Butte record., 1854-12-16


a mirror of nature, why not set that mir
ror beside the public way, as well as in
unfrequent by-roads A picture of
happiness, fresh and maif, a reflex of ac-
tual life. can never be unworthy of art
prose may be made pleasing as well as
verse. Thus reasoned the young artist.
Adrien Brauwer and Van Braesbeck
had already taken scetches among the
mariners and other frequenters Of the
cabarets of Antwerp, of all the original
physiognomies to be found there. There
was not an interior of publlc-house,
not droll of Characteristic which they
had not copied dozen times. Teniers
saw that he must seek for new world !;
but he had not to look far for that. In
the little village of Perch, between Ma
lines and Antwerp, there happened to
be chateau to be sold, called the Cha
teau of the Three Towers an ancient
Gothic edifice, worthy of lodging a
prince. Teniers, who was, indeed, a
prince among Flemish painters, pur-
chased it, resolved to pass the remaind-
er of his life there in the study of nature,
and in the enjoyment of his good>for-
tune. The place was well chosen-a
church With pointed spire, meadow, lake,
picturesque enclosure, Doors, topers, ca
barets-everything he wanted was to be
found in Perck and its environs. He
lived here in good style, keeping lackeys
and equipages and his chateau became
celebrated rendezvous for the chase
The Archduke Leopold, the Prince of
Orange, the Duke of Marlborough, and
many other illustrious persons visited
him there. Twice his extravagant way
of life brought him to the verge of ruin :;
the first time, he set to work to repair
his fortunes by painting day and night.
He did not dispense with a single horse
or servant, nor did he even receive fewer
of those illustrious visitors from all coun-
tries, who, in the Chateau des Trois
Tours, iancied themselves in a royal
palace His industry restored his finan-
ces. tits said that at this time he even
produced as many as $50 paintings in a
single year; but this extraordinary fe-
cundity dishearteEed his purchasers,
and his works fell in value There is a
tradition III but an improbable one-that
he then adopted the singular expedient
of spreading abroad report of his own
death, and that his wife even went into
mourning, to induce the belief in the
story, and thus enhance the value of his
works.
Teniers was in the midst of his career
when his wife died. His Affections was
beyond measure his chateau, SO cheer
full before, became sombre and comfort
less Nature, his ordinary teacher, spoke
to him now of nothing but Anne Breugh-
ell. His marriage-contract compelling
hun to give up everything on the death
of his wife, the painter found himself,
by this calamity, suddenly reduced to
poverty. His children would not have
allowed the clauses of the contract to be
executed in their favor but Teniers, in
spite of the entreaties of his friends, re-
solved to strip himself of everything in
the very year of her death; saying that
he never would consent to live upon the
property of orphans. The chateau
changed owners, and he retired to Brus-
sells. Here. he lived solitary life,
turning his thoughts increasingly to the
remembrance of his dear Anne, and de-
voting himself to the practices of reli-
gion. and to watching over the progress
of his children at college.
Though living now in the most hum
Bile style, he had been compelled to re-
tain one of his horses-all his pictures
being the result of short journeys in the
country. On these excursions, he had
several times revisited Perck, wander.
ing to the neighborbood of the chateau,
and lingering over its associations of love
and fame. One evening he noticed
through the railing Of the grounds Of the
chateau, a young lady walking in the
garden, whose face bore several points
of resemblance to that of Anne Breugh-
ell. In his surprise, he let fall the reins
upon the neck of his horse, which began
to bite at the hanging branches of viii
low. His eyes followed voluntarily the
apparitation which seemed to him to be
dream of the past. In moment, The
young lady disappeared by a retiret
pathway leading to the chateau. Te
niers continued musing, looking now to-