The San Francisco call., 1899-12-12

lie" In all more than thirty important
religious compositions were executed,
while in between Van Dyck did many
splendid portraits and made a long series
OF remarkable sketches in tints' many OF
which he subsequently etched. while 9TH
ers were engraved ana puolsheu py Mar-
tin Vanden Enden.
II wa. trnpossible to achieve all this sue
cess without melting the malice and envy
Of some OF the lesser minds among his
contemporaries. and Van Dyck. who was
of a highly sensitive nature, was deeply
irritated by the covert attacks suose-
ouently made upon him. They finally be-
came so annoying that he concluded 70
leave the country for awhile. and In 1913
he went to England. This visit was not
successful however. and for some reason
or other he did not attract much atten-
tion from the King and the court. He
had come upon the invitation OF his
friend and patron, the Earl OF Arundel;
unhappily. at that time Arundel was not
in favor with his royal master out three
wears later, the Duke of Buckingham De-
ing dead. the Earl was once more per-
mitted TO bask in the sunshine Oh the
royal presence, and with the consent OF
his august master an ofhcil lnVitatioh
was this time issued 10 the great Flemlns
TO repeat the visit. and so ne FetuFheu uii-
der the best of auspices.
Coming to London in the early spring OF
1922 Van Dyck received reception beft-
ting his rank as q painter or the greatest
distinction. He was properly LOGGED ana
all his expenses were borne oy the crown
A house was found for him in Blackfriars,
nrohably q large mansion belonging to the
king, and a summer resort was provid-
ed down IN the county of Kent. II did not
take him long to become the social lion
-
tractIye. though not less so than his per-
son. He possessed elegance and dlstinc-
ton TO a superlative degree, Tor ne had
ever mingled with the best people in all
the countries wherein he had Travelled; ne
was sparkling in conversation ana, rare
distinction for those days. he had tIav-
eIed extensively. Besides all this his Eu-
ropean reputation was known in London.
IL was not therefore, remarkable that MS
studio should be filled constantly with
the most fashionable crowds; sitters came
in throngs: the King, the Queen, all the
royal family the great noblemen, crowd
ed one another for the honor OF posing.
Not TO have a portrait by Van Dyck was
to be out Of the social world. lie had been
made painter in ordinary TO his Majesty
almost Immediately on his arrival, and,
humanity being presumably the same in
those days as II is now, there were many
heartburns among the mass OF painters
whose stars were dimmed by the advent
of the new favorite.
Despite his financial success and the
bestowal upon him of a pension by the
King Van Dyck lived at so rapid a pace
and spent his money so profusely that he
was continually In dire straits. DE was
hospitable, he entertained most literally
and no small portion OF his earnings was
contributed TO the fair sex, for in an Ige
of great gallantry there were few men In
London who. exceeded him In their atten-
ed shortly after his arrival and, mingi'ng
with the best people in the land, he fooi-
ishly tried TO emulate the splendor OF their
81 10
surrounded himself with a set of impOs-
tors who secured large sums from him in
their alleged efforts and experimentlngs
TO find the philosophers stone, which he
firmly believed to be possibility. Brood
ing over his financial troubles, fatigued
with the constant work at portraiture,
and worn cut by the confinement. the nox-
ious gases and close air OF the laboratory
wherein he spent much time making chem
ical experiments In his search for tne
philosophers stone, his condition became
such as 10 alarm his friends, Of wnom
none were more solicltous than the King
himself II was finally concluded AL
things considered. that he ought 10 get
married, and through the influence Of
the lady in question being a member Of
the Queens household. Thus IL was that
Maria Ruthven became his wife. The
King once more showed his friendliress
by providing dowry from his privy
sources.
The marriage over. Van Dyck interested
himself in working out a scheme for the
decoration Of Whitehall, his master. Ru-
bens, having already made some frescoes
for the banqueting room; for these he de-
manded the somewhat substantial sum OF
200, but the royal exchequer was low
at this time, and the proposal was de-
clined after he had spent considerable
time in making sketches for the work
Chagrined by the refusal OF project an
which he had so set his heart, ne became
wretchedly morbid, and his health. al
ready none of the best. was seriously ar
fected. He resolved on a journey home.