NOTICE

OF

CORNEILLE DU SART.

Corneille Du Sart was born at Harlem in 1665. A pupil to Adrien Van Ostade, he greatly imitated his manner, and like him, pleased himself in painting rural scenes. His figures though not elegant, are of a true and just expression, his colouring vigorous and full of transparency.

Du Sart being of a delicate complexion, lived soberly, contrary to several artists his countrymen. He frequented little the world and never was so happy as at home. He formed a handsome collection of drawings and prints and even has etched sixteen pieces full of spirit and greatly sought after.

He has also performed a great number of figures engraved in mezzo-tinto, which are not easily to be met with.

He was very intimate with an amateur named Adam Dingemans; it was scarcely half an hour since this friend had left him on the 6 th of october 1704, when returning to see him, he found him dead. He himself also died on the same day; they were buried together in the same church.

SUR

CORNEILLE DU SART.

Corneille Du Sart naquit à Harlem en 1665. Élève d'Adrien Van Ostade, il a beaucoup imité sa manière, et, comme, lui il s'est plu à peindre des scènes rustiques. Ses figures n'ont pas d'élégance, mais elles sont vraies et d'une expression remplie de justesse, son coloris est vigoureux et plein de transpa

rence.

Du Sart, d'une complexion délicate, a vécu avec sobriété, contre l'ordinaire de plusieurs artistes ses compatriotes. Il voyait peu de monde et se trouvait heureux chez lui. Il forma une belle collection de dessins et d'estampes, et même il a gravé à l'eau-forte seize pièces pleines d'esprit et très-recherchées. Il a fait aussi un plus grand nombre de figures gravées en mezzo-tinte, et qui ne sont pas communes.

Il vivait dans une grande intimité avec un amateur nommé Adam Dingemans; cet ami l'avait à peine quitté depuis une demi-heure, le 6 octobre 1704, que, retournant pour le voir, il le trouva mort. Il mourut aussi lui-même dans la même journée, et furent enterrés ensemble dans la même église.

NOTICE

OF

GODEFROY SCHALKEN.

Godefroy Schalken was born at Dort in 1643. He applied closely to his studies in the college wherein his father was a rector, he was in a ripe age before he began practising painting, he studied at first under Samuel Van Hoogstraten, and then under Gérard Dow.

Schalken studied afterwards the works of Rembrandt and tried to imitate them; but he soon formed to himself his own manner of practising, and was above all fond of rendering the brilliant effect of light.

The pictures of Schalken became so rare that he was compelled to leave all his other works to give himself up wholly to that business. He was called over to England, and notwithstanding the high price set on his small pictures, he thought his self-love interested to show that he could as well as Kneller and others, perform pictures as great as life; but his pretentions did not prove successful. This disappointment served to open his eyes, he resumed courage, made small pictures, and thus acquired a great fortune.

Schalken returned to The Hague, where his talent was as fully esteemed as in England; so that he lived in very easy circumstances. He died in 1706, aged 63.

NOTICE

SUR

GODEFROY SCHALKEN.

Godefroy Schalken naquit à Dort en 1643. Il fit de bonnes études au collége dont son père était le recteur, et il n'était déjà plus jeune lorsqu'il se mit à étudier la peinture, d'abord sous Samuel Van Hoogstraten et ensuite sous Gérard Dow.

Schalken étudia ensuite les ouvrages de Rembrandt et chercha à les imiter; mais bientôt il se forma une manière à lui, et il aima surtout à rendre de brillans effets de lumière.

Les portraits de Schalken furent si recherchés que bientôt il se trouva obligé d'abandonner tous ses autres travaux pour se livrer à cette seule occupation. Il fut appelé en Angleterre, et, malgré le prix que l'on mettait à ses portraits de petites dimensions, il crut son amour-propre intéressé à faire voir que, aussi bien que Kneller et d'autres, il pourait faire des portrails de grandeur naturelle; mais ses prétentions n'eurent pas un heureux succès. Ce désappointement ne servit qu'à lui ouvrir les yeux, il reprit courage, fit des portraits en petit, et acquit ainsi une fortune considérable.

Schalken revint à La Haye, où son talent fut apprécié aussi bien qu'il l'avait été en Angleterre; aussi vécut-il dans une grande aisance, et mourut en 1706, âgé de 63 ans.

NOTICE

OF

PIERRE DE LAER.

Pierre was born in 1613 at Laaren, a village in Holland, near Narden. According to a pretty frequent use at that time, he had no other name but that one he had received at his birth; he afterwards added that of his village, and was then assigned by the name of Pierre de Laer; some have taken this latter name for his family one.

Pierre's first master is not known, but his parents being in easy circumstances, he went very young to Rome, where he was advised by Jean del Campo, and lived intimately with Poussin, Claude Lorrain and Sandrart. Being of a lively wit, but a deformed body, they gave him in Italy the nickname of Bambozzo, from which word derive bamboches and bambochades, used to denote trivial scenes, like those generally painted by this artist. Pierre de Laer's design is witty, his colouring vigorous and true, be has a fruitful genius, and a varied composition.

After having dwelt sixteen years at Rome, he returned to his country, where his paintings were much enquired after. He has etched twenty two pieces greatly esteemed.

His health being much impaired, he fell into a melancholy state, and died in 1674, aged 61.