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these compositions, rich in their colouring, and producing a striking effect by judicious management of lights and shadows. The formality of a mere view is obviated by making the town or village (especially the latter) the scene of a market or fair; the activity that prevails so engages the attention that, were it not for some recognised object in the buildings, the spectator, satisfied with the general effect, would scarcely trouble himself to ascertain the particular locality. But as descriptions of the productions of living artists and critical remarks on their style are not admissible in the present work, the names of these excellent painters must be omitted.

HISTORICAL PAINTERS.

ADMIRAAL, B, lived in 1662, as appears by a picture with that date representing the entrance to a city, with a large concourse of people and cattle assembled; persons in authority are receiving a duty on each. The figures are in Oriental costume, and the style of painting resembles that of Thomas Wyck, but is coarser in penciling.

ANRAAT, PETER VAN, is mentioned by some writers as a distinguished historical painter; Houbraken says that his picture of the Last Judgment, consisting of many figures, was well designed and painted in a bold and free manner. He was born in 1635: the time of his death is not recorded, but he was living at Amsterdam in 1672.

BACKER, JACOB DE, born at Harlingen about 1608, painted sacred history; the monument of the Plantin family in the cathedral at Antwerp is decorated with a picture of the Last Judgment by him; it is well designed, but defective in chiaroscuro. Other historical pictures by him are, however, not liable to this censure; that of Christ at the feast of Matthew the Publican is a fine composition, full of expression, well coloured, and in perfect harmony. Several of his contemporaries speak highly of his works, many of which were formerly in Spain. He died, according to some writers, in 1641; others say in 1651; the large number of his pictures in historical subjects and portraiture countenances the latter. See Portrait Painters.

BACKEREEL, GILES, a supposed scholar of Rubens, painted numerous altar-pieces for churches at Antwerp, Brussels, Bruges, and other places in Flanders, which partake much of that master's style. In drawing he is, perhaps, more cor

rect than Rubens, and in colouring he frequently equals Van Dyck. See Scholars of Rubens.

BALEN, HENRI VAN, painted subjects from sacred and profane history, and is remarkably pleasing in both. He blends Italian taste with the Flemish style. He is more correct in his forms than most of his contemporary countrymen who painted similar subjects. His colouring is beautiful, and the expression of his Madonnas or goddesses, Angels or Cupids, admirably feminine and infantile. His carnations are delicate, pure, and fresh, and the draperies, though rich, never interfere with the harmony. Van Dyck seems to have profited by studying his works. The landscape part of the cabinet pictures by Van Balen, of which the subjects are from the poets, was generally painted by Breughel, and such are rich in decoration.

BALEN, JAN VAN, son of Henri, after receiving instruction from his father, went to Italy for further practice. He made the works of Albano his models, but did not acquire that master's purity of design; a Flemish feeling prevails in most of his compositions. The pictures by which he is best known, are of the cabinet size, well coloured, and the penciling free, which causes the more regret that he did not attend to the accuracy of the contours.

BESSCHEY, or BISCHEY, J. F. This artist is noticed as an admirable copyist in small, of the works of eminent Flemish painters, particularly of Rubens and Van Dyck, and which are charming reminiscences of the large historical pictures of those masters in churches and galleries. He was born at Antwerp in 1739, and died there in 1799.

BLOCKLANDT, ANTHONY DE MONTFORT, was a scholar of Francis Floris, and painted historical subjects from Scripture in the style of his master, but blended with much of the gracious manner of Parmigiano. His compositions are more in the Italian taste than that of his own country. The figures are well designed, the heads particularly characteristic and expressive, and the cast of the draperies grand without affectation. He was born at Montfort in 1532, and died at Utrecht in 1583.

BLOEMART, ABRAHAM, painted subjects from sacred and profane history, church legends, and the poets; he is a mannerist in all. His style partakes of that of Francis Floris

and of Henry Goltzius; his drawing is defective, but his colouring excellent, though it is often wanting in harmony. There is, however, boldness in his conceptions, and strength in his execution, which render his pictures attractive, notwithstanding the violation of nature in forms and attitudes. He was born at Gorcum in 1564, and died at Utrecht in 1647.

BOCKHORST, JAN VAN, called Langen Jan, was a scholar of Jacob Jordaens, and ranks among the finest Flemish historical painters. In several of his altar-pieces he rivals Van Dyck in composition, design, and colouring. He was born at Munster in 1610, but there is no account that can be relied on of the time of his death. Several writers have made strange mistakes even in his name, and consequently their dates have been misapplied. See Painters of Animals and Dead Game, and Portraits.

BOEYERMANS, THEODORE, a native of Antwerp, was a scholar of Rubens, but his works are in the more chastened manner of Van Dyck. His compositions are skilful and copious, correct in design, richly coloured, and in perfect harmony by the management of the chiaroscuro. His pietures are numerous in the churches and religious establishments of Flanders and Brabant, which makes it appear strange that he should have been overlooked by the writers on art of his own country. Neither the date of his birth or death is mentioned by them. He was living in 1660. See Scholars of Rubens, and Imitators of Van Dyck.

BOSSCHAERT. See Willeborts.

BRAMER, LEONARD, was born at Delft in 1596, and it is generally supposed that he was a scholar of Rembrandt, but this may be doubted, as he was Rembrandt's senior by twelve years, and went early to Italy, where he passed the greater part of his life. His style of painting has certainly an affinity with that of Rembrandt's, but there is great difference in the manner of blending the colours and producing the chiaroscuro, though he exhibits much skill in both. He painted historical subjects on a grand and on a diminished scale; the former are from the sacred writings, the latter sometimes from poetical fictions. There is great brilliancy in his smaller pictures, in which he introduces rich accessories that have a sparkling effect; and it is in these and the

heads of old men that he most resembles Rembrandt. At a late period of his life he returned to his native city and died there; it is not said in what year. His best works are to be found in Italy, at Venice, Florence, Naples, and other principal cities; many inferior portraits are attributed to him in England. See Scholars of Rembrandt, Portrait Painters,

Conflagrations, &c.

CLEEF, JAN VAN, was a scholar of Gaspar de Crayer. His subjects are chiefly from Scripture and church legends; they are numerous in the churches and convents of Flanders and Brabant. In his design there is much of the Italian gusto, and his colouring is pure and simple. His compositions evince refined taste and judgment, and his execution is facile. He was born in Guelderland in 1646, and died at Ghent in 1716.

CLEEF, JOOST VAN, born at Antwerp about 1500. He was an excellent colourist, and painted some pictures for churches in Flanders, by which he gained great applause; this filled him with conceit, and he was so disappointed by the preference given to some of Titian's, that he became furious. It must, however, be confessed that he was an excellent painter, as may be seen by his picture of St. Cosmo and St. Damien, in the cathedral at Antwerp. He died in 1536. COXCIE, MICHAEL. See Early Masters.

CRABETH, DIRCK and WOULTER, two brothers, natives of Gouda, who are famous for their paintings on glass, of which fine specimens were formerly to be seen in the windows of the principal church at Gouda. There was a painting in oil, of the Assumption of the Virgin, by them in one of the chapels of that city. One, if not both, of the brothers had studied at Rome for a considerable time, so their compositions were more in the Italian than Flemish or Dutch manner. They flourished from the middle of the sixteenth century to about the year 1570.

CRAYER, GASPAR DE, was born at Antwerp in 1582. The historical pictures by him are from Scripture, and mostly relate to incidents in the life of Christ. He may be considered as one of the best of the Flemish painters of history, as Rubens, on seeing the fine picture painted for the abbey at Affleghem, exclaimed, " Crayer, no one will surpass you." His style much resembles that of Rubens, but with more at

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