SEVENTEENTH CENTURY.
In the Middle Ages and during the Renaissance art dealt especially with the religions and historic ideals of mankind. It took subjects from the Old and the New Testament in which to mirror the life of the present, and conversely it made the scenes of ancient and sacred history homelike and familiar by lending to them the features of the life by which it was envircmed. But at the period which we have now reached a realistic sense was awake and grasped at the realities of daily life for their Dwn sake. It drew forth their treasures of nobility and goodness, treated with masterful humor even the extravagances and the follies of men, and atoned for defects of forum by harmony of sentiment and the power of color. The Dutch seemed especially called to give effect in painting to this new tendency. They had rescued their land from the sea, had made it habitable, and were in the full enjoyment of a comfortable in-door existence; they had cast off the yoke of civil and spiritual tyranny and were happy in their self-won freedom. The Dutch pictures, like the life of the people, exhibit, usually cm a small scale, a wealth of charm, but a charm peculiar to themselves. \Ave admire in them the finished execu tion, the wide range of interest and study which leads the artist to per fect every detail with the greatest fidelity to nature, with delicacy and love, and finally the attuning of the details to the clear harmony of the whole.
David Teniers the Younger (x6ro-169o).—Let us take first the Flem ing Teniers, the younge, of the name. He shows us the influence of the school of Rubens, who with his A7rmcss and Garden of Lore furnished models for this sort of composition. In the picturefovial Party (pr. 3S, is painted in the style which Teniers inherited from his fatlur, we are led to feel the truth of the saying that it is easy to play to those who love dancing. The musician stands upon the empty cask; brisk Lids and merry girls dance and coquet together; the men sit over their cans of Flemish beer, play cards or dice, or talk pothouse politics; an air of jovial contentment pervades the scene.
In their choice of subjects the Dutch painters of the seventeenth century are guided by one or the other of two main tendencies. Some, with fresh, bright perception, seize upon the life of the lower classes, the sailors and peasants, and depict it boldly, not shrinking from the rough humors of the natural man, and loving a good broad jest; others display ingenuity of idea, taste and neatness of execution, in portraying good society, where nature is restrained or moderated by fine breeding and - emotions become a matter of conjecture. We have here an artistic parallel to the difference in literature between the village tale and the society novel.
Adrian z•an °stack (i6ro–r6S5).—Figure 3 (J1. 3S), after Van Ostade, shows a peasant under the dentist's bands, submitting, with legs convul sively outstretched and clinched fists, to the unskilful operation; the fmnilv look on, half in alarm, half in amused enjoyment. Van Ostade usually prefers to depict scenes of tranquil pleasure.
Adrian Prouwer on the other band, likes dramatic tension and excitement; there is always movement among his figures. The example given of his work shows us Players disputing oz.er their Cards (fig. 6); one of the three players, in a rage, is beating another over the head. This is one of Brouwer's master-pieces, and is in the Pinakothek at Munich.
Frans r-an (r635-16S1) and his followers introduce us, not to the tavern, hut to the drawing-room; instead of ragged jackets, they display for our admiration silks and velvets. In Figure r is presented the Carnlier and the Shopzeoman. The scene is a shop; a stylish young cavalier with sword and plumed hat is standing before the pretty shop girl; she is measuring off the stuff, and he interrupts her with little atten tions which she does not seem to take amiss. Evidently, the old man at the fireplace raises his warning finger to little or no purpose.