New-York tribune., 1900-12-23


days 1t was the most natural thing in the world
for young to embrace the artistic career
and Van DyelS turning to that career at an early
age. was certain. with his gifts. to win fame
and fortune. Mr.. Gust observes that his hero
was never in any way a pupil or apprentice OK
Rubens." but he was unquestIOnably employed
by the master to make reduced copies OK his
paintings for the engraver 70 work from, and
to draw out great cartoons from his sketches.
The situation would seem to have amounted to
a kind of liberal acceptance by Rubens Of Van
Dyck as a young man whose assistance was
worth having and whose artistic character was.
In fact, so promising that II was worth while
for even the busiest OF painters 70 do what he
could to develop 1t. It was a case Of one man
of genius recognizing his duty toward another.
much his junior Later they became rivals. and
there are passages in the biography OF Van
Dyck TO show that he restless under tie
pre-eminence Of Rubens. But they never quar-
relied. and there is no substantial reason for
thinking that II was jealousy which caused the
elder man to divert the younger from his ambi-
| tion TO paint big compositions and to encourage
| him to paint portraits. We find. rather. in this.
incident, testimony to the insight Of RUbens.
who saw In what direction Van Dyck was des-
| tined. to do his best work. and. with almost pa
| ternal kindness. endeavored to set him upon the
right path. With very human foOlishness Van
Dyck remained all his life long persuaded that
| he could triumph in the painting Of religious
and NEUROLOGICAL compositions. He could do in
teresting things in both fields. but it was in
portraiture that he excelled. The temperament
Of the man explains the weakness Of the artist
| in not abandoning early in his career those
/ themes in the treatment Of which he was least
successful Basing his conclusion on a careful
| study Of the painters life and Of the numerous
portraits that he painted Of himself. Mr.. Gust
says that Van Dyck betrays a nervous and OBJ
stinate disposition" He is "indolent and lux
uriOus"; he is proud and sensitive" he is
"quick to feel a slight or take offence, and care
less Of giving offence to Others" He had, in
short, some very feminine traits: he lacked the
mental vigor and the depth Of character which
would have enabled him to sacri1ce-with some
chagrin, but without repining-the taste out Of
| which he was not qualified to develop pictures
| OF the first class. Just he was disposed 20
accept too many commissions because he had
| not always the strength Of mind to say no. so
| he had not the courage to deny his own i'm
pulses. suggestive picture Of him is drawn
| by Mr.. Gust in his account Of Van Dyck's visit
to Rome as young man. There were many
painters from the Netherlands there and they
cultivated in the Eternal City the rather coarse
and joval habits OF their native land. Touching
upon their reception of their countryman. Mr..
| Gust says:
1 Van Dyck. a Fleming, was welcomed as a
new boon companion. but when they found that
the elegant and languid young man still beard
/ less. with his fine clothes. a curled feather in
/ his velvet cap, gold chain around his neck.
| two or three servants in his train, looked down
| upon them as vulgar rOiSterers and Stunned
! the tavern for the palace, and the society of his
cOmpatriOt artists for that Of cardinals and
princes, they turned him. and partly from
jealousy of his undOubted skill a painter
partly from the undisguised contempt which
| this superior young showed for their So
ciety. they determined to make life as unpleas-
ant for him at Rome as possible. and succeeded
in their object
i They were all wrong, of course when they
sneered at him for "an elegant young popin-
i Jay" when they declared that he could neither
/ draw nor paint. But his personality, as it comes
/ out in this episode. helps us to come TO closer
/ quarters with his work. and to understand the
curious Intervening Of it's strength and weak
ness. A delicate taste ruled him. as the passage
Just quoted indicates in pointed fashion. We
know that although have recently had
/ occasion to remark, he never quite rid himself
of the drop of materialsm in his Flemish blood.
he could never, either, be less than a gentleman
in his art, in his life. Mr.. Gust brings this
out we'll whenever he speaks of Van Dyck's
/ treatment OF the nude. It is in the strongest
/ contrast to that with which We are familiar in
the work of Rubens. The latter candidly re-
N