and he
gave his figures fo much relief, that they were not
united with1 his -grounds. He was alfo generally
looked upon' as properer to paint virgins and half
figures, than hiftorical fubjects. - ~S>
Cignani efteemed Lewis XIV. aboveall the Princes1
of his time, and equalled him to the .greateft. men
tioned in hiftory ; not for the fplendor of his con-'
quefts, bnt merely for the love toe expreffed for- the
arts and fciences.
" There are few prints graved after Cignani; we
know of a St Katharine, -by Dorigny; ^an Aurora, byt
Meloni ; and the -Chaftity of Jofeph, by Jacomo
Frey. ;-. _ -..¦..i
CARLO MARA T T d, - \
WAS born at Camerano in 1625. His grand-*
father, Matthew Maratti, haying quitted
Sclavonia, where he was born, i eftablifhed "himfelf
with his wife and two fons -at Camerano ; one of
which, named Thomas* marrying there, was father*
of Carlo. ; '
While he was yet a child, he covered the walls of
his father's houfe with virgins ; and for want of co
lours, made ufe of the. juice of herbs and , flowers.
He copied all prints that came to his hand, and in
ftead of ftudying at fchool, he drew every thing than
came into his fancy, A book of the principles: of
Defign,

3d ."; The L I V /E <$ of
pfcfigh; which Bafnaby -his-balf Brother had Jefr tfi
his'-mother^s houfe, was found in his hands. Carlo
copied it entirely, and fent it to his brother.^ , who
was then atRomej..; . . -,.-,-
^The furprizing progrefs of the child determined
Dominico Corraducci, his relation, to fend him to
Rome, though but eleven years old, to join his brO-l
ther Bahnaby* who after having inftructed him a year*
placed him in the fchool of Andrea Sacchi. . ,;,
, Carlo Maratti continued nineteen years in that
fchool, copying Raphael, and other great mafters.
His brother Barnaby fold his defigns to ftrangers,
who valued them; as they difcovered the touch of a
great mafter. He copied a defign that Andrea Sac
chi had given him for a ftudy, fo perfectly, that his
mafter, in comparing them, miftook the copy for,
his own. drawing. Maratri continued a:ftudent,'tili
he found himfelf capable of depending on his own
knowledge. His mafter, who did not love Bernini,
drew on him the enmity of that great man, who pre
ferred much inferior Painters to him, to execute thofe
works that.were under his direction. . Notwithstand
ing this, by the credit of his mafter, and the merit of
his own works, he gained a reputation of excelling
in painting Virgins,-.- which got him at Rome the nick
name of CarlucciodelleMadone; they even faid, he
could paint nothing elfe. Andrea refblviitg tar fhew-
him in his proper light, fet him to paint Cori|taii-
tine deftroy ing the idols, in the baptiftryof St John
of the Lateran.- Maratti. acquitted- himfelf fo welly
that he fiienced' the common report, that he could
paint nothing but Madona's. The three chapels of
St Ifidore,' that he painted afterwards, raifed his re
putation fo high, that Alexander VII. defired- to fee
him, and commanded him to paint a large picture
for the church del Pace. Clement IX. that fucceeded
him, fhewed the fame kindnefs to Carlo Maratti ;
and after he had painted his nephews, ordered him to

eminent PAINTERS. gr
to paint his own picture, with which he "feemed greatly
pleafed. The Pope, contrary to cuftom, made him fit in
his prefence, faying, — " That When a man was at his
" work, he ought to be at his eafe." Clement X.
his fucceffor, employed Carlo Maratti on the chapel
Airier i, in the church of Minerva ; and on the eieling
of the great hall of the palace of Altieri, he took for
his fubject Clemency, in allufion to the name of the
Pope. Under the pontificate of Innocent XL he exe
cuted the great picture for the altar of St Francis Xa-t
vier, in the church of Jefus ; and divers other pic
tures for the Marquis Palavicini. The Pope ordered
him to cover the breaft of the Virgin, which Guido.
had painted in the private chapel of the Vatican ; on
which occafion he made ufe of water colours, fo that
the colour might be Wiped off with a fponge. If thefe
great works entirely ftopped all infinuations of his
want of abilities, thgy alfo occafioned him a violent;
illnefs. ' ;uv,- . -,. . ;-;
. Maratti was in great favour with Alexander VIII.
who did. not live long In: his time he„ finifhed the
great picture of St Charles al Corfo, which he worked
at upon the altar, . that . he might fit the proportion
more, juftly to. the .place* The figures on the fore
ground ar.e twenty. two jpialm-f high; it is pity there
k-not. more colouring in that piece. ¦ Innocent XIL
confirmed him in the.poft of keeper of the Paintings
in the Vatican*' which was conferred on hins by In
nocent XI. with alrl the emoluments and expences n!e-
ceffary to. reftore and preferye, the pictures. Carlo"
Maratti had been, always protedted by Cardinal Al-
bani, who, after the death of Innocent, was. chofen
Pope, by the name: of Clement XI. , He was often
admitted to hisawdience ; and, thisPontiff Commanded
from him an affumption of the Virgin* for a chapel
of the cathedral, of Urbin* his country, where Cig
nani had already painted ;a picture.- of the nativity of
the

32: The L I V E S of
the Virgin. The Pope next appointed him to refttifS
the Paintings in the chambers of the Vatican, as he
had, fome years before, done thdfe in the Farnefe
gallery, and the lodge Chigi, painted by Raphael
This Painter fattened up the cieling with eight hun
dred and fifty Copper nails; he fquirted up watery
and afterwards plaifter, through holes made for that
purpofe, to fallen the pieces of the plaiftering* which
Was falling to ruins ; they alfofixed iron rivets to keep
it better together. Carlo, affifted by four of his dif
ciples, painted the ground with ultramarine* with
water and crayons ; in the fame manner they did thd
head* and figures that wanted it; fo that the whole'
may be wiped off with a fponge; that, as he faid*
fome abler hand might one day efface his work, and
do juftice to the great Raphael. The ultramarine
gives adrynefsto the figures, which lookcoarfe* like
the decoration of a theatre ; and the carnations look
of a brick colour, which takes away entirely the
union of the figures with the ground. He ufed ano
ther method to clean the four Chambers of the Vati
can •, he wafhed them with Greek wine, and then dried
them with large white towels, which brought out the
colours afrefh; he afterwards varnifhed them over :
as to the frizes, and ornaments of chiaro ofcuro, -they
were moftly repainted. This work fucceeded hap
pily, and Clement was fo well pleafed, that he gave
the Painter a penfion, and the order of Chrift. The
ceremony was performed, by his order, in the Capi
tol, on the da*, of diftribution of the prizes in Paint
ing, Sculpture, and Architecture, among the young-
artifts of the academy of St Luke, of which Carlo
was head. The Pope carried his goodnefs ftill far
ther; to cure him of his debauchery, in the jubilee
year he made him marry a wife, with whom he af
terwards lived forty- years.
Carlo Maratti was employed to furniffi cartoons'
for the mofaics in the fecond chapel, on the left-hand,. entering,

eminent PAINTERS. 33
entering into St Peter's ; in which he has reprefented
the conception of the Virgin, with a number of
figures. At upwards of fourfcore he painted two
great altar- pieces ; one is, the St Amadeus for Tu
rin; the other, the baptifm of our Saviour for the
Chartreux at Naples.
At laft, his trembling hand refufed to execute the
conceptions of his mind : this, joined to the weak-
hefs of his fight, obliged him to. renounce his art.
He now employed himfelf wholly iri ihftrudlirig his
difciples; till growing quite blind and infirm, he*
Was forced to keep his room, and then his bed. He
died with greatfentiments of piety in 171 3, aged 89.
His remains Were carried to the Chartreux church,
Where he had caufed his tomb, adorned with his buft
in marble, to be built. He only left one daughter,
Who inherited above 40,000 Roman croWns.
Few modern Painters have been fo much diftiri-
guifhed as Carlo Maratti, or honoured and cherifhed
by fo many Princes. Lewis XIV. fent him the "bre-
viate of his Painter in ordinary. He was a great de
figner, his thoughts were elevated, his difpofitions
fine* his touch very fpritely, his pencil frefh and
mellow; he was knowing in hiftory," allegory, archi
tecture and perfpective, which knowledge was of
great advantage to his works." The fimplicity and
noblenefs of the airs of his. heads, and the graceful-
nefs fpread all over them, are particularities which
have given this Painter fo diftrhguilhed a reputation.
He was extremely modeft and charitable ; fpeak
ing ill of no body; filencing thofe that judged with
ill nature of other peoples works; informing thofe
that afked his advice, without anyaffedled fuperiority;
affable to his difciples and young folks ; he often gave
them his drawings, and furnifhed them with fteps to
meafure the beautiful figures of the antique ; no man
ever took "more pains to revive the great Raphael and
Annibal Carrache, whofe bufts he got carved in
D marble,

3-4 & LIVES, of
marble, to place in the Rotunda. Carlo Maratti was
lively in his converfation ; he loved to entertain him
felf on the fubjedlof his art, and hardly knew how" to
leave talking of it ; his curiofity made him colledt
pidlures of great mafters, cartoons,, and drawings;.
for which laft his fondnefs was fo great, that he has
often given a picture of- his own painting fora curious
drawing. He engraved in aquafortis feveral plates ; — a fet
of the life of the Virgin, in ten prints;— the Samari
tan woman, after Carraehe ; — the hiftory of Helio^-
dorus, after Raphael ; — the martyrdom of St Andrewr
after Domrniquin; feveral Engravers-have copied him :
all his works amount to above two hundred prints.
Out of a great number, his two moft eminent and
favourite difciples were Giufeppe Chiari, bom- at
Rome in 1654. He has done feveral public works,
in which he has proved himfelf a worthy difciple of
Carlo Maratti ; who trufted him to-finifh the cartoons,
for the mofaic of one of the little cupolas of St Peter,
He did one of the twelve Prophets in St John of the
Laterany which were only given to the moft able
Painters of that time. He died of an apoplexy at
Rome, in 1727, at the age of 73.
Rome gave birth in the fame year to Giufeppe Paf-
feri. He was placed under the inftrudlions of Ma
ratti, who was fond of him, and made him copy all
the works of Lanfranc and Michael Angelo, and
obferve the delicacy of Guido and Dominiquin, with
the colouring of Titian and Corregio. Pafferi painted
feveral good pictures, and worked a great deal ia
churches. He died in 1714, aged 60.

I

LUCA J ORD ANO,
S an inftance, that the feholar fometimes furpaftes
his mafter. This

eminent PAINTERS. 35
This Painter was born at Naples in 1632, in the
neighbourhood Of'Jofeph Ribera? whofe works at
tracted him fo powerfully, that he left his childifh
amufements for the pleafure he found in looking o»
them. So manifeft. an inclination for Painting, de
termined his father, a middling Painter, to place him.
under the diredtions of that mafter*" .with whom he.
madefo great advances, that, at feven years old, his
productions were furprifing.
Hearing of thofe excellent models for Painting, that
are at Venice and Rome, he quittedNaples privately,
to go to Rome. He attached himfelf to the manner of
Pietro da Cortona, whom he affifted in his great works.
His father, whohadbeen looking for him, at laft found
him at work in St Peter's church. From Rome they
fat out together to Bologna, Parma, and laftly to Ve-:
nice: at every place Luca made fketches and ftudies
from the works of all the great mafters^ but efpecially
Paul Veronefe, whom he always propofed for a mo
del to himfelf. His father, who fold, his defigns and
fketches at a great price, kept him clofe to his work ;
and that he might not quit it, prepared his dinner for.
him himfelf, often calling on him, Luca fa Prefix* ; a
name'which h'ealways retained. It isfaid, that Jordano
had been fo great a copier, that he had defigned the
rooms and apartments of the Vatican a dozen times,
and the battle of Conftantine twenty. The number
of his ftudies gave him a furprifing facility, and gave
the firft rife to the elevation of his thoughts. A de-^
fire of gaining a higher degree of perfection occa
fioned Luca to fet out with his father to Florence*
where he began afrefh to ftudy ; copying the works
of Leonardo da Vinci, Michael Angelo, and Andrea
del Sarto. He went back to Rome, whence, after
a very fhort ftay, he returned to Naples, where he
married againft his father's inclinations, who appre
hended fuch an engagement might leffen his atten
tion to his profeffion. After feeing the Paintings of
D 2 Rome

36 The LIVES of
Rome and Venice, Luca quitted his mailer's man
ner, and formed to himfelf a tafte and manner that.
partook fomething of all the other excellent mafters-.
which occafioned Bellori to write, that he was like
the ingenious bee, that had extracted his honey from
the flowers of the works of the beft artifts. His re
putation was foon fo well eftablifhed, that all public.
works were confided to him, which he executed with
the greateft facility and knowledge. Some of his-
pidlures getting into Spain, pleafed Charles II. fo,. that
he engaged him to come to his court in 1692, to
paint the Efctirial, in which he acquitted himfelf as
a great Painter. The King and Queen often went
to fee him work,, and commanded him to be covered
in their prefence; In the fpace'of two years he finifh
ed the ten arched roofs and the ftair-cafe of the Efeu
rial. Afterwards^ he painted the grand faloon of Buen
Retiro, the facrifty of the great church at Toledo,
the chapel of the Lady of Atocha, the roof of the
royal chapel at Madrid, and feveral other works.
He was fo engaged to his bufinefs, that he did not
even reft from it on holidays, for which a Painter of
his acquaintance reproached him ; to whom he an-
fwered pleafantly, — " If I was to let my pencils reft,
" they would grow rebellious; and I fhould not be
t? able to bring them to order, without trampling
" on them." His lively humour, and fmart repar
tees, amufed the whole court. The Queen of Spain
one day enquiring after his family, wanted to know
what fort of a woman his wife was : Luca painted her
on the fpot, in a picture he was at work upon, and
fhewed her to the Queen; who was more furprized,
as fhe had not perceived what he was about; but was
fo pleafed, that fhe took off her pearl necklace, and
defired him to prefent his wife with it in her name.
Jordano had fo happy a memory, that he recollected
the manners of all the great mafters, and had the art
of imitating them fo well, as to occafion frequent
miftakes.

eminent PAINTERS. 37
rniftakes. The King fhewed him a picture of Baf
fan, expreffing his concern that he had not a com
panion. Lucas painted one for him fo exactly in his
manner, that it was taken for a picture of that maf
ter. The King, in return, knighted him, gave him
feveral places, made one of his fons a Captain of
horfe, and nominated another Judge and Prefident
of the vicariate of Naples; one of the King's-coaches
attended him every evening to carry him out: nor
was this all; the King carried his goodnefs ftill fur
ther.; marrying ; his daughters to gentlemen of his
court, and beftowing good places on them for por
tions. Philip V. kept him in his fervice after the death
of Charles II. which happened in the year 1700.
when he continued thofe great works he had begun ;
and as his ftay was long in Spain, his wife, on a falfe
report, believed him dead; to undeceive her, he
painted himfelf on .a card, and fent her his picture
by the poft.
On his return from Spain, he paffed through Flo
rence, where he painted on the 'deling of the chapel
of Corfini, in the church del Carmine, the apotheofis
of the faint, with a great number of figures. He alfo
adorned the gallery of the palace Richardi. Jordano
was the innocent caufe of the death of Carlino Dolce.
This Painter, who finifhed his works with too much
labour, and whom a conftant application to work to
a great age had not enriched, died with chagrin,, on
Luca's reproaching him with the lofs of fo much
time. The great works Jordano had executed in Spain,
gave him ftill greater repute when he returned to
Naples ; fo that he could not fupply the eagernefs of
the citizens, though he worked fo quick. The Je- .
fuits, who had befpoke a picture of St Francis Xa-
vier, complaining to the Viceroy that he would not
•fiflilh it, and that it ought to be placed on the altar
D 3 Of

38 The LIVES of
of that faint on his feftival, which was juft at hand j
Luca finding himfelf preffed on all hands, painted
this piece in a day and an half Oftentimes he painted
a Virgin holding a Jefus ; and, without any reft, in
an hour's time, would finifh a half length; and for
difpatch, not waiting for the cleaning his pencils,,
would lay on the colours with his finger. His man
ner had great lightnefs and harmony ; he underftood
fore-fhortning, but as he trufted to the great prac
tice of his hand, he often expofed to the public pic
tures that were very indifferent, and very little
ftudied ; in which he appears to have been incorrect,
and little knowing in anatomy. No body ever
painted fo much as Jordano, ¦ not even excepting Tin-.
toret. His fchool grew into fuch repute, that there
was a great refort to if from Rome and all quarters.
He loved his difciples* whofe works he touched upon:
with great readinefs; and affiftedthern with, his de^
figns, which he gave them with pleafure.. His ge
nerality was fo great, that he made prefents of •altar-
pieces to churches that were not in a condition to pur
chafe them. He' painted, gratis, the cupola of Sf
Bridget, for his reputation ; and touched it over a,
fecond time. By, a particular dexterity, that roof,
which is rather flat, feems very much elevated by the
lightnefs of the clouds which terminate the perfpec^
rive. . Two Neapolitans having fat for their pidlures, ne
ver thought of fending for them when they were
finifhed. Jordano having waited a great while with
out hearing from them, painted an ox's head on one,
and put a Jew's cap on the other, and placed a fuit
of old cloths in his arms, and expofed them to view
in this manner; on the news of which, they haftned
away with money in their hands, and begged him to
efface the ridicule that was annexed to their pidlures.
Though his humour was gay* he always fpoke
"well of his brother Painters, and received the hints that

eminent PAINTERS. ft
ttiat were given him on his own works with great do
cility. The commerce he had with feveral men of
'learning was of great ufe to him ; they furnifhed him
with their elevated thoughts, reformed his own,
and inftructed him in hiftory and fable, which he
never had read. ' His labours were rewarded with
great riches, which he left his family, who loft him
at Naples in 1705, when he was 73 years old. His
•monument is in the church of St Bridget, before the
chapel of St Nicholas de Bari, which is all of his
¦"hand. He has engraved -three plates in aquafortis; — one
of the Woman taken in adultery ; — another of the
Prophet Elias ordering the priefts of Baal to be killed
in the prefence of King Ahab; — and a St Ann.
Defplaces has engraved a chaftity of Jofeph, and
A. J- Prenner two prints, in the collection of the
Emperor's pictures at Vienna.
C I RO F E R R L
TH E city of Rome'boafts of having -given birth
to Ciro Ferri, in the year 1634. His father,
Stephano, defcended of a good family* left him a for
tune of above 30,000 crowns. This eafe in his cir-
cumftances was no obftruction to his tafte for Paint
ing. He prefervCd his patrimony for his fon Peter,
and his abilities at .his pencil furnifhed him with a
fufficiency to fupport his family. His genius was
¦elevated, his difpofitions beautiful, and his execution
;grand. Nothing can approach (nearer to his mafter
Pietro de Cortona, than his cielings, which are often
miftaken for Pietrtfe. Though he fet great prices on
his works, he was incontinual employ. Prince Bor-
,-ghefe, and Pope Alexander VII. had a great efteem
for him; and his three fucceffors were no lefs favour
able to bam.
D 4 The

4P The LIVES of
The Great Duke fent for him to Florence, and af
figned him a large penfion to finifh the works which
Pietro de Cortona had left imperfect. He entered fo
well into the fpirit of them, arid acquitted himfelf fo
worthily, that the whole work feems to be of the
fame hand. The Great Duke nominated him chief
of the fchool of Florence, and he continued fo a
great while.
Ciro Ferri returned to Rome, where he appeared
a great, architect, as well as a good Painter. Several
palaces and grand altars, viz. St John of the Flq-
rentines, and that of the Chiefa Nuova, were raifed
from his defigns. He diverted himfelf more with
Drawing than Painting. Fie was much importuned
for devices, figures for breviaries, and titles of books ;
feveral of which have been engraved by Spierre and
Bloemart. The Pope employed him in making car
toons for the Vatican ; and no man has worked more
in different kinds, than he. His genius appeared in
its full ftreqgth,, whether he was employed in paint
ing the effects of his own invention, "or compleating
thofe of his mafter.
The cupola of St Agnes, in the palace of Navona,
was his laft work. The chagrin he felt in feeing the
angles, of faciei, which were directly under it, the
force of whofe colouring made his appear too weak,
was the caufe of his death. One day he told Lazaro
Baldi, his companion, that his cupola appeared very
different on the fcaffold, to what it did from below ;
and that the angles of Bacici gave him great pain.
Ciro Ferri falling fick, left that cupola unfinifhed.
He prayed Carlo Marat,' on his death-bed, to com
plete it. This Painter excufed himfelf afterwards
from complying with his requeft. If he had afked
Bacici, he would have finifhed it, as he told feveral
pf his friends ; certainly no Painter would have acT
quitted himfelf better. Jealoufy in his profeffion was;

eminent PAINTERS. 41
was the caufe of Ciro's not doing it. His difciple
Corbellini terminated that work in a manner that did
no honour to his mafter.
Rome loft Ciro Ferri in the year 1689, at the
age of 55 -, he was buried with great magnificence
at St Mary Tranftevere. The Engravers who have
copied Ciro Ferri, are Pietro Aquila, C. Bloemart?
Roullet, de la Haye, Spierre and others. There
are more than fixty prints after this mafter,
BACICI.
JOHN BAPTIST GAULI was born at
Genoa in 1639, of very poor parents who died
of the Plague. Abandoned, without fupport, not
knowing what would become of him, as he came
out of the fchool of Borgonzone, with his portfolio
under his arm, he perceived a galley juft ready to
fail with the envoy of the republic to Rome, and
offered to enter himfelf on board, but the captain
refufing him, our young Painter who was hardly
fourteen years old, addreffed the envoy himfelf,
who after afking him a few queftions, ordered him
to be received into the train of his retinue,
The envoy being arrived at Rome, kept Bacici
in his houfe, till he had an opportunity of placing
him with a French Painter ; who dealt in pictures,
and kept him clofe to his work. He ftaid with
him as long as the envoy continued at Rome- Af
terwards he placed himfelf with another pidlure
merchant, who was a Genoefe, which was the be
ginning of his fortune, Bernini and Mario di Fiori,
became acquainted with Bacici, by vifiting the
merchant, and introduced him to feveral families
for whom he painted fome excellent portraits ; but
his turn was for hiftory and large compofitions.
flis firft attempts fucceeding, enabled him to take a

42 ' The L IVES of
a houfe and live at his eafe. His firft public pic
ture when he was but twenty years old was St Roch
with the Virgin, and St Anthony the Abbot;' which
was placed in the church of that name. This pic
ture raifing his reputation, procured him an advan
tageous match ; and Prince Pamphili gave hirh* in
preference to the moft able artifts in Rome, the four
angles of the cupola of St Agnes. Thefe : great
works finifhed his reputation, and Alexander VH.
ordered Bernini to bring him the Painter ; the Pope
gave him accef&to his palace, and commanded him
to paint his picture, whilft Bernini, who conducted
him in all things, had communicated to him the
elevation of his thoughts, and interefted himfelf fo
much in his favour, as to procure him the Painting
of the cupola of Jefus in preference to Ciro Ferri,
Carlo Marat and Brandi. The father general of the
Jefuits who had feen him work, and was pleafed
with his performance, feht him fix hundred -pieces
.of eight, hid Under a large pafty placed in a ' filver
¦difh ; Bacici, whofe imagination was quick, believ*
ing this was all the recomperice he was to' have a-
bove the price agreed on, flung the difh on the
ground in the prefence of thofe who brought it, and
diftributed the money ,to the poor. The general
foon difabufed him by fending him a thoufand pif
toles, and promifing him ftill more, on which he
fet himfelf to work with that eagernefs and fire that
were fo natural to him. Some time after, the father
general falling fick, and not being able to perfect
the promifes he had made to Bacici, he gave him
dying a note of hand with a blank fpace for the
fum to be filled up to his own fatisfadtion. The
Jefuits would not accept the note. Bacici tore it,
and refufed to go on with the work^ but Bernini
obliged him as it concerned his honour to finifh it.
He was five years painting this grand machine, which

.eminent PAINTERS. 43
Which at this day is the admiration of all the
world. Sonnets were made in praife of Bacici, every body
loved him ; his agreeable and lively converfation,
his genteel behaviour, his air, every thing engaged
mankind in his favour. Alexander VIII. gave him
feveral marks of his good will, and his nephew
Cardinal Ottoboni protected him on every occafion,
as well as the Cardinal of San-Cefare, He fet out
by order of the laft to paint the hall of the public
palace at Genoa. The exceffive price he demanded
frightened the Genoefe fo, that they gave that work
to Francefchini : All his bufinefs ended in painting
the Doge, who made him a handfome prefent.
When he returned to Rome, work crouded in
upon him from all quarters. A Knight befpoke his
picture without agreeing about the price ; the Pain
ter, after it was finifhed, demanded a hundred crowns ;
but the Knight furprized went away, and never
eame back to fetch it. Bacici painted a grate under
the pidlure, with this infeription, Sta prigione per de-
bito, and placed it in the moft confpicuous place in
his painting room. The uncle of the Knight, a man
in high ftation, being told of it, came to the Painter ;
and looking at the picture, faid, I believe this pic
ture is my nephew's : It is even he, faid Bacici ; but
the poor gentleman has the misfortune to be in pri-
fon for debt; the uncle paid the hundred crowns
down, and faid, that he thought it but juft to re-
Jeafe him.
This Painter was fo brifk and hafty, that having
agreed with a certain perfon to paint the roof of his
chapel, and fettled the price, he fet about making
ftudies, and a coloured fketch, the perfon liking
them, told him the ftudies and fketch ought to be
his into the bargain, upon which he put himfelf in
to a violent paffion, dafhed his pencils and pallet on

44 ft LIVES of
©n the ground, overturned his eafil, tore his cloth,
and refufed to paint the ceiling.
The Marquis Lorenzo Centorini, with whom he
got -acquainted at Genoa*, often went to fee him
work, while he was painting Innocent XII. The.
whin? took, the Marquis to have the portrait of his
uncle Hippolitus, General of the gallies of the Re
public, who had been dead twenty years, and whom
Bacici, had never feen. Such a propofal made him
foule, as he thought the Marquis had only made it
in jeft. But he ftill perfifting, promifed to defcribe
his uncle to Bacici in fuch a manner as fhould enable
him to form a refemblance from the defcription.
Bacici took a cloth rather to fatisfy his friend, than
with any idea of painting a portrait, but followed
his defcriptions exadlly, . blotting out and correcting
the head on four different cloths, till at laft it ap
peared, to the MarqUis exceeding like ; from this
model he painted H.ippolito at full length, dreft as
a warrior and commander of the gallies. The Ge
noefe who often vifited Bacici were all ftruck with
the likenefs of Hippolito, and trumpeted out this
inftance of his fkill, which met with a very gene-.
rous acknowledgment.
Bacici worked exceeding quick, in two months
he painted the roof of the church of the Fathers de
Santi Apoftoli; a difpatch that prejudiced both his
health and reputation, he was then 67 years old.
His agreement with thofe Fathers was for 2000
crowns, of which he had received 500 as earneft.
Being come by agreement to receive the reft of that
fum, he took an acquittance out of his pocket,
and made a prefent of it to them, who in return
almoft flifled him with their embraces, and bellow
ed on him 1000 benedictions. As he was about
finifhing feveral cartoons for the Mofaics of the.
little cupola of St Peter, a work which Clement X,
had commanded, he heated himfelf fo in fixing them ia

eminent PAINTERS. 4^
in their places, that he returned with a violent fe
ver, which foon laid him in his grave. He died
April 10, 1709, at the age of feventy. He left his
children about 50,000 crowns.
This Painter was very lively in his touch, inde
fatigable in bufinefs, of a great but whimfical ge
nius, a good colourift, underftanding perfectly the
magic of fore-fhortening. His figures have fo'much
force, that they feem to come out of the ceiling, yet
they are fometimes incorrect, often heavy, and his
draperies are too much manner'd. Bacici excelled
in portraits, Of which he painted a great number,
feven Popes, and all the Cardinals of his time, having
fat to him.
The ftrong mariner in which he painted his firft
pieces, was changed by the advice of Bernini, into
a clearer tone of colouring, fuch as he ufed in the
Church de Sariti -Apoftoli, whereby he became infe
rior to himfelf. Others fay, that this alteration hap-'
pened from the grief occafioned by the death of his
fon Laurence, to whom he had given a box on the
ear, in the prefence of his comrades, amongft whom
he found him diverting himfelf,' inftead of being a-
bout his bufinefs with his mafter, who was an ad
vocate ; arid that his fon, through refentment and
defpair, drowned himfelf in the Tiber. Bacici was
fo much affected by this accident, that he left off
handling his pencil for more than a year. There
are fome portrait's graved after Bacici in the feries
of Cardinals, fold at Rome by Roffi.
FRANCIS S O L I M E N E,
OF an ancient family originally of Salerrto, was
born at the city of Nocera de Pagani, in the
territory of Naples* in the year 1657. His father
Angelo who was a good Painter, and a man of
learning, difcovered in him a genius fit for every
fcience,

46 ft I- 1 VES of
fcience, Francis fpent whole nights in the ftudies
of poetry and philofophy, and unknown to his fa-.
ther defigned fo judicioufly in chiaro ofcuro, that
his performances furprized all that faw them. , An
gelo,. who defigned his fon for the ftudy of the law,
was at length informed of his inclination for draw-,
ing, yet did not alter his purpofe, till after Cardinal'
Orfini, * at a vifit, had the goodnefs to examine the
youth in philofophy : whofe fpritely anfwers pleat
ing his eminence greatly, Angelo told him that His'
fon would ftill do better, if he did riot walle fo much*
of his time in drawing in private ; the prelate on
this defired to fee his defigns, which furprized him.
fo, that he told the father, that he did injuftice,
both to his fon, and the art of Painting, to endea
vour to fupprefs that force of genius that was fo:
natural, and fo well marked out.
On this, Solimene had full liberty to give himfelf
up to his inclination. Two years paft on, whilft
he ftudied under his father ; when the defire of
perfecting himfelf determined him to vifit Naples'
in 1 674, there he put himfelf under the direction of
Francifco Maria, who was reckoned an excellent
defigner : his mafter poipting out the difficulties of
his art in the moft difcouraging manner, and giv
ing him little hopes of becoming an able man in his
profeffion, fo difgufted Solimene, that he quitted
him in a few days, to follow his own inclination ;
he guided himfelf by the works of Lanfranc, and
Calabrafe, in ftudying compofition, and chiaro of-
curo ; thofe of Pietro Cortona and Luca Jordano
were the compafs by which he fleered to arrive at
his tone of colouring ; and laftly, he confulted Guido
and Carlo Maratti for their beautiful manner of dra
pery. By a well managed ftudy of thefe mafters,
Solimene formed himfelf a fure gout. Every fub
ject of hiftory that rofe in his imagination, he im
mediately
* Since Benedict XIII.

eminent PAINTERS. 47
mediately committed to paper ; and often coloured
his defigns while he was at the academy- When
Francifco Maria reprimanded, him for painting his
model inftead of defigning it, his anfwer was, that
Paintings, and not Drawings were put up in churches,
and that by this means he made colouring become
eafier to him. ^
, His firft pictures were, Judith holding Holo;
Femes' s head^ Saul, Abraham's Sacrifice, and Lot
and his Daughters, which he painted for a private
perfon. He was afterwards imployed to paint four
large figures in frefco for the church of St George,
a work that feemed an earned of his future reputa
tion. Hearing the Jefuits intended to have the roof
of the chapel of St Anne painted, in the church
Jefu Nuovo, he fent them a fketch by an architec
ture Painter, not daring to carry it himfelf, as he
feared, a prejudice againft his youth might exclude
him. . His defign was neverthelefs accepted, and
whilft he painted this chapel, the beft Painters of
Naples, vifited him, aftonifhed that a meer boy
fhould furpafs them. The learned manner in which
he executed this work, difcovered a new ftyle, a lin
gular compofition, a great firmnefs of pencil, and
fuch a life in his figures, that they feem all in mo-,
tion. Luca Jordano was of the number of thofe
that came to fee him work, with whom he contract
ed a lafting friendfhip; without that low jealoufy,
that is beneath the dignity of truly great minds. ,
At this time the Fathers of St Nicolo alia Carita,
and the Nuns of D\ Regina, and thofe of D\ Al-
vina employed him in the churches of their Con
vents. The Theatin Fathers de S. Apoftoli, had
determined to beat down the Paintings of the arches
over the chapels of their church, and to give them
to Solimene. (This work, done by Jacomo del Po,
beingfo unequal to the roof, painted by the famous
Lanfranc,) Solimene who was then but thirty years old,

4S The L IV ES of
Old, would not let them be pulled down ; but pairi^
ing them over again in oil, rendered them much
fuperior to what they had been originally. Now he
intirely changed his manner^ his compofitions be
came much richer, his defign from the naked gran
der, the plaits in his drapery larger, he gave more
grace, and greater variety to the airs of his heads',
more nature, more action and, motion to his figures.
He was admired for his great tafte in Paintirig.his
clouds, fky, ground and trees, - for the admirable
Frefhnefs of his tints, the harmony of the whole, and
the tender union and great force of his colouring.
His reputation was now at its heighth - and great
works were offered him from all quarters* The
¦Fathers of Mount Caffin fent for him to paint their
church : After he had Worked on it a confiderable
time, he went to Rome to examine the fine Paint
ings of Raphael, Polidore, Cafrache, Dominichirio,
Guido, Lanfranc, and Carlo Maratti, with whofe
picture of the death of St Francis XaVier he was
fo inraptured, that he cried in a tranfport, that no
hand but that of an angel had painted that piece*. He
continued a month in that-City- in which time he
painted the Rape of Orithyiaf or Cardinal Spada.
While he was imployed in Painting at Mount
Caffin, Philip V. arrived at Naples, who com
manded him thither to paint his portrait. This mo
narch made him fit in his prefence, and diftinguifh-
ed him highly by the favours he fhewed him.
His reputation was as great in other countries, as
at Naples : the Kings of France and Spain made
him very advantageous propofals, to ingage him
into their fervices ; but Solimene was too fond of
his family to leave them for any advantage. Seve
ral Popes, the Emperor, the King of Portugal, the
King of Sardinia, the Elector of Mentz, Prince
Eugene of Savoy, and the Commonwealths of Venice
and Genoa, found in their turns imployment for his
pencil,

eminent PAINTERS. 49
pencil* and honoured him with their letters in a
manner much to his reputation. it ; .
Jordano, on his return from Spain, had begun
twelve pidlures for the royal chapel at Madrid* but
he dying, Philip V. fent Solimene orders to finifh
them. He would not touch on his fketches, but
taking the fame thoughts, and the fame figures of
which he made frefh ftudies from the. naked, and
following Luca's manner, he painted a moft excel
lent fet of pictures, of1- iii .
Solimene modelled often, particularly for feve
ral works that he caufed to be executed in filver,
bronze and marble. There are two children worked
up with the greateft beauty by him in terra cotta.
The Jefuits of Jefu Nuovo, were defirous of ad
ding to Solimene's reputation, by fetting him to
work on the great cupola of their church painted
by Luca Jordano^ which was thrown down by an
earthquake. This cupola prefented him with one
of thofe noble opportunities (fo rare in Painting*)
which enable an artift to difplay thegreatnefs of his
genius, in its fulLextent. Though Solimene thought
that to paint a c'upola was the higheft: proof of the
abilities of a great mafter ; yetthe low price thofe
fathers offered^ prevented his undertaking it,, for
their offer was far fhort of 16000 crowns, which? he
demanded! in confideration of the length of time
and the laborious ••' ftudies required for fo great a
work.i t-: . r. 'io ::-:... .',- ir -n-.
So that at laft it was given to Paulo Matthei, -who
finifhed it in fixty-fix days in a very middling man
ner : off which occafion Solimene (having examined
it,) faid, he would have acted more judicioufly to
have imployed fixty-fix months, and with proper
ftudies to have finifhed it wejl, than to have done
it quick, only for the falfe pride of appearing a man
of difpatch. It is aftonifhing how Solimene fuc
ceeded equally in great and fmall pi&ures, in oil
E and

5.p ;ft LIVE; S- of ,
and frefco, in; hiftory*- portrait, Jaftdfldpj.-ar^imis-*
flowers, fruit, perfpective and architectures :;. Hm
extenfive talents ""prevented: his ever, being u&d£r a
neceffity of calling: in the. affiftanee' of another ..feasti
to his hiftory Painting.. He often laid in,ornat53enr&
m diftemper, where the frefhnefs of his tints isn&fr
prizing, and thefe pieces -have fo much foecey: that
you would think them painted in ' oil. He pikrfsd
411 after, nature,.. being fearful that too fefvik: an at
tachment to the antique fhould. damp, as h^i feid^
the ffrebf hk- imagination";. this quality he cieri&in-
Jy. poffeffed*. joined with a fine tafte, sam . gky^tt-j-j,
bf thought, and a rich cojmpofiriQB-. To his -.get-
nius.are likewife owing the defigns of feV*erM pahr
<*jes,;and of the- aitar of theP%ia^tfiJlicha-p:etii!5jtne
church of theHtdiy Apoftles,. ;w-h*eh he modelled i'st
terracotta. .-.><'• -> ->-¦¦ : ¦•.¦.-.--- ..-,:¦ .::¦-..•
A jreaditiefsrto-: criticize, the works of others' di4
not proceed from malice inhma^ but from .the. great-
"^efs.'of'his knowledge, nor did^-his vanity, fhut his
eyes, to his own defedls . : He toldkhe Italian- aisfihor
©f his. life, that- he-had advaiaeed.aiigirea!"' many fal*-
fities ia eartc-llfng the charadler, of, his. weeks*, which
had got him a. great- deal of .money? to "which, the
author replied*. Ob, the Vanity- of dtofo who- think
they* are connoifeurs in Painfiirig-j.-whien -yffltyi4»*ri>
¦feifj underftan& fo little of , your own merit, and
thcrvahje of your works ! Iff have, i-aaMwestd iSo-
limene, fome of the requifites of a good Paihteif,
yet I .want a great deal to deferve bieftig" called either
perfect, or uniyerfal* as, Raphael* --Coraegie^.-f^ifl
Veronefe, Annibal Carrache and E>omi"siiiiClwi>e>juftlisr
merited. He ufed- to fay of Luca Jordariq*_ ;wno,rri
hehDved.above all. the :maftefs,-j that his readine&ln
Painting was not from the quicknefs ©f hdschftnd*
hut . from his knowledge iri his art, and the clear
nefs: of his ideas. It was from him that Se^fltehs
borrowed his freedom:of Painting, and frorrfCala-
-."* brefe

eminent PAINTERS. 51
brefe his fine tone of colouring, from which he was
ufually called, II Cavalier Calabrefe Nobilitato ; -this
he readily acknowledged, for when a certain man
of learning, fpeaking'of the fine ceiling of his houfe,
told him he had made a good ufe of Jordano, (bien
Giordaniato). he anfwered very well, For that pur
pofe I have endeavoured to imitate fo great a man,
who is certainly without his equal among the mo
derns in the management of his colours, and has cer
tainly by overcoming all its difficulties obtained the
perfect maftery of his art. It was a ufual faying
of his, that a Painter fhould charm the lover of
Painting, with the force of defign, the magic of
his colouring, and the agreement and harmony of
the whole. "When a by-ftander was furprized at his
rubbing out fome figures, and afked him the reafon,
he replied, If you faw with my eyes, you would not
have afked why. The great Duke of Tufcany, with
difficulty prevailed on Solimene's modefty, to fend
him his picture, which he wanted to place in his
gallery, amongft other Painters. The Emperor
Charles VI. knighted him on account of a picture
he fent him, the fubject is Count Althan presenting
on his knees a book to that Prince in the middle of
his court, all the portrays are faid to be very like.
In the year 1701, he came and flayed at Rome dur
ing the holy year ; here the Pope and Cardinals took
great notice of him,, but Carlo Maratti was the, only
Painter .he vifited.
Nothing can be more elegant than the houfe he
lived in, near the building called, Regii Studii. It
was built from his defigns, and in it he has painted
feveral pieces to ferve. as ftudies to young Painters.
His natural inclination to form youth, was highly
commendable. He infinuated the principles of his
art to them in a moft agreeable manner : his method
of makingthem fenfible of the beauties of the great
mafters, was the refult of his reflections. He con-
E 2 tinually

52 The L I V E S of
tinually inculcated the neceffity of feeking out beau
tiful forms, and the proportions of nature, to join
with the elegance of the antique.
His fchool was always crouded with difciples,
who came from all countries to him. His affabi
lity and eafy manner of conveying his inftrudlions,
contributing as much to attract them, as his repu
tation as a Painter.
His principal pupils were Jacintho Corrado, Se
baftian Concha, Francifco de Mura, Giufeppe Guer
ra, Nicolo Marca Roffi, Jofeph de Caftelamare,
known at court for his portrait Painting ; but his
favorite difciple was Ferdinando fan Felice Cavaliere
Napolitano, for whom Solimene getteroufly painted
a gallery, that ferves for an academy for young
Painters. This difciple made a good ufe of the ad
vice, and the new ornaments in architecture his
mafter invented, which he has imployed to advan
tage in the fronts of feveral palaces in Naples ; and
as a proof of his acknowledgement, he has erected a
marble monument, with an epitaph fetting forth the
great talents of his mafter.
This Painter is alfo known by his fonnets, which
have been printed feveral times in collections of
poetry. It is aftonrfhing, that at fourfcore his me
mory fhould fupply him with the moft beautiful
paffages of the poets, in the application of which he
was very happy. Thefe qualifications engaged the
beft company of Naples to frequent his houfe. He
was agreeable in his raillery, and lively in his repar
tees, but always kept within the juft bounds of de
cency and good nature. Solimene always lived in
a diflinguifhed manner, his cuftom of drefling him
felf as an Abbe, gave him the name of Abbe Soli
mene. He injoyed a benefice, and though he had
advantageous offers, refufed to marry himfelf,
though he was of a different opinion in regard to
bis brother Thomas, Doctor of Laws, and Judge of
the

eminent PAINTERS. 53
the Admiralty The children of this brother, ''who
turned out well, and applied themfelves to the fcien
ces) Solimene made his own ; for them he amaffed
his riches, which are faid to have amounted to more
than 300,000 crowns, and feveral dignified eftates,
which added the luftre of titles to his family : his
ordinary diverfion was hunting, with which he
amufed himfelf often in the neighbourhood of his
country houfe, called Barra; and mufic, for which
purpofe there- was an affembly of the beft fympho-
nifts every night at his houfe, to relieve and divert
his mind after the fatigues of his bufinefs.
This Painter injoyed a perfedl ftate of health to
the age of 84, at which time he was commiffioned
by the Queen Dowager of Spain to paint thofe faints
whofe names the Princes her fons bore, when he
happened to get a fall, which difordered him fo,
that he had much ado to finifh his work. He be
came blind and deaf two years before he died, dur
ing which time, .he was. vifited by his difciples,
who profited as much by his difcourfes on the dif
ficulties of his art, arid the means of furraounting
them, as they did by feeing him paint He ufed
to fay, that being deprived of his corporeal eyes,
his mind faw clearer, and that the eyes of his un
derftanding were more opened. At laft he died at
La Barra, one of his feats, fituate about four miles
From Naples, in the year 1747, in the 88th year of
his age. From thence his body was removed to
Naples, to a chapel he had built in the church of
the Dominicans.
He was one of thofe genius's, that furmounting
the common law of nature, preferved hjs fire amidft
the froft of old age.
Yet, if we may be allowed to throw fome dark
(hades over the bright colours of this picture we
have drawn, it is certain that the hiftory of Helio-
dorus, painted in the church Jefu Nuovo, has beeh
E 3 much

54 ^ LIVES «f
much cenfured. There is no expreffion of that hor*
ror, fo facrilegiOus an action, (as feizing the facred
treafure of the temple) fhould infpire ; on the con-*
trary a tranquility and tamenefs reigns through the
whole, particularly in fome groups of women, who
though reprefented handfome enough, feem quite
unconcerned at what's going on.
Giufeppe Magliari has engraved St William of
Vercelli after Solimene ; feveral prints from his de
figns have been publifhed at London. Goupy has
engraved Zeuxis Painting, and Baron a Repofe in
Egypt. Peter Gaultier has done an Ecce Homo,
and a Mater dolorofa, the four quarters of the world
in ovals, the battle of the Centaurs, the defeat of
Darius by Alexander, a Vifitation, the hiftory of
Beerfheba, a St Michael treading down the devil.
Farjat and Louvemont have alfo engraved feveraf
plates from his works, of a leffer fize.
SEBASTIAN RICCI.
WA S born at Belluno in the jftate of Venice,
in 1659. At twelve years old his parents;
placed him with Frederick Corvelli, with whom he
Continued till he was twenty ; when the defire of
perfecting himfelf led him to Bologna: the number
of fine Paintings difperfed about that city, anfwer*
ed his end. Ranuccio Duke of Parma, hearing of
Ricci, fet him to work at Placentia, and afterward
fent him to Rome to the Farnefe palace, and fur
nifhed him with proper helps for purfuing his ftu
dies. The death of this prince obliged Ricci tQ
leave Rome ; the lofs of fo great a protector could
not but be a fenfible affliction to him. Intent to a-
mufe and improve himfelf, every thing that was
beautiful at Florence, Bologna, Modena and Parma,
employed his attention in his return. At laft he
fettled himfelf at Milan, where he had not con
tinued

eminent P'-lA'.I ~N T $1*R S. gj
tinned fong, w'thoutediabhffiing.hisaH|iiLitat'on. He
aftcttwards removed to Venice, where- he found con-
ftanrenjployment'fbnthree years.; His works and
iftudks' war*": univerfally apprpved: and /efteemed by
fllmvbgffc judges .of; fiainting. ..: in; ; .r ;,).-. ..•'•.
The King of the.Romans-ordfered'hHg': to gainf. a
large&hidri*randi' feveral apartments at Vienna, ~w:ftere
het. received thei'applabfecf thewlioda couriy. and-ithifc
rewaardsfdueto his:i*eerdt. - As. foon «s he refturnedto
V<e*ilce, theGraad-Duke of Tufcany rent for .himliO
Fltffe"^ey'toi execute :feveral:Pain^M'gs, in hii owd
chambers:; in whichLije- fucceeded' -tfo chat Prince?*
fatfefaftionj Rkci, Jthough accuftomed to work ft*
Princes, -and proud;enoughof chehonour of work*
rrig..for.cbcpiwned.hea'isi,T was yet tempted,' by/the ac*
boUnts he heard of the generality oftlie Englifh, to
vifit that: nation ii"a«id,nin ord*ir<the-'eto, he fettled
hdsJsrfFaips, took'leiaverof ^is friendsv "and paffing. thro*
Paris*;; where -he was .'received inlOithe -academy of
Painting, he arrived tatt'Londoni. ¦ 5i:;.,;
.."^tl&iimder'ookitMs jsrarneyrat JC*he . felicitation ;o£
his nephew Marco, who having been-ijl -ufed by Pel~
lcjgriray' witiriwhbra^'carndtxyfihgtand' to paint in
concert-; 3(fiair. Pellegrini, meetiag ; with greyer. en*"-
couragement, re&fed-to ftand t*o their agreement,
<md deferred 'him;) Marco, fin revenge* invited his
Mnc%TOver,'. whofe .wperior merit in ioftoryj painting
foon obliged Pellegrini- "to quit thelcmgdanu-: The
Duke of Norfolk, and the Earl of Burlington, found
him confiderable. employmeat.. _ The flair-cafe and
Cieling in Norfolk houfe, and the -works he did for
fhat'sgreabjaiid judicious patron of aits'"; the Earl of
BurireJgtiain,-are proofs of bis abilities. Healfo^ainted
for t^e-lio^jftal at cChelifca, the '-afoenfioa of ouf $a>
viour, ib a half cuppia over thealtar in thexhapeh
After jaxawfiderable -tdjode in England, he returned
to Venice, where be ireceivfid abundance of commif-
^ons -for- pictures frpm -France, Spain,' Boetqgal, and
-.•-:. -. v-j E 4 the

56 . ft LIVH of
the King of Sardinia, Notwithftanding his frequent!
travels, he enriched Venice with a great number of
excellent Paintings. He kept up fhe honour of his
profeffion with a proper dignity through his whole
life, and w.as an inftance of great merit meeting-with
a proper regard and.' encouragement. >
Ricqi's genius was fertile, his ideas and his execu-f
tian.grandJ,.his touch light, and his difpofitions beau-?
tiful, He had -great freedom* harmony, and a fine
tone of colouring, thoughfometimes too dark'. Born
For .labour, '""he would, undertake* feveral works at a
time; which obliged; him to paiirt all from practice*
and: to follow- his fancy. To bring his figures for
ward, he laid brown touches-on the fides of his out*
lines, and rumpled his draperies exceedingly, which
often fenders, his Paintings bard. : If he had confulted
inature, his figures had been, more correct.
, This Painter w^snaturallycheatftil, and very good
natured ; but, in his latter years, was greatly incbni?
moded with the ftone, which induced him to be cut.
He died foon after at Venice, iri 1734, in.the75th
year of his age. _-.-'_";-••:".-- , -
He left no children,' but a largefortune to his wife.
His .nephew;. Marco Ricci, an excellent landfkip
Painter, died five, years before him. -:
. Faldoni and Liotart, who have lately finifhed fe*
yeral fubjedls; of facred hiftory, are the only Engrav*
ers who have worked after Ricci. - - . ,v~
. 10 1: ¦ ....
P E T I T O T.
AM O N G S T the Painters of a particular .talent,
John Petitot enjoys fo eminent a rank, Lthat he
ought not to he paffed by in, filence. He is, (if we
may be allowed the expreffion.). the Raphael in ena
mel ; which, under his hand* acquired fuch a-degree
of perfedlion, jis to furpafs miniature, and even equal
painting in oil, Thi§ art, though it} little, is very
confiderable

eminent PAINTERS. 57
confiderable when carried to its height of perfection.
John Petitot was born at Geneva, in the year 1607,
of a father who was a feulptor and architect, who af
ter having paffed part of his life in Italy, retired to
that city. His fon was defigned to be a jeweller ;
and by the frequent employment in enameling, he
acquired fo fine a tafte, and fo precious a tone of co
louring, that Mr Bordier, who afterwards became
his brother in law, advifed Petitot to attach himfelf
to portrait, believing he might pufh his art ftill on
to greater lengths ; and though both the one and the
other wanted feveral colours which they could not
bring to bear the fire, yet they fucceeded to admira
tion. Petitot did the heads and hands, in which his
colouring was excellent ; Bordier painted the hair,
the draperies, and the grounds.
- Thefe two friends, agreeing in their work and their
projects, fet out for Italy. The long ftay they made
there, frequenting the beft chymifts, joined to a
ftrong defire of learning, improved them in the pre
paration of their colours : but the completion of their
fuccefs was referved for a voyage which they made
afterwards to England. There they found Sir Theo
dore de Mayern, firft phyfician to King Charles I. and
a great chymift ; he had, by his experiments, dif
covered the principal colours to be ufed for enamel,
and the proper means of vitrifying them. Thefe, by
their beauty, furpaffed all the enameling of Venice
and Limoges. Sir Theodore Mayern introduced Pe
titot to King Charles I. who retained him in hisfer-
vice, and gave him a lodging in White-hall. We
are affured that Vandyke, .who was then at Lon
don, feeing fome defigns at a goldfmith's, Who was
at work for the King, and hearing they were Peti-
tot's, defired his acquaintance, advifed him to leave
off working for the goldfmiths, and apply himfelf to
paint portrait in enamel. 'Tis certain, Vandyke
guided him in thofe portraits he painted after him ;
and

$% The LI V ES *of
and his advice contributed greatly w^he. ability of
Petitot, whofe beft pictures are after that .mafter,
King Charles often went to fee ,feim work, as he
took pleafure both in tPainting aodichymical experir
ments, fo which his j^hyfkj as had; .given him a turn,
Petitot painted that Monarch, and the whole "rcfepj
family, feveraltfon-as,. < The diftasguifhing mark&oi
favour fhewn him by that Prince*, were only, inters
riupt-sd by his unhappy and tragical end, which wafc
a terrible ftroke w Petitot, who did not quit, the
rpyal family, btftJpHpwedjthem. i& -their flight &»
Paris jn 1649,? where he was forked on as onelaf
tb^mpft; zealous, fervants. Ch^es IJ. after *%ta&
Pffjt^e battle pf Wtfrcefter in i^si^sj-enitoF^raflee*;
and during the fpuy* .years that.Prince ftaidthereyiiis
vifited Petitot, and often eat with him. , Then it wd*
¦$ha|-; his name beje-tfne eminent, aifdthat all ths.fcfiurt
<rf France grew fond ©f being jaflinted. in fioam*&k
When Charles II. returnfidto^ngland,. Lew.isrXIfo
retaiiied Per#oti in his fervice, .gave him ,a'lpen&&
and a lodging in the galleries of- tJaeLiotiyrie, Thsfe
new favours, added to aconfider'ibte Fortune he had
already acquired, ..encouraged. hiro_to iwarry -M-wgfe
ret Quper in 16 §x-. The famous .miiaifter, ©relirfr
cowrt, performed the ceremony-jar Charenton. - Af
terwards, Bordkr became his brother in law, and
•ever remained in a firm union with Petitot: they lived
4togerf*er, till their families growing fop numerous,
obliged them to feparate. Their frieodfhip waefdunds-
fd on the harmony of (their fenuments, and their rer
ciprocal merit, mucb more than a principle of ince*
reft. They had gained, as a reward for their difco.-
-veries and their labours, a million, which they di
vided at Paris ; and they continued friends, without
•ever having a quarrel, or even a mifundenftanding
between them, in the fpace of fifty years. Thefe wext
John Petitot's own words, to one of his friends.
.1 „ Petitot

eminent PAINTERS. 59
Petrtot copied at Paris feveral' portraits of Mig
nard and Lefirun.; yet his talent was not only copy*
ing a portrait with <an exadtircfeiwhlance, butaUbde*-
figiung a head moft: perfectly after nature. Toihis
-he«3fo joined a foftnefs, and liveKnefs of colouringi
which will never, change, and which, will ever render
tus works valuable. Petitot painted Louis XIV.
Mary Ann of Auftria, his mother,.- *-nd Mary The*-
refe, his wife, feveral : times. As he was a zeai**aiiB
pooteftant, at the revocation ;of. the edict of Nant*s
fin 16S 5, afraid of being taken up, he demanded the
King's permiffion to retire to Geneva ; who finding
Iiim preffimg, and fearing he fhould lefeape, criaeliy
caufedhim to be arrefted, and fent to Fort 1' Evsaqruc,
where the Bifhop of Meaux was appqiaited to infernal
him. Yet iraither the eloquence of (tie great Boffoott,
nor the terrors of a dungeon, could prevail. Peta--
itot was not convinced ", biatthevezatitora and oorifioo-
ment threw the good ©Id man, nowoear eigfety, into
a violent f ever, Tlhe King bring inforaned of it, orr
(defled hiinn to be refcafed. The Psaiiiatfir>no fqcnnsr
found himfelf at liberty, than, -terrified .at what -he
bad fuffered, he e&aped with his m£e,, us jjSS $# t©
^Geneva, after having lived at Paris thirty fix ycard.
His children, remainiioiginthatcirty, and fearing the
King's refentment, flung themfelves on has inelcjfo
and implored his protection. The King ireceit/ed
$hern favourably, and told thema, he could forgave
fm ©Id man the whim af defirmg to be buried with
tis fathers.
When Petitot returned into his own icounitry, he
cultisrated his art with great paffion, :and had the fa-
iisfaetian of deferving to the end of /life theeftteeMof
#11 comnoizffeurs. One of his greateft talents was, to
conceal, with the beauty of .fa is pencil, the labour and
(ftuddes -that his art particularly required. That pa»-
tience that is infeparablefrom the tedioufkefs of work
ing in enamel, was no check to him. Fie mightbavfi faid,

60 ^ LIVES j/
faid, as Zeuxis did to thofe Painters that bragged of.
their difpatch,^-" I am a long time indeed finifhing
**.¦ my works, but what I paint is for eternity."
The King and Queen of Poland, defiring to have
their pidlures painted by Petitot, though then above
fourfcore, fent the oirginals to Paris, believing him
to be there. The gentleman who was charged with
the commiffion, went on to Geneva. The Queen was
reprefented fitting on a trophy, holding the King's
picture. As there were two heads in the fame piece,
they gave him an hundred louis d'ors, and he executed
it as if he had been in the flower of his age. The con-
courfe of his friends, and the refort of the curious
who came to fee him, wasfo great, that he was obliged
to quit Geneva, and retire to Veray, a little town in
the canton of Bern, where he worked in quiet. He
was about the picture of his wife, when a diftemper
carried him off in one day, in the year 1691, aged
84. His life was always exemplary, and his end was
the fame: he preferved his ufual candor and eafe of
temper to his laft hour. He had feventeen children
by his marriage ; only one of his fons applied himfelf
to Painting, who fettled at London. His father fent
¦him over feveral of his works, to ferve him for mo
dels. This fon is dead, and his family is now fettled
at Dublin. Petitot may be called the inventor of painting in
enamel; -though Bordier, his brother inlaw, made
feveral attempts before him, and Sir Theodore de
Mayern had facilitated the means of employing the
moft beautiful colours, it was ftill Petitot that com
pleted the work, He made ufe of gold and filver
plates, and rarely enamel'd on copper. When he firft
•came in vogue, his price was twenty louis's a head,
.which he foon raifed to forty. His cuftom was, to
carry a Painter with him, who painted the picture in
oil; after which, Petitot fketched out his work, which
he always finifhed after the life; When he painted the

eminent PAINTERS. 61
the King of France,' he took thofe pictures that moft
refembled him for his patterns; and the King after
wards gave him a fitting or two to finifh his work.
He laboured with great affiduity* and never laid down
his pencil but with reluctance; faying, that he al
ways found new beauties in his art to charm him.
Gunft, a good Dutch Engraver, has engraved the
picture of Chevreau after Petitot.
DAVID TENIERS, the Elder.
THE' prejudice in favour of the fon is fo greaty
that the father is generally efteemed but a
middling Painter, and his pictures not worth the en
quiry of a collector : his hand is fo littlediftinguifhed,
that the Paintings of the father are taken for thofe of
the fon in moft fine collections. The father was cer
tainly the inventor of the manner, which the fon, who
was his difciple, only improved with what little was
wanting to the perfection of his pencil by the rules
of art.
David Teniers, called the Elder, was born at Ant>
werp in 1582. He received the firft rudirrients of
his art from the famous Rubens, who foon perceived
in him the happy advances towards excelling in his
profeffion, that raifed him to the head of his fchool.
The mafter was aftonifhed at his fuccefs, and though
he followed the manner of Brower, Rubens looked
on him as his moft deferving difciple, by the bright-
nefs of genius that appeared in his defigns.
Teniers on leaving his fchool, began to be much
employed; and in a very little time was in a con
dition to undertake the voyage to Italy. At Rome
he fixed himfelf with Adam Elfheimer, who was
then in great vogue ; of whofe manner he became a
perfect mafter, without neglecting at the fame time
the ftudy of other great mafters, endeavouring to pe
netrate into the deepeft myfteries of their practice.
An

6z The L I V E S of .
A&rabode of ten years in Italy, enabled him to be*
come, one of the firft. in his ftyle of Painting. A
happy union of the-fchools of Rubens and Elfheimer
formed in him a manner as agreeable as diverting,
.; When Teniers- returned into his own country,, he,
entirely employed himfelf in paintingfmall pictures,
filled with figures of perfons drinking, chymifts-,.fai*>s, ,
and merry-makings ^ with a number of countrymen '
and women. He fpread fo much tafte and truth thro'
his pictures, thatnature hardly produced a jufter-ef-
fedl. The demand for them was univerfal, "even his
mafter thoughtthem an ornament to his cabinet; nor
could his glory, as an artift be raifed to a higher
pitch, than to have- pleafed the penetrating judg
ment of the great Rubens.
David Teniers drew, his own charadler in his pic
tures, and in the fubjedls he ufually expreffed; every
thing tends to joy and pleafure. Always employed
in copying after nature, whatfoever prefented itfelf;
he taught his two fons to follow his example, and ufed
them to paint nothing but from that infallible model :
by which, meansthey both became excellent Painters.
Thefe are the only difciples we know of David Te
niers the eider,, who died at Antwerp in 1649, at.
the age of 6 7.
The diftimdlion, between the works of the father
and the ifon is, that in the fen's you difcover a finer
touch, and. a frefher pencil, greater choice of atti
tudes, and a better difpofition. of his figures. The
father retained fometihing of the tone of Italy in hia
colouring, which was ftronger thanhis fon's; but his
pictures have lefs-harmony and union. Befides, the
fon ufed to putf-^David Teniers, junior, at the bot
tom qf his pidlures ; which, with the date of the year*
will point out what of right belongs to the father*.
Thefe are the principal marks that diftinguifh them;
though, to fay the truth, when the father took pains
to finifh his picture, he very nearly refembled his
fon. Their prints are confounded. to

eminent* PA INTERS. 63
o-.-mJ' ¦{; ' ^ '**'• ..]. ' .yr/r
;? DA FID * TENIERS, the Yc&angeff. ->
¦**'... .- ", q ,:,.," —.'-¦''
IS fon David, born at Antwerp in 161O, Was his
k difeiple, , and nick-named, The ape of Paintings
for there was. no manner of Painting but what he imii-
tated fo perfectly, as to deceive:ewen the niceft judges'*
He improved greatly on the talents, and merit of kik
father, by works, that contain all the exEellertcies of
art, with the utoaoft neatnefs and perfection., .. For-
lUrie affifted his merit* and his reputation introduced
him to ; the favour of the great.; The Arch-Duke*
Leopold William, made him gentleman of his-betb-
chamber. Alt the pictures of his gallery were copied
by Teniers, and engraved by his direction.' "^f^rite
little pictures are fo perfectly iri the tafte of tthe maf
ters he has imitated*, that, one cannot, help admiring
how he was able to .vary his pencil to fo many dif
ferent, manners. .. ". Thefe copies,, fays my autHor,
"-, I have feen at Blenheim, the Duke of Marlbo>
!' rough's feati" a 51 i . ; ir ¦
.-o Terriers took a voyage to England* to buy feveral
pictures of the great Italian mafters. farComntFueri-
fhidegna, who*, on his return, heaped his favours on
hiasL. Don John of Auftria, and the King of Spain,
fet.fo, great a values on his pictures* that they built a
gallery fet apart to preferve them. Prince William
of Qtafage honoured'Kim with his friend'fhip : Rubens
efteemed his works ; and, as the fon of his difciple,
tiffed him with- his advice. " "V
1 1 His principal! talent was landfkip, adorned with
frnaHiftgwreSi He painted men, drinking and ftftsokev
ing,;,:G^mift6 elalborratordes*. corps de . garde, temp*
taritona of St: Anthcmy* and country fairs, and merry
makings. His.fmMlpidtures are fuperior to his large
ones; His execution difplays the greateft eafe; the
leafing of his« trees is light, hisfkies are aimirabtei,
his-fmall figures hawe an. exquifite expreffion, and a
moft lively touch ; and the characters are marked out
with

64 The L IV E $ of
with the greateft truth. His works, by the thinnefs
of the colours, feem to have been finifhed at once;
they are generally clear in all their parts ; and Te
niers had the aft, without dark fhades, to relieve his
lights by other lights,, fo well managed as to produce
his effect; an art, few befides himfelf have attained.
Sometimes this great mafter, differing from himfelf,
has deviated in his colouring to a grey, and fometimes
to a redifh caft. Some pretend to find fault with his
figures for being rather too fhort, and reproach him
for not having enough varied his compofition." The
city of Antwerp lamented his lofs in the year 1694,
when he was 84 years old.
His brother Abraham was a good Painter ; equal,
if not fuperior to his father and brother in the ex
preffion of his charadlers, and his underftanding of
the chiaro ofcuro; though inferior in the fpritelinefs
of his touch, and the lightnefs of his pencil. - ~-
David the Younger's difciples are Van Helmont,
and Dominic Rickaerts. There are abundance- of
prints engraved after him. He has engraved him
felf an old man fitting, and a village merry-making.
The chief Engravers that have copied him, his fa
ther, and brother, are F. Vanderfteen, Coryn B'oel,
Vandenteyng, Van Brugen, Hollar, J. Gole, Coel-
mans, A. J.Prenner, Le Bas, Laurent, Chefnu, Sax*
FRANCIS S N T D E R S,
WA S born at Antwerp, in the year 1587, and
received his firft inftrudtion in the art of
Painting from Henry Van Balen. His genius at firft
difplayed itfelf only in painting fruit. He afterwards
attempted animals, in which kind of ftudy he fuc
ceeded fo well, that he furpaffed all that had ever
excelled before him. Snyder's inclination led him
to vifit Italy, where he ftaid a confiderable time : the
works of Caftiglione/ he met with there, proved a
fpur

eminent PAINTERS. 65
fpurto his genius to attempt outdoing him in Paint
ing animals. When he returned to Flanders, he
fixed his ordinary abode at Bruffels ; he was made
Painter to Ferdinand and Ifabella, Arch-Duke and
Dutchefs, and became attached to the houfe of the
Cardinal Infant of Spain. The grand compofitions of
battles and huntings, he executed for the king of
Spain, and the Arch-Duke Leopold -William, de
ferve all the elogiums- that can be poffibly conferred
on them : Befides hunting-pieces, he painted kitch
ens, fruit and landfkips, in fuch a manner as gave dig
nity to thofe fubjects that feemed incapable of it.
When his pidlures required large figures, Rubens
and Jordaans took pleafure in affifting hirn* and
thofe able men had fo perfect, an underftanding- of
the tints with. each other, that the whole feemed to
be the performance of the fame hand. Rubens in
his turn borrowed the affiftance of Snyders's pencil
to paint the ground of his pictures ; thus they mu
tually affifted each other in their labours, whilft Sny
ders's manly and vigorous manner fupported its me
rit, though in conjunction with the work of that
great mafter : and thofe pidlures wherein the pencils of
fuch uncommon genius's are united, will always be
the admiration of true judges.
Snyders. defigned .his .animals in fo grand a man
ner, that their fkin and hair feem real ; an exceeding
light touch with great juftice and boldnefs, a rich
compofition full of underftanding and knowledge,
and a true and vigorous colouring, always united in
their full force to the perfection of his works.
He died in the year 1657, at the age of 70 ; but
his reputation will remain, and his works will pre
ferve his memory with all thofe who have a tafte for
the arts, and know how to diftinguifh what is truly
beautiful. Snyders has engraved a book of animals of fix-
teen leaves, great and fmall. Joullain has done a
F boar-

S6» The L I V E S of
boar- hunting from a pidlure of Defportes after higde*
fign> There is a book of fix middling fized huntings,
with Views of different caftles, publifhed by Drevet.
A boar and a flag-hunting, by Lucas Vofterman,
A large boar-hunting perfectly well executed, by J.
Zaal, and two plates in the Emperor's cabinet, by
A. J. Prenner.
FRANK HALS.
THIS great portrait Painter* Vandyke alone has*
furpaffed in painting portrait ; few others have
equalled. The following ftory fhews how that Pain
ter efleem'd him : When Vandyke had determin'd to
go over to England, he went to Haerlem on pur
pofe to fee Hals. He had call'd feveral times at his
houfe to rio purpofe, as he fpent the greateft part
6f his life in a tavern ; at laft the painter of Ant
werp fent for him home, With orders to acquaint
him, that a perfon Waited for him to come and pairtt
his picture. As foon as Hals came iri, Vandyke
told him that he was a ftrahger, arid wanted his
portrait, but had but two hours to fpare for fitting.
Hals took the firft cloth that came to hand, laid his
pallet in a flovenly manner, and began' to paint1,
after a little time* he begg'd the favour of Van
dyke to ftand up that he might fee what rfe had dohe:
The model feern'd very well fatisfied with the copy,
and after chatting on indifferent things, Vandyke*
told Hals, that he thought Painting a mighty eafy
bufinefs, arid that he would try what he could do at
the eafel* then taking another cloth, defired Hals to
fit down in the place he had quitted; Hals* thOs
furpriz'd, foon perceived that he had to do With one
that was acquainted with the pallet, and knew hovtf
to ufe it : In a little time Vandyke defir'd him to get
tip, when Hals looking at the picture, he run
ftraight to him arid embraced him, crying out with
tranfport,

eminent PAINTERS. 67
tranfport, — " You are Vandyke, for no man alive
" but he can do what you have done."—
Vandyke would fain have ingaged Hals to have
follow'd him to England, promifing him a fortune
far fuperior to his prefent condition, which was
wretched enough; but could not prevail with the
utmoft perfuafion. Befotted to his bottle, he told
Vandyke that he was perfectly happy, and defired
no better ftate than what he then enjoy'd. They
parted with, regret Vandyke fent away his pidlure
that Hals had juft painted, and put a confiderable
number of ducats: into the hands of his children ',
which: Franck foon : got, into his own, to fpend at the
tave*ri i ..•-,.
Hals painted Portrait with a ftrong refemblance,
in a beautiful manner, and with great art : He
mark'd out his figure with great exactnefs, his co
lours. were tenderly rriix'd* but he knew how to
give them force by the bold ftrokes of his pencil-:
He did the fame by his lights ;' and being .afk'd the
reafon of this practice, anfwered, becaufe he work'd
for his reputation ; a .mafter ought ta conceal the
fervile labour and painful exactnefs,. that portrait
painting requires. Vandyke ufed frequently tofay,
that: Hah would have been the greateft portrait Pain*-
ter, if he would have, given more tendernefs to, his
colours,, for he did not know any one that was fo
perfectly mafter of his pencil ; nor are there any
pictures that have a greater force, or more lively ex
preffion than his.
Franck Hals died; at the age of j6, on the 20th
of Auguft 1666.
He left feveral children who were either painters
or muficians, and lived the fame fort of life as their
father. His brother, Dirck Hals, painted feveral converfa^
tions and animals very well. ; He died before his
brother in 1656. F 2 His

68 The LIVE S of
His principal difciples were Adrian, BroWer„
( Van Balen* &c. ¦ - ¦-
o*- ' '••?' - ;"' '- ' ¦ '
PETER N E EF S. ' "*' '¦'¦¦ ^«|
A Painter ought to neglect no part of his art,
how inconfiderable foever it appears; every
branch of Painting if practifed with judgment and
delicacy,* will have its admirers,- and confer a laftjng
honour on the artift. The talent of painting 'archi
tecture has immortalized the names of Auguftine,
Taffo, Viviano, Ghifolfi, Steenwick and Peter Neefs.
' This laft has not taken fochis objects; of ftudy
the architecture of temples or palaces, or the re-
,mairis"of thofe beautiful 'works,* that have efcaped
the ruins of time, but has chofen. the Gothic' ftruc-
tures of antient- churches with fo. much tafte' :and
•"underftanding, that he certainly deferves a place iii
this abridgment. *J« icii - ; •
":'iThe hiftory of Painting prefents us with two Pe
ter Neefs, both difciples of .Steenwijck, one father
of the other, but much abler- than his fon : Peter
iNeefs the -father Was born at Antwerp, about the
.year 1580* "*' After having imbibed*the>:firft tincture
of .his art- of defign from Steeawick, finding^rJh.him»
felf no turn either for treating fubjects of fancy or
portrait, he attached himfelf. to architecture,' per
fpective,' and to painting the infide of churches*
with fuch minute nicety, and fteady patience, 1 as all
muft admire, few will be able to imitate, i His ex
actnefs in ceprefentingithe fmaileft parts,, can hardly
be conceived, yet he difpofes his lights fo properly*
that his pictures have a- furprizing effect. The
fmaileft ridges in theichanrterd ornaments of the
roofs, and the leaft projection of the cornifhes* are
rriark'd out with the greateft attention, ahdutis very
remarkable that in fpite of. the . great number of
,.->¦ -: .jidges

eminent PAINTERS. 69
ridges and profiles, his manner never appears dry,
or hard: As he painted figures but indifferently,
Van Tulden,, Teniers, and others,, fupplied chat defect
for him ; yet he always took care that the union of
the two pencils fhould be imperceptible.
¦ Whatever inquiries have been made in Holland
about the particularities of his life or death, have
been fruitlefs.
His difciples are unknown.
There is only one plate engraved after him that
we know of, which is in the collection of the emperor's
pidlures, by A. J. P-renner.
JOHN Van G O W E N,
THE fon of Jofeph, was born at Leyden in
1596. His father, a lover of drawing and
painting, refolved to have his fon inftructed in that
art. He was firft placed with Schilperoort a land
fkip Pointer, whom, he quitted to enter himfelf un
der :M. John Nicojai a Burgomafter* and a good
Painter. Young Van Gowen feemed very difficult
in fixing, he left this mafter for De Man, and Henry
Klock, and at laft fettled with William Gerrets,
who lived at Hoorn : This mafter ingaged him for
two years; in this time keeping clofe to his bufinefs,
he made fuch a progrefs that he found he was able to
work for himfelf j. on which he returned to his father,
and continued his ftudies alone till he was nineteen ;
when the whim of travelling took him- He vifited
the principal cities of France, where he exerted his
talent, but particularly at Paris: From hence he
turned back, and returned to his father, who being
a good judge, and finding his fon greatly advanced,
perfuaded that nothing bpt the inftrudtion and aft
fiftance of an able artift, was wanting to make his
fon one : He fet out with him for Haerlem, where
he placed him under Ifaiah Vanderyelde j this cele-
F 3 brated

70 * LIVES -f
brated landfkip Painter had the fatisfadtion of feeing
his pupil become a great mafter.
His flyle of Painting is quite natural, as he never
painted any thing till he had defigned it from na
ture ; his landfkips are much varied, and generally
reprefented rivers, fmall boats with fifhermen, or
elfe filled with peafants returning from market. His
offfkip always terminates in either a little town or
village : An eafy, expeditious touch reigns thro'
the whole. His pictures have all a greyifh caft,
which is not at all owing to his manner of working,
for they looked otherwife when they came from un
der his hand ; his ufing a blue then much in vogue
(called blue of . Haerlem) which has difappointed
other Painters befides him, is the only caufe of it.
When Van Gowen quitted Vandervelde he fixed-
and married at Leyden, where his pictures were
much fought after. He continued his labours there
with great affiduity till 1631, when he removed from
Leyden to the Hague, where he lived till the time
of his death, which happened in the latter end of
April in the year 1656.
LUCAS Van U D E N.
TH E city of Antwerp produced this Painter to
the world in 1595. He received his firft
leffons from his father, but owed to nature and his
own good parts, his perfection in his art : By the
ftrength of his own good genius, and a clofe atten
tion to the effects of nature, he formed a grand and
pleafing manner, and acquired an eminent rank
amongft the landfkip Painters. To gain this end, he
ufed to rife before day-break, when he ftedfaftly
obferved the effects the light of the fun produced
on the various objects that came within his view, from
his firft appearance above the horizon, to the time
of his finking below it again ; the effects of thefe ftu
dies

eminent PAINTERS. 71
dies and reflections, were the fubjedls of his pidlures.
In this manner Mpla, Francifco Bolognefe, Gafpar,
Nicolas Pouffin, and Claude Lorrain, formed their
tafte by a clofe attention to nature. Fie was fo im-
ployed in his ftudies, that he hardly found time to
work to maintain himfelf; like Guillerot a difciple of
Bourdon, who never quitted the country, where he
defigned perpetually, till neceffity forced him to re
turn to town and paint a picture to maintain himfelf
and his horfe. Van Uden's condition was not much
better, till fortune brought Rubens acquainted with
.him, who being pleafed with the truth of his landr
fkips, imployed him to paint the back grounds and
ikies in his pictures, introduced him into feveral
houfes, and procured him imployment.
We can give him no higher character ,than thatRu-
bens approved and made ufe of his pencil: The
touch of his trees is fo frefh and light, that the wind
feems to agitate and force its way through the leaves,
his fkies are clear and varied in their clouds, his
offfkips difcover a vaft extent of country, and
nothing can be better executed than his fmall figures,
which are defigned very correctly. Thefe qualifica
tions certainly juftify his title to the character of one
of the beft landfkip Painters ; efpecially as -this
branch of Painting was juft emerging from the un
natural tafte of the preceeding age. The rawnefs of
his colouring is his principal fault,
VanUden died about the year 1660, aged 65.
We can get no information of his family or condi
tion, nor whether he formed any difciples worthy
of him. He had a brother named James, who fol
lowed his manner, but inferior to Lucas.
*" There are feveral plates ingraved by his hand,
both from his own works, aad'thofe of Titian.
F 4 JOHN

ya The LIVES of
JO HN M I EL,
BORN at Vlanderen two leagues from Antwerp*
in the year 1599, was a difciple of Gerrard
beghers. After he had worked fome time with him,
his genius which readily turned to every kind of
Painting, inclined him to go to Italy ; here his ftudy
of the works of the greateft mafters, gained him fo
much reputation among the Painters of his time,
that he was frequently chofen to execute great and
public works. Andrea Sacchi who had been fond
of getting him into his fchool, employed him in his
works. But one day as he was working on a picture
Sacchi had painted for the Barberini palace, in which
it was neceffary to introduce the Pope's cavalry,
John Miel, inftead of painting them with the dig
nity proper to the fubject, gave a lofe to his natural
inclination for the grotefque, which fo provoked the
gravity of Sacchi, that he turned him out of doors,
and bid him find fome other place to exert his buf-
foonry in. John Miel being piqued at thefe words,
and affifted with the advice of Bernini, who had ta
ken a liking to him (probably in oppofition to Sac
chi) applied himfelf to the ftudy of large figures,
and to improve himfelf made a journey into Lom-r
bardy, (whence having copied the works of Car-
rache, and the cupola of Corregio) he came back to
Rome a much abler Painter than he fet out ; nor did
he want imployment on his return.
Alexander the Vllth fet him to paint the hiftory of
Mofes, ftriking the rock in the gallery of Monte
Cavallo, in which picture he gave proofs of uncom
mon capacity.
In moft parts of Europe, he is beft known by his
paftoral and droll compofitions ; his excellence in
thefe low fubjects did not hinder him treating hifto
rical ones in a noble manner, in the chapels and fe
veral

eminent PAINTERS. 73
veral churches in Rome : Yet it muft be allowed,
that the natural bent of his genius was to the gro-
tefque ftile, in which he fucceeded fo well, that his
works are not inferior in that kind of Painting to thofe
of Michael Angelo de Bataglia, or of Peter de Laar,
called Bambochio.
His colouring is vigorous, and his figures and ani
mals well defigned, his landfkip is in the flyle of
Carrache, his fkies which he always kept clear, add
to the force of the lively and tranfparent colours in
the foregrounds; it were to be wifhgd he had a bet
ter tafte of defign in his hiftorical pictures, and a
little more dignity in the airs of his heads : Defects
that are owing to his fondnefs for painting ludicrous
fubjects, which depraved his tafte and checked the
elevation of his thoughts. He was received into
the academy of St. Luke at Rome in 1648. Miel
was in fo much repute, that Charles Emanuel
duke of Savoy fent for him to Turin, to paint the
faloon of the Venneria, and kept him five years in
his fervice. Here he fhewed himfelf as great a
mafter as at Rome ; the various fubjects he chofe
from Fable, the hunting-pieces which he painted in
the moft natural manner, gained him the efteem of
that prince and his whole court, who expreffed his
regard for him in honouring him with the order of
St. Mark, and beftowing on him a crofs fet with
diamonds of confiderable value : All thefe favours
could not make him eafy at Turin, he afked leave
of the prince to return to Rome ; which not being
able to obtain, the vexation occafioned a diftemper
that put an end to his life in the year 1 664, and the
65th of his age, He was buried in St. John's, the
cathedral church of Turin.
His difciples were John Affelyn, known by his
beautiful landfkip, and Chriltopher Orlandi. John
Miel has ingraved three large battles, which are in
ferted in the folio edition of Famianus Strada's hif
tory

74 fhe LIVES of
tory of the wars of Flanders, a holy family, and
four rural fubjects, ingraved at Rome. Twenty one
fubjedls of hiftory and huntings, in a book of the
Veneria are ingraved by Tafniere, a title to a book
which prefents St. Francis Xavier in Japan, and the
virgin of Trapani, graved by C. Bloemart. Cod*
mans has given us a print of the four feafons in one
picture, and Beaumont two rural fubjects ingraved
at Paris.
JOHN DAVID de HE E M.
THIS able artift, defcended of an honourable
family, was born at Utrecht in 1604. He
excelled in painting flowers, fruit, veffels of gold
and filver, mufical inftruments and Turky carpets :
He reprefented thefe objects with fo much art, that
their feeming reality would often furprize the be
holder. He had the particular talent of expreffing
the brilliancy of glafs and cryftal, and marking
out with great truth all the objects that were reflected
in them, efpecially on the fide they receive the
light. De Heem married a handfome wife, with whom
he lived in the greateft harmony, whofe amiable
character rendered his happinefs com pleat. The
value and demand of his works encreafed every day,
as his chief pleafure was in his profeffion ; he pur*
fued it with great application, and fortune was the
reward of his induftry : This fun-fhine of his af»-
fairs was at laft clouded by the troubles with which
Holland and the other united provinces were afflidled
in 1 67 1, which obliged him to quit Utrecht, and
retire to Antwerp with all his family, which con*
fitted of four daughters, and two fons, who both
became able Painters.
He bred up this numerous family with great care
and attention, and had the happinefs of feeing them all

eminent PAINTERS. j§.
all well fettled. John David, made but a fhort ftay
at Antwerp," as he died there in 1674, in his 70th
year. This Painter has left feveral able difciples, amongft
others Abraham Mignon, Henry Schook, and his
two fons.
The beauty of his works is furprizing ; the liveli-
nefs of his labour makes them appear rather the ef
fect of the pleafure the author took in painting them,
than produced from the neceffity of his employment ;
the inchanting eafinefs that fhines through them,
amufes us fo agreeably, that art difappears, ahd we
attend only to that beautiful nature, to which he was
beholden for his talents, and that genius that fet
them in fo fair a light. The colouring in his pic
tures is admirable, the frefhnefs of his tints furpriz
ing, and his touch extremely light. The infects and
reptiles he has painted in them feem animated, and
feeking their prey upon the beautiful flowers his pen
cil has produced.
Cornelius de Heem, his fon and difeiple, has ao
quired a reputation to deferve mentioning in this hif
tory, though inferior to his fatlier in expreffing
fruits and flowers in living colours - he has been able
like him to make himfelf adm-ired. Sandrart fays,
that he offered 450 Florins for a picture of his two'
foot fquare, and though the owner of the picture
was his friend, he could not get it at that price.
This Painter in particular excelled in painting'
veffels and carpets. Houbraken mentions a picture
of the father's that having paffed through feveral
hands, at a very great price, the laft poffeffor by
making a prefent of it to a perfon in power, pro
cured a confiderable employment for himfelf, as an
acknowledgment for fo valuable a gift,
GERRARD

76 The L I V E S of
GERRARD T E R B UR G. \
WH O was born at Zwol in Overiffel, in the"
year 1,608, was an honour to his profeffion :
His family was ancient, and much efteemed . in their,
own province. He received the firft rules of his art
from his father, who was a Painter, and had lived,
feveral years at Rome : It was planting in a fertile;
foil, that in a little time produced excellent fruits ;
for young Terburg very foon became an excellent,
Painter, and his reputation eftablifhed through all
the low countries.
While he was young he travelled into Germany,
France, Italy, Spain, and England, and left proofs
of his merit behind him in all thefe countries. The
congrefs held for the peace at Munfter, drew him
thither, where he became acquainted with the Pain
ter of count Pigoranda, ambaffador of Spain. This
Painter being employed on a large work by the
count, being at a lofs in the execution, defired Ter
burg to affift him ; which he did with great fuccefs.
The ambaffador perceiving -it, infifted on knowing.
the hand, and on being informed, made Terburg
paint his portrait, and introduced him to all the
other minifters of the congrefs, who likewife de
fired theirs. The count carried Terburg to Madrid,
where the king, and his court found him full employ j
the ladies took fo much pleafure in being painted by
him, and the cavaliers grew fo jealous of him, that
to avoid the confequences he quitted Madrid, and
came to London ; here he found a great deal of imployr
ment as well as at Paris, whence (his progrefs ended)
he returned into his own country, where he fettle^
at Deventer, and married there,
Terburg defigned only after nature, and chiefly
painted droll and gallant fubjects. His pictures are
beautifully finifhed, with a delightful touch, a flow of

emirient 'PA I NlT E R S. 'jrj
of colours, and a furprizing underftanding; above
all, his tranfparencies and reflections will furprize
every true" judge of the chiaro ofcuro. His cuftom
was to drefs his figures in fattin* which he. painted to
admiration; and there ard few pictures of his but
what are defigned in this manner : One cannot fay
that Terburg Has the fame delicacy in his defign and
touch, : as his difciple Netfcher, the celebrated Mieris,
and Gerard Dow ; his pencil is not fo light,; and his
figures; are heavier.
For his great probity he was chofen burgomafter
at Deventer -;* whether the bufinefs of his poft took
up toamuch.of his. time, or. whether he was tedious
in working, his. pictures are very rare; there are
none.of thenh finifhed -earelefly, and the- perfection
of his ftyledifplays itfelf through all their parts ;
his excellence was in painting portrait, in whicji-he
even gave you the character of the perfon he paint
ed. His' death ihappened at Deventer- in 1681,
when he had attained the 73d year of his age. ,He
was carried from thence, and interred at. Zwol, the
place of his nativity. *•-"[¦¦.". ; ... j;
- .Netfcher was Ihis difciple. ,-,- ,-•;. f.-A ..'_¦..•£.;_.'
• The moft celebrated and beautiful; piece that Ter
burg, did, is tbe/congrefs of Munfter, in which he
has reprefentedrfrom the life .all, the plenipotentia
ries, ambaffadors, and- the principal noblemen, that
were prefent.-at the ftgriing the. treaty of peace. -
Van Tomer, Theodore- Matham,- Snyderhoef,
arid H. Bury* haveiengraved after this mafter.
HERMAN SACHTL EVEN.
TH I S landfkip Painter was born at Rotterdam
in 1609, where his father, in compliance with
his. fon' s natural. inclination, to. defigning-, put him
under the -direction of Van Gowen, a famous land
fkip Painter* .jwho* .by follbwing nature clofely
i. through

78 'The LIVES of
through all her Varieties, acquired a -diftinguifhed
tfeime amongft the Painters. i;
The difciple, of a genius fuperior.to his matter*
at firft produced only fimple effects,, as they appear
in nature arid uriaffifted by art ; he foon difcovered
that they wanted fmbellifhment, -and that nature
muft be improved ', fuch were the reflections which
Sachtlevert knew how to make a profitable ufe of in
his profefliori, and which prompted him to ftudy
clofely the fkilful touches of the moft famous Pain--
ttrsi the grafldnefs of their manners, and the eleva
tion of their thoughts, were the conftant objects of
his inquiries ; 'tis by ftudying in this manner that a
Painter fhould learn to think. His mafter had a
Collection of prints arid defigns of the beft Painters*
which infpired Herman with a refolution of making
a more compleat one,difpofed in a topographical
arid chronological order,, by the help of which*
without quitting his clofet- he might know the tafte
of every nation, and judge of the talents of all the
able men in Europe.; : . . ::-.
The more he fearched into the theory of 'his artk
the more his ideas were irilarged,lhe more his pic
tures adVafttced both in merit and- price, they came
into greater favour among the lovers of .Paintings
who-agf^ed that • hd 'underftood the magic of colours
beyond any of the Flemifh mafters* This reputation
had no other effect on his modefty, than incouraging
him to endeavour to rrierit it.
As the views of the low countries have very little
variety, and a fmall extent, and are befides choaked
up with trees; and mountains and\rodks^v^ry un
common there, Herman was obliged to feek more
pictorefque fcenes in the countries of Lieger Maef-
trecht, and Cleve. Thefe objects,, worthy imitation,
the fine choice of nature, and the fkill he had to
make a proper ufe of it, were fo many different
fteps that ferved to raife him to perfection.

Though

eminent PAINTERS. f$
Though he never fubmitted his judgment to the
vulgar opinions Or the reigning tafte, he yielded to
the inclination that his countrymen have for the1
voyage of Italy, which perfected his knowledge.
He vifited Rome in 1629, with eyes that nothing
Could efcape ; the advances he made, rendered many
jealous of his fuperior talent*, the confeqoence of
true merit. One of his companions, while he Was;
defigning in the country, obferving him more fucr
Cefsful in the management of his paper than him
felf, fnatched it out of his hand and tore it : tri
which irifult Herman only returned coolly, I defy
you to do better ; a proof of his natural moderation,
worthy a great artift, whofe right way of getting
the better of his enemies is by excelling them.
Sachtleveri fpent a great deal of time in finifhing
his »1»torks,' arid never thought any thing done,
while^therewas any thing could be added to its per
fection -.^fter a confiderable1 ftay- in Italy, he re
turned into his own Country, arid fettled at Utrecht,
The quantity of fine ftudies he had made daring his
travels, furnifhed materials for a great number of
pictures : His landfkips deferve to be admired for the
clearnefs of his diflarfefe, for thdir ferenity and light
nefs, a degradation that difcovers. in an. agreeable
rhanner the different plans of his fcites, and t^es
that are perfectly well touched.
The only difciple Of his we know of, is John
Griffier, commonly called the gentleman of • U-
trecht. Sachtleven was very- charitable, he would even
affift -Whole families that Were induftrious, to enable
them to carry on their bufinefs, and that in fuch a
mariner as even fpared them the confufiOn of ac-;
knowdedgirtg it.
He died at Utrecht in 1685, at the age of 7a.'-
In this life and fome few others, (as Deheem,
Littgelback, &cc.) my author for want of materials,
'-"-'•'- becomes

80 The L I V,E S of
becomes a panegyrift, and celebrates his heroes with
no fmall pomp of jWords. This .ferves to give the
reader fome infight . into his own favourite tafte,
which is that of the French in general ; who though
they may collect the works of the, great Italian maf
ters for oftentation, are orily fond of the neat, high
finifhed, gay furniture pictures of the Dutch and
Flemifh mafters.
His. difciple John Griffier was born at Amfter
dam in 1658, he came to London, where he mar
ried, .and bqught a floop to defign the beautiful
Views on the Thames, returning to Holland, he
was fhipwrecked in his veffel near the Texel. .Grik
fier bought another /loop at Rotterdam. Coafting
about Holland, with his family, he ftruck on a fand-
bank where he'ftuck eight days, till a high tide car
ried, him off; thus he proceeded voyaging and paint-?
ing for. feveral years ; at laft he returned to England^
where he continued till his. death. ¦
Cornelius Sachtleven w,as inferior in merit to his
brother Herman. He Has painted a great number of
fmall landfkips,: he died at Rotterdam.
OSTADE. ', :
ADR ikit'. Van OSTADE was born at Lub'eif
in 1 610, he came to Haerlem very young, to
ttudy under Franck Hals, who was then in efteem as
a Painter. Adrian formed under him a good tafte
in colouring, adopted the manner of the country,
and fettled there. Nature guided his pencil in every
thing he undertook : he diverted himfelf with clowns,
and drunkards, whofe ge'ftures and, moft trifling
actions were the fubject of his deepeft meditation.
The compofitions of his little pictures are not more
elevated than thofe of Teniers, Brqwer, and the
other Flemings : They are always fmoakings,. ale-
houfes or kitchens. He is perhaps one of the Dutch
mafters,

eminent PAINTERS. 8i
mafters, who beft underftood the chiaro ofcuro ;
his figures are very lively, and he often, painted
them in the landfkips of the beft Painters among
his countrymen ; nothing can excel his pidlures of
ftables, the light is fpread fo judicioufly, that the
fpectator is furprized ; all that one could wifh in
this mafter is a lighter ftroke in his defigning, and
not to have made his figures fo fhort. He exercifed
his art feveral years in the city of Haerlem with a
great deal of reputation and fuccefs, till the approach
of the French troops alarmed him in the year 1672.
Refolved to return' into his own country, to fecure
himfelf againft all hazard of the events of war,
he fold his pidlures, furniture and all his other
effedls. Being arrived at Amfterdam to embark
himfelf, he met with a lover of. Painting, who en
gaged him to accept a lodging in his houfe : Adrian,
obliged by his civilities, quitted the project of his
voyage, and worked feveral years in making that
beautiful fet of coloured defigns, which has fince
paft into the cabinet of Jonas Witzen ; in which are
feveral inns, taverns, fmoaking-houfes, ftables,
peafant's houfes, feen from without, and often with
in ; with an uncommon underftanding of colour
and truth beyond expreffion.
The pictures of this mafter are not equal ; the
middling ones which are attributed improperly to
him, are of his brother Ifaac, who was his difciple,
and painted in the fame tafte, without being able to
attain the excellence of Adrian. He was born at
Lubec, and lived ufually ' at Haerlem, where death
furprized him very young, denying him time to
perfect himfelf.
The city of Amfterdam loft Adrian van Oftade in
1685, at the age of ys, very much regretted by all
true lovers of Painting.
His prints graved by his own hand in aqua fortis,
large and fmall, make a fet of fifty four pieces ;
G Vicher

82 The L I V E S of
Vicher and Snyderhoef, and others, have alfo ingraved
after him.
JOHN AS S E L TN.
AL L we know of this artift is, that he was borri
in Holland in 1610, his mafter was Ifaiah
Vandervelde the battle Painter, brother to William
the fea- piece Painter at the Hague. Affelyn has
diftinguifhed himfelf with fuccefs in painting hiftory,
battles, and animals, particularly horfes and land
fkip. He travelled firft into France, and afterwards into
Italy, where he was fo taken with the manner of
Bambochio, that he followed it ever after ; this
Painter was one of his friends at Rome, where
Affelyn arrived when he was twenty years old, in the
year 1630. The community of Flemifh Painters,
nick-named him Crabbete, becaufe he had one hand
with his fingers fo diftorted that he could hardly
hold his pallet : His chief ftudies were taken in the
neighbourhood of Rome, where he was continually
imployed in defigning. In his return from Italy,
he flopt fome time at Lyons, to fatisfy the defire of
the curious in that city, his numerous ftudies en
abled him to furnifh them with a variety of pictures.
During his abode here he was fmitten with the
charms of a merchant's daughter of Antwerp, who
happened to be then at Lyons, whom he married in
1645, and carried home with him to Amfterdam,
together with her elder fifter, who had married
Nicholas de Helkoftade, another Painter. His coun
trymen received him with great fatisfadtion, which
was much heightened by the fight of his works.
He was the firft that difcovered to them a frefh and
clear manner of painting landfkips, like Claude
Lorrain : They admired the eafy boldnefs of his
pictures, and the freedom and lightnefs of touch that

eminent P A I ft T E ft S. § j
that appeared through the whole. A1J the Painters
now began to imitate his rtew ftyle of Painting- and
to reform the dgrk brown manner they had hitherto
followed, The very green tints of Fauquier and
Paul Brill, as well as thofe that were top blue* fuch
as BrugheJ and Savery made ufe of, were intirely
banifhed ; and the tafte of Affelyn and Herman
Swanvelt, was wholly followed, as approaching
neareft to nature. Affelyn grew into repute at Am
fterdam, and fold his pictures at a high price ; they
were fometimeS hiftories or battles, bur chiefly land
fkip adorned with antiquities* -md furnifhed With
animals and figures well reprefented. His colouring
is extremely frefb, and his touch admirable, and
nature appears in full luftre through his works :
Sandrart fpeaking of him, fays, I have in my col
lection a pidlure of his hand, reprefenting the Ponte
Salario near Rome, guarded by Cuiraffiers, and at
tacked by Pandours.; the fkirmifh is defcribed with
the greateft truth, and painted with the utmoft
care. The opinion of this author, who was himfelf
a Painter, and a great eonnoiffeu.r, is a good tefti-
mony of the ability of Affclyn.
John Affelyn died at Amfterdam in 1660, being
fifty years old.
Perelle has ingraved after him twenty four plates
of landfkips and ruins painted in Italy.
JOHN W TN A NT S.
THIS mafter, born at Haerlem about the year
1620, is believed to have inftructed the fa
mous Wouverman. No author has fpoken of him,
and the "Dutch, with all their prolixity, have left his
name out of their catalogue, notwithftanding this
^artift is defervedly worthy of mention. In his works
an eafy and judicious touch, a clearnefs in his lights,
that attracts the fpedtator, (though they want a pro-
G 2 per

84 The LIV E S of
per breadth) a fine choice of country, and beautiful
fkies, are found united ; laftly, his pictures (which are
not common) pafs often for Wouverman's. It is
faid, that the figures which adorn the pictures of Wy
nants, are not of his own hand ; and that he pro
cured Van Tulden, Oftade, Wouverman, Lingel-
back, and others, to paint them for him : Which,
far from finking the value of his works, ferves to
raife it.' In -this he only follows the example of
other of Painters of great note. The famous Claude
de Lorrain, who may be juftly called the prince of
landfkip, did fo before him ; and though he was
continually making ftudies in the academy to defign
his figures, he could never perfectly fucceed, but
was obliged for his figures to Philippo Lauri, and
Courtois. He ufed to jeft on his own ignorance, fay
ing, he only fold his landfkip, but gave the figures
into the bargain.
On the contrary, Wynants, was extremely care
ful to conceal his unikilfulnefs in defigning his fi
gures,, and to procure others to paint them for him,
unknown to his friends : Men have a natural difpo
fition to over-rate their own good qualities, and di-
Hiinifh their defects. Having fold two pictures to a
Burgomafler, the figures were not to his liking, on
which he defired the Painter to make fome alteration
on the fpot, and add another figure ; Wynants be
ing unable to do it, was obliged to call in another
hand to his affiftance, which difcovered his incapa
city, and did him hurt with the lovers of Painting  ,
For all this, he took great pleafure in finding fault
with others, without confidering how much his own
defects expofed him to cenfure. This criticizing fpi
rit drew on this artift many enemies, who were con
tinually finding fault with his works ; and perhaps
this is the reafon the writers of his oWn profeffion
keep fo profound a filence in regard to him. Play
and. debauchery, fo common among his countrymen, greatly

eminent PAINT E R S. 85
greatly checked his talents ; he gave tip much of his
time to them, and is faid to have diftinguifhed his
ingenuity as much in his pleafures, as in the practice
of his art. We are ignorant of the time and place of
his death.
BARTOLOMEO,
SIRNAMED Breenberg, was born at -Utrecht
about 1620. His natural inclination led him to
Painting, in which he made fo great a progrefs,
that he very foon deferved to be ranked amongft the
good Painters. To compleat himfelf he fet out for
Italy, where he fpent the greateft part of his life :
The profpedts round about Rome, are fo many
living pictures ; the. great number of antiquities and
ruins, furnifh admirable fabricks for a landfkip Pain
ter ; the.trees indeed are not fo happy for his ftudy,
except in fome places, as at Albano, Frefcati, and
Tivoli;: in moft othe,r places the trees are flumped,'
and of very feurvy forms for a Painter, The fine
views were enough for Bartolomeo, they fupplied
the ground of his pictures, which he adorned after
wards, with excellent fmall figures and animals,
which he had the art of touching to great perfection.
He ufed chiefly to paint in little, whenever he at
tempted grand compofitions, his figures proved in-
corredl and of bad gout. This Painter is fprightly
in his touch, his tafte in colouring is very good ^
his pictures have force and delicacy ; this, with the
perfection of his animals and fmall figures, occafions
his works to be much fought after.
It is remarked that he has two manners, which
fometimes confound the curious ; his firft, by the
bad choice of his colours, is grown dark in his fkies,
trees and. fore-grounds: He afterwards made ufe of
Ultramarine and better colours, which render his
laft mariner much fuperior and mofe eligible. There
G 3 is

06 The LIVES Of
is A famenefs in his animals and figures, which eafily
diftinguifhes his works. He died iri the year 1660,
at forty yeafs old.
Bartolomeo, has etched twenty four fmall land
fkips with a great elegance of touch, thefe are very
fcarce : There are others engraved after him by H,
Naewenckj and other Flernifh engravers.
PHILIP WO UV E.R M AN<
MY author in this life is engaged iri contradict
ing Hbubrakeri, wh6, While he undervalues
the talents of this Painter, rfepreferits his fortune in a
much higher light than the French author is willing
to allow ; therefore as I cariflot, fettle the difpute, I
muft prefent the reader With the accourit as I find it.
Philip Wouverman's works have all the excellencies
we can wifh, high finifhing, cbrredlnefs, agreeable
Cbrnpofitioris, and a tafte for colouring, joiried with
*i force that approaches to the Carraches. He was
born at Haerierri in 1620, of a father rtartied Paul
Wouverman, a rriidling hiftory Painter : Houbrakei"
does not feem to love this fatnolis artift. He feems
even defirous of leffening his Merit, by infinuatirig
that his fUccefs was owing to his patrons and his
lucky liars ; whereas he was only beholden to the
greatnefs of his talents. He learnt the principles of
his art of John. Wynants, an excellent Painter of the
-city of Plaerlem ; artd riot of his father, as that author
fays. This fchool was much fitter to form Wouverr
man for the great man he afterwards tUrried out :
Here he quickly fucceeded iri acquiring the whole
manner of Wynants, and furpaffed him in the ele
gance of his figures.
Ft does not appear he ever was in Italy, or ever
quitted the city of Haerlem ; though no man ever de-
ferved more the encouragement and protection of
fome powerful prince than he did. His example proves,

eminent PAINTERS. %y
proves, that oftentimes the greateft merit remains
without either recompence or honour. Nothing
can be more worthy of our notice, than the beauty
of his compofition, the choice of his fubjedls* his
inchanting colouring, the correctnefs of his figures,
their fine expreffive turn, the beautiful touch of his
trees, his underftanding in the chiaro ofcuro, the
perfection of his horfes and animals, the fpirit that
animates the whole, "and the beauty and richnefs of
the fore- grounds of his pictures.
The pieces he painted in his latter time, have a
grey or a bluifh caft ; they are finifhed with too
much labour, and his grounds look too much like
velvet ; but thofe he did in his beft time are free
from thofe faults, and equal in colourings and cor
rectnefs, any thing Italy can produce.
Wouverman generally inriched his landfkips
with huntings, halts, and incampments of armies,
•nd other fubjects where horfes naturally enter,
which he defigned better than any Painter of his
time ; there are alfo fome battles and attacks of vil
lages by his hand.
Thefe beautiful works which gained him great re
putation did not inrich him ; though the author be
fore mentioned fays otherwife, and reports, that he
married his daughter to Fromarit a Painter, and
gave 20,000 florins for her fortune. But the ac
count I have heard of Wouverman in the country,
by no means confirms this -"ftt-enlfed affluence of for
tune: on the contrary, I was affured that this Painter,
charged with a numerous family, and indifferently
paid for his work, lived very meanly ; and though
he painted very quick, had much ado to maintain
himfelf -, how laborious he was, the great number of
his pidtures (difperfed every where) certifies.
Thefe circumiftances, if true, are very inconfiftent
with that happinefs and thofe great patrons Houbra
ken mentions, fince Maximilian elector of Bavaria,
G 4 and

8S The LI VES of
arid, governor of the low countries, only brought
Wonverman's pidlures into efteem after his death.
The mifery of his condition, which is but too well
proved, determined him not to breed up any of his'
children to Painting. In his laft hours, (which hap
pened at Haerlem in 1668, when he was 48 years
old) he burnt a box filled with his ftudies and de
figns, which he had made in his life-time ; I have,
'faid he, been fo ill repaid for all my labours, that
I would not have thofe defigns ingage my fon to
embrace fo miferable a profeffion as mine : This' fon
followed his advice, and became a Chartreux frier,^.
The Dutch author affigns feveral other reafons for
this proceeding ; the firft, according to fome, is the
fear that thefe helps fhould prevent . his fon from tak*
ing pains to form ftudies for himfelf, by relying too
much on the labours of his father.
The fecond is, according to others, that having
lived in a mifunderftanding with his brother Pete*,
he was unwilling he fhould receive any advantage of
the reflections and improvements he had made in his
life-time. The third fuppofed reafoni taxes the great genius
of Philip with plagiarifm, infinuating that he had
found means, after the death of Bambochio, to buy
all his ftudies, and compofitions; and that having
concealed this treafure during his life-time, to keep
it fecret after his death, he committed them to the
flames : but our author forgets what he had advanced
himfelf, that Bambochio had fo eafy a practice and
fo fruitful an imagination, that he made neither de
figns nor ftudies, but painted his fubjects off-hand
on his cloth : So that this treafure could not have
been very confiderable, befides the great difference
in the manner and tafte of compofition of the two
Painters, render this fuppofition improbable.
His difciples were John Greffier and his own fon,
|ie had alfo two brothers who painted in his manner ;
the

eminent P A INTER S. 89
the eldeft, Peter Wouverman, whom we may rank
with the good Painters of his time, whofe pictures
reprefented; ftables, fowling and hawking, his hor
fes were well defigned ; but he was not equal to his
brother Philip : John, the youngefl, lived at Haerlem,
he painted landfkips very well ; but as he died in the
flower of his age, two years before his brother Phi
lip, we have but few of his works.
, Several mafters have ingraved after Philip Wou
verman, viz. Dancker Dankerts, Vifcher, Gafpar
Bouttals, and A. J. Prenner; their prints amount to
fixteen, great and fmall. Mr Moyreau has ingraved
upwards of fifty after the moft beautiful pictures of
this mafter in Paris, where Le Bas, Baumont,
Cochin, Laurent, are continually imployed in work
ing after him, and Major at London ; fo that it is
impoffible to fix the number of his prints, which is
daily increafing.
J AMES COURTOIS, named BORGOGNONE,
TH E father of James Courtois, named John,
was a Painter, he had this fon in 1621, in the
town of St Hippolite, in the Franche Comte, whom
he eafily infpired with the ambition of excelling in
his profeffion : The Italian name by which he is beft
known, is., Giacomo Cortefe detto il Borgognone.
At fifteen Courtois went to Milan, .where getting
.acquainted with a French officer, he followed the
army three years; during which time he defigned
marches, fieges, fkirmifhes, and thofe battles in
¦which he was prefent. He afterwards put himfelf
under one Jerom a Painter of Lorrain, who im
ployed him in his painting room, where Guido fee
ing a landfkip of his, defired to know the author,
and took him with him to Bologna, where he conr
tracted a friendfhip with Albano. Thefe two great
mafters gave him all the inftrudlions in their power,
inftrudlions

g6 The h IV ES of
iiiftfuctions of which BorgognOne made fuch excel
lent ufe in his battles : Florence incited his curiofity,
at laft Rome finifhed his progrefs, as well as that of
two Dutch men his companions ; whofe tafte he
adopted. The Ciftertian fathers received them into
their convent of the holy crofs iri Jerufalem, where
he painted feveral pieces of hiftory ; which he
fhewed to Pietro de Cortona and Bambochio, who
wanted to fee him paint. The friendfhip of Cortona
furnifhed him with an addition ofknowledge : Bam
bochio was his chief companion in ftudying and de
figning the beautiful objects about Rome. Borgog-
none having faved up a little money, was incouraged
to take a houfe, and painted from fancy feveral
battles, without being refolved what kind of Paint
ing to apply himfelf to ; till the fight of the battle of
Conftantine, painted by Julio Romano , intirely de
termined him. Count Carpegna befpoke feveral of him,
on the recommendation of Michael Angelo di Batta-
gHa, who coming to fee Borgognone without making
himfelf known, was fo ftruck, that he publifhed his
merit wherever he went. Courtois gave his colours
an eclat and a frefhnefs that heightened their natural
beauty, and where his fubjedls required it, a furpriz'-
ing boldnefs and force : Prince Matthias of Medicis,
governor of Sienna, for whom he did a great deal of
work in his beautiful houfe of L'Appegio ; brought
him from Florehce to Sienna ; (there he married,
and had the misfortune of growing cvery jealous of
his wife.) He paffed from thence through the Swifs
cantons into his own country ; and returning back
through Venice, (where he was detained a year, the
plague then raging in Rome : ) the Procurator Se-
gredo fet him to work in painting for his gallery
the moft bloody battles mentioned in holy fcripture.
Becoming a widower without children after feven
years wedlock, he fell under a fufpicion of having
poifoned his wife* which Obliged him to take fheltev

amongft

eminent PAINTERS. 91
amongft the Jefuits, whofe habit protected him from
profecution ; in return he adorned their Convent
with feveral pidlures : He afterwards fet out for
Rome, where his reputation had preceeded him.
The grand duke wanting the picture of Borgognoi^e
for his gallery, commanded him to his country houfe
at Caftello, two miles from Florence : He painted
himfelf in his religious habit, with his hands in the
fleeves, and in the diftance, an admirable battle:
At his return to Rome, he fet about the defigns for
the tribune of Jefus, in Which Jofhua was reprefent^
ed ftopping the fun ; and made a coloured fketch
for that work, which he defigned to execute in con
cert with his brother William ; but . in his return
from Caftle Gandolfo* where he had been to take
the air, was ftruck with an apoplexy. His death
happened at Rome in 1 6j6, the 55th year of his

age.

Nothing can be more fought after than his works j
they poffefs an underftanding and fire not to be
found in other battle Painters. Courtois feldom
made fketches or defigns ; the handle of his pencil
Which he fharpfened, ferved him to trace out his
thoughts upon the cloth, and he painted his picture
©ii, till it was finifhed, without leaving it. Parrocel
the elder is his only difciple we know of*
Gerfard Audran has ingraved one piece of the
Crufade after his mafter : There is a book of fix
leaves by L. V. Junior of battles, and another book
©f the fame fort of fubjedls* of eight leaves, pf his
hand. His brother William was a difciple of Pietro
Cortona, he frequently affifted Borgognone in his
great works, Was a good Painter, and died rich,
leaving his fortune to an only daughter. , There was
another brother a capuchin, whofe labours were con^
fined to the houfes of his own order.
JOHH

92 The L IVES of
JOHNWEENINX.
JOHN WEENINX, an able architect of
Amfterdam, bred his fon (born in 1621) up to
his own profeffion, his dying foon ftopped the pro
grefs of his fon, who remained under the care of his
mother and guardians : They placed him fucceffively
under a Draper and a Printer, whofe paper he
feribled over with fmall figures of men and animals.
His mother, willing to indulge his natural inclination,
placed him with an indifferent Painter, who gave him
feme leffons ; but Abraham Bloemart was intended
for his mafter. By Weeninx' s fuccefsful application
to his ftudies, and by the good example of his maf
ter, he made a quick progrefs. The love of glory
among mankind is- generally born with talents to ac
quire it ; he was likewife two years under Nicholas
Mojaart, whofe manner he took fo well, that the
works of the mafter were hardly diftinguiflied from
thofe of the difciple.
At eighteen years old Weeninx left his mafter,
and married Jofina the daughter of Giles Hondi-
cooter, grandfather of Melchior, fo famous for
painting fowls ; his abilities began to gain him
friends and patrons, when the inclination for travel
ling feized him : He left his houfe, without taking
leave either of his wife, or mother, : who foon made
a clofe fearch after him, and at laft found him at
- Rotterdam, juft ready to imbark for Italy. Weeninx
returned to pacify them, and they confented to part
with him for four months.
The Dutch Painters on his arrival at Rome re
ceived him into their fociety ; and he found fo much
irripldyment, that inftead of four months he conti
nued four years there. Cardinal Pamphili was his
protector ; this prelate appointed Weeninx director
of feveral works then going on for the Pope's apart
ments ;

eminent PAINTERS. 93
ments ; his friends obferving him ' melancholy,
whilft fortune was thus fmiling on him, afked him
the reafon, he confeffed it was the concern he felt at
being abfent from his wife and fon. Cardinal Pam
phili being inforrried of it, and afraid of lofing
him, agreed with his friends in advifing him to fend
for them to Rome, and iffued orders for defraying
their expences through the Pope's territories. This
would have fucceeded, if his wife's relations, pro-
fefs'd enemies of the Roman fee, had not diffuaded
her from the voyage. Weeninx not hearing from
them, gueft at the obftacle, and fet out from Italy
to return to his wife, without taking leave either of
the Pope or Cardinal. He only left a letter inti
mating his intention of returning again in three
months. He was received with great fatisfadtion at his re
turn to Amfterdam, but was not a jot more faithful
to the promife he made to the Cardinal, than to that
he had before made his wife, though he preffed him
greatly to return to Italy ; he indeed fent his emi
nence fome pictures over in his ftead. The air of
Utrecht agreed better with his health than that of
Rome •, but the interruption he met with from the
number of people that vifited him, determined him to
remove to the caftle of Haar, two leagues from that
city.
*¦ Weeninx was fo much mafter of his art, that he
was heard to fay, that it grieved him to the very
foul, that he could not exprefs his conceptions with
his pencil as perfectly as he formed them in his mind.
He had an excellent practice that rendered him fu
perior to any other Painter. He painted hiftory,
figures, animals, portrait, fea-pieces and flowers, in
a manner that was both grand and beautiful : His
tone of colouring had nothing of the manner of his
country : His difpatch was furprizing. He would
often fketch and finifh a picture fix or feven foot
hiSh,

.94 The LIVE S of
high, of a bull-batting, or other fuch fubject after
nature, in a day's time : Onefumrner'sday he pain-f
ed three portraits, three quarter pieces, as big as the
life. It muft be owned, he fucceeded better in large
pictures than in fmall ones ; he had not the art of
contradling his ideas into a narrow fpace ; and his
touch was not 'nice enough : Notwithftanding he has
done fome fmall pictures as perfect for the finifhing,
as thofe of Mieris, or Gerrard Dow ; but his touch
is much inferior, wanting the fpirit that gives a value
to the works of thofe Painters i His figures want
elegance and correctnefs.
He died at Termay, two leagues from Utrecht, in
the year 1660, being thirty nine years old. He left
one fon named John, who was his difciple ; as was
alfo Berchem, who greatly furpaffed him.
Verkolic has ingraved a grotefque fubject from a
picture of his.
BERCHEM.
NICHOLAS BERCHEM, called by fome
Cornelius, but falfely, was born at Amfter-
uarn in the year 1624; his father, named Klaaffe,
was but a midling painter of fifh, and tables cor
vered with plates, china difhes, and fuch like:
Klaaffe having given his fon the firft rudiments of
his art, found himfelf unequal to the tafk of cul
tivating the excellent difpofition he obferved in him,
therefore placed him with Van Gowen, Nicolas Mo-
jaart, Peter Grebber, John Wils, and laftly withjohn
Baptift Weeninx ; all thefe mafters had the honour
of affifting to form fo diftinguiflied and excellent a
Painter ; they fay that Berchem is a nickname given
him from fome of his friends, calling on him to
fave himfelf on fome (probably ludicrous) occafion.
Berghem fignifying, fav,e him : Indefatigable at his
eafil,

eminent PAINTERS. g$
eafil, Berchem acquired a manner both eafy and ex
peditious. To fee him work, Painting appeared a
meer di verfion to him.
He poffeffed a clearnefs and ftrength of judgment,
and a furprizing force and eafe in expreffing hia
thoughts, he painted human figures, animals, and
landfkip, with equal truth and beauty. His choiee
of nature (which was his conftarit model) was judi
cious, and though his fubjedls were generally of the
low or familiar kind ; he gave them all the beauty
and elegance their natures were capable of admit
ting : His peafants have a truth arid eafe in their ac
tions, and the expreffions of their character, that de
lights and furprizes ; the poftures of his animals are
well chofen. His groups are well difpofed,' his
landfkips are admirable, the leafing of his trees is
light and well touched, his fides are clear, and his
clouds flow with a furprizing thinnefs : the time of
the day, and the feafon of the year, are admirably
marked out in his pidlures, the brightnefs, warmth,
and glow of colouring that appears over his land
fkips, has never been excelled: The breadth and
juft diftribution of his lights, the harmony of his
colouring, and the juft degradation of his tints, the
correctnefs of his defign, and the elegance of his
compofition, are the diftinguifh ing characters of his
pictures, and where any of thefe marks are wanting,
no authority ought to be fufficient to fix his name to
the piece.
His wife, the daughter of John Wills, one of his"
mafters, through her avarice allowed him no reft :.
as induftrious as he was at his bufinefs, fhe ufually
kept herfelf under his painting room, and when fhe
neither heard him fing or ftir, fhe ftruck upon the
cieling to roufe him : fhe got from him all the mo
ney he earned by his labour, fo that he was obliged
to borrow from his fcholars, when he wanted money
to buy prints that were offered him, which was the
only

96 The LI VES 5/
only pleafure he had ; and his collection oF this kind
was found confiderable after his death.
Berchem joined a great regularity of conduct with
a fweet and amiable temper. He and John Bot each
painted a picture for a Burgomafter of Dort, re-
prefenting a mountainous country covered with
flocks of fheep, and herds of cattle. This magif-
trate having promifed an extraordinary gratuity to
the Painter that fhould acquit himfelf beft, when,
they each prefented their picture, found them both
fo excellent, that he rewarded them both equally.
A picture of his of the calling of St Matthew,
in which there is a great number of animals, is alfo
much talked of.
All the cabinets in Europe are furnifhed with tefti-
monials of the capacity of this able mafter.
He paffed part of his life in the caftle of Bentheira,
whofe agreeable fituation furnifhed him with the
views and animals that form his pictures ; he has alfo
frequently painted the view of that caftle. He died
at Haerlem in 1683, at the age of fixty, and was
buried in the weft church of that city.
There are many prints graved by, and after him ;
the former amount to forty eight, the latter to 133,
graved by Vifcher, Danker Dankerts, Snyderhoef,
Groenfvelt, Avelini, Le Bas, and others.

T

PAUL POTTER.
H E grandfather of Paul Potter was fecretary
and receiver of upper and lower Zwol, and
his wife a defcendant of the houfe of Egmont :
Their fon Peter, notwithftanding the advantages of
his birth, was fo little favoured by fortune, that he
was obliged to learn to paint in the city of Enchuyfen ;
he afterward married very advantageoufly, and in
1625 had a fon named Paul Potter. If the genius of
the fon joined to a continued application, had not
made

eminent PAINTERS. 97
made amends for the poornefs of the father's talents,
he had never been able to have fo greatly diftin-
guifhed himfelf from the croud of Painters. The
fine pictures that adorn the cities of Amfterdam and
the Hague, were of great ufe to him in his ftudies,
for which reafon he fettled himfelf at the Hague :
He hardly began to be known, when the charms of a
damfel in his neighbourhood proved fatal to his li
berty, fhe was daughter of an architect of fome re
putation. Potter afked the father's confent, who
made a difficulty of granting it, as he painted only
animals ; but the merit of Paul, and the efteem he
had acquired among the connoiffeurs, at laft pre
vailed on the father to give him his daughter : The
architect, by his accefs to people of the higheft rank,
procured imployment for his fon in law. Potter by
his ability in his art, his prudence,, politenefs and
learning, drew the foreign minifters to vifit him, and
prince Maurice of Naffau would often go to fee him
work ; his natural good fenfe, improved by an ap
plication to reading, fupplied him with fo agreeable
a fund of converfation that thefe great men found an
an entertainment in frequenting him ; when one was
thoroughly acquainted with him, it was impoffible to
quit him : His wife, who had an inclination for gal
lantry, was pleafed with the great refort to her huf-
band, as it gave her an opportunity of gaining ad
mirers : Her hufband, wholly taken up with his bufi
nefs, took no notice of her coquetting, till at laft
fhe grew fo fecure that fhe neglected even the com
mon care of faving appearances, fo that he at laft
furprized her with one of her gallants, and brought
in her friends as witneffes of her fhame : they were
violently imaged, and fhe was fo fhocked, that
convinced of her folly, fhe became wifer for the
future: Potter was afterwards indulgent enough to
forgive her. The princefs dowager Amelia, countefs
of Solmes, ordered, him to paint a picture for a
H chimney-

9? "*tbe hi V'Efe '6/ --*•
chirnney piece for one of the firie apartments of chef
old court : This picture reprefented a beautiful land
fkip, in which he painted a cow flaking ;; a favou
rite courtier infinuated that it was an -uhfeemly ob
ject t6 be continually in the view of a princefs, • and?
diffuaded her from taking it ; fo that Potter was ob
liged to take his pidlure back again. This* trifling
abfurdity gave the pidlure a reputation ; the Curi
ous bid upon one another for it, . and it has paft foe -
ceffively into fome of the beft cabinets in Flanders.
Houbraken fays it fold for 2000 Florins to Mynheer
Jacob Vanhoeck* who placed it over againft a cele
brated picture of Gerard Dow,
In 1652 Potter removed to Arhfterdam at the fe
licitation of a Burgomafter, who efteemed him,
and employed him to paint feveral pictures for Him -r
arriongfl them are four ingenious fables, wherein the
animals feem alive ; another of feveral horfes which
ftand round a farrier at work ; and another that re-
prefdh'ts a black and white horfe. This Painter was
remarkable for his induftry and attention, he never
walked out without a book, in which he defigned
every thing he obferved that might be of fervice to
his pictures.' In the winter he ingraved in aqua
fortis the defigns he made after nature, which are
much fought after.
His great application to his bufinefs fhortened his
days, he became eonfumptive, and died. at Amfter- <
dam in 1654, when he was but 29 yekrs old. His
pictures are his only remains, they are now come
greatly into vogUe ;• the greennefs of his trees, and
the carelefs manner of his leafing are fufficient marks
to diftihguifh them by : His fkies, his trees, and
his diftances, are painted very negligently, but his
animals are highly finifhed and touched up with
great fpirit.
He has etched four landfkips with a great num
ber of figures, and animals lengthways, and a fmall book

eminent PAINTERS. 99
book of bulls and cows in eight leaves. '' There are
alfo thirty leaves of different animals: ingraved after
him, by Marc de Bic.
JOHN LINGELBACK,
WA S born at Francfort on the Maine in 1625.
We are ignorant of the names of either his
father or his mafter ; yet we may judge of the abi
lities of the latter, by the fuperior talents of the
feholar, whofe firft beginnings contributed to efla-
blifh that reputation he afterwards fupported fo well.
At the age of fifteen he went to Holland to improve
his ftudies, his pictures there acquired a greater de
gree of perfection, which even then produced a great
demand for them ; his fmall figures were fo true,
that nature feemed to have formed them ; they were
likewife accompanied with a frefh and delightful land
fkip. .->-
Lingelback paffed into France in 1642. This
voyage increafed the' number of his admirers, and
the price of his works : The number of able men
he found there delighted him, and infpired him with
an' emulation, which prompted him to make the
voyage of Italy ; and having faved up money
enough in two years ftay at Paris, he fet out for
Rome ; where he revived his ftudies with great ap
plication : Nothing efcaped his inquiry in the neigh
bourhood of that famous city. The fea profpects,
veffels, antiquities, fountains, fairs, the mountebanks
and preachers that are feen there in publick places;
were the fubjects of his beft pidlures. Whilft his
art feemed to ingage his whole attention,- love broke
in upon his ftudies : A young woman, daughter of
an architect, was continually at her window, which
was over againft his, this was enough to flop all at
tention to his pencil in fo young a man : Tender
looks, expreflive geftures, and billet-doux, were his
H 2 whple

jqo The LIVES of
whole employment; thefe produced rendezvous in
churches and on walks, our lovers talked to each
other out of the windows, and every thing feemed
to go on fwimmingly : At laft the damfel found
means rx> introduce her lover into her father's houfe,
from whence, as he was retiring one night, he was
furprized by two brothers of his miftrefs, who at-
tack'd him brifkly ; but Lingelback defended him
felf with fo much bravery, that he wounded them
both, and got off himfelf with a flight feratch ;
happy to have efcaped fo well. This proved a warn
ing to him to bid adieu to intriguing, fo general,
but yet fo dangerous in that city. On this accident he
applied himfelf afrefh to his ftudies, which by his
fuccefs made him amends for the lofs of his miftrefs.
He remained in Italy till 1650, when he returned
through Germany to Amfterdam : At his return, the
progrefs he had made in France and Italy, foon
difcovered itfelf, by the greatnefs of his abilities in
his art.
His pictures are adorned with ruins of antiquity,
animals, waggons filled with beautiful figures ; his
diftances are of a cleat blue, and his fkies, which are
lightly clouded, have a chearful air, and give a
ftrength to his fore-grounds ; nor can any thing be
better underftood than the degradation of his colours :
his genius was fo fertile, that he never repeated the
fame fubject in his pictures. His charadler was al
ways that of an honeft man ; honour always prevailed
with him over intereft ; therefore as there is no praife
equal to that of deferving it, this Painter merits it
from truth, not from flattery.
This Painter, though his merit is very real, (fays
my author) is little known in France : his works
have difcovered it at Paris, and begin to find a place
in collections. They poffefs a fine tone of colour
ing, a pleafant and lively touch through the whole,
and a lightnefs of pencil and a neatnefs that is very un
common.

eminent PAINTERS. 101
common. This defcription gives but a flight idea of
the talents of John Lingelback, whofe pictures are
not yet come quite into fafhion ; for there is a fafhion
in Paintings as well as in cloaths. Teniers has had
a Jong reign. Polemburch, Wouverman, Gerrard
Dow, Mieris, and Schalken fucceeded him; at
prefent it is A. Oftade, Metzu, Potter, Vandervel-
de, Vanhuyfum, and Vanderwerf. The curious not
only fet thefe mafters now above the former, but ea
gerly bid upon one another for them at fales, and run
them up to an extravagant price ; though thefe fort of
preferences are not extraordinary in Holland, and
Flanders, where they only love the Painters of their
own country, fhewing little regard for the Italian,
or French mafters.
The time of Lingelback 's death, fet fortune*
children, or difciples we are ignorant of.
He has ingraved fome landfkips.
VANDER ME E R.
THERE are two Vander Meers, John, and his
brother Vander Meer de Jonghe, that is the
*young* John Vander Meer was born at Lifle in
Flanders in 1627. He was the difciple of nature.
The pleafure he took in defigning landfkips and views
of the fea, determined his application to that kind
of Painting. The difficulty of reprefenting fhips,
with their cordage and furniture, (which ufually per
plexes other Painters) was none to him : He had by
practice acquired an eafe in expreffing them in all
pofitions : His pictures are filled with animals and
fmall figures, which he defigned with great tafte and
fpirit. There is nothing exceeds his touch, nor
can any thing be gayer than his compofition.
Vander Meer fet out for Rome in company with
Henry Verfcuring a Dutch Painter, and a difciple of
H 3 John

102 ' 'The LIVE? qf-^
John Bot, born at Gorcum in 16.27, 'who. vetrtrrned
after two voyages to Italy to his own country, as
mentioned in De Pile's lives. • .-'"''
¦- Vander Meer flay'd a great while inTtaly, the
great number of ftudies he made there, were-aaf in
finite fervice to him in- the beautiful grounds that/ give
fuch a richnefs to his works. He returned into his
own country, i where he. continued to paint: many
years, and where he ended his days in an advanced
age. There is no fault to be found with his iworks,
except that he fometimes is a little too blue in his
back-grounds. - ..-..j - ... ¦
His brother Vander Meter -de Jonghe, who was
alive in 16S6, has not followed the fame tafte ; he
has painted fheep even better than Berchem, or any
other Dutch mafter. They are fo highly -finifhed,
that you think you can feel their wool : This Pain
ter has no touch, all: is fmooth, and admirably limi
ted. His compofitions are generally a fhepherd and
fhepherdefs^fitting ori'a hillpHk in: a landfkip, watch
ing their fheep and goats ; which can hardly be
enough admired: ' His . figures, groUnds,: fkies,
and trees, are all painted. "in an excellent gout.
There are very rarely horfes, cows, or other cattle in
his pictures ; fheep and rams -are his favourite ob
jects. . .
We neither know of any difciple of, or print in-
graVed after, either of thefe mafters.
BACK H U T S E N.
LUDOLF BACKHUYSEN was born in the
year 1 63 1, in the city of Embden. His father
was fecretary of the ftates, and his grandfather a
minifter. He followed his ftudies till he was fixteen
years old, when he was fent to Amfterdam to learn
commerce, which he foon quitted for Painting. At
that age, without having learnt ; he defigned fea-
views

tmirant PAINTER S. 103
views and veffels, in amanner fp beautiful .and new,
that his defigns have fetched 100 florins. On which
fuccefs he was advifed to take up the pallet : ;Everd-
ing, a good landfkip. Painter, taught him how to em
ploy his colours, and Houbraken fays he truckecj
his firft picture for ten -florins : ThcPainter whom he
found moft communicative,.. was Henry Dubbels,
.one of the ancient? of the community of Painters,
who unveiled to.him.the myfteries of his art,, which
Backhuyfen knew how to improve to his advantage,.
As foon as he faw' a ftorm rifing, he embraced the
critical minute, got on board.a veffel, and putqut
to fea ; where he obferved and fketched out vvithhp
pencil, the forms of the clouds, the ftormy fkies,
and their different effects on the agitated water* the
breaking of the waves againft the rocks, and the
froth- and foam of the fea : On his. return he fhut
himfelf up in his painting room, and from his
.fketches expreffed, on his canvas the objects that,
were then ftrongly painted in his imagination. This
Painter reprefented nature juft, as hefa-w it, fometimes
in topfervile a manner -, yet his pictures, for the beau
tiful agreement of all their parts, deferve a place in
the moft curious cabinets.
In- -1 665, -the Bujgornafters of Amfterdam vor-
deVed~nim to 'paint Yfarge picture, in which was re
prefented a great number of foips. and figures, for
which they paid him 1 300 florins, ;and made a pre
fent of it tp Louis XIV, -The king of Pruffu,
the eledlor of Saxony, and the .great -duke of. Flo-
fence- were defirous of his pictures,, ahd fome princes
fought his acquaintance, amongft, others the Czar
Peter I : This. prince, who was extremely curious in
.everything, relating to the art of fhip- building,, or
dered him to paint, and. defign for him, all forts of
/veffels. Backhuyfen was a quiet man, that loved his pro-
fefion, and knew how to employ his time ufefully, to
; -. "' J' H 4 the

IQ4 The hlY E & of
the advantage of his family : Befides Painting, he
taught feveral children of the principal merchants to
write, by an eafy and quick method, which he had
invented, and reduced to certain rules : It is laid
that he was fenfible of the beauties of poetry, and
well acquainted with the moft eminent poets of his
time. He exercifed his feveral talents to the laft, in
ipite of the gravel and ftone, with which he was
cruelly tprmepted, and which at length brought on
his laft hour, ip the year 1709, when he was 78
years old.
He had hjmfelf fet by a number of bottles in his
life-time fealed, to be prefented to his friends that
fhould attend his funeral, according to the cuftom of
Amfterdam ; and after his death they found a little
bag in which were as many florins as he was years
old, which were defigned for thofe that carried him
to the grave, and who were named in a memoran-r
dum he left : Thefe were all Painters of his acquaint
ance, whom he defired to fpend ittogetheri ~
At the age of fixty one he ingraved in aqua fords
the maritime views of Lye, a little arm pf the fea in
the county of Holland.
ADRIAN VANDER KABEL,
WAS born at the caftle of Ryfwick near the
Hague in 1 (J31. John Van Gowen, a fkilful
fainter of landfkip, had the charge of cultivating
Adrian's happy talents for Painting, and the pleafure
of finding the qufeknefs of his improvement anfwer
his care. Adrian took great delight in painting fea-
views, and animals, without neglecting human fi
gures, which he defigned in a good tafte. The in
clination to travel (fo natural to young people)
tempted him, as it does others ; after having painted
fome time in his own country, he could not refill his
(defire pf vifiting the neighbouring prpvinces, but
fpming

eminent PAINTERS. 105
coming into France, he fixed in the city of Lyons.
Here he ftudied the manner of Caftiglione, and the
landfkips of Salvator Rofa, and entered fo thoroughly
into their tafte, that his pidlures have often been
miftaken for pieces of thofe mafters ; his manner
varied, fometimes he aimed at imitating Mola, and
Carrache, like them he painted dark, or rather, the
bad colours he made ufe of have changed his pic
tures, for he was too able a mafter to have painted
them fuch as they now appear. The nice Flemifh
tafte never ingaged him, but his manner, which is
grand arid free, approaches the Italian : His trees
and his fmall figures are very corredl and well
touched, and his animals, which are often the princi
pal object of his pictures, are equally- excellent.
The quantity of his works, fhew how laborious this
painter was; he has alfo etched feveral plates info
perfect a tafte, that the touch and leafing of his trees*
are fome of the beft ftudies that can employ the at
tention of a ftudent that defigns to excel in landfkip.
His conduct was not fo well regulated in his life as
in the purfuit of his art: His debaucheries continu
ally drawing him into fome fcrape or other. No
thing was more common than to fee Vander Kabel
drunk, as he fpent his time with fots, and de
bauchees ; he was oftenfor want of money obliged to
bilk the taverns. Once not being able to pay his reck
oning in a houfe where he had paffed two whole days,
he could find no other expedient, than painting a
fign, which he gave his landlady, who afterwards
difpofed of it very advantageoufly.
Another time,- having quarrelled with fome fhar-
pers, who were drinking at the fame houfe with him,
he had a narrow efcape for his life, by the guards in-
ter-pofing in time ; yet as there was a man dange-
roufly wounded, it coft him his liberty, for he was
thrown into prifbn j whence it was feveral months before

io6 The L I V E fS %of ,
beforeihegotfree ; by the hglp of a fumpf money
Which his friends furnifhed. hinji withal. ,, -
It was a hardtmatter to get him to finifh a pidlure,
the only way was tp join , withrhim in his partie-s j
which was not agreeable to every body. Vander Kajb>§l
painted dead- game very well ; as he loved, good eat
ing, he took care to beftow time enough on that
fort of pictures, that he might have a pretence of
demanding frefh game to paint from, of hi*. cuftpf
mers ; which he would eat at> the tavern wi$ij-his;ppjt
companions. Notwithftanding ; his inclination, fpr
debauchery, Vander Kabel's. temper was compaffipnr
ate, tender and generous, his, wit was lively, his
converfation jovial, arid his;. cpunjtenance exceeding
fpritely. , ;...-.
He died at Lyons in 1695, aged 64, leaving a na
tural fon behind him, who was. a Painfer, and very
likely his difciple. . He had likewife a-bfodjer, w-hp
painted fruit, well. , , . ,-.-.-—-
He has etched; two large: upright landfkips,,. in one
of which is a.St Bruno, in the, other a St Jerop?, ,twp
other large ones .-,- length-ways, twelve of a middling
fize, and thirty fix fmall ones*, of which fix are up
rights. ,•"* .1 ,
J. Coeltrians has engraved a. St Bruno and four
ether landfkips, animals, and fea-views, in the-ca-
binet of Aix.
• ¦ '• * ,i ¦¦£1 ¦ .:. ... "..--••-
ANTHONY FRANCIS VANDERMEULEN9
DESCENDED from an honourable , family
at Bruflels,; was born in; that, city in 1634.
as his inclination for Painting difcovered itfelf early,
the inftrudlions of an able mafter, joined with. the
bent of his own genius, foon taught him to excel.
The talents hereceived from nature, being improved
by art, fixed his reputation fo, that his fmall, well
touched landfkips, inriched with fubjects of war,
were

eminent PAINTERS. 107
were "in great' vogue, and efteemed as ornaments to
the beft cabinets. Mr Colbert, that father of arts,
being informed of the fpritely productions of our
young Painter, Ordered him to paint him fome pic
tures ; with which that minifter was fo well, pleafed
that following the advice of Charles le Brun,; he de
termined to employ Vanderrrieulen's pencil in pub-
lifhing the glory of the king his mafter ; and by his
bounty and careffes engaged that able artift to con.-
fecrate his talents to his majefty 's fervice : A lodg
ing in the Gobelins, and a penfion of 2000: livres,
were the firft marks of the monarch's liberality to
him. The conquefts of Louis XIV, fo rapid at
that time, opened a wide field for the pencil of Van-
dermeulen, he followed the king, and received or
ders from him every day ; all ; his expences were de
frayed. He. defigned upon, the fpot fortified, towns,
with the neighbouring country ; the different march
es of the armies, incamprinents, halts, forrages,
fkirmifhes, and all the implements and pomp of
war ; all, things that entered neceffarily into his com
pofitions. As he was above imitating, he formed
his own manner, nature alone was his guide, and his
ftudy of her was infinite and continual. Being con
vinced that a reputation founded on great works, is
eafier obtained than preferved, he redoubled his en
deavours to deferve the favour and protection of a
great monarch and a powerful minifter.
• This celebrated Painter defigned figures well,
efpecially horfes. ; his landfkip is light and frefh,
Ms touch and his leafing are very lively, his
colouring is not ftrong, like that of Borgognone
and Parrocel the father, but much fofter, and to
fome more pleafing ; he applied himfelf principally
to paint battles, fieges, and hunting, nor has any
body expreffed the effects' of nature with greater
truth than he; in the pidlures he has given us of
thofe places which were the objects of the military exploits

io8 The LIV E S of
exploits of the monarch that imployed him. He of
ten made ufe of Martin the elder, Baudouin, Bonnart,
and other Painters to lay in his large pidtures from his
defigns, which he afterwards worked up, and fi
nifhed ; he alfo touched up the copies which they
made of his works : His wife dying, Charles le
Brun, the king's firft Painter, who was fond of Van-
dermeulen, and fupported him on all occafions,
gave him his niece in marriage. This alliance added
to his intereft, and every day he was diftinguiflied
by frefh favours from the king. At laft this happy
fun-fhine of his affairs, was overcaft by domeftic
troubles, which prejudiced his health, and brought
him to the grave in the city of Paris, in the year
1690, when he had lived 56 years.
He was buried in the church of St Hippolytus.
He left two daughters, and a fon who took up
orders. His difciples were Martin the elder, Baudouin,
and Bonnart.
He had a brother named Peter Vandermeulen*
who applied himfelf to fculpture, in which he dif
tinguiflied himfelf; he took his wife with him to
England in 1670, where he continued feveral years
with Peter Vart Bloemen, and Largiliere, and there
is reafon to think he died here.
Baudouin, Romaine, de Hooge, Huctenburg,
Simonneau the elder, Nicolas Bonnart, Cochin,
Surugue, Nolin and Ertinger, have ingraved his
battles and huntings to the number of forty feven ;
his landfkips, which are feveral fets, make up forty
eight ; his ftudies of horfes are ten, his incampments
eight ; the whole compofe a work of one hundred
and thirteen prints great and fmall.
We muft not join the inventions of Genoels, a
Flemifh Painter, with them, though they are fomer
times fold with the prints of Vandermeulen.
MELCHIOR

eminent PAINTERS. 109
MELCHIOR HONDICOOTER.
THIS Painter was of an ancient and noble fa
mily, he was inftructed till the age of feven-
teen by his father Gysbert, who was a tolerable
Painter : Gillyes his grandfather painted live birds ad
mirably, but chiefly cocks and hens, in pleafant
landfkips in the tafte of Savery and Vincaboon.
His fon Gilbert defired him to folicit a young girl,
who was an orphan, and with whom he was in love,
for his wife : Gilles was a handfome man, and the
damfel liked him fo well, that fhe preferred him to
his fon : In vain he reprefented to her that his fon's
age was more fuitable to her than his own, fhe would
not hear him, and Gyfbert married another. The
tender fentiments the young woman had difcovered
for him, affected the old gentleman fo fenfibly that
he married her, which gave fo much concern to the
fon, that he fettled at Utrecht, to avoid the fight of
the firft object of his love ; here Melchior was born
in 1636. He foon became mafter of his art, aban
doned himfelf to his genius, and after his father's
death worked alone, yet was frequently affifted by
the advice of his uncle Weeninx : He was an excel
lent Painter of animals, and his pencil feemed to give
life to the peacocks and other large birds, that he
placed in high finifhed landfkips.
His ha'ppinefs in the number of friends he had ac
quired, was difturbed by his marrying a woman
who brought along with her a train of five difagree-
able filters ; not being able to bring a friend home,
he was obliged to carry them to the tavern : This
libertine kind of life drew him into frequent fcrapes,.
he always came home drunk, and often maimed.
A woman, purfued by her hufband, took refuge in
the room of the tavern where he was, he undertook
her defence againft three or four men that attacked him,

no The LI V E $ of .-..-
him, .and wounded one dangerpufly ; as they be
lieved him the gallant of the woman whom he did
not eyen know, he was carried to prifpn with her i
and it was with fome difficulty that he procured his
liberty. : The day after his pranks, he conftantiy promifed
amendment, and to be more upon his guard; he
took his pallet and fet to work, to return to his bottle
again at night, fo that between his Work, and his
pot companions, he enjoyed a continual round of
drinking and painting.
This conduct of his was the more remarkable, as
before he married he was continually railing againft
drunkennefs, quoting paffages of fcripture, and de
claiming fo well that his family were once in a doubt
whether they fhould breed him up a Minifter or a
Painter : He had trained up a cock to put himfelf
in the attitude he wanted, then placed him on his
eafil, and with the motion of his flick made- him
hold up his head, and fix himfelf in a proper pbf-
ture, which the animal would continue in a long
time ; fometimes he would make him beat his wings.
He died at Utrecht in 1695, aged fifty nine^
One may judge of the; delicacy of his pencil by the
works he has left. There is at the Hague, at Mr
Lormier's, a large Saloon of his painting, where
the animals feem alive and moving in excellent
landfkips ; his touch is fo light, that one can hardly
forbear handling the feathers to be affured of the il-
lufion.
JOHN VANDERHETDEN,
WA S born at Gorkum in the year 1637.
His parents placed him firft with a Painter
on glafs, whom he left foon after to paint ancient
buildings, churches, temples and country houfes,
accompanied with trees and diftances,- which he de
figned

eminent P & I N-^T E R S. n*
figned after nature: with all poflible exactnefs. His
Underftanding, ; but aboveall his patience, are incon
ceivable : • Several Painters have finifhed their works '
aS fiighFj"1 as he, but few have known how to unite
rrTellownefs to fuch high finifhing. Nothing ap-^
pears laboured or fervile in-the-wdrks ofVander-'-
heyden. Dryhefs, fiardnefs arid- 'low tafte are-ba-*
niflied, the more you look the tnore you admire. the*
underftanding and good tafte that reigns through
the whole : With this talent, which was particular,
one -might fay^fingiilar iri him, you may count the
flones and bricks in his houfes, moft part fullied
with a greyifh or green caft; you may perceive even1
the mortar that binds the bricks, yet the chiaro
ofcuro'and the harmony of the picture are not in the
leaft interrupted, but on the contrary forrn moft* ad
mirable maffes of light and fhadow. The perfpec
tive is obferved in the diminution of the bricks in'
proportion to their diftances, by'a fnagick that
feems to furpafs the art of Painting.
Variderheyden, out of- the money he had amafled,
built himfelf a little houfe at Amfterdam, where he
ufually refided : One of his friends jefting on the
fmall nefs of his houfe, whofe pencil could raife fuch
palaces ; the Painter anfwered, It was much eafier to
lay the ftrokes ; of his " pencil on one another, than
ftones and timber.
- This artift has painted feveral times the town-houfe
bf'Ariifterdam, the change, the publick weighing-'
houfe, and the new church ; the royal exchange, and
the- mdriuriierit at London : At Cologne, the view
called mount Calvary, and the adjoining buildings.
His excellent pencil was fupported by the admirable
fmall figures which Adrian Vandervelde painted for
him, Who often employed himfelf in adorning the
works of others, to the time of his death, which
happened in 1672.
™ .'..'.  The

ii2 The L I V E 5 of
The ftates of Holland hearing our artift had in
vented a new engine to extinguifh fires, took him
into their fervice, which interrupted his ftudies in
the painting way ; at the fame time he found him
felf deprived of the affiftance of Adrian Vandervelde.
This circumftance has rendered his pictures fcarce,
though he employed his leifure hours now and then
in painting. He died at Amfterdam in 1712,
aged ys-
JOHN PETER SLINGELANDT.
TH E city of Leyden may boaft of having gi
ven birth to Peter Slingelandt, in the year
1640. He was fori of Cornelius Peter Van Slinge
landt, who by the firft principles of defigning made
trial of certain difpofitions his fon feemed to difco-
ver for that art : Thefe difpofitions worked flowly
and did not promife favourably, his tafte was not
immediately fixed towards Painting, but by degrees
he furmounted all obftacles ; his genius difplayed it
felf, and he rofe to perfection under the inftrudtion of
Gerrard Dow, whom he followed, not only in the
choice of his fubjects, but whom he furpaffed, to ufe
the words of a certain author, in the high pollifh
and neatnefs of his painting : His only fault is, that his
figures have a ftiffnefs which his matter's have not.
He was extremely flow in his works ; he fpent
three years in painting the family of Meerman :
and they tell you in the country, that he was a
month in finifhing a lace cravat. This reminds one
of what happened between fome Flemifh Painters
and Tintoret at Venice, on fhewing fome heads
highly finifhed ; he afked them what time they fpent
in painting each of thofe heads, they replied a fort
night ;— . Well, fays he, I will fhew what an Italian
can do in an hour, — whereon he took a pencil dipt
in black, and iketched out an entire figure ; and re
lieved

eminent PAINTERS. ii§
lieVed it with a white : You fee, fays he, how much
caufe you have to regret the time you have fpent in
painting of heads. '-''"*
The length of -time Slirigelaodt took up in a fingle
picture, was the occafion of bis gainihg more repu
tation- than fortune, though "the prices he fet on his
works were very- Mghythey Were not proportioned
to the time he fpent on them; his "labour is fin-priz---
irig* in a little pidlure of his, of a young lad play
ing with a bird* you may perceive even the fabrick
of bisftockings : In another of one playing on the
violin,' there is a Turky Carpet, in which the fhagg
of the Wool and the threads of the fabric, are fur-
prizingly exact. They tell alfo of a failor in a wool
len cap, in which you count all the threads of the
webb : But the moft diftinguiflied of all his pidlures,
is one of a girl that holds' a moufe by the tail, and a
cat juft going to fpring on it ; nothing can exceed
the beauty of - this piece, -which has joined to the
harmony and high finifhing, a precious chiaro ob
fcuro; and a colouring' equal to nature itfelf.
••They mention a lingular adventure of this Pain
ter ; A widdowwho fat for her picture, tired out
with histedioufnefs, and Vexed that her portrait was
in fo little forWardnefs ; after much time fpent in
fitting, rallied hirn' on ' his flownefs ': It is a much ea-
fier matter to love you, madam, replied Slingelandt,
than to paint your likenefs ; I find fo many graces
to reprefent,' fo many charms to copy, that my pen
cil is confounded in the atternpt ; but in loving you,
I fhould follow my inclination, which if it meet
with the leaft incburagement, I fhould think myfelf
the happieft man breathing. The lady was not in-
fenfible to this declaration, with which fhe was both
charmed and furprized, the perfon of the Painter
did not difpleafe'her,'rand he had the character of
worth and probity ; fhe made no anfwer but let him
finifh fhe picture, and when rifing from the laft
I fitting,

ii4, $he LIVES of  ,
fitting, fhe afked farm if, he .would take the, original:
in payment for the copy ; he accepted the condition,
and foori after' married the lady," whofe. eftate being
confiderable^.. made him- eafy -for., the remainder of
hir !ire.' '
The works of this' Painter are fo famous, for the.
high finifhing and. delicate touch, that they are often
miftaken for thpfe-pf Gerrard Dow-, and even of;
Mieris, from,, whofe Jieighth, ,of, perfection ip, their
art, the Flemings are fo difl^nt. , ,Slingelandt may
well rank amongft thofe whqfe.parnes are immortal,
in the profeffion: His capacity, in, paintings the; re
gularity of his life, apd a pencil that never prod u-t,
ced any thing that offended decency, haveeftabliflsed|
hini a reputation, above -all, cenfpre. .-, , ,,¦.[
He died at the. age of 5.1, in the year 1691.; ..;;- >¦
We know pf no pripts ingraved after this ;ma,ft6rit
JACOB RXJ T S D A L E.
TFIE city of Haerlem. gave birth to Jacob Ruyfr;
dale, about the year 1640, though he refuted
ar. Amfterdam. His father was a worker in ebony s
who made him learn latin : He fent him afterwards
tp ftudy phyfic and furgery, arts,. that have little re
lation to Painting. The inchpatipn that nature had
implanted in him for this lovely, art, brpke through
aJLrhis other employments, as he continually de-
figped whatever, fubjects prqfented to his fight ; he.
ha$ .the pleafure of the approbation; of all the cpn-
lioiffeurs in his defigns. ..Ho.ubrakenrelates, that be
fore he profeffed himfelf a Painter, he had performed
feveral chirurgical operations, which bad,' given him
great credit. in that, art: He acquired foon after a
much greater, by his beautiful landfkips ; they pon-
fift. of Tea-views, water-falls, a ftormy fea breaking
on the rocks : In expreffing which, nature had hardly
greater force than his pencil. Authors have remarked on

eminent PAINTERS. 115
on that pccafion, that his name- which fignifies foam
ing water, was expreilive pf that fort of painting he
chofe : They do, not name either the fchool or the
mafter that formed him, nature alone fupplied their
place ; his colouring, and fkilful touch, feem to
affirm it: His trees, : his foregrounds and his fkies,
leave us nothing to wifh ; as. he did npt fucceed fo
Well in . his figures, Oftade, Vanderyeld and Woiir
ver.man, lent him their affiftance. The Flemifh painr
ters are not the only ones, who havea<3*ed in t,his man
ner, we are even obliged to their knowledge for this
prudent impartiality, in being fenfible of their own
defect in this, branch of .Painting.
When two gopd- mafters have fo juft an underftand
ing, ras to keep- a perfect agreement and, union of
their colours ; the piece often becomes more valuable
by their joint- performances: 'Tis thus the greateft
Painters have acted ; Ruben? employed for his land
fkip Van Udjen and Widens, and for his animals
Snyders: Paul Bril in Italy, had his pictures em:
bellifb.ed by the beautiful figures of Annibal Car-
rache ; Pouffin did them for the landfkips of Gafpar ;
Philip Laura and Courtois adorned thofe of Claude
Lorrain," and their abJe~pencUs .have fo well taken
the tone and colours of the fcites of that great man,
that thpy feem, to, have come off the fame pallet, and
been diredled by the. fame genius.
To. return to Ruyfdale, his fuccefs in fome works,
put him in a cpnditfon to fet out for Italy :• When he
was, arrived at Rome, Nicplas Berchem was the firft
acquaintance he met ; their friendfhip was of long
ftanding, and founded upon true merit.
Their frequent walks round about Rome, gave
them the opportunity of working together after na
ture : As they were defigning together one day, a
cardinal who was retiring into the country, perceiving
them employed, called them bpth to him, to enquire
what they were doing. His, eminence was furprized
I 2 'at

n6 The LIVES of
their drawings, and invited them to vifit him at
Rome. Our Painters returned totheir work, where
they met with a fecond rencontre of a very- different
event ; a gang of thieves robbed and ftript them of
their cloaths : They returned in their fhirts to Rome
to the cardinal, who had taken notice of them
whilft they were defigning, and happily was return
ed into that city : His eminen*'e took pity of their
condition, ordered them cloaths, and afterwards em
ployed them in feVeral confiderable works in his
palace. After fome-years ftay at Rome, Ruyfdale return
ed to Haerlem, where he died in the flower of his age
in 1 68, i, being but forty one years old.
His brother Solomon alfo painted landfkip ; he
died at Haerlem in 1670.
Ruyfdale etched himfelf four plates. Botelirig
has graved feveral after him, arriongft the reft fix
fmall views about Amfterdam, and two views of
burying-places near that city. Le Bas has ingraved a
landfkip, and a view of Scheveling from the Paint
ings of this mafter. ¦' :

'o"

GERRARD L A I R E S S E,
THE fon of Regnier Laireffe, was born at Liege
in 1640, his father, who was a tolerable Paint
er, made his fon ftudy the belles lettres* poetry and
mufick ; to the laft of which Gerrard dedicated a
day in every week : At laft his father taught him to
defign^ and made him copy the beft pictures, parti
cularly thofe of Bartholet Flamael,- a canon of that
city. At the age of fifteen, Gerrard began to paint por
trait tolerably; fome hiftorical pictures he painted
for the electors of Cologne and Brandenburgh, con
tributed to make him known, and gave him great
reputation. The eafe with which he got his money,
tempted

mment PAINTERS. 117
tempted him to part with it as eafily, and run into
expence. Lairefle was fond of drefs, and making a
figure in the world ; he had alfo the ambition of
pleafing the ladies, the livelinefs of his wit in fome
degree; compenfating for the deformity of his per
fon ; but one of his miftrefles whom he had aban
doned, to revenge his contempt, having wounded
him dangeroufly with a knife, made him refolve to
avoid fuch troublefome fcrapes for the future, and by
marrying put an end to his gallantries. Being fet
tled at Utrecht, and very low in purfe, he was feized
with a contagious diftemper ; his wife lying in at the
fame time, he was reduced to offer a picture to fale
for prefent fupport, which in three day's time was
bought by a Hollander of fortune, who ingaged him
to come to Amfterdam. Lairefle fettled himfelf
there, where his reputation rofe to fo high a pitch,
that the Hollanders efteem him the beft hiftory Pain
ter of their country, and commonly call him their
fecond Raphael. Hemfkirk is their firft.
His manner was grand and poetical; he was a
perfect mafter of hiftory, allegory and fable ; his in
vention was quick, nor had his tafte of defigning
any thing of the Flemifh manner. His pictures are
diftinguifli'd by the grandeur of the compofition,
and by the back-grounds, rich in architecture ; an un
common circumftance in that country. Yet it is
certain his figures are often too fhort, and fometimes
want gracefulnefs.
Laireffe was fond of Pouflin's and Pietro Tefta's
manner. A voyage to Italy would have given his
figures more delicacy and dignity. With fuch great
talents, nobody had it more in their power to have
arrived at perfection than he ; at length becoming
blind, and born down with infirmities, he finifh'd
his days at Amfterdam in 171 1, at the age of 71.
He had three fons, two were Painters and his dif
ciples : He had alfo three brothers, Erneft, James
I 3 and

I ig The LIVES of
arid John: Erneft and John painted animals, and
James was a flower Painter.
He engraved a great deal "in aqua fortis. His
works confift of 256 plates great and fmall, more
than the half of which are by his own harid, 'the others
are engrav'd by Pool, Berge, Glauber, &c.
E G L 0 N V A N D E R N E E R.
WAS born at Amfterdam in 1643; his father
Arnold Vanderneer, fo well known by his
excelle'ht moon-lights, arid the. beauty of his" land
fkips, gaVe the farne tafte to his fon : Brit as he chofe
painting figures, he was at twelve years did placed
-Jnder the" direction of Jacob Van Loo, a portrait
Painter. Having 'perfected himfelf in that branch,
he went to France at the age of twenty, arid was re-
ceiv'd by Courit de Donha, governor of Orange, as
his Painfer, with whom he lived three Or four years.
He was then obliged to return into Holland, where
he foon after married at Rotterdam the daughter of
a fecretary of the courts of juftice, with whom he
had a large fortune : by this marriage he had fixte^fj
children, two of which were bred up to Paintihg.
Eglon having been a widdower feveral years, fnar-
ried himfelf again to the daughter pf a Painter, who
painted in miniature. She died at Bruffels, after fhe
had increafed his family with nine children. He then
employ'd himfelf in painting landfkip with plants,
which he copied after nature, in a country garden
joining to his houfe, where he found them in great
plenty : for this purpofe he had made a little rolling
box, which he caufed tp be pufhed about to the place
he chofe to work in, with all the iriiplehients neceffa
ry to his art. Sometimes he reprefented hiftorical
fubjedls. At Amfterdam they fhow a large pidlure
of Ceres feeking her daughter Proferpine, wherein
the thiftles, and trunks of trees covered with ivy, are
much

eminent P A I N T E -R S. 1 19
much more to be admired than the principal figures.
At laft, 'impatieht of continuing fingle for five
years, he married for the third time at Duffeldorp in
i6gy, the daughter of the Elector Palatine's -Painter,
fhe had been a widdow nine years when fhe married
Vanderneer ; who died fix years after in that city, in
1 yo^, being then 60 years old.
His wife, imploy'd in miniature, rernain'd iri the
fervice of that court as long as the Elector liv'd,
who allow'd her a penfion. Eglon had made him
felf agreeable to that prince by his talents, and that
cheartulnefs and good-nature that every body loved
hifn for. He painted portrait both in large and
fmall: One he painted Of the prince of Nuberg,for
the king-of Spain, pleafed that prince fo well, that
his majefty gave him the title of his Painter; but he
never went to Spain to take poffeffion of his imploy-
ftient, (as Campo Veyerman affirms.) He was al
ways-occupied at the Palatine court in portrait Paint
ing, and fmall landfkip, which he finifhed very high
ly, 'and with as firm a touch as if he had been in the
full vigour of his age. He fometimes painted af-
femblies of perfons dreft in the modern fafhion, af
ter the -manner of Terburg, gallant converfation s,
landfkips in which he introduced naked women ; and
laftly, thofe amiabie'pidtures fo fought for by the lo
vers of Painting. He one day faid to the chevalier
Vanderwerf, who was continually at work to find
out fix'd colours that would not change; ' Don't
* give yourfelf any farther trouble about the quality of
* colours, there are good ones enough, only learn
« how to make ufe of them.'
The chevalier Vanderwerf is the only known dif
ciple of this Painter : nor do we know of any plate
engrav'd from his works.
1-4 GO D-

120 The LIVE S of
GODFRET SCHALKEN;
WAS a difciple of Gerrard Dow, born at U-
trecht in 1643, his father, rector of the col
lege in that city, would have bred him to his own
profeffion, but his genius decided otherways j a hap
py turn for drawing difplay'd itfelf betimes, in him,
in compliance with which they placed him early with
Solomon Hoogftraten, and afterwards under Gerrard
Dow. The precepts of fo good a mafter, and his
continual application to bring them into practice, put
jt in his power to partake of the reputation of his
inftrudter. Schalken became fo famous for his excel
lent talent of expreffing the moft beautiful effects of
jight and fhadow, that his pictures were fought for
with great eagernefs all over his own country. He
transform'd himfelf fo into all manners, that you
may find in every kind of Painting, works of his
pencil that ftrike and aftonifh you. To fhew his un
derftanding of the effects of light, he chofe night
fubjedls, fometimes with only half a figure, over
which he would throw the light of a candle or flam
beaux, with fo much judgment, and fuch a bright-
nefs, as nature alone could equal.
This able artift did not confine his talents to- fub
jedls of fancy alone: he painted portrait in perfedlion,
in Which branch he had confiderable employment
among the principal families in Flanders.
Politenefs was none of his qualifications ; he had
painted a lady none of the moft beautiful, but who
had very fine hands ; when the pidlure was finifhed,
fhe found fault with him for not introducing her
hands, ancj defired that fhe might fit again for them,
Schalkep, furprized at her objection, to mortify her
vanity, told her, the picture had no occafion for
hands, but that when he painted them, not to give
hjs cuftqmers trouble, he a}ways made his fervant fit,
England

m?«* PA4NTERS. i2i
England appear'd to him the moft proper ftage to
difplay his talents on ; on his arrival, he attempted
portrait in large, but fail'd of fuccefs. But his
works of fancy and fmall portraits taking exceeding
ly, he fix'd himfelf entirely to that branch of Paint
ing : He had the honour to paint king William the
third; and, ignorant of the decency that is requifite
in painting a monarch, reprefented him holding a
candle that dropt on his fingers. The Englifh di
verted themfelves greatly with this clownifh conceit;
but he was infenfible of their ridicule ; having paint
ed himfelf holding a candle that illuminates the
whole picture, and the tallow dropping on his own
hand. Schalken return'd to Holland, where (hav
ing greatly improv'd himfelf in England) his pidlures
were in , great vogue. He dy'd at the Hague in
1603, aged 63.
John Gole, N. Verkelic, and J. Smith, have enr
graved after this mafter ; this laft has done the fleep-
ing woman, and the Magdalen with the lamp, prints
well known by all the world.
FRANCISCO MILE,
OR Milet, was born at Antwerp in 1 644 : his
father, a fkilful turner in ivory, a native of
Dijon, fettled in Flanders, where he was much ef-
teem'd by the prince of Conde, who had retired thi
ther during his revolt, this prince lodged him in his
palace, and imploy'd him. A fudden illnefs carried
him off in the 37th year of his age, at a time when
his affiftance was moft wanted by young Mile, whom
he had before his death placed with Franks, an able
Painter : A happy difpofition and a genius proper
for his art, enabled him foon to become an excellent
landfkip Painter, and to defign figures well.
Francifco at the age of 18 married his mailer's
daughter, and his name became generally known. His

Y&t The; LI- VES of
<His memory was fo happy, that he painted all fig
faw* whether iri nature,- or iri the wdrks of the great
"Painters, as eafily as if they had been before his 'eyes.
'His manner, Which was extremely eafy and agreeable,
'was very foon taken 'notice of : 'His- feltbs* are beauti
ful, and his leafing in a goodtafte, 'but he painted
nothing directly from nature*" his compofitions
were the productions of a 'fruitful genius, which' fol<-
lowed only the 'dictates of fancy ; and his pictures,
for want of a proper 'body of light,' have fmall ef
fect, and appear too much' of a colour.
' Ah * Italian author fays, that Francifco had been
in Italy, that he had feen Pouffin, and copied rria-
ny of htspidlnres, which would be difficult to prove ;
but it is certain, that he work'd a confiderable time
after the works of Pouffin, in the po"ffeffion of the
fieur Jaback. at Paris ; and that he^ad-opted the man
ner of that great -man fo well, that the imitation has
given a value to his pictures aniPhg the curious.
Heroic landfkip was his favourite ftudy, and he has
painted feveral hiftorical pieces.
Francifco had an inclination tp fee England, Flan
ders and Holland, and left in jall -thofe countries
proofs of his merit : he return'd at laft „to Paris,
where he was receiv'd prpfeffor in the academy of
Painting. He was extremely induftrious ; his ge-
nerofity and charity were fo extenfive, that the num
ber of pictures that were befpoke of him, hardly ena
bled him to live at his eafe ; befides, inftead of Faint
ing, he amufed himfelf in hewing ftone for his little
country houfe at Gentilly near Paris.
Certain Painters, jealous of his merit, fhortned his
days by poifon, which drove' him mad, in which
condition he died at Paris in 1680, at the age of 36.
He was buried at St Nicholas des Champs, and left
two. fons who follow'd their father's imployment.
They were his difciples, as well as Theodore. Francifco
* Orlandi Abecedario, page 171.

'eminent P A TN-T E R S. 123
Francifco has ingraved three plates himfelf: The
odore his difciple has done fixteen middling land
fkips, fix large ones, and fix rounds ; De Ligny has
done one, and Chibduft feVeral, Coelmans has srav-
ed Silenus with feveral fatyrs, and three lahdfkips,
and Vivares One large landfkip.

ADRIAN VANDERWERF,

S

O eminent for his high finifhing, was born at
Rotterdam in 1659, of an ancient farriily'; his
father, willing tP encourage the early iricfination his
fon difcovered for Painting, placed him at Rotterdam
under Picolet the portrait Painter, but afterwards
put him under the direction of Egloh Vanderneer,
with whOrri he work'd four years ; his mafter haVihg
borrow'd a 'picture of Mieris, gave it his beft difciple
to copy, but he not having a tafte for that laborious
kind of work, Vanderwerf undertook it, arid fuc
ceeded fo well in his attempt, that his copy deceiv'd
even the connoiffeurs. It is faid, that When he Was
feventeen years old, he left his mafter, and pairited
his own picture, which was fo well approv'd of by
the beft judges, that feveral perfons of tafte employ
ed him. A fmall picture imbellifh'd with feveral
children, and another he painted for a merchant at
Amfterdam, were the making of his forturie ; the
elector Palatine coming incog, to that 'city, boughfthofe
pictures, which afterwards excited his curiofity of be
ing acquainted with the Painter. Vanderwerf, in r 68y,
married a relation of Govert Flink, a Painter, who
had collected feveral pictures and defigns of the beft
mafters of Italy: our young Painter follow'd thofe
models, and reforfri'd his tafte of defign, by plafter
models after the antique. In 1692 he went with
Flink to Amfterdam, where having accefs to the
beft cabinets, he made folid refledlidns on what he
obferved, which turn'd greatly to his advantage. Before

224 -fik LIVES of
Before Vanderwerf enter'd into the fervice of the elec
tor Palatine, and had undertaken the great works for
that prince, he was" much employ'd in painting por
traits of the fize of thofe of Netfchar, and had paint
ed his own wife and family as big as the life. But
this manner difgufting him, he entirely attached him
felf to the Painting of hiftory in little. His pictures
are finifhed to a furprizing height; his pencil is ten
der, his figures have an admirable roundnefs and re
lief, his defign is fufficiently correct ; but the carr
nations of his figures are not lively, they refemble
ivory, and have too yellow a caft. The time he
was about his works took off their fpirit, and the
icarcity of them rais'd their value to an extrava
gant price. In 1696, the elector Palatine went in
to Holland, and paffing by Rotterdam, vifited
Vanderwerf, and order'd him to paint his picture,
as a prefent for the duke of Tufcany, and at the
fame time befpoke a judgment of Solomon, and
order'd him to bring both the pidlures to Duffel-
dorp himfelf, as foon as they were finifhed. The
Painter, not a little proud of thefe orders, waited on
that prince next year, who took him into his fer
vice, and made him an appointment of four thou
fand florins for working for him fix months every
year : he began the pictures of the elector and elec-
trefs at whole length, on a cloth of two foot and
half high, which he finifh'd at Rotterdam in 1698.
An Ecce Homo which he did for the elector pleaf
ed him fo well, that befide a large fum of money,
he prefented him with a gold chain, and a medal of
himfelf. Vanderwerf fent every year feveral pic
tures to Duffeldorp : but in 1703, he carried an in-
tombing of our Saviour thither himfelf: this piece,
which was fuperior to any thing he had yet produc
ed, occafioned the elector to demand of him the
fifeen fubjects of facred hiftory, which the Roman
church call the myfteries ; and on that occafion in-
creas'd

eminent PAINTERS. 125
creas'd his falary to fix thoufand florins, and engaged
him to paint nine months of the year ;' fo that, he was
but three months at liberty to work for his friends j
and befides the prince referv'd to himfelf the liberty
of choofing any other picture he fhould paint for a
private perfon, on paying the fix'd price for it. To
thefe rewards were added honours, he was knighted,
and the honour continued to his defcendants ; his
arms were augmented, with a quartering of the elec
toral arms, and that prince prefented him with his
picture fet with diamonds to a great value. Thefe
marks of generofity fpirited up Vanderwerf to fhew
his acknowledgement, by endeavouring to excel in
the pidlures he had undertaken for his ' benefactor.'
Yet all the warmth of his gratitude, was not able
to give that fpirit and fire to his works which was
always wantingin them. In that part of the year
he had to himfelf, Vanderwerf- had painted Diana
and Califto in the bath, with eight figures exceeding
highly finifh'd, which he had given to his wife, and
for which fhe had refufed a very large fum of mo
ney. The elector hearing of .it, challenged the pic
ture by his agreement, but left the price to himfelf j
on which the Painter and his wife went immediate
ly to Duffeldorp in 1712, and prefented it to their
benefactor, who gave the hufband 6000 florins, and
beftowed a magnificent filver dreffing table on the
wife. Vanderwerf retiirn'd to Rotterdam, where after
feveral years clofe application to his art, he died in
1727, being 68 years old, and leaving an only
daughter. After Vanderwerf are ingraved a woman playing
on the lute, in a collection of Van Meurs, and y6
portraits for Larrey's hiftory of England by Valck
Gunft, Vermeulen, B. Audran, Ch. Simonneau,
Peter Drevet and Defrochers.
A NT HO-

*2& :¦ The L IVES of
ANTHONY W ATT E A U, I
,: ,. '-H '. ,',,' 'H-.
A S born at Vallenciennes in Flanders in;
1684. His, father, tho' but in middling cir-,
cumftarices, neglected nothipg in his power to affift
the natural inclination of his. fon ; he put him to at
ferry Painter in that town. Watteau, by his applica
tion, became foon fkilful enough to perceive his maf-.
ter's deficiency, and left him co ftudy under a.nothe?
who had a talent for theatrical decorations. In 1702,
he attended him. to Paris, whither he had a call to
work at the opera.; - but his/ mafter returning home,
left him behind. -As his abilities were not yet known,
Watteau was obliged for fubfiftance, to -work: in
the fhop of a mafter Painter, whpfe works he co
pied, and made pictures to fell by the dozen. The
little profit he made, in this way, obliged him IP
leave this mafter, when he luckily because acquaint
ed wi,th Claude. Giilot.— This Painter, born at Lan-*
gres in 16,73, was a difciple of J. B. Corneille, and
had a particular turn for grotefque figures, fauns,
fatyrs,.and opera fcenes. He was received into
the academy in 1715, and dy'd at Paris in 1722,
at the. age of 49. Giilot defigri'd with great tafte and,
fpirit, but was incbrredt, and painted but indifferent
ly,, fo that his reputation died with hi m.?— Gil lot
greatly delighted to find a young Painter that trod
in j the dame fteps with himfelf, lodged him in his
houfe* and gave him all the inftrudlions in his power ;
in a very little time the feholar equall'd his mafter,
fo that their pictures were hardly to be diftinguifh'd.
Watteau now ftt. himfelf tp enquire deeper into na
ture, which he had always had in view ; Giilot ea
fily perceiv'd that his difciple was foon likely to ex
cel him in painting country wakes, &c. and to remove
him, placed him under Claude Audran, a famous
Painter of ornaments, who lived at the Luxemburg. Watteau,

eminent PAIKTERS, 127?
Watteau, employ *d in painting > the; figures ih his >
Works, received new lights from the good tafbe of
his mafter, aod at the feme time ftudied .the colour
ing and rich compofition of the gallery of Rubens*/-"
which was fo near- him. He now gave up the man
ner of Giilot, which; he drop'd inienfibly ; a better
toneof colouring, a finer, more correct, and: . ftudied
mariner of defign had taken its place. Watteau, was
embolden-'d to,: paint, for the prize at the academy,
which he carried ; and fhew'd in this picture, fparks
of, that beautiful fire that never after decay'd. <
T_The fortune of this Painter was not. the- moft hap*- 1
py,-jas his neWj. -manner of .Painting* did not happen*
immediately to -hit the tafte. 'of ; the time ; he quitted:
Paris to retire, into his own country ta make ftudies, -
\fchflnce he returned: again in a fhort time, having
prefented the academy fome of . his works*, to intitle
him to the king's, penfion for the voyage to Italy j
they diftinguifh 'd him from the other young men,
and receiv'd him as a member of their body, under
the title of Painter de fetes galantes (i. e. genteel.
converfation.) Then it was that his mafter .GilJo£,->
fenfible of his fuperiority, quitted the, field to him,!
and- exchanged, the pencil, for the graver. His re-.
piUWtion now gaining ground, the; number of hi»-
admirers increafed*. whofe vifits grew fo troublefome:
to him, that lie accepted MrGroaat's offer of lodg
ing in his houfe,. where he found a collection pf.
pictures, and defigns of the great- mafters:; which
contributed to his perfection in hia art : and it is
remark'd-, that his .¦ works-, at this time plainly difco-
ver the effects fo many beautiful objedfes had on his
performances. He afterwards lived, with his. friend
Vleughels, who. fince dy'd director of the academy
afi:Rpme. Watteau continued advancing fuccefsful-
ly- -till the year 1718, and would have improved
his fortune, if his. natwal inconftancy had not pre
vented him. He took a journey to. England, which
proved

12& The L I V E S of
proved a moft unhappy one to his delicate confti-
tution ; he was ill almoft the whole year he lived iri
that country. After he had painted fome pictures'
there, he return'd to Paris iri a fickly-'ftate, which
hardly afforded him any intervals to purfue his bu--
finefs : Being advifed to go into the air, one of his
friends carried him to the village of Nogerit near
Paris, where his health continued declining daily,
till death clofed the fcene in 1721, when he was "37
years old.
The curate of the village who attended him in
his ficknefs, prefented him the crucifix according
to cuftom. Watteau obferving it ill carved, defired
him to take it away, faying, Remove that crucifix ;
it grieves me to fee it ; is it poflible that my mafter
is fo ill ferv'd ? This was carrying the love Of his/
profeffion too far. This curate, who had a very jolly
countenance, was an old acquaintance of his, whofe
face he had often introduced into his works, and as
the charadler of Gilles, under which he reprefented
him, was not the moft elevated, he beg'd his par
don, and exprefs'd great concern for the liberty he
had. taken. Watteau bequeathed his defigns, which
were very numerous, to four Of his beft friends,
who divided them* : paid his debts, and to fhew their
regard for him, buried him handfomely in the place
where he died. This Painter was fo fond of de
fignirig, that he employ'd even his hours of walk
ing and recreation in it ; he loved to copy good
pidlures, nor could any one do him a greater plea- '
fure than lending him one. Rubens and Vandyke
(whofe colouring he could not mention without
tranfport,) were his true models. By the great num
ber of his works, and the fhortnefs of his life, we
can eafily judge how laborious he was, and how fond
he was of his art : his pictures indeed (from the fub
jedls they reprefented) are not of the firft order ;
they have neverthelefs a particular merit, as nothing in

eminent PAINTERS. 129
in their kind can be more lovely,}, nor is there any,
cabinet in which they cannot juftly claim a place.
Watteau, whom great application had render'd
melancholy, does not appear fo in his pictures, in
them there appears nothing but gaiety, a lively and
penetrating fpirit, a natural judgment, a correctnefs
of defign, a truth of colouring, a flowing pencil*
and the fineft lighteft touch imaginable ; nothing can
exceed the airs of his heads for a true charadler of
nature ; to all thefe excellencies he join'd a beautiful
landfkip, and back grounds that defcrv'd to be ad-
mir'd for the beauty of their colours ; he not only
excelled in rural and gallant fubjedls, but alfo in
marches and halts of armies.
It is perhaps a lofs to the publick, that Watteau,
engaged by the manner of his mafter Giilot* neglect
ed hiftory, of which he feems to have been very ca
pable, a Virgin and fome hiftorical fubjects he has
painted, give reafon to believe he would have been
very fuccefsful in that branch. The tafte he has fol
lowed is rather in the drole ftile, and does not agree
with ferious fubjects : all his dreffes are comic, and
proper for the mafquerade, and all his fcenes are
either theatrical or rural. His difciples were John,
Baptift Pater and Peter Nicholas Lancret.
I. B. Pater, originally of Valenciennes, born in
1695, came very young to Paris, and ftudied u#-
der Watteau ; with a very good tafte for colouring,
he neglected too much the ftudy of nature, and
correctnefs of deftgn, confulting his intereft more
than his reputation. He died at Paris in 1736, at
the age of 41.
Nicholas Lancret, born at Paris in 1690, had
part of his education under Giilot* which was corn-
pleated by Watteau : he always propofed nature for
his object, made a great mariy ftudies, and try'd
to follow the tafte of Watteau* but could never
attain to the neatnefs of his p(|"i<$» and the ddi-
K cacy

130 'T&'LIVES of
Cacy of his defign, yet his compofitions are agree
able. He was of the academy, and died at Paris
in the 53d year of his age : there are a great many
prints after his paintings.
The firft works of Watteau were fmall figures^
which he did in the ceilings of Claude Audran, and
feveral Chinefe figures, which he painted in the panr
nels of the caftle de la Muette r His other perfor
mances were all eafil pictures ; that which he gave to
ihe academy, is the pilgrimage to Cytherea.
The prints engraved from his Paintings, &c. make
three volumes, and contain 563 plates. The firft
volume comprehends 1 30 hiftorical fubjects ; the two
others are ftudies, and contain 350 pieces of fubjects of
fancy ; among which are 1 6 landfkips, 30 Chinefe
figures, and 53 ornaments, of which moft are ingraved
by his own hand, and by Francis Boucher. The in-
gravers who have executed the hiftorical pan, are Au
dran, Thomaffin, Des Places, Tardieu, Cochin,
Simonneau, Joullain, Baron, Larmeffin, Aveline,
Moyreau, Petit, Le Bas, Cans, Du Puis, Lepicie,
and others.
BENEDITTO LUTTI,
WA S born at Florence in the year 1 666, he
was a difciple of Dominico Gabiani, to
whom his father James Lutti had intrufted the care
ef inftructing him. At the age of 24, his merit was
judged equal to that of his mafter. The famous
paintings of Rome tempted him. to that city, where
the grand duke furnifh'd him with, the means of
purfuing his ftudies ; giving him- an apartment in his
palace in the Campo Marzio : His defign was to
have worked under Cyro Ferri ; on his arrival at
Rome, he bad the dilappointment of finding that
mafter dead, which gave him the greateft concern ;
yet he purfued his ftudie.s with great application* and
foon.

eminent PAINTERS. 131
foon acquired fuch an efteem for his ability in his
art, that his works became much valued and fought
for in England, France and Germany. The Empe
ror knighted him, and the elector of Mentz fent him
with his patents of knighthood, a ci'ofs fet with dia
monds. Lutti was never fatisfied with himfelf; yet
tho' he often retouch'd his pictures, they never ap-
pear'd laboured ; he always changed for the better,
and his laft thought was always the beft : He fat
flowly to work, but when once he was engaged, he
never quitted it but with difficulty ; his pencil was
frefh and vigorous ; his manner, which was tender and
delicate, was always well confidered, and of an ex
cellent gout ; union and harmony reign'd throughout
his pictures : but as he attached himfelf chiefly to
excel in colouring, he is not nicely corredl.
He was acquainted with all the variety of the
manners of the different mafters. He was fond of
ancient pictures, and fometimes dealt in them ; he
has hardly painted any but eafil pidlures, which are
fpread through moft countries. There are only three
publick works of his known at Rome, viz. a Mag
dalen, in the church of St Catherine of Sienna, at
Monte Magna Napo'.i; the prophet Ifaiah, in an oval
in St John de Lateran ; and St Anthony of Padua,
in the church of the holy apoftles. There is like-
wife at the palace Albani at the four fountains, a mi
racle of St Pio, painted by his hand, which is his
mafter- piece ; there is alfo a ceiling of his in a room
at the conftable Colonna's, and another in the palace
of the marquis Caroli. Lutti was not able to finifh
a picture of St Eufebius bifhop of Vercellis, de
figned for Turin, for which he had received a large
earneft, and had promifed to get it ready at a fet
time ; feveral difputes happening between him and
thofe who had befpoke the picture, the chagrin
brought on a fit of ficknefs, of which he died at
Rome in the year 1624, when he was 58 years old*
K 2 his

i^ The LIVES of
his executors were obliged to return the earneft, and
the picture was afterwards finifh'd by Pietro Bianchi,
(one of his difciples, who died lately, having acquir
ed a great reputation by his tafte of defign, and the
eorredtnefs pf his figures) : There are alfo reckon'd
amongft his difciples Gaetono Sardi, Dominico Pi-
afterini and Placidp Coftanzi.
Lutti is blamed for not having placed his figures
advantageoufly, but in fuch a manner as to threw
a part of the arms and legs out of the cloth. This
fault he ppffeffes in common with Paul Veronefe and
Rubens, who to give more dignity and grandeur to
the fubject they treated, have introduced in the fore
ground of their pictures, groups of perfons on
horfeback, tops of heads, and arms and legs, of which
no other part of the bodies appears,
Lutti was lively in converfation, he had a polite-
nefs in his behaviour, which as it prompted him to
treat every body with proper civility, fo it alfo pro
cured him a return of efteem and refpect. He fpoke
well in general of all his cotemporary Painters, but
contracted no particular acquaintance with any, tho'
he was chief of the academy of St Luke ; nor did
he court the protection of the great, whom he never
vifited, and who very feldom vifited him ; convinc
ed that the true protection of a Painter is to do well.
In the gallery of the eledkor Palatine at Duffel-
dorp, is a picture of this Painter, representing &
Ann teaching the virgin to read.
There is a communion of the Magdalen graved
after Lutti, and another Magdalen penitent in the
Crozat collection.
JOHN VAN HUT SU M.
NO man, before this Painter, attain'd fo perfect
a manner of reprefenting the beauty of flowers,
and the down and bloom of fruit ; for he painted with

eminent PAINTERS. 133
with greater freedom than Velvet Brughel and Mig-
non ; with more tendernefs and nature then Mario di
Fiori, Andrea Belvidere, Michel A: deCariipldOglia
and Daniel Seghers ; with more mellownefs than J.
D. de Heem ; and more vigour of colouririg then
Baptift Monoyer. Vanhuyfum, by the foperiority of
his touch, the delicacy of his pencil, his furprizing
ex.idlnefs, his high finifhing* has traced nature thro'
all her refinements, and has fhewn that it was pofli
ble to exceed all that Went before him in the manner
of expreffing thofe beautiful productions of the earth.
Thofe Painters, it muft be owned, made themfelves
efteemed by the lovets of painting, but the glory of
furprizing them was referv'd for our artift.
John Van Huyfum Was born at Amfterdam in
1682 : his father Juftus, who dealt in pictures, w*rs
himfelf a middling Painter in moft kinds of paint
ing. He taught his fon to paint fereens, figures
and vafes on wood, landfkip, and fometimes flowers-,
but the fon being arrived at a reafoning age, per
ceived that to work in every branch of his art, was
the way to excel in none, therefore he confin'd him
felf to flowers* fruit and landfkip ; and quitting his
father's fchool,- fet up for himfelf, and married Eli
zabeth Taxen about the year 1605. He follow'd
the tafte of * Piemont in his landfkip, and fell into
a yellow tone of colouring by no means agreeable ;
he afterwards adopted one that was clearer, but too
whitifh* to pleafe the judges : however his landfkips
were adorned with pretty figures, painted in a ten
der neat manner ; his fkies were frefh, his trees well
leafed and their different kinds diftinctly mark'd out.
_.^_He afterwards applied himfelf to paint flowers'
and fruit, in which he fucceeded much better than
in landfkip-, his pictures in this kind pleafirig an
Englifh gentleman, he introduced them into his
%¦ 3 own
* A Painter then in vogue,

134 The' LIVES of
own country, where they came into vogue, and
yielded a high price.
This young artift, animated by his fuccefs, not fa-
tisfied in imitating nature with exactnefs, tranfmitted
to his cloth all his fecrets, in demy tints, glazings,
and that perfect union which he knew how to produce
throughout every thing that came from under his
hand ; in fhpn:, he refolved to exceed all thofe that
had preceeded him ; in which noble attempt he ex
erted himfelf with great fuccefs. His fruit have a
a furprizing tranfparency, and a happy tranfition of
colours, fo djfficult to imitate ; the morning dew is
even painted on his flowers ; to exprefs the motions
of the fmaileft infects with juftice, he ufed to con
template them thro' a microfcope with great atten
tion. At the times of the year when the flowers were
in bloom, and the fruit in perfection, he ufed to de
fign them in his own garden, and the fieur Gulet
and Voorhelm fent him the moft beautiful producti
ons in thofe kinds they could pick up: When the
feafon was over, he confulted the ftudies he had
taken on cloth and paper ; there were abundance of
thofe fketches found after his death, which fold at
a good price.
Van Huyfum was fo jealous of his art, that he did
not even permit his brothers to fee him work, nei
ther would he inftruct any difciples: neverthelefs,
one of his friends, named Haverman, prevail'd with
him to teach his daughter, who had a very good
turn for painting. She made fo great a progrefs,
that he became jealous of her, and even endeavour*
ed to remove her ; when by a capital crime, fhe tar-
niflied the reputation fhe began to acquire, which
obliged her to fly her country, and take refuge in
France. At laft his reputation rofe to fuch a height, that
all the curious in Painting fought his works with
great

eminent PAINTERS. 135
greateagernefs;which encouraged him to raife hisprices
fo high, that his pictures at laft grew out of the reach
of any but princes and men of the greateft fortune.
Van Huyfum at laft began to have Arrange freaks
that approach'd to madnefs, which are attributed to
a converfation that paffed at one Tonneman's a vir-
tuofo, where fome Painters that envied him on ac-
count of his merit, bantered him on the coquetry of •
his wife, tho' fhe was then neither young nor hand-
fome. The low education he had from his father,
had render'd his temper brutifh, and not being able
to bear their raillery, he flew into a violent paffion,
abufing even the mafter of the houfe, who turned
him out of doors with refentment : this affair conti
nually dwelt on his mind, and made him take
to drinking ; which, joined with the ill humour of his
wife, and the debauchery of his fon, whom he was
obliged to fend to the Indies, rendered him jealous
and melancholy. His frenzy would often laft feve
ral days, yet without ever communicating the leaft
figns of it to his works ; fo that his laft pictures are
as much efteemed as thofe he painted in his prime:
and he is the firft flower Painter that ever thought of
laying them on light grounds, which requires much
greater art than to paint them on dark ones. The
year after, nature began to decay in him, and in pro
portion as his ftrength failed him, his mind grew
more tranquil, fo that fome months before his death,
he entirely recovered his reafon. He died at Am
fterdam the 8th of February 1749, aged 6y, leav
ing a widow and three children.
It is furprizing that having received from 1000 to
1400 florins for every picture, the fortune he left
was trifling ; which muft be attributed to his own,
ill condudl, and his wife's want of oeconomy.
He never had any difciple but the^young wo
man before mentioned, and his brother Michael,
who enjoys an eftabhfhed reputation. His other two

136 ' The' LIVES of
two brothers have diftinguifhed themfelves in their
art : one named Juftus painted battles, and died at
22 years old ; the other named James ended his days
in England in 1 740, he copied the pictures of his
brother John fo well, as to deceive the connoiffeurs -
he had ufually twenty pounds for each copy.
Sir JAMES THORNHILL,
TH E fon of a gentleman of an ancient family
and eftate in Dorfetfhire, was born in the year
1676. His father's ill conduct having reduced him
to fell his eftate, the fon was under the neceffity of
feeking for a profeffion that might fupport him.
Young Thornhill came to London, where his uncle
Sydenham the famous phyfician, fupplied him with
the neceffary afliftances for ftudying under a mid
dling Painter, whofe limited talents being of little
life tio his difciple, he trufted to his Own judgment
Artd application ; genius and tafte fupplying the place
of a mafter, by the ftrength of which he made a
furprizing progrefs in the enchanting art of Paint
ing. He travelled through Holland and Flanders, from
whence he went into France, where he bought fe
veral good pictures; amongft others, a Virgin of
Annibal Carrache, and the hiftory of Tancred, by
Pouffin. If he had feen Italy, his works would!
have had more delicacy and correctnefs. His only
view in. travelling feemed to be acquiring a know
ledge of the taftes of different nations, and buying
up good pictures, in which he was very curious.
Thorrihill's merit foon fpread his character, and
raifed his reputation to the higheft pitch. Queen
Ann appointed him to paint in the dome of St
Paul's, the hiftory of that faint, which he executed
in a grand and beautiful manner on eight pannels,
in two colours relieved with gold. Her

eminent PAINTERS. 137
Her majefty alfo nominated him her firft hiftory
Painter. He afterwards executed feveral publick
works; particularly at Hampton- Court, where he
painted an apartment, wherein the queen and prince
George of Denmark her hufband are reprefented al-
legorically ; as alfo another piece painted intirely on
the wall, where the fame fubject is treated in a
different manner. The other parts of the Paintings
there are done by Antonio Verrio the Neapolitan.
Thefe great works having eftablifhed his reputati
on, procured him much employment among people
of quality and fortune.
His mafter- piece is the refectory and faloon of
the failors Hofpital at Greenwich. The paffage to this
refectory is through a veftibule, where Sir James has
reprefented in two colours the winds in the cupola,
and on the walls boys who fuftain pannels to re
ceive the infeription of the names of the benefac
tors: From thence you afcend into the refectory,
which is a fine gallery very lofty, in the middle
of which king William III. and queen Mary his
wife, are allegorically reprefented fitting and at
tended by the Virtues, and Love, who fupports the
feeptre. The monarch appears giving peace to Eu
rope ; the twelve figns of the Zodiack furround the
great oval in which he is painted ; the four feafons
are feen above-- laftly, Apollo, drawn by his four
horfes, making his tour through the zodiack.
This Painter has reprefented in the angles the four
elements, and the Coloffal figures that fupport the ba-
luftrade, where the portraits of thofe able mathematici
ans, that have perfected the art of navigation, are paint
ed ; fuch as Ticho Brahe, Copernicus, and Newton.
The ceiling is all by his own hand, but he employ
ed a Polander to affift him in painting the walls,
which he has adorned with thofe Virtues that are
fuitable to the intention of the fabrick ; fuch as Libe
rality, Hofpitality and Charity. The faloon above is
not

138 The LIVES of
not fo beautiful as the cieling, you afcend to it by
feveral fteps.
The cieling reprefents queen Ann and prince
George of Denmark, furrounded with heroic Vir
tues ; Neptune and his train bringing their marine pre
fents, and the four quarters of the world prefenting
themfelves in divers attitudes to admire them. The
late king George I. is painted on the wall facing the
entry, fitting with all his family around him. On
the left hand is the landing of king William the
III. prince of Orange, afterwards king of England;
on the right, that of king George the firft at Green
wich. Thefe great works would have been certainly
more efteemed, if they had all been by Sir James Thorn-
hill's own hand : They are entirely from his defigns,
but one cannot help in looking at them criticizing their
incorredlnefs ; one would even wifh there were fewer
figures. Thefe works difplay a true genius in their
author, and a great judgment and knowledge in
treating the allegory ; talents which muft neceflarily
produce great and rich compofitions.
As Sir James had acquired a confiderable fortune,
he laid out part of it profitably, in buying back the
eftates his father had fold, and in rebuilding a beau
tiful houfe, where he ufed to live in fummer time.
He was knighted by king George II. but by the
iniquity of the times, he had the honour to be turn
ed out from his publick employment, in company
with the great Sir Chriftopher Wren, to make room
for perfons of far inferior abilities, to the reproach
of thofe who procured their difcharge; after which,
to amufe himfelf, he did not leave off Painting eafil
pidlures. The ill treatment he met with, was thought
to have impaired his health ; at laft, after a year's fick-
nefs, he died in the country in 1732, at the age of
56, in the fame place where he was bom. By his
marriage he left a fon and daughter. This

eminent PAINTERS. 139
This Painter was well made, and of an agreeable
humour. He was feveral years chofen member of
parliament ; and was alfo chofen fellow of the Royal
Society of London, which admits eminent artifts
into its body, as well as men of learning. He de
figned a great deal from practice, with a great fa
cility of pencil. His genius, fo well turned for hif
tory and allegory, was no lefs fo for Portrait, Land
fkip, and Architecture ; he even pradlifed the laft
fcience as a man of bufinefs, having built feveral
houfes. He had a fine collection pf defigns of great maf
ters, which he had collected with diligence, and
which did honour to his tafte ; thefe he fhewed very
readily to ftrangers.
There are a fet of prints engraved after the Paint
ings on the cupola of St Paul's.

PETER PAUL PUGHET.

I Shall here fubjoin all the account I have been
able to find of one of the greateft artifts France
ever produced-, whom none of their own writers,.
that I know of, have mentioned as a Painter, viz.
Peter Paul Pughet, who refembled in his manner
Michael Angelo, but was more natural and delicate.
Like him, he re-united the talents of Painting,
Sculpture, and Architecture ; not contented with
animating the marble, and rendering it, in appear
ance, flexible as flefh itfelf. When he was called
upon to exert his fkill, he raifed and adorned palaces
in a manner that proved him a great and judicious
Architect ; and when he committed the charming
productions of his imagination to canvas, he painted
fuch pictures as the delighted beholder was never tired

HO The LIVES, &c.
tired with viewing. This artift was born at Mar-
feilfes in 1623, where he died in 1695.
There are two prints engraved from his Paint
ings in the cabinet of Aix ; whence I took this ac
count.

FINIS.

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