may be said, without laying claim to an undue share of discernment, that each of these great masters owes the estimation in which his works are now held to the taste and liberality of English connoisseurs. His subjects consist of interiors of apartments in which are ladies and cavaliers, richly habited, engaged in music, cards, or conversation; or domestic offices with female servants employed in their several occupations; the back yards of houses and gardens with parties drinking and smoking; views down streets, and similar scenes that permitted that peculiar display of day-light or sunshine, brilliant or subdued, in which he so eminently excelled. His penciling is firm and free, he colours with a rich impasto, sometimes to the detriment of the countenances of his figures, but always in accordance with the arrangement of his composition, and producing a bold effect of chiaroscuro. The same obscurity that surrounds his birth, and his progress in art, envelopes his latter end; the only assurance that he was living in 1670 is derived from a picture by him at Leyden bearing that date. As that picture is of excellent quality, and though not large, the sum of £360 has been offered for it, and refused, it is probable that it was painted in his prime. It may seem inconsistent that a neglected artist of such consummate talent should continue to paint pictures of such excellence, unless his circumstances in life placed him above the necessity of labour, and allowed him to pursue the art con amore; many of the subjects he exhibits place him above the suspicion of being needy, and indicate his acquaintance with the better order of society.

About one hundred of his carefully finished pictures are described in Smith's Catalogue Raisonné, and will afford the inquirer evidence of his industry and application to the art, whether he pursued it as a professor or an amateur.

IMITATORS OF PETER DE HOOGE.

SAMUEL VAN HOOGSTRAETEN, who was a scholar of Rembrandt, adopted the manner of De Hooge; he chose the same subjects, treated them similarly, and in many instances approached so closely as to deceive experienced connoisseurs. A specimen of this kind found its way into the celebrated

Le Brun Gallery, under the name of De Hooge. Hoogstraeten was born in 1627, and died in 1678, so that it appears De Hooge was imitated during his life-time. Scholars of Rembrandt.

See

Jost, or JUSTUS, VAN GEEL, who was a scholar of Metsu, also imitated De Hooge; his pictures of this kind are rarely seen with his name, either from real scarcity, or from their being attributed to De Hooge.

JAN VERMEER, generally called Vandermeer of Delft, exhibits much of the manner of De Hooge in out-door scenes, perspective views of streets, and in the management of chiaroscuro. A view by him of the town of Delft at sunset, in the Musée at the Hague, sold in a public sale for 5000 florins. See Imitators of Gabriel Metsu.

NICHOLAS KOEDYCK, born at Zaandam in 1681, imitated the manner of De Hooge, of which there was a specimen in the collection of Mynheer van Loon, at Amsterdam.

CHARLES FABRITIUS, who was the master of Vermeer, painted perspective views, in some of which he imitated De Hooge.

EMANUEL DE WIT, or DE WITTE, the very celebrated painter of the interiors of churches, on several occasions adopted the style of De Hooge, not merely in his churches, but in representing the interiors of apartments, one leading to another, with figures and accessories correspondingly introduced; but there is always enough to show the hand of De Witte. Such pictures are doubly valuable. See Interiors of Churches.

T. COURSE, an unknown painter. A picture with his name, and the date 1662, and which has a strong resemblance to De Hooge's manner, was in the collection of Mynheer Hodshon of Amsterdam.

NICHOLAS MAES.

He

THIS artist was a native of Dort, and born in 1632. was a scholar of Rembrandt, and did credit to the school. On finishing his artistic education he commenced his career with a choice of subjects taken from humble life, to which he gave interest and value by a faithful representation of nature. In these he showed a masterly style of handling,

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. 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.

The

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 Övid and