West-Jersey pioneer., 1878-06-27
ANTHONY VANDYCK.

The painting, "Christ Crucified between
Two Thieves" in the church of the Recol-
ects at Mechlin, has not only been pro
nounced one of Vandyck's best, but also
''one of the finest pictures in the world
His numerous other "Crucitixions' are alike
pervaded with that charac cter Of profound
sorrow which this artist excelled in express
ing, and which was one of his distinguished
traits as painter. He even excelled Ru-
bens in this, and, as a portrait painter,
ranked next to Titan.
The celebrated picture of Lady Venetia
Digby, painted as she lay upon her couch
in the sleep of death, with the faded rose
about to drop from the dead fingers, is
another of Vandyck's finest paintings, and
one of those to which he gave that refined
Interpretation which he gave to some of his
pieces. 1t is said the grandeur and pathet-
ic beauty of this picture is touching beyond
expression. And yet these works Of the
artist are more worthy our admiration, per-
haps, than the artist himself. Our finest
sensibilties are shocked by a mingling of
the sacred and profane, and there seemed
to be something of this in the mans nature
as we'll as in some of his paintings where
the sacred Madonna and wanton nymphs
appear upon the same canvas.
That an artist capable of the highest re-
ligious conceptions, with such exquisite
taste and love for the beautiful, with such
| f,,11 of tbo boti IN
in the soul, should, even while engaged
upon some grand theme, be filed with
thoughts of levity, and his hours of recrea-
be spent in dissipation, is to us unwelcome
knowledge, and can only be accounted for
by the strange contradictions found in some
natures.
Anthony Vandyck was born at Antwerp
in 1899, where he received his first instruc-
tions from his father, who had some know.
ledge of art. When sixteen years of age,
he was placed under Rubens, and made
such rapid progress as to excite the jealous
ly of his master. In his early paintings his
manner closely resembled that of his master
which developed into greater originality.
There exists great difference of coloring
in his pictures. His English pictures have
a delicate brilliancy about them; they are
more firm in tone than those painted while
| in Italy and soon after, but have not SO rich
and mellow a coloring. Scenery, climate,
| and the magnificent manner of life being
! what it was in Venice, the Venetian masters
| had only to ''express the shows and splend-
| ors of the actual world, rather than to rea-
| lize an ideal of the fancy" and Vandyck
for a time partook largely of this manner.
| The splendors of that "melodrama of flame
and gold and rose and orange and azure,
| which the sunset or the sunrise of Venice
| yields daily to the eye," can but be i'm
pressed upon, and become part of, the ar
| lists very nature, and be reproduced upon
his canvas. While in Italy, Vandyck deep.
ly studied Titan and Giorgione. 1t was at
Genoa he fol med the acquaintance of one of
the greatest of feminine artists, Sophonisba
| Angosciola, who was at one time court
painter to Phillip II. of Spain. Although
aged and blind at the time, Vandyck ac-
knowledged to have been more enlightened
in art by her than by his great master.
Vandyck painted several rare pictures for
| King Charles before going to England; and,
| upon the exhibition of one to the king, he
expressed a wish that England might pos
sess the artist as we'll as his works. The
kings wish was realized. Vandyck went
to England, and very soon after became
painter in ordinary to his Majesty. The
order of knighthood was conferred upon him
and sumptuous dwelling assigned him,
which had been fashioned for him by lingo
| Jones; in fact, he was treated as a monarch
should treat prince in art.
| Vandyck worked steadily, executing nu-
merous paintings of rare merit for the king
and nobility. When particularly interested
in a subject, he worked very rapidly, per-
forming an almost incredible amount of la
Dor in a comparatively short time Many
of his highest achievements in art were ex-
ecuted at this time, and he legitimately
earned most enviable reputation. His
studio was frequented by the "splendid no
bility" of the time, the king himself often
visiting the artist while at work. 1t has
been truly said of this time that "Vandyck
and fashion ruled the hour." His magnif-
cent style of dress, the elegance and refine
ment of his manners, which made him as
much at ease in the palace as in the studio
together with his great genius, may in a
manner account for this.
But by degrees Vandyck sank into life
of luxury and dissipation. A great fa-
vorite of the king, who not only had high
appreciation of the artists talents, but had
also sincere friendship for the man, court
ed and fattered by the nobility, adored by
: ladies of rank, it may not be so strange
perhaps, that through a pampered vanity
: this should have been the case. The artist
of his art; he bestowed less time and care
upon his painting, many times leaving then
to his assistants, and allowed himself to be
swept on in vortex of extravaganza anG
dissipation. The fortune he realized from
his numerous paintings, together with hi
pension, was scarcely sufficient for his man
ner of life.
His master, Rubens, while at Antwerp
was at one time visited by an alchemist
who promised, if Rubens would furnish /;
laboratory, to make gold for him, as h,
claimed to be in possession of the secret.
81 have found how to make gold for my
l SELF" said Rubens, pointing to his palett.
and pencils.
q So Vandyck had the same secret of max
Y ing gold in the exercise of his noble art
= yet sought to increase his store through th'
. mysteries of alchemy. His chemical re-
searches, together with his habits of life
/ greatly impaired his health. He became
a more careless in the execution of his work
t sometimes finishing pieces in a manner un
/ worthy his great genius. He became dis