an attractive display of colouring, and skilful management of chiaroscuro. Unhappily his productions of this class were not sufficiently appreciated to remunerate him for the time and trouble required in the performance; he therefore turned his attention to the more lucrative occupation of portrait painting, following closely, but not servilely, the courses of his master. Though in his full-sized portraits there is a striking resemblance to Rembrandt's manner, there is much characteristic difference; Rembrandt's handling is peculiar, daring, and unapproachable; Maes in that respect shares with several others of the school. It is no detraction to the merit of any one to say he does not equal Rembrandt in colouring; it is sufficient praise to admit that he sometimes approaches so near as to compel the spectator to hesitate in his decision of the master. His portraits are to be distinguished from Rembrandt's by the method he adopted of making the features striking by adjacent masses of shadow, dark and deep, but transparent, and skilfully distributed to give effect to his brilliant colouring in the drapery and accessories. The penciling is more marked than in those of Rembrandt, there is an apparent care which the latter disdained to show, which prevents the colours blending in complete harmony, and produces refraction. The amateur, who is disappointed in not obtaining a portrait by Rembrandt, may console himself if he purchases a fine one by Maes; if the latter be imposed on him as the work of the first, he will only suffer in a pecuniary point of view, and perhaps regret his want of experience, but he cannot be accused of want of taste. There is no greater folly, in small matters, than that of buying a picture for the name of the artist, irrespective of its merits; it may suit a dealer who is aware of the charm in the name, but detracts from the credit of an amateur who would pass for a man of judgment. Nicholas Maes died in 1693. Smith's Catalogue Raisonné contains an account of only forty-five cabinet pictures by the artist, omitting his portraits altogether. A fine specimen, "The Idle Servant," is in the National Gallery.

GONZALES COQUES.

No artist has obtained more distinguished reputation in his peculiar line than Gonzales Coques. He commenced his studies as a painter under old David Ryckaert, but the skill he afterwards displayed he owed to his own genius and refined taste. At first he painted his subjects in the manner of the school in which he had been instructed, but on seeing the works of Van Dyck he abandoned the coarse style of Ryckaert, and adopted, on a small scale, the graceful action and picturesque costume which add so much to the beauty of form in that elegant painter's portraits. His subjects (to say nothing of the numerous minature portraits in oil attributed to him) are family groups, or fashionable parties, assembled in apartments suitably decorated, on terraces to noble mansions with gardens adjacent, or enjoying a musical concert in a charming well-wooded landscape, with all the beauties of nature smiling around them. Spanish costume being then the vogue with the superior classes, he introduces it on every occasion where it is consistent, which adds largely to the picturesque effect. To give his pictures the air of fanciful compositions, he introduces accessories, particularly dogs of the gentler kind, such as Italian greyhounds, spaniels, and other pet animals, which he painted with remarkable beauty, so as to attract the spectator's attention awhile from the figures, and dissipate the idea of their being groups of portraits. If his figures are viewed through a magnifying medium they assume the force and expression of a life-size portrait by Van Dyck, without losing the delicacy of the execution in their miniature state. He varies his compositions with the nice judgment of an artist who understands the utility of rules, but does not submit his genius to a slavish adherence to them. To add to the beauty of his pictures, he availed himself of the talents of other artists who had gained celebrity in different departments; Artois sometimes painted the rich landscapes, Gherings the buildings, Steenwyck the interior apartments, and Peter Gheysels the dead game, fruit, and flowers. It may be supposed that these combinations make a perfect picture, and it is found so on inspection. Gonzales died in 1684, at the age of 66. At

present there are not more than fifty of his beautiful compositions known; Smith's Catalogue Raisonné describes six and forty; but it is said that he painted numerous isolated portraits, and it is supposed that he embellished the works of other painters with his small figures.

There is no mention of any scholar of Gonzales Coques, and the only imitator that can be properly quoted as such, is Francis Du Chatel, a favourite pupil of David Teniers, who painted family groups in assumed characters, avowedly in imitation of Gonzales, but the freedom of his pencil betrays the school to which he belongs.

CORNELIUS POELEMBURG.

THIS painter may be placed at the head of a class, for he had many imitators. There is a peculiar beauty in the scenery of his small landscapes, and the graceful nude female figures with which he adorns them. The winged infants, whether intended for cherubs or cupids, float around with a buoyancy quite charming. The penciling and colouring are of the most delicate order, equalling the suavity of enamel. He enriches the landscape with architectural ruins, which, though not of any definite character, increase the picturesque effect. His works have always been admired and coveted, and many eminent contemporary artists solicited the aid of his pencil to embellish their landscapes with his elegant figures; for they are found in some of Claude's, Jan Both's, and Kierings's. It is said that he painted small portraits, and among others that of Charles the First, (with whom he was a great favourite,) and those of the children of the king of Bohemia; any by his pencil will be recognised by the purple tint that prevails in the carnations.

He was born at Utrecht in 1586, travelled through Italy, resided for some time in England, returned to his native city, and died there in 1660.

THE PRINCIPAL IMITATORS OF POELEMBURG.

DANIEL VERTANGEN was a scholar of Poelemburg, and painted similar subjects, such as nymphs bathing, sylvan figures, male and female, dancing, stories from Ovid and

other amatory poets. The scenery in general is of a wilder character than that of Poelemburg, and less elaborated, but the figures have a nearer approach to his manner in the forms, penciling, and colouring, and occasionally may claim an equality. His pictures have been, and are, frequently attri buted to Poelemburg, but this is limited to his best works, as the landscape part of others betrays him.

He was born at the Hague in 1598, according to Descamps, but there are no other particulars of him recorded.

ABRAHAM CUYLENBURG was, to a certain extent, an imitator of Poelemburg in subjects and figures, but there is no difficulty in discovering the vast distance between them; the only caution necessary for the amateur is not to have his pictures palmed on him for the work of Vertangen.

JAN VAN HAANSBERGEN was a scholar and imitator of Poelemburg, and in his penciling and colouring not much inferior to his master, but not equal to him in design. He finished his pictures very highly, but the remuneration he received did not compensate for the labour; so he abandoned landscape painting for portraiture, in which he was very successful. As it is mentioned in the notice of Poelemburg that he sometimes painted portraits, this circumstance is stated to guard the amateur from hastily mistaking the works, in that department, of one for the other. Haansbergen's landscapes and figures are now so highly esteemed in Holland that they are rarely seen out of that country. He was born at Utrecht in 1642, and died at the Hague in 1705.

GERARD HOET was originally a painter on glass, but took lessons from Warnar van Rysen, who had been a scholar of Poelemburg. Hence he became an imitator of the manner of the latter in penciling and colouring, in which he is clear and pleasing. He was well acquainted with the fabulous stories of the ancient poets, and the compositions he made from them are remarkably tasteful and picturesque, and his figures are correctly designed. He was born at Bommel in 1648, and died in 1733.

JAN VANDER LYs, or Lis, was a scholar of Poelemburg, and a successful imitator; even connoisseurs have been deceived by his figures when found in the landscapes of other painters. In his conversation pieces he imitated Palamedes, and was equally deceptive. It is supposed that he is the

same artist that the Italians name Giovanni Lutz. He was born at Breda in 1600, and died in 1657.

G. STENREE, OR STEENREE, was a nephew of Poelemburg, by whom he was instructed, and whose manner he followed; his works however are very little known, nor is there any other authentic account of him.

VAREGE, who flourished about the middle of the seventeenth century, was a close imitator of Poelemburg. He painted small landscapes with figures, generally on copper; he is not noticed by any of the Dutch or Flemish writers.

ROMBOUT VAN TROYEN may be deemed an analogist, as he painted small landscapes with ruins of ancient architecture, such as is found in the vicinity of Rome, in which he introduced subjects from fabulous history that have a slight resemblance to Poelemburg. He was born at Antwerp in 1600, and died there in 1650.

NICOLAS LA TOMBE, a native of Amsterdam, travelled to Italy, and resided some years at Rome. He painted small landscapes with architectural remains, enlivened with numerous figures in Italian costume, and others with back-grounds, in imitation of Poelemburg. He was born in 1616, and died in 1675. He was nicknamed Stopperje on account of his inveterate habit of smoking.

FRANCIS VERWILT was a successful imitator of the manner of Poelemburg in figures; his pictures are brilliant in colour, and carefully finished. He was born at Rotterdam in 1598, and died in 1655.

MOSES VAN VYTENBROUCK, or UYTENBROECK, sometimes called LITTLE MOSES, is supposed to have been a scholar of Poelemburg, if not he imitated his manner very closely in painting small landscapes with subjects taken from Ovid's Metamorphoses. On other occasions he imitated the style of Adam Elsheimer. He is better known by his etchings. He flourished from 1615 to 1650, about which time he died.

JAN VAN BRONKHORST was originally a painter on glass, but becoming acquainted with Poelemburg, he abandoned that branch, and adopted his style, in which he painted several pictures that were much admired. He also etched some of Poelemburg's pictures. He was born in 1603, the time of his death is uncertain, as there is a difference of twenty-one years in the accounts.