|
|
Cornugaya Directory 06
Page 09
Well-born, ennobled by royalty, successful in both court and studio,
Rubens lived brilliantly and his life was a series of triumphs. He
painted enormous canvases, and the number of pictures, altar-pieces,
mythological decorations, landscapes, portraits scattered throughout
the galleries of Europe, and attributed to him, is simply amazing. He
was undoubtedly helped in many of his canvases by his pupils, but the
works painted by his own hand make a world of art in themselves. He
was the greatest painter of the North, a full-rounded, complete
genius, comparable to Titian in his universality. His precursors and
masters, Van Noort (1562-1641) and Vaenius (1558-1629), gave no strong
indication of the greatness of Ruben's art, and his many pupils,
though echoing his methods, never rose to his height in mental or
artistic grasp.
From Brussels Barent van Orley (1491?-1542) left early for Italy, and
became essentially Italian, though retaining some Flemish color. He
painted in oil, tempera, and for glass, and is supposed to have gained
his brilliant colors by using a gilt ground. His early works remind
one of David. Cocxie (1499-1592), the Flemish Raphael, was but an
indifferent imitator of the Italian Raphael. At Liege the Romanists,
so called, began with Lambert Lombard (1505-1566), of whose work
nothing authentic remains except drawings. At Bruges Peeter Pourbus
(1510?-1584) was about the last one of the good portrait-painters of
the time. Another excellent portrait-painter, a pupil of Scorel, was
Antonio Moro (1512?-1578?). He had much dignity, force, and
elaborateness of costume, and stood quite by himself. There were other
painters of the time who were born or trained in Flanders, and yet
became so naturalized in other countries that in their work they do
not belong to Flanders. Neuchatel (1527?-1590?), Geldorp (1553-1616?),
Calvaert (1540?-1619), Spranger (1546-1627?), and others, were of this
group.
|
