The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-12-05

and to promise him to paint a picture
for the chapel of the Dominican Sisters,
who had attended the elder through
his sickness; in seven years the promise
was fulfilled. resulting in the g4at
"Crucifixion. which now belongs to
the Academy of Antwerp. The father
dead. the journey to Italy was resolved
upon, but the painter did not get fur
Their than the little town of Seventeen,
near Brussels. where he fingered some
time Some claim that a romance kept
Van Dyck here and that the woman in
the case was Anna Van Ophem, who
occupied the curious position at court
of mistress of the Infanta Isabella s
hounds. Van Dyck was by no means
above the dictates Of love and gave
ample evidence of the frailty of human
nature when it came to a question of
the fair sex. 1t is said that ne painted
the archduchess' hounds here: he Ger
tainly did i couple of compositions foi
the parish church. Possibly he amused
himself with the aforementioned fair
lady. 1t was like him to seek consola-
ton with beauty and youth.
These two parish church pictures,
however. have quite a history. There
were several efforts made to steal them
TO purchase them or to obtain them at
all hazard. They were taken by the
French, but returned by the victorious
allies in 1915. and it is said that an Am
erican once bribed a gang of thieves to
get them for him, but they were unsuc-
cesSful. Van Dyck finally got TO Ven
ice. where he lived the pace and ran
short of funds very quickly. He was
naturally a spendthrift and careless
about commissions. what with daily
visits to the galleries and plunging
into social gayeties he had little time
for original and remunerative work To
his credit. however, ii should be said
that he had studied with great serious
ness the works of the masters. The ne
cessity fer ready cash becoming press
ing, he betook himself TO Genoa, where
he remembered that some years pre-
viousiy his master RuDens had been
cordially received. Once there he found
to his delight that his reputation had
preceded him. The Genoese evidently
appreciated good work. for commissions
poured in from the best and richest
people of the city. 1t was with diff
Guilty that he found time 10 accommo-
date all his would-be patrons, and his
work today remains the pride of the
galleries in Genoa. Among the more
important things he painted here are
the two famous portraits on horseback
of Antonio Giuloi Brignole and Clio
vanni Palo Balbi; Spinola in white ar
NOR. Pallavicino in his robes OF office
as ambassador at the papal court and
best of all, the Marchioness of Duraz-
20 and her two daughters. He also
painted few classical and sacred pic
lures.
From Genoa he went to Rome: this
was in 1923, end he stayed there nearly
two years. For awhile he was the
guest of the great historian and dipio-
matist, Cardinal Bentivoglio. who had
once been papal nuncio at the court of
the Dutch artists. Van Dyck painted
his portrait. which hangs in the Pitt
palace az Florence. and is a master
piece Other members of noble fari-
lies sat to him. and his purse was soon
full to overlooking. As ever the man of
elegance and fashion. Van Dyck cut a
swath here in a social way and at
tracted much attention. even among
the reckless Roman society. From tia
ly the painter went in sailing vessel
TO Sicily. where again ne met with a
flattering reception and found num-
Der of sitters among the great people
there, but in the. midst of his enjoy
ment of this visit Il plague broke out
and Van Dyck went back to Genoa.
and so on to Antwerp. where he arrived
about the end of 1926.
Although he returned laden with
honOrs after a most successful trip, he
found in his absence he had been sup
planted by others First of all. the
fame of Rubens was SO great and so