New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1908-09-13

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In the year of his marriage he was a1rn;,.I Do
the Guild of Painters and the records CD "
he served as Dean OF that body in Zee, ''a'
again in 1870 He appears to hav. Saf
modest and even poor circumstances
of debt to the baker which involves "e~s
of two of his pictures. Twenty-one 70 Isle
his death number Of his paintings fo-r-., a''e'
of sale at Amsterdam. and the higbav, = par
paid for one of them was that OF 2oo s1'e
paid for the magnificent ''vue de Della .o'inS
of the gIOrfes Of The Hague. One rio, 'le
the list, the "Jeune DenteIIiere" to-dar Is "a
Louvre. fetched in 1896 the ridiculous ,,,.. ne
forms. 1t is useless to ask why thevo =. >
were thus. We know nothing about !,
archives yield not a scrap Of evidence An
know is that Yer Nicer. only moderately g. y
full in his lifetime, was neglected and for-o.sS
soon after his death and thencefortb g
until Burger brought him to light and ,-yas,
claims to enthusiastic admiration Hisnio,--
which were seldom signed. were. as Ia, =
indicated. handed over to Pieter de ~,
Nicolas Macs or Metsu- It is a ctIriouq "a
ton on the connoisseurship Of past generate
for Yer Nicer Is nothing il not original ,--'
having few il any points Of contact with =.
men to whom his works were 50 light hear,esl-
ascribed
What were the origins Of his art. studied 8.
the light of internal evidence? NJ. Van D..
points out that ne must have begun his punils.-
at a golden moment. Rembrandt was AZ a.
apOgee. Halls. though on in years. was SIN
painting Among Yer Meer's contemDora-s,
were men then in the full tide Of activity IL,
Dou BrOuwer. Ostade. Metsu. Terburg and
Cuyp and others nearer his own age. Ike Ma,
n
Who, in all that busy company was his nas.s-,
1t has been surrnfsed that he may have Issue,
from the studio Of Rembrandt, or at least b.,
subject to his influence. but only one or two p
his works give even fancifu1 warrant for TT,
theory, and outside Of the works We have n,
data whatever a more plausible hypotb4,.
would have it that he was formed by Carel F.. 4
britius. the pupil Of Rembrandt. untme!y 10,
NJ. Van type plays wistfuIIy with the idea Ia.
Yer Nicer may have profted by association vii
Leonard Bramer. a minor artist OF Delft vi.
had travelled in France and Italy. had nj
Adam EIzheimer in Rome. was intimate Wiz
Rembrandt. and may. as family friend. hay
brought into our painters life certain inspi-3
ton. accounting for the elevation OF his art BIZ
all this is pure guesswork. As NJ Van Type
driven to conclude. Yer Nicer Of Delft staat
quez in Spain.
His originality began with his attitude TOW.
ard his material the familiar life OF Delft. Tt
Little Masters Of the Low Countries were a.
wont TO paint that life. but from differsa
point Of view In the first place, they exploits.
it with freer touch. broader humOr. SOcd
life at that time was honest but little cOars
The pleasures of the table were enjoyed withOg,
stint. The prosperity of jest resided in III
bIuntness of it's point There was a great love
of rich comfort, If not Of luxury abroad, ari
the painters who reflected the spirit Of Their
dav either gave easy rein to a mood Of rea,-
ism rather Earring to our modern taste, G.;
wreaked themselves on the sensuous charm O:
decorative accessories. 1t took colossal gsni4
like Renbrandt's to whelm visible truth in th
glamour Of the creative imagination, or it toos
another kind of genius like that Of Yer Nicer &c
battle the facts of life in just pure and sers-s
distinction. There is a painting by him
Dresden 1.-THE Courtesan." which stands a0n,
among all his works as having kind Of VugI
subject which was popular with many Of i1
fellows Curiousiy. too. it is painted on scaA
larger than was usual with him and in a boI5i
key of color; but it is significant that it is on
of his earlier pieces. and that it is. moreoya
lifted by the painters essentially refined art "a
above the level on which his cOuntrymen Esn
accustomed to treat the same motive. "
make much Of this point for the reason ti1
consummate fineness Of fibre is one Of Va
Meer's most important characteristics.
The Grass technician, narrowly jealous Of Is
painting as painting. and inclined to rave
fT.,o ffr1f lr