DYCK, Sir ANTHONY VAN. The history of this celebrated painter is of great interest, not only from the high position he held as an artist, but from his having settled in England, where he executed numerous works, which enable us to realize most of the personages whose actions form prominent points in the history of this country. He was b. at Antwerp, 22d Mar., 1599. His father, according to Houbraken, was a glass-painter; and it is said that his talent was fostered by his mother, who painted landscapes, and was skillful in embroidery. After making very considerable progress under Van Bolen, he was, in 1615, admitted as a pupil of Rubens, who was not slow to appreciate his great talents. In a letter, dated 17th July, 1620, addressed to the earl of Arundel, known historically for his patronage of art, the writer states, "Van Dyck lives with Rubens, and his works are beginning to be esteemed little less than those of his master. He is a young man of one-and-twenty, whose parents are persons of con siderable property, and it will be difficult, therefore, to induce him to remove." Soon after this—namely, in 1621—by advice of Rubens, he visited Italy. The works of the great Venetians were the first to attract his attention. After leaving Venice, Genoa was the next city he resided in, then Rome, and he went a second time to Genoa, from whence he made a short visit to Palermo. Van Dyck was five years in Italy, and from the number of portraits painted by him in Genoa—many of the best of his works in his Italian manner are still there—he must have lived a considerable portion of the time in that city. On his return to Antwerp, in 1626, lie executed various pictures for churches, and the portraits classed among those painted in his Flemish style; the series of cabinet portraits of the painters of his day, engraved by Vostermans, etc., and most of which are now in the possession of the duke of ''Buccleuch, were also painted at this time. It is stated that, about 1630-31,Van Dyck visited England, and, meeting with no encourage ment, remained only a short time; however, there is no satisfactory proof of this. But in 1632, he came to England, by invitation of the earl of Arundel, at the command of Charles I. He was lodged at Blackfriars, was soon afterwards knighted, and had a. pension of £200 a year settled on him. His commissions were now numerous, he was enabled to live in great style, entertained people of high rank, and had a country-house at Eltham, in Kent. His wife, Marie Ruthven, by whom he had one daughter, was the daughter of Patrick Ruthven, physician, fifth son of lord Gowrie. Van Dyck died in London in 1641, leaving property to the amount, it is said, of about £20,000. Only 20 years are included within the time when Van Dyck left the studio of Rubens till the period of his death; and during that short career, the number of pictures executed by him, on what is thought to be good authority, seems almost incredible, for in Smith's Catalogue Raisonne of the Works of the Dutch and Flemish Painters, there are descrip tions and interesting particulars of upwards of 950. This artist's works may be classed
as executed in three distinctly marked styles: 1. Those painted in Italy during his residence of five years, from 1621 till 1626; these are distinguished by deep tone and color, and dignity of character and expression. The portraits of the "Lomellini Family" and an " Italian Nobleman," in the Scottish national gallery, are good examples of his style at this period. 2. His productions between 1626 and 1631, when he lived iu Flanders, are known as done in his Flemish style; these works are executed with much impa.sto or body of color in the lights, and transparency in the shadows. Perhaps it was during this period of his career that he executed his finest works, among which the best are the portrait of Snyders the painter, now the property of the earl of Carlisle; the companion-picture of Snyder's wife, now belonging to the earl of Warwick; and the portraits of Philip le Roy and of his wife Mme. le Roy, purchased by the marquis of Hertford at the sale of the king of Holland's pictures. 3. The portraits he painted in England between 1631 and 1641; these are noted for grace and elegance, but many of them were often slight in execution, or done partly by assistants. Tan Dyck's biog raphers and critics generally dwell at great length on his Scripture subjects, and express regret that he devoted so much of his time to portrait-painting; but different notions seem to be now gaining ground. No Scripture subjects by Rubens or Van Dyck, or produced in any of the later schools, will stand comparison, for purity of feeling and appropriate technical execution, with the works of the earlier masters; and the allegorical pieces so much in vogue in the 17th c., are little in accordance with the ideas of the present time. But the portraits by Van Dyck are all interesting and valuable histories, recorded with marvelous truth and vividness, of characters who played important parts in an era noted for great events—and as works of art will rank with the productions of the best schools.
Van Dyck's etchings are admirable. Several of the portraits in the collection of portraits of artists, are etched by him. The impressions of those that were thrown off, when the heads merely were etched, are of great value; indeed, in expression and spirit, they are unequaled. See Carpenter's 316771.0fr (1844).