VANDERMEER of DELFT, approaches nearer to Metsu in penciling and colouring than either of the reputed scholars of that master. The subjects in which this approximation appears are confined to few figures, and are generally of small dimensions, consisting of females employed in domestic occupations, or at music, reading, writing, or cards. These he designs with considerable elegance, and enriches with a charming tone of colour; and his chiaroscuro has a subdued semblance to that of De Hooge. His merits have been strangely overlooked; he is excellent in landscape painting, and particularly so in the representation of towns at the close of day. See Cities and Public Buildings, in the Classifications.

W. ODERKERKEN, who resided at Nimeguen in the 17th century, copied Metsu in one instance to admiration; the picture represents a kitchen, with the cook and the usual utensils and accessories; and, were it not signed by the artist, might pass for an original.

ADRIAN VANDERBURGH, a native of Dort, and scholar of Houbraken, imitated the manner of Metsu and Mieris with considerable success in portraits, conversations, and domestic subjects; but though his pictures are well coloured and highly laboured, they are very inferior to his models.

PHILIP VANDYCK imitated Metsu in single figures of ladies at the toilet, or employed at music; they are rich in colour, and highly finished. See Interiors and Conversations, in the Classifications.

NICHOLAS VERKOLIE is mentioned as having painted a picture in imitation of Metsu of such extraordinary merit as to deceive connoisseurs of great experience; it was found in one of the most distinguished collections in Holland, that of Van Loon. It represents a trumpeter delivering a letter to an officer, who is rising from table to take it. Smith, who has seen it, says, however, that it has not the power and breadth of Metsu, but approaches the delicacy and exquisite finishing of Eglon Vander Neer combined with the drawing of Metsu. The size of it is about 24 inches by 21, See Interiors and Conversations, in the Classi

on canvass.

fications.

GASPAR NETSCHER. See the article, page 77.

ENGEL, or ANGELO SAM, was a successful imitator of the

works of Metsu, and it is apprehended that several of his imitations pass under that master's name. See Imitators of Adrian Vander Werf.

GERARD TERBURG.

THIS artist has the pre-eminent distinction of painting silks and satins, and other costly materials of female costume, with more exactness and greater illusion than any other of his laborious class. His reputation being based on this, it is not surprising that the greater part of his pictures contain one or more ladies in splendid habiliments, among which white satin and ermine are conspicuous. His subjects generally are a lady at her toilet, or taking a music lesson, or receiving attentions from a cavalier; a trumpeter delivering a letter, and other incidents that did not require the introduction of many figures. A constant repetition of these did not call for much exertion of invention; the type was ready formed, and the artist had only to array them with his exquisite colours, and superlative mechanical skill, then to add a few elegant accessories, and perhaps a favourite dog, and the work was accomplished. But let him have his due praise. His characters are always elevated and graceful; his females may be termed beautiful; his cavaliers and gallants well bred and debonair; they all belong to the order of polished society. His colouring is purity, and is so sweetly blended as to rival the most renowned of any school in that quality. The crimson, the azure, the lemon tinted, and white satin, with their splendid ornaments, may attract for a moment particular attention, but they are so arranged and modified that they combine in perfect harmony. When a picture attributed to Terburg is found to be defective in these qualities, it may be rejected as spurious, or considered as one that has lost its original beauty, by passing through the hands of some ignorant pretender to the art of cleaning and restoring. In addition to what may be called his conversational pictures, he painted portraits in small, which are recommended by their colouring only, or the names of the parties they represent. The portraits of the eminent men, who formed the celebrated Congress of Munster in 1648, may be considered his master-piece in this department.

Of his personal history there is very little to be said that would be interesting to the amateur. He was born at Zwoll, in the province of Over-Yssell, in 1608. He received some lessons in the art from his father, and further from some un

known painter at Haerlem. He travelled when young through Germany and Italy, where he made numerous sketches, which are still preserved, but of which he never availed himself in the prosecution of his art. When painting the portraits of the distinguished persons at the Congress of Munster, his gentlemanly manners recommended him to the particular notice of Count Pigorando, the Spanish ambassador, who prevailed on the artist to accompany him to Spain. Here he had the honour to paint the portraits of Philip IV., and several of the royal family. The patronage of the court extended his reputation, and brought an influx of the principal nobility to have their portraits taken by one whom the king delighted to honour. An affair of gallantry, however, compelled a precipitate retreat, and he returned to Holland, enriched by his excursion, settled at Dewinter, where he married, became a burgomaster, and continued to exercise his pencil. He died in 1681.

The prices which his best pictures obtain may seem enormous, considering that it is not the mere effect of fashion, for in that there is no bound to folly and extravagance, but for a peculiar merit that remains unrivalled. In Smith's Catalogue Raisonné there are descriptions of about one hundred, exclusive of portraits, with the prices at which several have been sold at different periods. Most of the fine and perfect subjects are now so located that it is almost hopeless to obtain a specimen.

SCHOLARS AND IMITATORS OF GERARD TERBURG.

CONSTANTIA TERBURG, under the tuition of her father, became an excellent copyist of his works; several of these, retouched by him, have sold as originals.

RIELOFF KOETS was a pupil of Terburg, but he never went beyond portraiture.

EGLON HENdrik Vander NEER was an imitator of Terburg, and almost rivalled him in the beauty of his works. See the article under his name.

GERBRANT VANDEN EECKHOUT is quoted as an imitator of Terburg to a certain extent, namely, in painting military officers engaged at cards, or backgammon; he attached his name to these productions, so there was no intention to deceive. The amateur need not apprehend being imposed on by them even if the name be obliterated, for the brown tone in the colour and the strong contrasts of the pupil of Rembrandt will remain, and show the school to which they belong. They are good pictures, for they come from the hand of a master. He was born in 1621, and died in 1674. See Scholars of Rembrandt.

GASPAR NETSCHER. See the article.

GASPAR NETSCHER.

THIS very estimable painter was born at Heidelberg, according to Houbraken, in 1639; but D'Argenville says at Prague, in 1636. However that may be, it appears that his father died when Gaspar was only two years old, leaving his widowed mother with four children, in a country subjected to all the horrors of civil war. Two of the children died, and the mother, anxious for the survivors, Gaspar and his sister, made her escape to Arnheim as to a place of refuge. Her tale of distress moved the compassion of Doctor Tullekins, (his name deserves to be recorded,) who adopted the son, and gave him an education to qualify him for his own profession. The youth, however, showed such a predilection for drawing, and so much inclination to be an artist, that his benevolent protector placed him with a painter of the name of De Koster, with whom he remained but a short time, painting birds and objects of still life, the utmost his master could teach him. On quitting De Koster he became dependent on his own exertions, and could only obtain employment by picturedealers. He made an attempt to visit Italy, but on his journey stopped at Liege, where he married, then returned to Holland and settled at the Hague. He there commenced portrait painting, and was eminently successful. Previous to this he devoted his time to small fancy subjects, but found them so unprofitable that he could hardly support himself and family by his labour. Probably some of these are pictures that might be covered four times with gold coins to

make the purchase at present; for, according to dates, they must have been painted when he was twenty-two to twentyfive years of age. His success in portraiture saved him from further necessity, and enabled him to pursue leisurely the more delightful paths of his art. It is probable that some of his musical and conversational groups are family portraits, skilfully arranged as compositions, and exquisitely painted as fancy subjects. There is an analogy in his pictures to those of Francis Mieris, Metsu, and Terburg, both in the subjects and colouring, yet he differs from each in his entire management. He has the fluent and soft penciling of Mieris, the rich and illusive stuffs of Terburg, and the ease and suavity of Metsu, in the deportment of his characters. His compoșitions, distribution of colours, and management of light and shade, prove him a perfect master of the principles of his art. The accessorial parts are not the least of his beauties. It is a satisfaction to state, that this meritorious artist died rich, though at the early age of forty-one. For an accurate description of about one hundred and twenty of his pictures, (independent of his numerous portraits,) see Smith's Catalogue Raisonné.

SCHOLARS AND IMITATORS OF GASPAR NETSCHER.

THEODORE NETSCHER was the eldest son of Gaspar, and was instructed by him in the art. In his early time he imitated the style of his father with considerable success, but he adopted portraiture as his profession. He went to Paris, where he received great encouragement, and remained there about twenty years. It is also said that he visited England, but there is no proof of the fact. He was not only a good portrait painter, but excelled in fruit, flowers, and other decorations, with which his larger pictures are enriched, perhaps somewhat too much so. He was born at Bourdeaux in

1661, and died in Holland in 1732.

CONSTANTINE NETSCHER was the younger son of Gaspar, born at the Hague in 1670. His father died when he was about fourteen, so he was deprived of that full instruction which he otherwise might have received. Constantine endeavoured to make amends for the loss by studying his pictures, sketches, and drawings, and by copying and imitating them he became