file which includes the original illustrations4 ,see #bbfij-;h4htm or #bbfij-;h4zip3 7https3_/_/www4gutenberg4org_/dirs_/#b_/ b_/f_/i_/bbfij_/bbfij-;h_/#bbfij-;h4htm7 or 7https3_/_/www4gutenberg4org_/dirs_/#b_/ b_/f_/i_/bbfij_/bbfij-;h4zip7 ,,rembrandt ,,and ,,his ,,works3 ,comprising a ,short ,account of ,his ,life2 with a ,critical ,examination into ,his ,principles and ,practice of ,design1 ,light1 ,shade1 and ,colour4 ,illustrated by ,examples from the ,etchings of ,rembrandt4 by ,,john ,,burnet1 ,f4,r4,s4 ,author of ,practical ,hints on ,painting4 ,illustration3 ,,head ,,of ,,rembrandt ,london3 ,david ,bogue1 #hf1 ,fleet ,street4 ,,mdcccxlix4 ,,to ,,the ,,earl ,,of ,,ellesmere1 ,,the ,,enlightened ,,patron ,,of ,,art ,,and ,,literature1 ,,this ,,work ,,is ,,most ,,respectfully ,,inscribed1 ,,by ,,his ,,obliged1 ,,humble ,,servant1 ,,john ,,burnet4 ,,preface4 ,the high estimation in which ,i have ever held the works of ,rembrandt has been greatly increased by my going through this examination of his various excellencies1 and such will ever be the case when the emanations of genius are investigated2 like the lustre of precious stones1 their luminous colour shines from the centre1 not from the surface4 ,with such a mine of rich ore as the works of ,rembrandt contain1 it is necessary to apologise for the paucity of examples offered1 for in a work of this kind ,i have been obliged to confine myself to a certain brevity and a limited number of illustrations2 still ,i must do my publisher the justice to say1 he has not grudged any expense that would be the means of doing credit to the great artist1 the enlightened patron1 or my own reputation4 ,another circumstance has been elicited in preparing this work for publication--the great interest that all have shown in this humble attempt to make ,rembrandt and his works more generally appreciated4 ,his genius and productions seem to be congenial to the ,english taste4 ,as a colourist he will ultimately lay the foundation of the ,british ,school of ,painting1 and prove the justice of ,du ,fresnoy's lines-- ,he who colours well must colour bright2 ,think not that praise to gain by sickly white4 ,had it been possible1 ,i would have given some examples of his colour as well as of his chiaro-scuro2 but ,i found his great charm consists more in the tone of his colouring than its arrangement4 ,i have mentioned in the body of the work that ,sir ,joshua1 certainly the greatest master of colour we have yet had in ,england1 frequently speaks ambiguously of many of ,rembrandt's pictures4 ,i am therefore bound to quote a remark that he makes to his praise4 ,in his ,memoranda he says--,i considered myself as playing a great game2 and instead of beginning to save money1 ,i laid it out faster than ,i got it1 in purchasing the best examples of art that could be procured1 for ,i even borrowed money for this purpose4 ,the possession of pictures by ,titian1 ,vandyke1 ,rembrandt1 c41 ,i considered as the best kind of wealth4 ,with these remarks ,i must now launch the result of my labours1 having had constantly in mind that feeling which an advocate has in a good cause1 not to expect1 by all his exertions1 to increase the reputation of his client1 but an anxiety not to damage it by his weakness4 ,before concluding ,i must again revert to the interest that all my friends have taken in the success of this publication2 and though it may appear invidious to particularise any1 ,i cannot omit mention of that enthusiastic admirer of ,rembrandt1 my young friend ,mr4 ,e4 ,w4 ,cooke2 the ,messrs4 ,smith1 of ,lisle-street1 the connoisseurs and extensive dealers in his ,etchings2 ,mr4 ,carpenter1 the keeper of the prints in the ,british ,museum2 and1 lastly1 my young literary friend1 ,mr4 ,peter ,cunningham1 who has1 from the beginning1 entered heartily into the cause of ,rembrandt and his ,works4 ,,brompton1 ,november #dth1 #ahdh4 ,,illustrations4 #a4 ,,head ,,of ,,rembrandt ,facing ,title-page4 #b4 ,,interior ,,of ,,the ,,mill ,,of ,,rembrandt',s ,,father page #b #c4 ,,exterior ,,of ,,the ,,same #b #d4 ,,rembrandt',s ,,house ,,at ,,amsterdam #f #e4 ,,fac-,,simile ,,of ,a ,,letter ,,of ,,rembrandt',s #ad #f4 ,,christ ,,and ,,his ,,disciples ,,at ,,emmaus #bd #g4 ,,the ,,entombment #bf #h4 ,,the ,,return ,,from ,,jerusalem #bf #i4 ,,the ,,nativity #cb #aj4 ,,doctor ,,faustus #ch #aa4 ,,burgomaster ,,six #dj #ab4 ,,portrait ,,of ,,van ,,tolling #dd #ac4 ,,six',s ,,bridge #df #ad4 ,,rembrandt',s ,,mill #dh #ae4 ,,fac-,,simile ,,of ,a ,,drawing ,,by ,,rembrandt ,,in ,,british ,,museum #gb #af4 ,,portrait ,,of ,,rembrandt',s ,,mother #gd #ag4 ,,portraits ,,of ,,rembrandt ,,and ,,his ,,wife #gd #ah4 ,,view ,,of ,,amsterdam #hj #ai4 ,,cottage ,,with ,,white ,,palings #hj ,,rembrandt4 ,in commencing an account of the life of ,rembrandt ,van ,rhyn and his works1 ,i feel both a pleasure and a certain degree of confidence1 as1 from my first using a pencil1 his pictures have been my delight and gratification1 which have continued to increase through a long life of investigation4 ,though ,i cannot expect to enhance the high estimation in which ,rembrandt is held by all persons competent to appreciate his extraordinary powers1 nevertheless1 the publication of the results of my study may tend to spread a knowledge of his principles and practice1 which may be advantageous to similar branches in other schools2 for1 notwithstanding that his style is in the greatest degree original and peculiar to himself1 yet it is founded upon those effects existing in nature which are to be discovered1 more or less1 in the works of all the great masters of colouring and chiaro-scuro4 ,of his early life little is known2 for1 unless cradled in the higher circles of society1 the early lives of eminent men frequently remain shrouded in obscurity4 ,the development of their genius alone draws attention to their history1 which is generally progressive2 hence a retrospective view is ambiguous4 ,little is known either of ,rembrandt's birth or the place of his death2 what is known has already been related1 from ,houbraken to ,bryan1 and from ,bryan to ,nieuwenhuys1 and anecdotes have accumulated1 for something new must be said4 ,it is1 however1 fortunate that in searching into the source from which this extraordinary artist drew his knowledge1 we have only to look into the great book of ,nature1 which existed at the time of ,apelles and ,raffaelle2 and1 notwithstanding the diversity of styles adopted by all succeeding painters1 beauties and peculiarities are still left sufficient to establish the highest reputation for any one who has the genius to perceive them1 and the industry to make them apparent4 ,this was the cause of ,rembrandt's captivating excellence2 neither a combination of ,coreggio and ,titian1 nor of ,murillo and ,velasquez1 but as if all the great principles of chiaro-scuro and colour were steeped and harmonized in the softening shades of twilight2 and this we perceive in nature1 producing the most soothing and bewitching results4 ,these digressions may1 however1 come more properly into notice when ,rembrandt's principles of colour come under review4 ,rembrandt ,van ,rhyn1 the subject of this memoir1 was born in the year #afjf1 between ,leydendorp and ,koukerk1 in the neighbourhood of ,leyden1 on the ,rhyn1 but certainly not in a mill1 as there is no habitable dwelling in the one now known as his father's4 ,my excellent young friend1 ,mr4 ,e4 ,w4 ,cooke1 whose works breathe the true spirit of the best of the ,dutch school1 in a letter upon this subject1 says-- ,,my ,,dear ,,sir1 ,i send you another sketch of the mill2 the picture1 including the doorzigte1 or view out of the window1 ,i painted on the spot1 and that picture is now in the possession of the ,king of ,holland1 having taken it back with me to show him4 ,the mill was a magazine for powder during the ,spanish invasion2 it was soon after converted into a corn mill1 and was in the possession of ,hernan ,geritz ,van ,rhyn when his son ,rembrandt was born2 it is situated at ,koukerk1 on the old ,rhyn1 near ,leyden4 ,i hope you will correct the vulgar error that ,rembrandt was born ,,in a mill4 ,there are often dwelling houses attached to water-mills1 such as we have in ,england2 but in ,holland1 not such a structure as a water-mill1 with water-power2 the water-mills there are only draining mills1 such as we have in ,lincolnshire1 ,norfolk1 c4 ,surely the noise and movement of a windmill would ill accord with the confinement of any lady1 especially the mother of so glorious a fellow as ,rembrandt4 ,for the honour of such association ,i hope you will not omit my name in the work1 for ,i painted three pictures of that precious relic4 ,yours1 c4 ,e4 ,w4 ,,cooke4 ,illustration3 ,,interior ,,of ,,the ,,mill ,,of ,,rembrandt',s ,,father ,illustration3 ,,exterior ,,of ,,the ,,same ,the mill now known as the one possessed by ,rembrandt's father is built of stone1 with an inscription1 and ,rembrandt1 in gold letters1 over the door4 ,the one etched by his eminent son is a wooden structure1 which must have long since fallen into decay4 ,as they are both interesting1 from association of ideas1 ,i have given etchings of them4 ,the mother of ,rembrandt was ,neeltje ,willems ,van ,zuitbroek1 whose portrait he has etched4 ,as he was an only child1 his parents were anxious to give him a good education1 and therefore sent him to the ,latin school at ,leyden1 in order to bring him up to the profession of the law2 but1 like our own inimitable ,shakspere1 he picked up small ,latin and less ,greek4 ,having shown an early inclination for painting1 they placed him under the tuition of ,jacob ,van ,zwaanenburg1 a painter unmentioned by any biographer2 he afterwards entered the studio of ,peter ,lastman1 and finally received instruction from ,jacob ,pinas4 ,the two last had visited ,rome1 but1 notwithstanding1 could have given little instruction to ,rembrandt1 as their works show no proof of their having studied the ,italian school to much purpose4 ,after receiving a knowledge of a few rules1 such as they could communicate1 he returned home1 and commenced painting from nature1 when he laid the foundation of a style in art unapproached either before his time or since4 ,in #afbg he is said1 by ,houbraken1 to have visited the ,hague1 when1 by the price he received for one of his pictures1 he discovered his value as an artist4 ,the neighbourhood of the ,rhine was now given up for the city of ,amsterdam1 where he set up his easel in the year #afbh1 under the patronage of the ,burgomaster ,six1 and other wealthy admirers of the fine arts4 ,rembrandt's first works1 like all the early works of eminent artists1 were carefully finished2 the work that raised him to the greatest notice1 in the first instance1 is ,professor ,tulpius giving an ,anatomical ,lecture on a dead ,body1#a and is dated #afcb4 ,reynolds1 in his ,tour through ,flanders1 speaking of this picture1 says3--,the ,professor ,tulpius dissecting a corpse which lies on the table1 by ,rembrandt4 ,to avoid making it an object disagreeable to look at1 the figure is just cut at the wrist4 ,there are seven other portraits1 coloured like nature itself2 fresh1 and highly finished4 ,one of the figures behind has a paper in his hand1 on which are written the names of the rest4 ,rembrandt has also added his own name1 with the date #afcb4 ,the dead body is perfectly well drawn1 7a little foreshortened17 and seems to have been just washed2 nothing can be more truly the colour of dead flesh4 ,the legs and feet1 which are nearest the eye1 are in shadow2 the principal light1 which is on the body1 is by that means preserved of a compact form2 all these figures are dressed in black4 ,he further adds--,above stairs is another ,rembrandt1 of the same kind of subject3 ,professor ,nieman1 standing by a dead body1 which is so much foreshortened that the hands and feet almost touch each other2 the dead man lies on his back1 with his feet towards the spectator4 ,there is something sublime in the character of the head1 which reminds one of ,michael ,angelo2 the whole is finely painted1--the colouring much like ,titian4 ,simeon in the ,temple1 in the ,museum of the ,hague1 painted in #afca1 is in his first manner2 as are ,the ,salutation1 in the ,gallery of the ,marquis of ,westminster1 painted in #afdj2 and ,the ,woman taken in ,adultery1 in the ,national ,gallery1 painted in #afdd1 all on panel1 and finished with the care and minuteness of ,gerhard ,dow4 ,his most successful career may be taken from #afcj to #afef4 ,about the year #afde he married ,miss ,saskia ,van ,uylenburg1 by whom he had an only son1 named ,titus1 the inheritor of the little wealth left after his father's embarrassments1 but1 though bred to the arts1 inheriting little of his father's genius4 ,in what part of ,amsterdam he resided at this time we have no record1 nor is the house now shown as ,rembrandt's1 and which was the subject of a mortgage1 sufficiently authenticated to prove its identity2 he may have lived in it1 but it could not at any time have been sufficiently capacious to contain all the effects given in the catalogue extracted from the register by ,mr4 ,nieuwenhuys4 ,the late ,sir ,david ,wilkie1 in a letter to his sister1 says3--,at the ,hague we were delayed with rain1 which continued nearly the whole of our way through ,leyden1 ,haarlem1 and ,amsterdam4 ,wherever we went1 our great subject of interest was seeing the native places of the great ,dutch painters1 and the models and materials which they have immortalized4 ,at ,amsterdam we sallied forth in the evening1 in search of the house of ,rembrandt2 it is in what is now the ,jews' quarter1 and is1 in short1 a ,jew's old china shop2 it is well built1 four stories high1 but it greatly disappointed me4 ,the shop is high in the ceiling1 but all the other rooms are low and little1 and1 compared with the houses of ,titian at ,venice1 of ,claude at ,rome1 and of ,rubens at ,antwerp1 is quite unworthy the house of the great master of the school of ,holland4 ,even if stuffed1 as it is now1 with every description of the pottery of ,canton1 it could not have held even a sixth part of the inventory ,nieuwenhuys found1 as the distrained effects of ,rembrandt1 and the only solution is1 that he may have once lived there2 but as his will1 still extant1 is dated in another street1 and as several of the pictures he painted could not be contained in the rooms we were in1 we must conclude that1 like the shell which encloses the caterpillar1 it was only a temporary abode for the winged genius to whom art owes so much of its brilliancy4 ,as the place of his residence is veiled in obscurity1 so is the place of his demise1 which is supposed to have taken place in #affd1 as ,mr4 ,smith1 in a note to his ,life of ,rembrandt1 says--that no picture is recorded bearing a later date than #affd1 and the balance of his property was paid over to his son in #affe4 ,mr4 ,woodburn1 in a ,catalogue of his ,drawings1 says3--,it is uncertain what became of him after his bankruptcy1 or where he died2 a search has been made among the burials at ,amsterdam1 until the year #afgd1 but his name does not occur2 probably ,baldinucci is correct in stating that he died at ,stockholm1 in #afgj2 others have mentioned ,hull1 and some give a credence to his having fled to ,yarmouth1 during his troubles1 and mention two pictures1 a lawyer and his wife1 said to have been painted there2 they are whole lengths1 and certainly in his later manner1 but ,i could not gather any authentic account to build conjecture upon1 as the intercourse between ,amsterdam and ,yarmouth has been kept up from olden time1 and a ,dutch fair held every three years on the shore4 ,the ancestors of the family in whose possession they still are1 may have visited ,holland2 but1 amongst such conflicting opinions1 it is useless to attempt elucidation of the truth of this4 ,we may rest certain that his works will be appreciated in proportion as a knowledge of their excellence is extended4 ,illustration3 ,,rembrandt',s ,,house ,,at ,,amsterdam ,sidenote3 ,extract from the ,book of ,sureties of ,real ,estates remaining at the ,secretary's ,office of the ,city of ,amsterdam1 fol4 #hi1 c4 ,,legal ,,receipt ,,and ,,discharge1 ,,given ,,by ,,titus ,,van ,,ryn1 ,,for ,,the ,,balance ,,of ,,the ,,estate ,,of ,,his ,,father1 ,,rembrandt ,,van ,,ryn4 ,good for ,gls4 #fieb--i4 the #bi4g;bre--,willem ,muilm4 ,i the undersigned acknowledge to have received of the said ,commissaries the undermentioned six thousand nine hundred and fifty-two ,guldens nine ,stuivers1 the #eth ,november1 #affe4 ,received the contents1 ,,titus ,,van ,,ryn4 ,before the undersigned ,magistrates appeared ,titus ,van ,ryn1 the only surviving son of ,rembrandt ,van ,ryn and of ,saskia ,van ,uylenburg 7having obtained his veniam aetatis71 as principal1--,abraham ,fransz1 merchant1 living in the ,angelier ,straat1 and ,bartholomeus ,van ,benningen1 woollen-draper1 in the ,liesdel1 as guarantees4 ,and jointly1 and each of them separately1 promised to re-deliver into the hands of the ,commissaries of the ,insolvent ,estates1 when called upon1 the said six thousand nine hundred fifty-two ,guldens and nine ,stuivers1 which the said ,titus ,van ,ryn shall receive of and from the before-mentioned ,commissaries1 the money arising from the house and ground in the ,anthonis bree ,straat1 ,a4 #afeh1 which was sold under execution1 and from the personal estate of ,saskia ,van ,uylenburg and ,rembrandt ,van ,ryn aforesaid2 hereby binding all their goods1 moveables1 and immoveables1 present and future1 in order to recover the said sum and costs4 ,therefore the before-mentioned principal promised to indemnify his said sureties under a similar obligation as above written4--,actum1 the #ith ,september1 #affe4 ,a4 ,j4 ,j4 ,,hinlopen ,,and ,,arnout ,,hooft4 ,h4 ,v4 ,,bronchorst4 #bbjg3 a #c3c #fieb3a 7,stamp7 #h #fieb #i ,the following ,catalogue is extracted from the ,register ,l ,r4 fol4 #bi to #ci inclusive1 of the ,inventory of the ,effects of ,,rembrandt ,,van ,,rhyn1 deposited in the ,office of the ,administration of ,insolvent ,estates at ,amsterdam1 ,anno #afef4 ,,pictures1 c4 ,,in ,,the ,,entrance ,,hall4 ,a ,picture1 representing ,the ,gingerbread ,baker ,by ,brauwer4 ,a ditto1 ,the ,gamblers ,ditto4 ,a ditto1 ,a ,woman and ,child ,rembrandt4 ,a ditto1 ,the ,interior of an ,artist's ,painting ,room ,brauwer4 ,a ditto1 ,the ,interior of a ,kitchen ,ditto4 ,a ,statue of a ,woman1 in plaster4 ,two ,children1 in plaster4 ,a ,sleeping ,child1 in plaster4 ,a ,landscape ,by ,rembrandt4 ,a ditto ,ditto4 ,a ,woman represented standing ,ditto4 ,a ,christmas ,night ,piece ,jean ,lievensz4 ,st4 ,jerome ,rembrandt4 ,dead ,hares1 a small picture ,ditto4 ,a small picture of a ,pig ,ditto4 ,a small ,landscape ,hercules ,segers4 ,a ,landscape ,jean ,lievensz4 ,a ditto ,ditto4 ,a ditto ,rembrandt4 ,a ,combat of ,lions ,ditto4 ,a ,landscape1 by moonlight ,jean ,lievensz4 ,a ,head ,rembrandt4 ,a ditto ,ditto4 ,a picture of ,still ,life1 objects retouched ,ditto4 ,a ,soldier1 clad in armour ,by ,rembrandt4 ,a ,skull1 and other objects1 styled a ,vanitas1 retouched ,ditto4 ,a ditto1 ditto1 retouched ,ditto4 ,a ,sea ,piece ,hendrick ,antonisz4 ,four ,spanish ,chairs1 covered with leather4 ,two ditto1 ditto in black4 ,a ,plank of ,wood4 ,,in ,,the ,,front ,,parlour4 ,a small picture of the ,samaritan1 retouched ,by ,rembrandt4 ,the ,rich ,man ,palma ,vecchio4 7,the half of this picture belongs to ,peter de la ,tombe74 ,a ,view of the ,back of a ,house ,by ,rembrandt4 ,two ,sporting ,dogs1 done after nature ,ditto4 ,the ,descent from the ,cross1 a large picture1 in a gilt frame ,ditto4 ,the ,raising of ,lazarus ,ditto4 ,a ,courtesan ,dressing ,ditto4 ,a ,woody ,scene ,hercules ,segers4 ,tobias1 c4 ,lastman4 ,the ,raising of ,lazarus ,jean ,lievensz4 ,a ,landscape1 representing a mountainous country ,rembrandt4 ,a small ,landscape ,by ,govert ,jansz4 ,two ,heads ,rembrandt4 ,a ,picture1 en grisaille ,jean ,lievensz4 ,a ditto1 ditto ,parcelles4 ,a ,head ,rembrandt4 ,a ditto ,brauwer4 ,a ,view of the ,dutch ,coast ,parcelles4 ,a ditto of the same1 smaller ,ditto4 ,a ,hermit ,jean ,lievensz4 ,two ,small ,heads ,lucas ,van ,valkenburg4 ,a ,camp on ,fire ,the elder ,rassan4 ,a ,quack ,doctor ,after ,brauwer4 ,two ,heads ,by ,jan ,pinas4 ,a perspective ,view ,lucas ,van ,leyden4 ,a ,priest ,jean ,lievensz4 ,a ,model ,rembrandt4 ,a ,flock of ,sheep ,ditto4 ,a ,drawing ,ditto4 ,the ,flagellation of our ,lord ,ditto4 ,a ,picture1 done en grisaille ,parcelles4 ,a ditto1 ditto ,simon de ,vlieger4 ,a small ,landscape ,rembrandt4 ,a ,head of a ,woman1 after ,nature ,ditto4 ,a ,head ,rafaelle ,urbino4 ,a ,view of ,buildings1 after ,nature ,rembrandt4 ,a ,landscape1 after ,nature ,ditto4 ,a ,view of ,buildings ,hercules ,segers4 ,the ,goddess ,juno ,jacob ,pinas4 ,a ,looking ,glass1 in a black ebony frame4 ,an ebony ,frame4 ,a ,wine ,cooler1 in marble4 ,a ,table of walnut tree1 covered with a carpet4 ,seven ,spanish ,chairs1 with green velvet cushion4 ,,back ,,parlour4 ,a ,picture ,by ,pietro ,testa4 ,a ,woman with a ,child ,rembrandt4 ,christ on the ,cross1 a model ,ditto4 ,a ,naked ,woman ,ditto4 ,a ,copy1 after a picture ,annibal ,caracci4 ,two ,half ,figures ,brauwer4 ,a ,copy1 after a picture ,annibal ,caracci4 ,a ,sea ,view ,parcelles4 ,the ,head of an ,old ,woman ,van ,dyck4 ,a ,portrait of a deceased ,person ,abraham ,vink4 ,the ,resurrection ,a4 ,van ,leyden4 ,a ,sketch ,rembrandt4 ,two ,heads1 after ,nature ,ditto4 ,the ,consecration of ,solomon's ,temple1 done en grisaille ,ditto4 ,the ,circumcision1 a copy ,after ,ditto4 ,two small ,landscapes ,by ,hercules ,segers4 ,a gilt ,frame4 ,a small ,oak ,table4 ,four ,shades for engraving4 ,a ,clothes ,press4 ,four old ,chairs4 ,four green ,chair ,cushions4 ,a ,copper ,kettle4 ,a ,portmanteau4 ,,the ,,saloon4 ,a ,woody ,scene ,by ,an ,unknown ,master4 ,an ,old ,man's ,head ,rembrandt4 ,a large ,landscape ,hercules ,segers4 ,a ,portrait of a ,woman ,rembrandt4 ,an ,allegory of the ,union of the ,country ,ditto4 ,this is probably the picture now in the ,collection of ,samuel ,rogers1 ,esq4 ,a ,view in a ,village ,by ,govert ,jansz4 ,a ,young ,ox1 after ,nature ,rembrandt4 ,the ,samaritan ,woman1 a large picture1 attributed to ,giorgione1 the half of which belongs to ,peter de la ,tombe4 ,three antique ,statues4 ,a ,sketch of the ,entombment ,by ,rembrandt4 ,the ,incredulity of ,st4 ,peter ,aertje ,van ,leyden4 ,the ,resurrection of our ,lord ,rembrandt4 ,the ,virgin ,mary ,rafaelle ,urbino4 ,a ,head of ,christ ,rembrandt4 ,a ,winter ,scene ,grimaer4 ,the ,crucifixion4 ,probably intended for ,novellari ,lely of ,novellaene4 ,a ,head of ,christ ,rembrandt4 ,a young ,bull or ,ox ,lastman4 ,a ,vanitas1 retouched ,rembrandt4 ,an ,ecce ,homo1 en grisaille ,ditto4 ,abraham ,offering up his ,son ,jean ,lievensz4 ,a ,vanitas1 retouched ,rembrandt4 ,a ,landscape1 en grisaille ,hercules ,segers4 ,an ,evening ,scene ,rembrandt4 ,a large ,looking ,glass4 ,six ,chairs1 with blue cushions4 ,an oak ,table4 ,a ,table ,cloth4 ,a ,napkin ,press4 ,a ,wardrobe1 or ,armoir4 ,a ,bed and a ,bolster4 ,two ,pillows4 ,two ,coverlids4 ,blue ,hangings of a ,bed4 ,a ,chair4 ,a ,stove4 ,,in ,,the ,,cabinet ,,of ,,arts4 ,a pair of ,globes4 ,a ,box1 containing minerals4 ,a small ,architectural ,column4 ,a ,tin ,pot4 ,the ,figure of an ,infant4 ,two pieces of ,indian ,jadd4 ,a ,japan or ,chinese ,cup4 ,a ,bust of an ,empress4 ,an ,indian ,powder ,box4 ,a ,bust of the ,emperor ,augustus4 ,an ,indian ,cup4 ,a ,bust of the ,emperor ,tiberius4 ,an ,indian ,work-,box1 for a lady4 ,a ,bust of ,caius4 ,a pair of ,roman ,leggins4 ,two ,porcelain ,figures4 ,a ,bust of ,heraclitus4 ,two ,porcelain ,figures4 ,a ,bust of ,nero4 ,two ,iron ,helmets4 ,an ,indian ,helmet4 ,an ancient ,helmet4 ,a ,bust of a ,roman ,emperor4 ,a ,negro1 cast from ,nature4 ,a ,bust of ,socrates4 ,a ,bust of ,homer4 ,a ditto of ,aristotle4 ,an antique ,head1 done in brown4 ,a ,faustina4 ,a ,coat of ,armour1 and a ,helmet4 ,a ,bust of the ,emperor ,galba4 ,a ditto of the ,emperor ,otho4 ,a ditto of the ,emperor ,vitellius4 ,a ditto of the ,emperor ,vespasian4 ,a ditto of the ,emperor ,titus ,vespasian4 ,a ditto of the ,emperor ,domitian4 ,a ditto of ,silius ,brutus4 ,forty-seven specimens of ,botany4 ,twenty-three ditto of ,land and ,marine ,animals4 ,a ,hammock1 and two ,calabashes4 ,eight various objects1 in plaster1 done from ,nature4 ,,on ,,the ,,last ,,shelf4 ,a quantity of ,shells1 ,marine ,plants1 and sundry curious objects1 in plaster1 done from ,nature4 ,an antique ,statue of ,cupid4 ,a small ,fuzil1 and a ,pistol4 ,a steel ,shield1 richly embossed with ,figures1 by ,quintin ,matsys1 very curious and rare4 ,an antique ,powder-horn4 ,a ditto2 ,turkish4 ,a ,box1 containing ,medals4 ,a ,shield of curious workmanship4 ,two ,naked ,figures4 ,a ,cast from the face of ,prince ,maurice1 taken after his death4 ,a ,lion and a ,bull1 in plaster1 after ,nature4 ,a number of ,walking ,sticks4 ,a long ,bow4 ,,books ,,on ,,art4 ,a ,book1 containing ,sketches by ,rembrandt4 ,a ditto1 containing ,prints engraved in wood by ,lucas ,van ,leyden4 ,a ditto ditto1 by ,wael and others4 ,a ditto1 containing ,etchings by ,baroccio and ,vanni4 ,a ditto1 containing ,prints after ,rafaelle ,urbino4 ,a gilt ,model of a ,french ,bed1 by ,verhulst4 ,a ,book full of ,engravings1 many of which are double impressions1 by ,lucas ,van ,leyden4 ,a ditto1 containing a great number of ,drawings by the best masters4 ,a ditto1 containing a number of fine ,drawings by ,andrea ,mantegna4 ,a ditto1 containing ,drawings by various masters1 and some ,prints4 ,a ditto1 larger1 full of ,drawings and ,prints4 ,a ditto1 containing a number of ,miniatures1 ,wood-cuts1 and ,copper-plate ,prints1 of the various costumes of countries4 ,a ,book1 full of ,prints by ,old ,breughel4 ,a ditto1 containing ,prints after ,rafaelle ,urbino4 ,a ditto1 containing valuable ,prints1 after the same4 ,a ditto1 full of ,prints by ,tempesta4 ,a ditto1 containing ,wood-cuts and ,engravings by ,lucas ,cranach4 ,a ditto1 containing ,prints after the ,caracci and ,guido1 and ,spagnoletti4 ,a ditto1 containing ,engravings and ,etchings by ,tempesta4 ,a large ,folio of ditto ditto1 by ,ditto4 ,a ditto ditto1 various4 ,a ,book1 containing ,prints by ,goltius and ,mueller4 ,a ditto1 containing ,prints after ,rafaelle ,urbino1 very fine impressions4 ,a ,book1 containing ,drawings by ,brauwer4 ,a ,folio1 containing a great number of ,prints after ,titian4 ,a number of curious ,jars and ,venetian ,glasses4 ,an old ,book1 containing a number of ,sketches by ,rembrandt4 ,a ditto ditto4 ,a large ,folio of ,sketches by ,rembrandt4 ,an empty ,folio4 ,a ,backgammon ,board4 ,an antique ,chair4 ,a ,book1 containing ,chinese ,drawings in miniature4 ,a large ,cluster of ,white ,coral4 ,a ,book full of ,prints of ,statues4 ,a ditto full of ,prints1 a complete work by ,heemskirk4 ,a ditto1 full of ,sketches by ,rubens1 ,van ,dyck1 and other masters4 ,a ditto1 containing the ,works of ,michael ,angelo ,buonarotti4 ,two small ,baskets4 ,a ,book1 containing ,prints of free ,subjects1 after ,rafaelle1 ,roest1 ,annibal ,caracci1 and ,giulio ,romano4 ,a ditto1 full of ,landscapes by the most distinguished masters4 ,a ,book1 containing ,views of ,buildings in ,turkey1 by ,melchoir ,lowick1 ,hendrick ,van ,helst1 and others2 and also the ,costumes of that ,country4 ,an ,indian ,basket1 containing various ,engravings by ,rembrandt1 ,hollar1 ,cocq1 and others4 ,a ,book1 bound in black leather1 containing a selection of ,etchings by ,rembrandt4 ,a paper ,box1 full of ,prints by ,hupe ,martin1 ,holbein1 ,hans ,broemer1 and ,israel ,mentz4 ,a ,book1 containing a complete set of ,etchings by ,rembrandt4 ,a ,folio1 containing ,academical ,drawings of ,men and ,women1 by ,rembrandt4 ,a ,book1 containing ,drawings of celebrated ,buildings in ,rome1 and other ,views1 by the best masters4 ,a ,chinese ,basket1 full of various ,ornaments4 ,a ,folio4 ,a ditto4 ,a ditto1 containing ,landscapes after ,nature by ,rembrandt4 ,a ,book1 containing a selection of ,proof ,prints after ,rubens and ,jacques ,jordaens4 ,a ditto1 full of ,drawings by ,miervelt1 ,titian1 and others4 ,a ,chinese ,basket4 ,a ditto ditto1 containing ,prints of ,architectural ,subjects4 ,a ditto1 containing ,drawings of various ,animals from ,nature by ,rembrandt4 ,a ditto1 full of ,prints after ,frans ,floris1 ,bruitwael1 ,goltius1 and ,abraham ,bloemart4 ,a quantity of ,drawings from the ,antique1 by ,rembrandt4 ,five ,books1 in quarto1 containing ,drawings by ,rembrandt4 ,a ,book full of ,prints of ,architectural ,views4 ,the ,medea1 a ,tragedy1 by ,jan ,six4 ,a quantity of ,prints1 by ,jacques ,callot4 ,a ,book1 bound in parchment1 containing ,drawings of ,landscapes1 after ,nature1 by ,rembrandt4 ,a ditto1 full of ,sketches of ,figures by ,rembrandt4 ,a ditto1 various4 ,a small ,box1 with wood divisions4 ,a ,book1 containing ,views drawn by ,rembrandt4 ,a ditto1 containing fine ,sketches4 ,a ditto1 containing ,statues after ,nature by ,rembrandt4 ,a ditto1 various4 ,a ditto1 containing pen ,sketches by ,peter ,lastman4 ,a ditto1 containing ,drawings in red chalk by ,ditto4 ,a ditto1 containing ,sketches drawn with the pen by ,rembrandt4 ,a ditto1 various4 ,a ditto1 ditto4 ,a ,book1 various4 ,a ditto1 ditto4 ,a ditto1 ditto4 ,a ,folio of large ,drawings of ,views in the ,tyrol1 by ,roeland ,savery4 ,a ditto1 full of ,drawings by celebrated masters4 ,a ,book1 in quarto1 containing ,sketches by ,rembrandt4 ,a ,book of ,wood-cuts of the proportions of the ,human ,figure1 by ,albert ,durer4 ,a ,book1 containing ,engravings by ,jean ,lievensz and ,ferdinand ,bol4 ,several parcels of ,sketches by ,rembrandt and others4 ,a quantity of ,paper1 of a large size4 ,a ,box1 containing ,prints by ,van ,vliet1 after ,pictures by ,rembrandt4 ,a ,screen1 covered with cloth4 ,a steel ,gorget4 ,a ,drawer1 containing a ,bird of ,paradise1 and six ,forms of divers patterns4 ,a ,german ,book1 containing ,prints of ,warriors4 ,a ditto1 with ,wood-cuts4 ,flavius ,josephus1 in ,german1 illustrated with ,engravings by ,tobias ,kinderman4 ,an ancient ,bible4 ,a marble ,inkstand4 ,a ,cast1 in ,plaster1 of ,prince ,maurice4 ,,in ,,an ,,anti-,,chamber ,,of ,,the ,,room ,,of ,,arts4 ,st4 ,joseph ,by ,aertje ,van ,leyden4 ,three ,prints1 in frames4 ,the ,salutation4 ,a ,landscape after ,nature ,rembrandt4 ,a ,landscape ,hercules ,segers4 ,the ,descent from the ,cross ,rembrandt4 ,a ,head after ,nature4 ,a ,skull ,retouched by ,rembrandt4 ,a ,model1 in plaster1 of the ,bath of ,diana ,by ,adam ,van ,vianen4 ,a ,model from ,nature ,rembrandt4 ,a ,picture of ,three ,puppies1 after ,nature ,titus ,van ,ryn4 ,a ditto of a ,book ,ditto4 ,a ,head of the ,virgin ,ditto4 ,the ,flagellation ,a ,copy after ,rembrandt4 ,a ,landscape by ,moonlight ,retouched by ,ditto4 ,a ,naked ,woman1 a ,model from ,nature ,by ,ditto4 ,an unfinished ,landscape from ,nature ,ditto4 ,a ,horse painted from ,nature ,by ,rembrandt4 ,a small ,picture ,young ,hals4 ,a ,fish1 after ,nature4 ,a ,model1 in plaster1 of a ,bason1 adorned with ,figures1 by ,adam ,van ,vianen4 ,an old ,chest4 ,four ,chairs1 with black leather seats4 ,a ,table4 ,,in ,,the ,,small ,,painting ,,room4 ,thirty-three pieces of ,armour and ,musical ,instruments4 ,sixty pieces of ,indian ,armour1 and several ,bows1 ,arrows1 and ,darts4 ,thirteen bamboo ,pipes1 and several ,flutes4 ,thirteen objects1 consisting of ,bows1 ,arrows1 ,shields1 c4 ,a number of ,heads and ,hands1 moulded from ,nature1 together with a ,harp1 and a ,turkish ,bow4 ,seventeen ,hands and ,arms1 moulded from ,nature4 ,some ,stag ,horns4 ,five ancient ,casques4 ,four long ,bows1 and cross ,bows4 ,nine ,gourds and ,bottles4 ,two modelled ,busts of ,bartholt ,been and his ,wife4 ,a plaster ,cast from a ,grecian ,antique4 ,a ,bust of the ,emperor ,agrippa4 ,a ditto of the ,emperor ,aurelius4 ,a ,head of ,christ1 of the size of ,life4 ,a ,head of a ,satyr4 ,a ,sibil--,antique4 ,the ,laocoon--,ditto4 ,a large ,marine ,vegetable4 ,a ,vitellius4 ,a ,seneca4 ,three or four antique ,heads of ,women4 ,a metal ,cannon4 ,a quantity of ,fragments of antique ,dresses1 of divers colours4 ,seven ,musical stringed ,instruments4 ,two small ,pictures by ,rembrandt4 ,illustration3 ,,fac-,,simile ,,of ,a ,,letter ,,of ,,rembrandt',s ,,in ,,the ,,large ,,painting ,,room4 ,twenty ,objects1 consisting of ,halberds and ,swords of various kinds4 ,dresses of an ,indian ,man and ,woman4 ,five ,cuirasses4 ,a wooden ,trumpet4 ,a ,picture of ,two ,negroes by ,rembrandt4 ,a ,child by ,michael ,angelo ,buonarotti4 ,,in ,,the ,,shed4 ,the ,skins of a ,lion and a ,lioness1 and two ,birds4 ,a large ,piece1 representing ,diana4 ,a ,bittern1 done from ,nature1 by ,rembrandt4 ,,in ,a ,,small ,,room4 ,ten ,paintings1 of various sizes1 by ,rembrandt4 ,a ,bed4 ,,in ,,the ,,kitchen4 ,a pewter ,pot4 ,several ,pots and ,pans4 ,a small ,table4 ,a ,cupboard4 ,several old ,chairs4 ,two ,chair ,cushions4 ,,in ,,the ,,passage4 ,nine ,plates4 ,two earthen ,dishes4 ,,the ,,linen 7,,then ,,at ,,the ,,washer-,,woman',s74 ,three ,shirts4 ,six ,pocket ,handkerchiefs4 ,twelve ,napkins4 ,three ,table ,cloths4 ,some ,collars and ,wristbands4 ,the preceding ,inventory was made on the #beth and #bfth of ,july1 #afef4 99 99 99 99 99 ,free ,translation of the ,autograph ,letter on the opposite page4 ,,sir1 ,it is1 your ,honour1 with reluctance1 that ,i am about to trouble you with a letter1 and that1 because on applying to the receiver ,utenbogaert1 7to whom ,i have entrusted the management of my money matters17 as to how the treasurer ,volberger acquits himself of the yearly #d per cent4 interest1 the said ,utenbogaert1 on ,wednesday last1 replied1--that ,volberger has every half year received the interest on this annuity1 and has done so up to the present time2 so that now1 at the annuity office1 more than #djjj florins being owing1 and this being the exact and true statement1 ,i beg of you1 my kind-natured ,sir1 that the exact sum of money at my disposal may be at once made clear1 in order that ,i may at last receive the sum of #abdd florins1 long since due2 as ,i shall always strive to recompense such by reciprocal services1 and with lasting friendship2 so that with my most cordial greetings1 and the prayer that ,god may long keep you in good health1 and grant you bliss hereafter1 ,i remain1 ,your ,honour's ,obedient and devoted ,servant1 ,,rembrandt4 ,i am living on the ,binnen ,aemstel1 at the ,confectioner's4 #ajth ,oct4 ,,van ,,suylyken1 ,esq4 ,counsellor and ,secretary to his ,highness in the ,hague4 ,per post4 ,we cannot reflect upon the foregoing ,catalogue without regretting that ,rembrandt1 in his old age1 should have1 like our own ,milton1 ,fall'n on evil days1 ,on evil days though fall'n and evil tongues4 ,the troubles existing at that time pervaded the whole of ,europe1 and works1 both of poetry and painting1 produced little emolument to the possessors2 consequently the whole of this rich assemblage of works of art1 the accumulation of years1 fell a sacrifice to the hammer of the auctioneer1 producing little more than four thousand nine hundred guilders4 ,by its list1 however1 we are enabled to refute the assertion of many of his biographers1 that he neglected the antique1 and the works of the great masters of the ,italian school1 the catalogue including casts from ancient sculpture1 and drawings and prints after ,michael ,angelo1 ,raffaelle1 and ,titian1 which at that time were rare and of great value4 ,we find by a memorandum on the back of one of ,rembrandt's proofs1 on ,india paper1 of his etching of ,christ ,healing the ,sick1 which now goes by the name of ,the ,hundred ,guilder ,print1 that1 wishing to possess a print of the ,plague1 by ,mark ,antonio1 after ,raffaelle1 valued by the dealer ,van ,zomers at a hundred florins1 he gave the proof in exchange2 and further1 that such proofs were never sold1 but given as presents to his friends4 ,we may perceive by this the anxiety he had to collect works that were excellent4 ,as we do not discover amongst the various articles enumerated1 either palette or brushes1 we may infer that on quitting ,amsterdam he carried off all his working apparatus4 ,with this short notice of his life1 and these few remarks1 ,i must now enter into what is more properly the subject of this work1 a critical examination into his principles and practice4 ,footnote #a3 ,mr4 ,nieuwenhuys1 in a note in his ,life of ,rembrandt1 mentions that the ,directors of the ,anatomical ,theatre resolved to sell this picture by auction1 for the purpose of augmenting the funds for supporting the widows of members1 and in consequence the sale was announced for ,monday the #dth of ,august1 #ahbh4 ,since the year #afcb1 until this period1 it had always remained in that establishment1 as a gift from ,professor ,n4 ,tulp1 who presented it as a remembrance of himself and colleagues4 ,mr4 ,n4 had no sooner heard that the piece in question was to be sold1 than he went to ,amsterdam1 with the intention of purchasing it2 but1 upon arriving1 was informed that his ,majesty1 the ,king of the ,netherlands1 had opposed the sale1 and given orders to the ,minister for the ,home ,department to obtain it for the sum of #cb1jjj guldens1 and caused it to be placed in the ,museum at the ,hague1 where it remains4 ,the picture is on canvas3 height #fd-a_/b inches1 width #hc-a_/b inches4 ,,rembrandt ,,and ,,his ,,works4 ,the early pictures1 in all ages1 either merely indicate the character of bas-reliefs or single statues1--a cold continuity of outline1 and an absence of foreshortening4 ,the first move in advance1 and that which constitutes their pictorial character1 in contradistinction to sculpture1 is an assemblage of figures1 repeating the various forms contained in the principal ones1 and thus rendering them less harsh by extension and doubling of the various shapes1 as we often perceive in a first sketch of a work1 where the eye of the spectator chooses1 out of the multiplicity of outlines1 those forms most agreeable to his taste4 ,the next step to improvement1 and giving the work a more natural appearance1 is the influence of shadow1 so as to make the outlines of the prominent more distinct1 and those in the background less harsh and cutting1 and consequently more retiring4 ,the application of shadow1 however1 not only renders works of art more natural1 by giving the appearance of advancing and retiring to objects represented upon a flat surface--thus keeping them in their several situations1 according to the laws of aerial perspective--but enables the artist to draw attention to the principal points of the story1 and likewise to preserve the whole in agreeable form1 by losing and pronouncing individual parts4 ,coreggio was the first who carried out this principle to any great extent2 but it was reserved for ,rembrandt1 by his boldness and genius1 to put a limit to its further application4 ,breadth1 the constituent character of this mode of treatment1 cannot be extended2 indeed1 it is said that ,rembrandt himself extended it too far2 for1 absorbing seven-eighths in obscurity and softness1 though it renders the remaining portion more brilliant1 yet costs too much4 ,this principle1 however1 contains the greatest poetry of the art1 in contradistinction to the severe outline and harsh colouring of the great historical style4 ,,composition4 ,to arrive at a true knowledge of the inventions and compositions of ,rembrandt1 it is necessary1 in the first instance1 to examine those of ,albert ,durer1 the ,leonardo da ,vinci of ,germany4 ,the inventions of this extraordinary man are replete with the finest feelings of art1 notwithstanding the ,gothic dryness and fantastic forms of his figures4 ,the folds of his draperies are more like creased pieces of paper than cloth1 and his representation of the naked is either bloated and coarse1 or dry and meagre4 ,his backgrounds have all the extravagant characteristics of a ,german romance1 and are totally destitute of aerial perspective2 yet1 with the exception of the character of the people and scenery of ,nuremburg1 he is not more extravagant in his forms than the founder of the ,florentine school1 and had he been educated in ,italy1 he in all probability would have rivalled ,raffaelle in the purity of his design4 ,in his journal1 which he kept when he travelled into the ,netherlands1 he mentions some prints he sent to ,rome1 in exchange for those he expected in return1 and it is mentioned that ,raffaelle admired his works highly4 ,the multitude of his engravings1 both on copper and wood1 which were spread over ,germany1 influenced1 in a great degree1 the style of composition of those artists who came after him1 and accordingly we see many points of coincidence in the compositions of ,rembrandt4 ,a century1 however1 had opened up a greater insight into the mysteries of painting than either ,leonardo da ,vinci or ,albert ,durer ever thought of2 one alone1--viz4 aerial perspective1 seems to mark the line between the ancient and modern school2 for though ,durer invented several instruments for perfecting lineal perspective1 his works exhibit no attempt at giving the indistinctness of distant objects4 ,to ,rubens1 ,germany and ,holland were indebted for this essential part of the art1 so necessary to a true representation of ,nature4 ,this great genius1 in his contemplation of the works of ,titian and others1 both at ,venice and in ,madrid1 soon emancipated the art of his country from the ,gothic hardness of ,lucas ,cranach1 ,van ,eyck1 and ,albert ,durer2 but notwithstanding his taste and knowledge of what constituted the higher qualities of the ,italian school1 the irregular combinations and multitudinous assemblage of figures found in the early ,german compositions remained with him to the last4 ,his works are like a melodrama1 filled with actors who have no settled action or expression allotted them1 while in the works of ,raffaelle1 and other great composers1 the persons introduced are limited to the smallest number necessary to explain the story4 ,this condensing of the interest1 if ,i may use the expression1 was borrowed originally from the ,greeks1 of whose sculptures the ,romans availed themselves to a great degree4 ,on the other hand1 this looseness of arrangement1 and what may be termed ornamental1 not only spread through ,germany1 but infected the schools of ,venice2 witness the works of ,tintoret and ,paul ,veronese1 in which the expression of the countenance absolutely goes for nothing1 and the whole arrangement is drawn out in a picturesque point of view1 merely to amuse and gratify the eye of the spectator4 ,now1 with all these infectious examples before him1 ,rembrandt has done much to concentrate the action1 and reduce the number drawn out on the canvas to the mere personages who figure in the history4 ,witness his ,salutation of the ,virgin1 in the ,marquis of ,westminster's collection1 which is evidently engendered from the idea contained in the design of ,albert ,durer4 ,his strict application to nature1 while it enabled him to destroy the unmeaning combinations of his predecessors1 led him into many errors1 by the simple fact of drawing from the people in his presence4 ,but are not others chargeable with some incongruities8 ,are the ,madonnas of ,murillo anything but a transcript of the women of ,andalusia8 ,the women of ,venice figure in the historical compositions of ,titian and ,paul ,veronese1 and the ,fornarina of ,raffaelle is present in his most sacred subjects2 those1 therefore1 who accuse ,rembrandt of vulgarity of form1 might with equal justice draw an invidious comparison between classic ,italian and high ,dutch4 ,in many of his compositions he has embodied the highest feeling and sentiment1 and in his study of natural simplicity approaches ,raffaelle nearer than any of the ,flemish or ,dutch painters4 ,of course1 as a colourist and master of light and shade1 he is all powerful2 but ,i allude1 at present1 to the mere conception and embodying of his subjects on this head4 ,fuseli says1--,rembrandt was1 in my opinion1 a genius of the first class in whatever relates not to form4 ,in spite of the most portentous deformity1 and without considering the spell of his chiaro-scuro1 such were his powers of nature1 such the grandeur1 pathos1 or simplicity of his composition1 from the most elevated or extensive arrangement to the meanest and most homely1 that the best cultivated eye1 the purest sensibility1 and the most refined taste1 dwell on them equally enthralled4 ,shakspere alone excepted1 no one combined with so much transcendent excellence so many1 in all other men unpardonable1 faults1--and reconciled us to them4 ,he possessed the full empire of light and shade1 and of all the tints that float between them2 he tinged his pencil with equal success in the cool of dawn1 in the noon-day ray1 in the livid flash1 in evanescent twilight1 and rendered darkness visible4 ,though made to bend a steadfast eye on the bolder phenomena of nature1 yet he knew how to follow her into her calmest abodes1 gave interest to insipidity and baldness1 and plucked a flower in every desert4 ,none ever1 like ,rembrandt1 knew how to improve an accident into a beauty1 or give importance to a trifle4 ,if ever he had a master1 he had no followers2 ,holland was not made to comprehend his power4 ,and in another lecture1 speaking of the advantage of a low horizon1 he says3--,what gives sublimity to ,rembrandt's ,ecce ,homo more than this principle8 a composition which1 though complete1 hides in its grandeur the limits of its scenery4 ,its form is a pyramid1 whose top is lost in the sky1 as its base in tumultuous murky waves4 ,from the fluctuating crowds who inundate the base of the tribunal1 we rise to ,pilate1 surrounded and perplexed by the varied ferocity of the sanguinary synod to whose remorseless gripe he surrenders his wand1 and from him we ascend to the sublime resignation of innocence in ,christ1 and1 regardless of the roar1 securely repose on his countenance4 ,such is the grandeur of a conception1 which in its blaze absorbs the abominable detail of materials too vulgar to be mentioned4 ,had the materials been equal to the conception and composition1 the ,ecce ,homo of ,rembrandt1 even unsupported by the magic of its light and shade1 or his spell of colours1 would have been an assemblage of superhuman powers4 ,reynolds1 in his ,eighth ,discourse1 speaking of the annoyance the mind feels at the display of too much variety and contrast1 proceeds to say3--,to apply these general observations1 which belong equally to all arts1 to ours in particular4 ,in a composition1 where the objects are scattered and divided into many equal parts1 the eye is perplexed and fatigued1 from not knowing where to find the principal action1 or which is the principal figure2 for where all are making equal pretensions to notice1 all are in equal danger of neglect4 ,the expression which is used very often on these occasions is1 the piece wants repose--a word which perfectly expresses a relief of the mind from that state of hurry and anxiety which it suffers when looking at a work of this character4 ,on the other hand1 absolute unity1 that is1 a large work consisting of one group or mass of light only1 would be as defective as an heroic poem without episode1 or any collateral incidents to recreate the mind with that variety which it requires4 ,an instance occurs to me of two painters 7,rembrandt and ,poussin7 of characters totally opposite to each other in every respect1 but in nothing more than in their mode of composition and management of light and shadow4 ,rembrandt's manner is absolute unity2 he often has but one group1 and exhibits little more than one spot of light in the midst of a large quantity of shadow3 if he has a second mass that second bears no proportion to the principal4 ,poussin1 on the contrary1 has scarcely any principle mass of light at all1 and his figures are often too much dispersed1 without sufficient attention to place them in groups4 ,the conduct of these two painters is entirely the reverse of what might be expected from their general style and character1 the works of ,poussin being as much distinguished for simplicity as those of ,rembrandt for combination4 ,even this conduct of ,poussin might proceed from too great affection to simplicity of another kind1 too great a desire to avoid the ostentation of art with regard to light and shadow1 on which ,rembrandt so much wished to draw the attention2 however1 each of them ran into contrary extremes1 and it is difficult to determine which is the most reprehensible1 both being equally distant from the demands of nature and the purposes of art4 ,this unity is observable in the composition of ,rembrandt2 even where a multiplicity of figures are employed1 they are so grouped that the masses of light and shade are interrupted as little as possible2 and it is only in his earlier works1 such as those now in the ,munich ,gallery1 where this isolated light is carried to extravagance4 ,in many of his later pictures1 we have not only subordinate groups1 but a repetition of the principal lights2 also a greater breadth of half-tint4 ,composition1 says ,reynolds1 which is the principal part of the invention of a painter1 is by far the greatest difficulty he has to encounter4 ,every man that can paint at all1 can execute individual parts2 but to keep these parts in due subordination as relative to a whole1 requires a comprehensive view of the art1 that more strongly implies genius than perhaps any other quality whatever4 ,now ,rembrandt possessed this power in an eminent degree4 ,at the revival of painting in ,italy1 the compositions consisted entirely of subjects taken from ,sacred ,writ--subjects that imposed a purity of thought and a primitive simplicity upon the artists2 these qualities were1 however1 in a great measure lost in passing through the ,venetian and ,german schools1 where either the love for pictorial effect or the introduction of catholic ceremonies took precedence of every other arrangement4 ,the prolific genius of ,rubens spread this infectious mode of treatment through ,flanders and ,holland1 till at length1 in the hands of the painters of smoking and drinking scenes1 historical subjects1 even of a sacred character1 became quite ridiculous4 ,yet1 with all these examples of bad and vulgar taste around him1 we find many compositions of ,rembrandt less degraded by mean representation than many of the best of the works of the ,venetian and ,flemish painters4 ,take1 for example1 his design of ,christ and his ,disciples at ,emmaus1 the principal figure in which is certainly more refined than the ,christ either in the pictures of ,titian or ,rubens of the same subject2 in fact1 the idea of it is taken from the ,last ,supper1 by ,raffaelle1 7the ,mark ,antonio print of which he must have had47 ,raffaelle is indebted for the figure to ,leonardo da ,vinci2 and if we were to trace back1 ,i have no doubt we should find that the ,milanese borrowed it from an earlier master2 indeed1 we perceive in the progress of painting much of the primitive simplicity and uniformity preserved in the best works of the ,italian school4 ,it was only when composition passed through the prolific minds of such artists as ,paul ,veronese1 ,tintoret1 and ,rubens1 that it was made subservient to the bustle1 animation1 and picturesque effect of their works4 ,when we find1 therefore1 any remains revived in the pictures of ,rembrandt1 who was surrounded by compositions of a vulgar and low cast1 we can only ascribe it to the taste and genius of this great painter4 ,in the design just mentioned1 the idea of the ,disciples1 as if struck with astonishment and awe at the bursting forth of the divinity of ,christ1 is admirably conceived4 ,as the heads are taken from the people of his country1 they of necessity partake of the character of the people4 ,this cannot be justified1 though it is excusable4 ,reynolds1 on this head1 speaking of the ennobling of the characters in an historical picture1 says1 ,how much the great style exacts from its professors to conceive and represent their subjects in a poetical manner1 not confined to mere matter of fact1 may be seen in the ,cartoons of ,raffaelle4 ,in all the pictures in which the painter has represented the apostles1 he has drawn them with great nobleness2 he has given them as much dignity as the human figure is capable of receiving4 ,yet we are expressly told in ,scripture they had no such respectable appearance2 and of ,st4 ,paul in particular we are told by himself that his bodily presence was mean4 ,in conformity to custom1 ,i call this part of the art ,history ,painting3 it ought to be called ,poetical1 as in reality it is4 ,he further adds1 ,the painter has no other means of giving an idea of the mind but by that external appearance which grandeur of thought does generally1 though not always1 impress on the countenance1 and by that correspondence of figure to sentiment and situation which all men wish1 but cannot command4 ,as ,i cannot defend the mean appearance of the disciples1 neither shall ,i exculpate our great artist from blame in introducing a dog into so grand a subject2 we can only excuse him on the plea of following the practice of his predecessors4 ,titian1 in his celebrated picture1 has not only introduced a dog1 but a cat also1 which is quarrelling with the former for a bone under the table4 ,to this love for the introduction of animals into their compositions1 for the sake of picturesque variety1 many of the greatest painters must plead guilty2 and though the incongruity has been pointed out over and over again by the writers on art1 it is still clung to as means of contrast with the human figure4 ,in one of the sketches by the late ,sir ,d4 ,wilkie for his picture of ,finding the ,body of ,tippoo ,saib1 he had introduced two dogs1 and only obliterated them when informed that dogs were considered unclean by the people of the east1 and therefore it was an impossibility for them to be in the palace of ,seringapatam4 ,while ,i am upon this subject1 it may not be amiss to refer to one of the authorities who censures this practice4 ,fresnoy says1 in his poem on the ,art of ,painting1 ,nec quod inane1 nihil facit ad rem sive videtur ,improprium minimeque urgens potiora tenebit ,ornamenta operis4 ,nor paint conspicuous on the foremost plain1 ,whate'er is false1 impertinent1 or vain4 ,,mason4 ,illustration3 ,,christ ,,and ,,his ,,disciples ,,at ,,emmaus ,on this rule1 ,reynolds remarks--,this precept1 so obvious to common sense1 appears superfluous till we recollect that some of the greatest painters have been guilty of a breach of it2 for--not to mention ,paul ,veronese or ,rubens1 whose principles as ornamental painters would allow great latitude in introducing animals1 or whatever they might think necessary to contrast or make the composition more picturesque--we can no longer wonder why the poet has thought it worth setting a guard against this impropriety1 when we find that such men as ,raffaelle and the ,caracci1 in their greatest and most serious works1 have introduced on the foreground mean and frivolous circumstances4 ,such improprieties1 to do justice to the more modern painters1 are seldom found in their works4 ,the only excuse that can be made for those great artists1 is their living in an age when it was the custom to mix the ludicrous with the serious1 and when poetry as well as painting gave in to this fashion4 ,many of the compositions of ,rembrandt indicate not only a refined taste1 but the greatest sensibility and feeling4 ,for example1 the small etchings of the ,burial of ,christ1 and the ,return from ,jerusalem2 these1 from their slightness1 may lay me under the same category as the old ,greek1 who1 having a house to sell1 carried in his pocket one of the bricks as a sample2 yet1 being his own indications1 ,i have given them4 ,it is worth while to compare the ,entombment with the same subject by ,raffaelle1 in the ,crozat ,collection4 ,the whole arrangement is treated in the finest taste of the ,italian school4 ,the other design has been always a favourite with the admirers of ,rembrandt4 ,the feeling character of the youthful ,saviour is admirably portrayed4 ,holding his mother's hand1 he is cheering her on her tiring journey1 looking in her face with an expression of affection and solace2 while she is represented with downcast eyes1 fatigued and pondering in her mind the import of the words he had addressed to her1 ,how is it that ye sought me8 wist ye not that ,i must be about my ,father's business8 ,and even here we can almost excuse the introduction of the little dog1 who1 running before the group1 is looking back1 giving a bark of joy at their having found the object of their solicitude4 ,the background is conceived in the finest spirit of ,titian4 ,these are the touches of nature that1 like the expressions of our own immortal ,shakspere1 however slight1 and though dressed in modern garb or familiar language1 reach the innermost sensibilities of the human heart4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,entombment ,illustration3 ,,the ,,return ,,from ,,jerusalem ,the character and costume of the people1 as well as the scenery of those subjects taken from ,holy ,writ1 have been a matter of investigation both by artists and writers upon art2 for although the events related in the ,new ,testament are not of so ancient a date as those of the heathen writers1 yet the mind seems to require that the style should be neither classic nor too strictly local4 ,hence1 though the costume represented in the ,venetian pictures is no doubt nearer the truth than that made use of by ,raffaelle and other ,italians1 it fails to carry us back to ancient and primitive simplicity4 ,the early pictures delineating ,christian subjects are modelled upon ,greek forms and dresses1 and having been made the foundation of those works afterwards produced by the great restorers of painting1 have gained a hold upon our ideas1 which1 if not impossible1 is yet difficult to throw off4 ,as the late ,sir ,david ,wilkie travelled into the ,east with the express purpose of painting the subjects mentioned in ,scripture in more strict accordance with the people and their habits1 it may be of advantage to give the student his opinions4 ,in his ,journal1 he says--,after seeing with great attention the city of ,jerusalem and the district of ,syria that extends from ,jaffa to the river ,jordan1 ,i am satisfied it still presents a new field for the genius of ,scripture painting to work upon4 ,it is true the great ,italian painters have created an art1 the highest of its kind1 peculiar to the subjects of sacred history2 and in some of their examples1 whether from facility of inquiry or from imagination1 have come very near all the view of ,syria could supply4 ,the ,venetians1 7perhaps from their intercourse with ,cyprus and the ,levant17 ,titian1 ,paul ,veronese1 and ,sebastian del ,piombo1 have in their pictures given the nearest appearance to a ,syrian people4 ,michael ,angelo1 too1 from his generalizing style1 has brought some of his prophets and sybils to resemble the old ,jews about the streets of the ,holy ,city2 but in general1 though the aspect of ,nature will sometimes recall the finest ideas of ,leonardo da ,vinci and ,raffaelle1 yet these masters still want much that could be supplied here1 and have a great deal of matters quite contrary to what the country could furnish4 ,these contrarieties1 indeed1 are so great1 that in discussions with the learned here1 ,i find a disposition to that kind of change that would soon set aside the whole system of ,italian and ,european art2 but as these changes go too much upon the supposition that the manners of ,scripture are precisely represented by the present race in ,syria1 it is too sweeping to be borne out by what we actually know4 ,at the same time1 there are so many objects in this country so perfectly described1 so incapable of change1 and that give such an air of truth to the local allusions of ,sacred ,writ1 that one can scarcely imagine that these1 had they been known to the painters of ,italy1 would not have added to the impressive power of their works4 ,without trying to take from the grand impression produced by the reading of the ,sacred ,writings1 it may be said that from its nature many things must be confined to narrative1 to description1 to precept--and these are no doubt so strong as to supply to a pious mind everything that can be desired2 but if these are to be represented1 as certainly they have been1 by those of an art who have not seen ,syria1 it is clear some other country1 ,italy1 ,spain1 or ,flanders1 will be drawn upon to supply this1 and the reader of ,scripture and the admirer of art will be alike deluded by the representation of a strange country in the place of that so selected and so identified as the ,land of ,promise--so well known and so graphically described from the first to the last of the inspired writers4 ,these remarks are certainly applicable1 but only in a degree4 ,what is quoted from ,reynolds1 in a former part1 shows that a licence is indispensable2 and yet1 without destroying the apparent truth of the subject1 many things are now established that1 without their being facts1 have taken such hold of our ideas that they cannot with safety be departed from4 ,i may instance the countenances of our ,saviour and the ,virgin1 as given by ,raffaelle and ,coreggio--we recognise them as if they had been painted from the persons themselves2 ,i may also add the heads of the ,apostles4 ,with regard to the scenery1 many circumstances may certainly be taken advantage of1 always guarding against a topographical appearance that1 by its locality1 may prevent the work leading the spectator back into distant periods of time4 ,before quitting this part of the subject1 which refers to ,rembrandt's powers of composition1 ,i may notice one or two of his designs1 which stamp him as a great genius in this department of the art--viz41 his ,christ ,healing the ,sick1 ,haman and ,mordecai1 the ,ecce ,homo1 ,christ ,preaching1 and the ,death of the ,virgin4 ,,chiaro-,,scuro4 ,from the position we are now placed in1 surrounded by the accumulated talent of many centuries1 it is easy to take a retrospective view of the progress of art2 and it is only by so doing that we can arrive at a just estimate of the great artists who advanced it beyond the age in which they lived1 and this seems mainly to have been achieved by a close observance of nature4 ,as in philosophy the genius of ,bacon1 by investigating the phenomena of visible objects1 put to flight and dissipated the learned dogmas of the school of ,aristotle1 so in sculpture the purity and simplicity of the forms of ,phidias established a line of demarcation between his own works and those of the formal1 symmetrical1 and dry sculpture of his predecessors4 ,sculpture1 till then1 lay fettered and bound up in the severity of ,egyptian ,hieroglyphics4 ,likewise we perceive the genius of ,michael ,angelo and ,raffaelle setting aside the stiffness and profile character existing in the works of ,signorelli and ,masaccio4 ,in ,venice1 ,titian emancipated the arts from the grasp of ,giovanni ,bellini4 ,in ,germany1 ,rubens must be considered the great translator of art out of a dead language into a living one1 to use a metaphor1 and into one that1 like music1 is universal4 ,previous to ,rembrandt1 the pupils of ,rubens had thrown off every affinity not only to ,gothic stiffness1 but even to that degree of regularity of composition which all classes of historical subjects require4 ,independent of ,rubens and his pupils1 we find ,rembrandt was aware of the great advances made in natural representations of objects by ,adrian ,brauwer1 7several of whose works1 by the catalogue given of his effects1 were in his possession27 therefore1 as far as transparency and richness1 with a truthfulness of tint1 are concerned1 ,brauwer had set an example4 ,but in the works of ,rembrandt we perceive a peculiarity entirely his own--that of enveloping parts in beautiful obscurity1 and the light again emerging from the shadow1 like the softness of moonlight partially seen through demi-transparent clouds1 and leaving large masses of undefined objects in darkness4 ,this principle he applied to compositions of even a complicated character1 and their bustle and noise were swallowed up in the stillness of shadow4 ,if breadth constitutes grandeur1 ,rembrandt's works are exemplifications of mysterious sublimity to the fullest extent4 ,this darkness visible1 as ,milton expresses it1 belongs to the great founder of the school of ,holland1 and to him alone4 ,flinck1 ,dietricy1 ,de ,guelder1 and others his pupils1 give no idea of it2 their works are warm1 but they are without redeeming cool tints2 they are yellow without pearly tones2 and in place of leading the eye of the spectator into the depths of aerial perspective1 the whole work appears on the surface of the panel4 ,there are none of those shadows hanging in mid air1 which constitute so captivating a charm in the great magician of chiaro-scuro2 not only are objects of solidity surrounded by softening obscurity1 but the contiguous atmosphere gives indications of the influence of the light and shade4 ,to these principles the art is indebted for breadth and fulness of effect1 which constitute the distinct characteristics between the early state and its maturity--and to ,rembrandt we owe the perfection of this fascinating quality4 ,we must1 nevertheless1 always look back with wonder at what was achieved by ,coreggio4 ,even when painting flourished under the guidance of ,leonardo da ,vinci and ,giorgione1 ,reynolds1 speaking of this quality in contradistinction to that of relief1 says1 ,this favourite quality of giving objects relief1 and which ,de ,piles and all the critics have considered as a requisite of the greatest importance1 was not one of those objects which much engaged the attention of ,titian4 ,painters of an inferior rank have far exceeded him in producing this effect4 ,this was a great object of attention when art was in its infant state1 as it is at present with the vulgar and ignorant1 who feel the highest satisfaction in seeing a figure which1 as they say1 looks as if they could walk round it4 ,but however low ,i might rate this pleasure of deception1 ,i should not oppose it1 did it not oppose itself to a quality of a much higher kind1 by counteracting entirely that fulness of manner which is so difficult to express in words1 but which is found in perfection in the best works of ,coreggio1 and1 we may add1 of ,rembrandt4 ,this effect is produced by melting and losing the shadows in a ground still darker than those shadows2 whereas that relief is produced by opposing and separating the ground from the figure1 either by light1 or shadow1 or colour4 ,this conduct of inlaying1 as it may be called1 figures on their ground1 in order to produce relief1 was the practice of the old painters1 such as ,andrea ,mantegna1 ,pietro ,perugino1 and ,albert ,durer1 and to these we may add the first manner of ,leonardo da ,vinci1 ,giorgione1 and even ,coreggio2 but these three were among the first who began to correct themselves in dryness of style1 by no longer considering relief as a principal object4 ,as those two qualities1 relief and fulness of effect1 can hardly exist together1 it is not very difficult to determine to which we ought to give the preference4 ,an artist is obliged for ever to hold a balance in his hand1 by which he must determine the value of different qualities1 that when some fault must be committed1 he may choose the least4 ,those painters who have best understood the art of producing a good effect have adopted one principle that seems perfectly conformable to reason--that a part may be sacrificed for the good of the whole4 ,thus1 whether the masses consist of light or shadow1 it is necessary that they should be compact and of a pleasing shape2 to this end1 some parts may be made darker and some lighter1 and reflections stronger than nature would warrant4 ,paul ,veronese took great liberties of this kind4 ,it is said1 that being once asked why certain figures were painted in shade1 as no cause was seen in the picture itself1 he turned off the inquiry by answering1 ',una nuevola che passa1'--a cloud is passing1 which has overshadowed them4 ,before entering more minutely into an investigation of the principles of ,rembrandt with regard to chiaro-scuro1 ,i must again revert to those of ,coreggio4 ,opie1 speaking of the method of this great artist1 says1 ,to describe his practice will be in a great degree to repeat my observations on chiaro-scuro in its enlarged sense4 ,by classing his colours1 and judiciously dividing them into few and large masses of bright and obscure1 gently rounding off his light1 and passing1 by almost imperceptible degrees1 through pellucid demi-tints and warm reflections into broad1 deep1 and transparent shade1 he artfully connected the finest extremes of light and shadow1 harmonized the most intense opposition of colours1 and combined the greatest possible effect with the sweetest and softest repose imaginable4 ,further on1 he remarks--,the turn of his thoughts1 also1 in regard to particular subjects1 was often in the highest degree poetical and uncommon1 of which it will be sufficient to give as an instance his celebrated ,notte1 or painting of the ',nativity of ,christ1' in which his making all the light of the picture emanate from the child1 striking upwards on the beautiful face of the mother1 and in all directions on the surrounding objects1 may challenge comparison with any invention in the whole circle of art1 both for the splendour and sweetness of effect1 which nothing can exceed1 and for its happy appropriation to the person of ,him who was born to dispel the clouds of ignorance1 and diffuse the light of truth over a darkened world6 ,now1 this work ,rembrandt must have seen1 or at least a copy from it1 as his treatment of the same subject1 in the ,national ,gallery1 indicates2 but the poetry is lost1 for it would be impossible to imitate it without a direct plagiarism4 ,it may1 however1 have given a turn to his thoughts1 in representing many of his subjects under the influence of night in place of day1 such as his ,taking down from the ,cross1 by torch light2 his ,flight into ,egypt1 with the lantern2 the ,burial of ,christ1 c4 ,while other men were painting daylight1 he turned the day into night1 which is one of the paths that sublimity travels through4 ,the general idea most people have of ,rembrandt is1 that he is one of the dark masters3 but his shadows are not black1 they are filled with transparency4 ,the backgrounds to his portraits are less dark than many of either ,titian or ,tintoret4 ,his landscapes are not black1 they are the soft emanations of twilight2 and when he leads you through the shadows of night1 you see the path1 even in the deepest obscurity4 ,as colour forms a constituent part of chiaro-scuro1 ,i must1 in this division1 confine myself more particularly to black and white1 both in giving examples from his etchings1 and explaining the various changes he made upon them in order to heighten the effect4 ,the etching ,i have here given is the ,nativity1 in the darkest state2 in the ,british ,museum there are no less than seven varieties1 and the first state is the lightest4 ,but in order to render his mode of proceeding more intelligible1 ,i shall explain the progress of his working4 ,his first etchings are often bit in with the aquafortis1 when the shadows have but few ways crossed with the etching point3 these are often strongly bit in1 that1 when covered over with finer lines1 the first may shine through1 and give transparency4 ,in the next process he seems to have taken off the etching ground1 and laid over the plate a transparent ground1 7that is to say1 one not darkened by the smoke of a candle27 upon this he worked up his effect by a multiplicity of fresh lines1 often altering his forms1 and adding new objects1 as the idea seemed to rise in his mind4 ,after which1 when the plate was again subjected to the operation of the acid1 the etching ground was removed1 and the whole worked up with the greatest delicacy and softness by means of the dry needle1 to the scratches of which the aquafortis is never applied4 ,this process it is that gives what is termed the burr1 and renders the etchings of ,rembrandt different from all others4 ,now this burr is produced1 not by the ink going into the lines1 but by the printer being obstructed in wiping it off by the raised edge which the dry point has forced up2 for when these lines run through deep shadows1 we often see that they print white1 from the ink being wiped off the top of the ridge4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,nativity ,this is the foundation of what is called mezzotint engraving1 which ,i shall notice in another place4 ,by keeping these remarks in mind1 we shall easily perceive how it is that so many variations occur in impressions from his plates1 depending entirely on the direction in which the printer wiped off the ink--whether across the ridges1 or in the same direction as the lines4 ,varieties have also arisen from these ridges wearing away by the friction of the hand2 and as ,rembrandt's copper plates1 judging from those ,i have examined1 were soft1 they soon wore down4 ,we also find this dark effect given in many of his varieties by merely leaving the surface partially wiped1 and touching out the high lights with his finger1 or a piece of leather4 ,these impressions must have been taken by himself1 or1 at least1 under his superintendence4 ,several of his plates are worked on with the graver1 such as his ,taking down from the ,cross2 but that evidently is by the hand of an engraver4 ,we see the same in several of the etchings of ,vandyke1 but their value decreases as the finishing extends4 ,while we are upon the subject of his etchings1 it will1 perhaps1 be of use to confine the conduct of his chiaro-scuro to his etchings alone1 as his treatment is very different to what he adopted when he had colour to deal with2 and in this respect he must have been influenced by the example of ,rubens and ,vandyke1 proofs of all the engravings after whose pictures we perceive he had in his possession4 ,in order that we may more clearly understand the reason of many of his etchings remaining unfinished in parts1 while other portions are worked up with the greatest care1 ,i shall give an extract from the ,journal of ,sir ,joshua ,reynolds1 when in ,flanders4 ,in describing a picture in the ,church of the ,recollets1 at ,antwerp1 he says3--,over the altar of the choir is the famous ',crucifixion of ,christ between two ,thieves1' by ,rubens4 ,to give animation to this subject1 he has chosen the point of time when an executioner is piercing the side of ,christ1 whilst another1 with a bar of iron1 is breaking the limbs of one of the malefactors1 who1 in his convulsive agony1 which his body admirably expresses1 has torn one of his feet from the tree to which it was nailed4 ,the expression in the action of this figure is wonderful4 ,the attitude of the other is more composed1 and he looks at the dying ,christ with a countenance perfectly expressive of his penitence4 ,this figure is likewise admirable4 ,the ,virgin1 ,st4 ,john1 and ,mary the wife of ,cleophas1 are standing by1 with great expression of grief and resignation2 whilst the ,magdalen1 who is at the feet of ,christ1 and may be supposed to have been kissing his feet1 looks at the horseman with the spear with a countenance of great horror4 ,as the expression carries with it no grimace or contortion of the features1 the beauty is not destroyed4 ,this is by far the most beautiful profile ,i ever saw of ,rubens1 or1 ,i think1 of any other painter4 ,the excellence of its colouring is beyond expression4 ,to say that she may be supposed to have been kissing ,christ's feet1 may be thought too refined a criticism2 but ,rubens certainly intended to convey that idea1 as appears by the disposition of her hands1 for they are stretched out towards the executioner1 and one of them is before and one behind the cross1 which gives an idea of their having been round it4 ,and it must be remembered that she is generally represented as kissing the feet of ,christ3 it is her place and employment in those subjects4 ,the good ,centurion ought not to be forgotten--who is leaning forward1 one hand on the other1 resting on the mane of his horse1 while he looks at ,christ with great earnestness4 ,the genius of ,rubens nowhere appears to more advantage than here2 it is the most carefully finished picture of all his works4 ,the whole is conducted with the most consummate art4 ,the composition is bold and uncommon1 with circumstances which no other painter had ever before thought of--such as the breaking of the limbs1 and the expression of the ,magdalen2 to which we may add the disposition of the three crosses1 which are placed perspectively1 in a very picturesque manner--the nearest bears the thief whose limbs they are breaking2 the next the ,christ1 whose figure is straighter than ordinary1 as a contrast to the others2 and the furthermost the penitent thief4 ,this produces a most interesting effect1 but it is what few but such a daring genius as ,rubens would have attempted4 ,it is here1 and in such compositions1 that we properly see ,rubens1 and not in little pictures of ,madonnas and ,bambinos4 ,it appears that ,rubens made some changes in this picture after ,bolswert had engraved it4 ,the horseman who is in the act of piercing the side of ,christ holds the spear1 according to the print1 in a very tame manner1 with the back of the hand over the spear1 grasping it with only three fingers1 the forefinger lying straight over the spear2 whereas1 in the picture1 the back of the hand comes under the spear1 and he grasps it with his whole force4 ,the other defect1 which is remedied in the picture1 is the action of the executioner who breaks the legs of the criminal3 in the print1 both of his hands are over the bar of iron1 which makes a false action2 in the picture1 the whole disposition is altered to the natural manner in which every person holds a weapon which requires both hands--the right is placed over1 and the left under it4 ,this print was undoubtedly done under the inspection of ,rubens himself4 ,it may be worth observing1 that the keeping of the masses of light in the print differs much from the picture2 this change is not from inattention1 but design2 a different conduct is required in a composition with colours from what ought to be followed when it is in black and white only4 ,we have here the authority of this great master of light and shadow1 that a print requires more and larger masses of light than a picture4 ,in this picture1 the principal and the strongest light is the body of ,christ1 which is of a remarkably clear and bright colour4 ,this is strongly opposed by the very brown complexion of the thieves1 7perhaps the opposition here is too violent17 who make no great effect as to light2 the ,virgin's outer drapery is dark blue1 and the inner a dark purple1 and ,st4 ,john is in dark strong red4 ,no part of these two figures is light in the picture but the head and hands of the ,virgin1 but in the print1 they make the principal mass of light of the whole composition4 ,the engraver has certainly produced a fine effect1 and ,i suspect it is as certain that if this change had not been made1 it would have appeared a black and heavy print4 ,when ,rubens thought it necessary1 in the print1 to make a mass of light of the drapery of the ,virgin and ,st4 ,john1 it was likewise necessary that it should be of a beautiful shape1 and be kept compact2 it therefore became necessary to darken the whole figure of the ,magdalen1 which in the picture is at least as light as the body of ,christ2 her head1 linen1 arms1 hair1 and the feet of ,christ1 make a mass as light as the body of ,christ4 ,it appears1 therefore1 that some parts are to be darkened1 as well as other parts made lighter4 ,this1 consequently1 is a science which an engraver ought well to understand before he can presume to venture on any alteration from the picture he means to represent4 ,the same thing may be remarked in many other prints by those engravers who were employed by ,rubens and ,vandyke2 they always gave more light than they were warranted by the picture--a circumstance which may merit the attention of engravers4 ,as most of these engravings were made from studies in black and white1 perhaps reduced from the picture by the engraver1 but certainly touched on afterwards by the painters themselves1 they form a school for the study of light and shade when deprived of colour4 ,in the etchings of ,rembrandt1 therefore1 we ought to bear in mind that splendour of effect was what he aimed at1 and the means adopted by ,rubens and ,vandyke were carried still further by the fearless master of chiaro-scuro4 ,now that the eye has been accustomed to engravings where the local colour is rendered1 when we look over a folio of the works of ,bolswert1 ,soutman1 ,pontius1 and others of the ,flemish engravers1 they appear1 notwithstanding their overpowering depth and brilliancy1 unfinished1 from the lights of the several coloured draperies and the flesh tones being left white4 ,they also occasionally look spotty in effect1 from the extreme strength of the shadows and black draperies4 ,in ,rembrandt's works these defects are avoided1 by finishing his darks with the greatest care and softness1 while the figures in the light masses are often left in mere outline3 the lights are also reduced in size as they enter the shade2 while the darks in the light portions of his prints are circumscribed to a mere point1 for the purpose of giving a balance and solidity4 ,the shadows of the several objects likewise assume a greater delicacy as they enter into the masses of light4 ,in these respects1 the ,hundred ,guilder print is a striking example4 ,as we are now considering light and shade when unaccompanied by colour1 ,i may notice that those portions where the dark and light masses come in contact are the places where both the rounding of the objects by making out the forms1 and also the patching down the half-tint with visible lines1 may be followed out with the greatest success1 as it prevents the work being heavy in effect1 and also assists the passage of the light into the shadow4 ,the quality of the lights and darks is flatness4 ,the ,flemish engravers seem to have been very particular in the method of producing their shadow1 both with regard to the direction of the lines1 and also their repetition2 their object seems to have been intenseness of dark with transparency of execution4 ,in a conversation with ,sir ,thomas ,lawrence upon the subject of shadows1 his ideas were that they ought to be as still as possible1 and that all the little sparkling produced by the crossing of the lines ought to be extinguished1 or softened down4 ,in painting1 his notions were that they ought to be kept cool4 ,without presuming to differ with so excellent an artist1 it is but proper to mention that all the best engravers1 from the time of ,bolswert to our own1 are of a contrary opinion2 and our best colourists1 from ,coreggio to ,rembrandt1 and from ,rembrandt to ,wilkie1 were diametrically opposite in their practice4 ,as far as engraving is concerned1 it is but fair to notice that ,lawrence had ,rembrandt on his side1 of whose works he was a great admirer4 ,illustration3 ,,doctor ,,faustus ,i may appear to have dwelt too long upon this subject of engraving1 but as the etchings of ,rembrandt form so large a portion of his popularity1 we cannot enter too minutely into the various sources of their excellence4 ,i shall now proceed to describe the etching of ,doctor ,faustus1 a copy of which ,i have given4 ,some think that it represents ,fust1 the partner of ,guttenburg1 who1 by his publication of ,bibles in ,paris1 was looked upon by the people as a dealer in the black art4 ,the papers hung up by the side of the window look like the sheets of his letter-press1 and the diagram that attracts his attention1 and rouses him from his desk1 indicates by words and symbols a connexion with ,holy ,writ4 ,but the general opinion is1 that it is ,dr4 ,john ,faustus1 a ,german physician1 in his study4 ,this ,dr4 ,faustus was supposed to have dealings with familiar spirits1 one of which has raised this cabalistic vision1 that enters the window with overwhelming splendour1 like the bursting of a shell1 communicating its radiance to the head and breast of the figure1 and1 descending by his variegated garment1 is extended in a spread of light over the whole lower part of the composition4 ,the light of the window being surrounded by a mass of dark1 receives intense importance1 and is carried as far as the art can go4 ,it is also1 ,i may observe1 rendered less harsh and cutting by its shining through the papers at the side1 and by the interruption of the rays of the diagram4 ,the light passing behind the figure1 and partially thrown upon a skull1 gives an awe-striking appearance to the whole2 while the flat breadth of light below is left intentionally with the objects in mere outline4 ,this etching seems never to have been touched on from the first impressions to the last--the first state is dark with excess of burr2 the last is merely the burr worn off4 ,before quitting this subject1 ,i wish to make a few remarks4 ,it has been said by some of ,rembrandt's biographers1 that he made alterations in his prints for the sake of enhancing their value2 but we know by experience that every alteration he made1 however it might be for the better1 struck off a certain portion of its money value4 ,i believe his desire to better the effect was the only incitement4 ,many were improved by his working upon them after the first proofs1 and many were deteriorated in effect2 but every additional line at the least struck off a guilder4 ,i have mentioned that in this etching the brilliancy of the light in the window is enhanced by its being surrounded by a mass of dark2 but the same advantage would have accrued from its extension by a mass of half light1 as it would then have had a greater breadth of soft light4 ,this subject was a great favourite with the late ,sir ,david ,wilkie1 and he introduced this window in his picture of ,the ,school2 but this being a light composition1 he treated it in the way ,i have mentioned above4 ,it was a common practice with ,wilkie to adopt some part of a celebrated work as a point to work from1 and carry out his design upon this suggestion4 ,the spectator1 by this means1 was drawn into a predisposition of its excellence1 without knowing whence it had arisen4 ,thus1 in his ,john ,knox ,preaching1 there are many points of similarity with the ,st4 ,paul ,preaching1 by ,raffaelle4 ,i may also mention here what we often perceive in the works of ,rembrandt--in place of having the light hemmed in by a dark boundary1 it is spread out into a mass of half-light2 and the same treatment is adopted with regard to his extreme darks1 they communicate their properties to the surrounding ground4 ,these qualities are the foundation of breadth and softness of effect4 ,these observations may appear iterations of what has been mentioned before--but truths get strengthened by being placed in new positions4 ,in dividing a work of this kind into portions1 it is difficult to give a preference to any department1 especially with such an artist as ,rembrandt1 who was equally celebrated in all--and ,i have only given a priority to historical subjects as they hold a higher rank than portraiture4 ,but his portraits are those productions of his pencil which are most peculiar to himself4 ,illustration3 ,,burgomaster ,,six ,,portrait ,,of ,,the ,,burgomaster ,,six4 ,this is the most finished and perfect of all the etchings of ,rembrandt2 and as it was done expressly for his friend and patron1 we can easily imagine that the painter exerted himself to the utmost1 so as to render it worthy of the subject4 ,i have been at some trouble to get an account of the family of ,jan ,six1 but have gleaned little from those books connected with the history of ,holland4 ,during the war with ,england1 in the reign of ,charles the ,second1 he was ,secretary of ,state to the ,city of ,amsterdam1 and his family was afterwards connected with some of their most celebrated men4 ,but what has rendered his name more famous than intermarrying with the families of ,van ,tromp or ,de ,ruyter1 is his patronage of ,rembrandt--in the same way that ,lord ,southampton's name is ennobled by his patronage of ,shakspere4 ,we know he was devoted to literature as well as the fine arts1 having left a tragedy on the story of ,medea1 a copy of which is mentioned in the catalogue of ,rembrandt's effects1 and an etching by the artist was prefixed to the work--viz41 the ,marriage of ,jason and ,creusa2 the rare states of this print are before the quotation of the ,dutch verses underneath--also the statue of ,juno is without the diadem1 which was afterwards added4 ,i have mentioned that this portrait was a private plate2 in fact1 the copper is still in the possession of the family4 ,in a sale which took place in #agcd1 for a division of the property among the various branches1 fourteen impressions were sold1 but brought comparatively small prices1 from the number to be contended for4 ,two proofs1 however1 on ,india paper are still in the portfolio of his descendants1 which in five years will1 it is said1 be brought to the hammer1 as by that time the parties will be of age4 ,these proofs will in all probability realize two hundred guineas each4 ,the ease and natural attitude of the figure in this work are admirable3 the intensity of the light1 with the delicacy and truth of the reflected lights1 are rendered with the strong stamp of genius2 the diffusion of the light also1 by means of the papers on the chair1 and the few sparkling touches in the shadow1 completely take this etching out of the catalogue of common portraiture4 ,the only work ,i can at present think of that can be brought into competition with it1 is the full-length portrait of ,charles the ,first1 by ,vandyke1 in the ,queen's ,collection1 and which is rendered so familiar by ,strange's admirable engraving4 ,in entering into an examination of the execution of this print1 it is evident the whole effect is produced by means of the dry point1 which must have been a work of great labour4 ,the best impressions are on ,india paper2 and ,i perceive1 by referring to ,gersaint's catalogue1 that at the sale of the ,burgomaster's property1 they only brought about eighteen florins4 ,the next portrait amongst his etchings that at all approaches to the ,burgomaster1 is that of ,old ,haring1 which has always struck me as one of the foundations for the style of ,sir ,joshua ,reynolds in portraiture4 ,a fine impression of this work1 on ,india paper1 is more like ,sir ,joshua than many prints after his own pictures2 and with all the high veneration ,i have for ,reynolds1 ,i cannot omit noticing how very ambiguously he frequently speaks of this great genius4 ,we know his master1 ,hudson1 had an excellent collection of ,rembrandt's works1 and therefore he must have been early imbued with their merits and peculiarities4 ,this1 however1 we shall have a better opportunity of noticing when we come to the treatment of colour4 ,the next etching in excellence ,i should mention is the ,portrait of ,john ,lutma1 the ,goldsmith1 with the light background2 this was afterwards softened down by the introduction of a window4 ,and here ,i must observe1 that though he often had light backgrounds to his prints1 yet in his finished pictures they were generally the reverse4 ,the etching of ,ephraim ,bonus1 the ,jewish ,physician1 is also one of his most effective works2 the introduction of the balustrade1 on which he leans descending the staircase1 removes it from the ordinary level of mere portraiture4 ,on the hand that rests upon the balustrade1 is a ring1 which in the very rare impressions1 from its being done with the dry point1 prints dark from the burr4 ,these are invaluable1 as in that state the whole work has the fulness and richness of a picture4 ,a very large sum was given for the impression of the print in this state--now in the ,british ,museum--in fact1 one hundred and sixty pounds2 though at the ,verstolke sale1 where this print was purchased1 the commission given amounted to two hundred and fifty pounds3 but when we consider that the collection in the ,british ,museum is now the finest in existence1 no extra price should be spared to complete the collection1 especially as these works are foundations for the sure improvement of the fine arts in the country4 ,the crown jewels are exhibited as a necessary appendage to the rank of the nation--but there the value stops2 now the works of art in this country are not only valuable1 but intrinsically beneficial4 ,we know that ,charles the ,second pawned the crown pearls to the ,dutch for a few thousands2 but our collection of ,rembrandts would realize in ,holland at least ten thousand pounds4 ,this1 of course1 is a digression1 and is merely mentioned here to show how absurd the hue and cry is1 that the country is wasting money in purchasing a few specimens of fine art4 ,the ,portrait of ,utenbogardus is also excellent2 and ,i may here notice the large book1 which ,rembrandt was so fond of introducing1 as a means of a breadth of light and employment for his portraits4 ,now1 to these circumstances we are indebted for some of the finest works of both ,reynolds and ,lawrence3 amongst many1 ,i might mention the large ledger in ,lawrence's ,portraits of the ,baring ,family1 and ,sir ,joshua's picture of the ,dilettante ,society1 and others4 ,no doubt we find these means of making up a picture both in ,raffaelle and ,titian2 but it is rendered more applicable to our own purposes when it is brought nearer to our own times1 especially when translated by so great a genius as ,rembrandt4 ,the next fine work amongst his etchings is the ,portrait of ,cornelius ,silvius1 the head of which1 being delicately finished with the dry needle1 is seldom seen very fine4 ,this also has a book1 and the hand extended beyond the frame of the oval opening1 upon which it casts its shadow4 ,this practice of representing objects nearer the eye than the frame is certainly to be observed in some of the prints after ,rubens and others1 and has descended to several common prints in our own time1 but ought not to be adopted1 as bordering too much upon that art which may be designated as a sort of ad captandum vulgus display4 ,as we shall speak more particularly of ,rembrandt's portraits when colour is investigated1 these works are merely mentioned as excellent specimens of composition and chiaro-scuro4 ,i must not omit1 however1 to notice here the great ,coppenol1 the writing-master to the city of ,amsterdam3 he holds a pen and a sheet of paper in his hand1 and is looking at the spectator with a look of intelligent observation4 ,the head and figure of this work were perfected1 in the first instance1 before the background was put in1 and in this state is exceedingly rare--the one in the ,british ,museum is valued at five hundred guineas1 and was left1 amongst other rare works in his collection1 by the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,cracherode1 to the public4 ,and here we ought to bear in mind1 when individuals contribute so largely by their bequests to the country1 it is our bounden duty to carry out their views by perfecting the various collections as opportunities offer in the course of time1 which to them was impossible4 ,in one of the impressions in the ,museum1 in a finished state1 is written1 in a large ornamental hand1 a commendation by ,coppenol himself1 wherein he says he does so to unite his name with that of the great artist1 ,rembrandt ,van ,ryn1 as by that means he knows he shall secure immortality to himself4 ,the portrait1 however1 that is the most powerful1 as well as the most rare1 is ,van ,tolling the ,advocate4 ,the effect1 both from the reflected light on the face1 and the fearless masses of burr1 is more like a picture than a print1 and renders every other etching comparatively tame4 ,from the chemical bottles at the side1 and from the character of the gown in which he is dressed1 ,i am of opinion that he was a physician4 ,the excellence of this work1 added to its rarity1 has at all times produced large prices4 ,there are two states of this print--the first with an irregular beard1 the second with the beard cut square1 also some additional work on the drapery1 c42 but1 what is worthy of remark is1 in both states it is exceedingly scarce2 in fact1 there are but seven impressions known--viz41 two in the ,british ,museum1 one in ,mr4 ,holford's collection1 one in ,mr4 ,hawkins'1 in ,amsterdam one1 in ,paris one1 and one in the collection of ,mr4 ,rudge4 ,i ought here to notice that the ,van ,tolling is one of the prints bequeathed to the nation by the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,cracherode1 and that at the sale of the ,hon4 ,pole ,carew's prints1 in #ahce1 this valuable etching was purchased for the late ,baron ,verstolke1 for two hundred and twenty pounds4 ,illustration3 ,,portrait ,,of ,,van ,,tolling 99 99 99 99 99 ,i shall now enter upon an investigation of the ,,landscapes ,,of ,,rembrandt1 which1 equally with his portraits1 are quite peculiar to himself1 but differing from all others not from any eccentricity of manner1 but from their giving the real essence and character of the scene1 when denuded of any trifling and extraneous matters4 ,whatever ,rembrandt touched was impressed with the peculiar characteristics of his genius2 hence it is that the smallest stroke in his etchings is pregnant with truth4 ,though painting belongs exclusively to no country1 but represents the natural appearance of each1 still it is reserved for genius alone to be able to perceive and place on canvas the essence1 as it were1 or great leading features of the subject4 ,i am now more particularly speaking of landscape scenery4 ,in all countries and climates there are peculiarities of effect1 which1 however interesting to the traveller1 or a source of investigation to the philosopher or man of science1 yet are necessarily excluded from the recording pencil of the artist2 his appeal is to mankind at large1 not to the isolated few who observe but one side of the subject4 ,the true artist looks upon nature as the chameleon1 capable of giving out any variety1 and yet all equally true2 hence it is that the skies1 for example1 of ,claude1 ,salvator ,rosa1 and ,gaspar ,poussin are universally subordinate to the general effect of the picture4 ,these men1 living in ,italy1 were quite aware of the various prismatic effects observable in sunset1 but were also convinced of the necessity of making the sky subservient1 at least conducive to1 the breadth and harmony of the picture4 ,it may be said that ,titian and ,tintoret embodied the deep and intense blues of the ,venetian atmosphere1 but we may remark that their skies are always held in check by the deep reds and browns of the draperies of their figures4 ,let us now1 however1 turn our remarks more immediately to ,rembrandt1 and the scenery and effects observable in ,holland4 ,any one conversant with the pictures of the ,dutch school must have observed peculiar features in the skies of ,backhuysen1 ,cuyp1 and ,rembrandt1 arising entirely from the localities of the scenes of their several pictures4 ,my young friend1 ,e4 ,w4 ,cooke1 long a resident in ,holland1 and a keen and observing artist1 remarked that the skies in the pictures of ,backhuysen1 though dark and inky1 were precisely what we see now--the deep ,zuyder ,sea swallowing up any refraction of light which would otherwise have illuminated the clouds2 while the skies of ,cuyp1 receiving the coruscations arising from the meeting of the two rivers1 the ,meuse and the ,waal1 the scenes of most of his pictures1 exhibit that luminous reflection and unsteady appearance peculiar to his works4 ,i mention these matters1 not to prove that these great observers of nature followed implicitly what was presented to their observation1 but to show that when even copying the peculiar character of natural phenomena1 it was done with a strict reference to the harmony of their works1 and made subservient to one great broad principle4 ,in a flat country like ,holland1 especially where a low horizontal line is chosen1 we perceive a peculiar feature takes precedence of everything else--that is1 the quick diminution of those lines which run to the point of sight1 whilst the lines running parallel with the base line of the picture retain their length in a greater degree2 hence the accumulation of these lines1 such as the division of fields1 c41 gradually shade down the distant parts of the landscape1 while the foreshortened lines assume the appearance of so many spots1 or dark touches4 ,in ,rembrandt we perceive this character faithfully rendered1 and also1 assisted by his judicious management1 the lines1 such as the banks of canals or roads1 as they reach the foreground1 are strongly pronounced1 by either bringing them in contact with strong light1 or giving them breadth and force by enriching them with broken ground1 reeds1 or dark herbage4 ,the objects that stand up1 such as trees1 c41 are enlarged and darkened as they approach the eye2 thus not only enabling them to keep their situation1 but also to assist the perspective effect in the highest degree4 ,his small landscape etchings illustrate these remarks1 and are full of the touches of truth and nature2 and where objects are wanting to give variety and interest1 he introduces masses of shadow1 or dark clumps of trees1 leaving other parts in mere outline4 ,the love of his art caused him to be always provided with the materials for drawing and etching1 so that we have these transcripts of nature fresh from the fountain head4 ,we know this from an anecdote mentioned by ,daulby4 ,in describing the etching of ,six's ,bridge1 in his catalogue1 he says1 ,this plate was produced by an incident which deserves to be related4 ,rembrandt lived in great intimacy with the ,burgomaster ,six1 and was frequently at his country seat4 ,one day1 when they were there together1 the servant came to acquaint them that dinner was ready1 but as they were sitting down to table1 they perceived that mustard was wanting4 ,the ,burgomaster immediately ordered his servant to go into the village to buy some4 ,rembrandt1 who knew the sluggishness of the ,dutch servants1 and when they answer austons 7a-coming7 they are half an hour before they appear1 offered the ,burgomaster a wager that he would etch a plate before his man returned with the mustard4 ,six accepted the wager1 and ,rembrandt1 who had always plates at hand ready varnished1 immediately took one up1 and etched upon it the landscape which appeared from the window of the parlour in which they were sitting4 ,the plate was finished before the servant returned1 and ,rembrandt won his wager4 ,the etching is slight1 but it is a wonderful performance1 considering the circumstance that produced it4 ,it is not wonderful on account of the rapidity with which it was done1 but the genius and science that pervade every touch1 not only in the general arrangement1 but in the judicious management of the smallest darks2 they are all in the most effective situations4 ,when the plate was bit in1 the name was left out2 it was afterwards added with the dry point2 also a little shading was given to the hat of one of the figures on the bridge1 which in the rare state is white4 ,i may notice here that it was also ,rembrandt's practice to sketch with the dry point alone1 as several of his landscapes show2 this has a very rich and full effect4 ,his most finished and striking landscape is perhaps the etching of the ,three ,trees4 ,what ,i have said respecting his giving force to those parts nearest the eye1 may be seen in the strong dark under the platform of the mill--which etching ,i have given1 as it has always been considered the mill in which he was born2 but ,i believe it is merely a mill of a picturesque character1 which he consequently etched4 ,in the rare impressions1 the sky is much stained on the plate towards the house and mill1 and ,i believe intentionally so1 as it enables the subject to melt more softly into the background1 by the outline being less harsh2 at least1 ,i found in my copy1 when the person employed to clean the margin of the plate cleaned the stains in the sky also1 that ,i had to restore them4 ,as it will be necessary to go over the ground again with regard to ,rembrandt's landscapes1 when we enter upon an investigation of his principles of colour1 ,i shall now commence upon that department1 fully conscious how high he stands as an artist in that difficult branch of the art1 at the same time aware how feeble words must be to express adequately the deep-toned richness of ,rembrandt's colouring4 ,illustration3 ,,six',s ,,bridge ,illustration3 ,,rembrandt',s ,,mill ,,colour4 ,perhaps1 if we can comprehend a species of coloured chiaro-scuro1 or the addition of colour to the broad and soft principles of light and shade1 we shall be able to form a clear perception of the effects of ,rembrandt's colouring4 ,indistinctness of tint1 such as colours assume under the influence of twilight1 is a strong characteristic of his manner--the shadows never so dark that a black or blue cannot tell firmly in the midst of them2 with the total absence of all harshness1 from the outlines of objects melting into their adjacent grounds1 or assuming an importance after emerging from a mass of indefinite corresponding hues4 ,as he has a mass of shadow with a mass of light1 so he has an accumulation of warm colours in opposition to a congregation of cold--every combination introduced conducing to the great principles of breadth4 ,when such is the plan upon which a work is laid down1 we can easily perceive how powerfully the smallest touch of positive colour will tell--as in the midst of stillness a pin falling to the ground will be heard4 ,cuyp has this quality in a high degree1 only on another scale--a uniformity of unbroken tone1 and in masses of half-tint only1 like a few sparkles of light touches1 dealt out with the most parsimonious pencil1 producing a glitter like so many diamonds4 ,this it is that prevents a work from being heavy1 for by their fewness they require not the aid of black grounds to give them consequence1 and by their being touched upon colours of the same quality1 they avoid the appearance of harshness2 in fact1 the principles of these two great artists were the same2 only from the general tone of ,cuyp's pictures being light1 his strong darks tell with great power1 and ,rembrandt's half tints being of a low tone1 his high lights become more forcible4 ,i may here mention not only the breadth of ,rembrandt's shadows1 but their peculiar transparency and clearness1 loose in the handling1 and filled with air and space1 whereas his lights are solid and firm--possessing not only the characteristics of nature in distinctiveness1 but also in variety2 and though we see always1 on a general principle1 light upon light and dark on a dark ground1 yet we perceive inroads made upon each by their several antagonists2 hot and cold colours darting into each other's provinces4 ,this practice is also conducive to breadth1 for tints of different hues may be interspersed both in the darks and lights1 provided they are of equal strength with those adjoining them4 ,we may observe in ,rembrandt--that those colours introduced into the shadows are more under the influence of indistinctness1 while those in the light are brighter2 this is quite a deviation from the ,roman school1 where the colours are pronounced so harshly as to set the influence of chiaro-scuro at defiance4 ,barry1 in his sixth lecture1 speaking of colours1 says--,the happy effects of those sure and infallible principles of light and colour which ,rubens had so successfully disseminated in the ,netherlands1 were soon found in every department of art4 ,landscapes1 portraits1 drolls1 and even the dullest and most uninteresting objects of still life1 possess irresistible charms and fascination from the magic of those principles4 ,rembrandt1 who1 it is said1 was never at ,venice1 might1 notwithstanding1 have seen1 without going out of his country1 many pictures of the ,venetian school4 ,besides1 he was about thirty years younger than ,rubens1 whose works were a general object of study when ,rembrandt was forming himself4 ,but1 however it be1 there is no doubt1 for the colouring and chiaro-scuro1 ,rembrandt is one of the most able artists that ever lived4 ,nothing can exceed the beauty1 freshness1 and vigour of his tints4 ,they have the same truth1 high relish1 and sapidity as those of ,titian4 ,indeed1 they have the closest resemblance to the hues of ,titian when he had ,giorgione most in view4 ,there is identically the same attention to the relievo and force obtained by his strong shadows and low deep tones2 and his chiaro-scuro1 though sometimes too artificial1 is yet often 7particularly in contrasted subjects7 productive of the most fascinating effects4 ,in the tones of ,rembrandt1 though we recognise the same richness and depth as in ,giorgione and ,titian1 yet there is a suppleness and lifelike character in his flesh unlike either1 both from his manner of handling1 and also his hot and cold tints being less blended4 ,the late ,sir ,david ,wilkie1 in one of his letters1 speaking of the death of ,sir ,thomas ,lawrence1 says--,i do not wonder at the impression made among you in ,rome by the death of ,sir ,thomas ,lawrence2 here1 it engrossed for a time every other pursuit4 ,one of the last remarks he made to me indicated his extreme admiration of ,sir ,joshua ,reynolds1 who1 he thought1 had1 with ,rembrandt1 carried the imitation of nature1 in regard to colours1 further than any of the old masters4 ,in many of the higher qualities of colour and chiaro-scuro1 ,reynolds comes nearer to ,rembrandt than any other artist who has succeeded him4 ,reynolds1 in his lectures1 speaking of ,gainsborough1 observes--,we must not forget1 whilst we are on this subject1 to make some remarks on his custom of painting by night1 which confirms what ,i have already mentioned--his great affection to his art1 since he could not amuse himself in the evening by any other means so agreeable to himself4 ,i am1 indeed1 much inclined to believe that it is a practice very advantageous and improving to an artist1 for by this means he will acquire a new and higher perception of what is great and beautiful in nature4 ,by candlelight1 not only objects appear more beautiful1 but from their being in a greater breadth of light and shadow1 as well as having a greater breadth and uniformity of colour1 nature appears in a higher style1 and even the flesh seems to take a higher and richer tone of colour4 ,judgment is to direct us in the use to be made of this method of study2 but the method itself is1 ,i am very sure1 advantageous4 ,i have often imagined that the two great colourists1 ,titian and ,coreggio1 though ,i do not know that they painted by night1 formed their high ideas of colouring from the effects of objects by this artificial light4 ,but ,i am more assured that whoever attentively studies the first and best manner of ,guercino will be convinced that he either painted by this light1 or formed his manner on this conception4 ,how far ,coreggio may have formed his principles upon the effects of lamplight it is impossible to decide1 seeing that1 though his shadows have great breadth1 yet his lights have more of a phosphorescent character1 tinged1 as it were1 with the coolness of moonlight2 but ,titian has all the glow of this property1 or1 as ,reynolds remarks1 as if he painted with the sun shining into the room4 ,the ,italian pictures of ,vandyke have much of this phosphorescent character--whereas many of those he painted in ,england have more of a daylight appearance4 ,with regard to ,rembrandt1 he seems to have regulated the entire scheme both of his chiaro-scuro and colour1 on this foundation3 his many paintings1 drawings1 and etchings of candlelight subjects1 show how much his taste led to this class of art2 and his daylight pictures1 from the warmth of colour and breadth of shadow1 proclaim the source from which he derived the cause of their brilliancy and force4 ,from the light being tinged with yellow1 the half-tone partakes of the same warmth1 which gives a greenish tint even to his grey tones4 ,this conduct conveys an emanation of the principal light passing over the more delicate shadows4 ,in his daylight subjects it is not so2 the light being often comparatively cool1 is allowed to extend its influence to the secondary lights1 and then1 as it subsides into the shadow1 is led in by the dark being lighted up by touches of red and brown2 thus the light touches in the dark are warm1 though the high light and secondary are cool4 ,in ,coreggio we often find the shadows more hot than even in ,rembrandt1 from his principal light and secondary being more cool4 ,rembrandt never allows his lights1 even though comparatively cool1 to pass into the shadow without a few touches of warm colour2 this was the practice of ,rubens1 to enrich1 as it were1 the debateable land4 ,when this principle of painting candlelight subjects fell into the hands of his pupils1 the harmony and colouring of the whole were lost or changed4 ,for example1 ,hoogstraten1 his pupil1 instructed ,schalcken1 as did also ,gerard ,dow2 but the candlelight pieces of ,schalcken are hot and foxy1 without any redeeming grey tones4 ,when he painted by candlelight1 he placed his sitter in a dark room1 with a light1 while he painted in another apartment1 having a hole cut through the door to communicate with his sitter2 the consequence was1 the effect gave exactly what we see in such cases--a red1 dull treatment of colour4 ,we know these facts by an anecdote told of ,william the ,third4 ,when ,schalcken was over in ,england1 the ,king wished to sit to him for his portrait1 and hearing of his celebrity in candlelight pieces1 wished it painted under that effect4 ,the painter placed a light in his ,majesty's hand1 and retired into the outer room2 the candle guttering1 kept dropping on the ,king's hand1 but being unwilling to disturb the artist1 the ,king held on1 while the painter1 intent on his work1 proceeded without noticing it4 ,many of our ,english artists paint by gaslight2 but the tones of the flesh are not benefited1 gas shedding a white cool light compared with lamplight4 ,the practice of painting by candlelight originated neither with ,rembrandt nor ,gainsborough2 in fact1 we find that all academies1 from the time of ,bacio ,bandinelli to our own1 were always opened at night1 both for the purposes of drawing and painting4 ,but these effects generally remain where they originated1 and are seldom taken advantage of without the walls1 the figure alone being considered1 without reference to the background4 ,tintoret was one of the first to apply the principles to his practice4 ,fuseli1 speaking of chiaro-scuro1 says--,the nocturnal studies of ,tintoret1 from models and artificial groups1 have been celebrated2 those prepared in wax or clay he arranged1 raised1 suspended1 to produce masses1 foreshortening1 and effect4 ,it was thence he acquired that decision of chiaro-scuro1 unknown to more expanded daylight1 by which he divided his bodies1 and those wings of obscurity and light by which he separated the groups of his composition2 though the mellowness of his eye nearly always instructed him to connect the two extremes by something that partook of both1 as the extremes themselves by the reflexes with the background or the scenery4 ,the general rapidity of his process1 by which he baffled his competitors1 and often overwhelmed himself1 did not1 indeed1 always permit him to attend deliberately to this principle1 and often hurried him into an abuse of practice which in the lights turned breadth into mannered or insipid flatness2 and in the shadows into a total extinction of parts4 ,of all this he has in the schools of ,san ,rollo and ,marco given the most unquestionable instances--',the ,resurrection of ,christ1' and ',the ,massacre of the ,innocents1' comprehend every charm by which chiaro-scuro fascinates its votaries4 ,in the vision1 dewy dawn melts into deep but pellucid shade1 itself sent or reflected by celestial splendour and angelic hues2 whilst in the infant massacre of ,bethlehem1 alternate sheets of stormy light and agitated gloom dash horror on the astonished eye4 ,rembrandt1 like ,tintoret1 never destroyed the effective character of his chiaro-scuro by the addition of his colour1 but made it a main contributor to the general character of the subject2 hence that undisturbed and engulphing breadth which pervades his works4 ,fuseli1 in the same lecture1 defends the ,venetian school from being considered as the ornamental school4 ,after selecting several of the pictures of ,titian1 as proofs of his grand and solemn specimens of colour1 he thus proceeds--,but perhaps it is not to ,titian1 but to ,tintoret and ,paul ,cagliari1 that the debaucheries of colour1 and blind submission to fascinating tints1 the rage of scattering flowers to no purpose1 are ascribed4 ,let us select from ,tintoret's most extensive work in the ,scuola of ,san ,rocco1 the most extensive composition1 and his acknowledged masterpiece--',the ,crucifixion1' and compare its tone with that of ,rubens and ,rembrandt of the same subject4 ,what impression feels he who for the first time casts a glance over the immense scenery of that work8 a whole whose numberless parts are connected by a lowering1 mournful1 minacious tone4 ,a general fearful silence hushes all around the central figure of the ,saviour suspended on the cross1 his fainting mother1 and a group of male and female mourners at its foot--a group of colours that less imitate than rival nature1 and tinged by grief itself2 a scale of tones for which even ,titian offers me no parallel--yet all equally overcast by the lurid tone that stains the whole1 and like a meteor hangs in the sickly air4 ,whatever inequality or dereliction of feeling1 whatever improprieties of commonplace1 of local and antique costume1 the master's rapidity admitted to fill his space1 and they are great1 all vanish in the power which compresses them into a single point1 and we do not detect them till we recover from our terror4 ,the picture of ,rubens which we oppose to ,tintoret was painted for the ,church of ,st4 ,walburgha1 at ,antwerp1 after his return from ,italy1 and has been minutely described and as exquisitely criticised by ,reynolds3 ,christ1 he says1 is nailed to the cross1 with a number of figures exerting themselves to raise it4 ,the invention of throwing the cross obliquely from one corner of the picture to the other1 is finely conceived1 something in the manner of ,tintoret4 ,so far ,reynolds4 ,in ,tintoret1 says ,fuseli1 it is the cross of one of the criminals they attempt to raise1 who casts his eye on ,christ1 already raised4 ,the body of ,christ is the grandest1 in my opinion1 that ,rubens ever painted2 it seems to be imitated from the ,torso of ,apollonius1 and that of the ,laocoon4 ,how far it be characteristic of ,christ1 or correspondent with the situation1 ,i shall not here inquire2 my object is the ruling tone of the whole--and of this the criticism quoted says not a word1 though much of local colour1 and grey and ochry balance4 ,would so great a master of tone as ,reynolds have forgot this master-key if he had found it in the picture8 ,the fact is1 the picture has no other than the painter's usual tone4 ,rubens came to his work with gay1 technic exultation1 and by the magic of his pencil changed the horrors of ,golgotha to an enchanted garden and clusters of flowers4 ,rembrandt1 though on a smaller scale of size and composition1 concentrated the tremendous moment in one flash of pallid light4 ,it breaks on the body of ,christ1 shivers down his limbs1 and vanishes on the armour of a crucifix--the rest is gloom4 ,this is given with all the eloquence ,fuseli was so well able to utter2 but it displays1 also1 a severe castigation on those who would class ,tintoret and ,paul ,veronese in the catalogue of ornamental painters4 ,the observations which seem to have kindled his wrath are to be found in ,sir ,joshua's fourth lecture1 in which he says--,tintoret1 ,paul ,veronese1 and others of the ,venetian school1 seem to have painted with no other purpose than to be admired for their skill and experience in the mechanism of painting1 and to make a parade of that art which1 as ,i before observed1 the higher style requires its followers to conceal4 ,but1 to understand the matter1 the whole lecture must be read4 ,with regard to the two pictures ,fuseli brings into comparison with the ,venetian1 both are described in ,reynolds' ,tour to ,flanders and ,holland4 ,sir ,joshua certainly criticizes the ,rubens correctly with regard to colouring2 but sentiment it has none4 ,the ,rembrandt is now in the ,munich ,gallery1 and though one of his early pictures1 it is very grand and striking4 ,of it ,reynolds remarks--,there are likewise in this room eight ,rembrandts1 the chief merit of which consists in his peculiarity of manner--of admitting but little light1 and giving to that little a wonderful brilliancy4 ,the colouring of ,christ in the elevation of the cross cannot be exceeded--it is exactly the tint of ,vandyke's ',susanna1' in the other room2 but whether the ground of this picture has been repainted1 or the white horse1 which was certainly intended to make the mass of light broader1 has lost its brightness1 at present the ,christ makes a disagreeable mass of light4 ,in bringing the opinions of these two great artists in contact1 the truth is elicited1 that the tone of colour has much to do in conveying the sentiment and pathos of the picture1 and ,rembrandt possessed this quality in a very high degree4 ,in the infancy of the arts1 when practised by rude nations1 we find harsh and bright colours predominate in a very strong scale--in fact1 the brighter the more effective on the uneducated eye2 and it is only when the arts advance towards perfection that a subdued tone of colour is demanded as most compatible with refinement4 ,colour1 both as an imitative quality1 and also as an adjunct towards assisting the character of his subject1 seems always to have been uppermost in ,rembrandt's mind4 ,his drawing1 it is true1 is open to censure1 but his colour will stand the most searching investigation1 and will always appear more transcendent the more it is examined4 ,reynolds1 in his ,journey through ,holland1 mentions a picture by ,rembrandt1 in the collection of the ,prince of ,orange--a study of a ,susanna1 for the picture by ,rembrandt which is in my possession3 it is nearly the same action1 except that she is here sitting4 ,this is the third study ,i have seen for this figure--,i have one myself1 and the third was in the possession of the late ,mr4 ,blackwood4 ,in the drawing which he made for this picture1 which ,i have1 she is likewise sitting2 in the picture1 she is on her legs1 but leaning forward4 ,it appears extraordinary that ,rembrandt should have taken so much pains1 and have made at last so very ugly and ill-favoured a figure2 but his attention was principally directed to the colouring and effect1 in which it must be acknowledged he has attained the highest degree of excellence4 ,the small picture in the ,national ,gallery is a study of the same figure4 ,colour was the ruling principle with ,rembrandt1 the ,alpha and ,omega1 in the same way that ,richard ,wilson designated the three qualifications for landscape painting1 as contained in one--viz41 breadth4 ,the tones of colour with which ,rembrandt clothed his subjects are always in the highest degree appropriate and conducive to the sentiment1 whether within the solemn temples1 or the personification of some great supernatural event4 ,as most of his historical subjects are from ,sacred ,writ1 he never loses sight of those qualities which take them out of the page of every-day occurrences4 ,i shall mention two1 though one is sufficient for a master-key to them all4 ,in the picture of ,the ,adoration of the ,magi and ,kings1 in the ,queen's ,collection1 the solemnity is carried to the utmost extent1 like the mysterious leaf of a sybil's book2 the only light shed over the scene seems to descend from the lurid rays of the star that stood over the place of the nativity1 and guided them to the spot4 ,to acquire the greatest breadth1 he has placed the ,virgin and child in the corner of the picture1 and low down at the base1 with the same feeling that impelled ,shakspere1 in his ,constance1 to utter1 ,here is my throne1 bid kings come bow to it4 ,the presentation of incense and precious perfumes1 of diadems and jewels1 by crowned heads and venerable magi1 not only removes the attendants to the background1 but even ,joseph is represented as wrapt in thought1 and viewing from the shade the solemnity of the scene4 ,the whole colouring of this work is in accordance with this feeling--subdued1 except in the smallest portions of each hue1 and these shine out like sparkling of jewels in a dark recess4 ,the other work ,i would particularize is1 ,the ,salutation of the ,virgin1 in the collection of the ,marquis of ,westminster4 ,this picture1 though of small dimensions1 yet exemplifies the peculiarity of ,rembrandt's mode of treatment4 ,being less decided in the chiaro-scuro and tone of colour than the ,wise ,men's ,offering1 it is more difficult to describe2 this also arises from the exquisite weaving in of the hot and cold colours4 ,having had it under my eye for a couple of months1 ,i can easily recall it on the least effort of the memory2 but to bring it before the spectator who has not seen it1 and by no other art than the medium of words1 is as difficult as it would be to bring an harmonious arrangement of music by a different means--one must be seen and the other heard to render an explanation evident1 which even then can only be understood by connoisseurs in painting and music4 ,i must therefore avail myself of technicalities1 which may seem out of place1 where we are investigating the general hue of the picture4 ,it is divided into hot and cold colours1 which are brought in contact in the centre--,elizabeth being clothed in red and yellow1 the ,virgin in blue1 white1 and cool grey4 ,the hot colour is carried across by the red sleeve of ,elizabeth1 and part of her yellow shawl1 and descends to the petticoat of a ,negress who is removing the grey mantle from the ,virgin1 and is further extended by a few warm-coloured stones and touches in the pavement4 ,the cool colour is carried past the warm tone of ,zacharias and the porch above him by means of a grey green pillar1 a peacock1 and a few touches of cool colour on a bush at one corner of the warm side of the picture4 ,the general tone of the work is of a low1 deep hue1 so that even the cool tints are not cold or raw1 but a deep-toned brightness pervades the whole4 ,through the dark grey sky1 that seems to descend to overshadow the group1 a gleam of light darts upon the scene1 as a connecting link between heaven and earth1 and giving force and truth to the expression of ,elizabeth1 when she pronounces the words1 ,blessed art thou among women1 and blessed is the fruit of thy womb4 ,the light that shoots through the gloom has roused a pea-hen and chicks1 who shake off their sleep as if it was the dawn of day4 ,this is a very imperfect description1 but will1 nevertheless1 serve to show the fine feeling and deep intent of the genius of ,rembrandt4 ,to extend this investigation further would be perhaps superfluous1 did we not know that1 even in our own time1 doubts are entertained of the proper introduction of pictorial arrangements of chiaro-scuro and colour2 but the grand style1 like all other modes of portraying a work1 must be made subservient to affecting the feelings of the spectator4 ,i shall only bring two pictures in contrast to elucidate this principle still further--,the ,burning of the ,books at ,ephesus1 by ,sebastian ,bourdon2 and ,the ,martyrdom of ,st4 ,lawrence1 by ,titian4 ,as ,bourdon has been considered the ,french ,raffaelle1 it is but fair that he should be taken as a follower of that school1 devoted to composition and correct drawing1 to the absence of all inferior qualities2 the consequence is1 he has represented the scene in mid-day1 where the flames are red without extending their influence to surrounding objects2 consequently1 they are not luminous1 nor conveying the idea of destruction4 ,titian1 on the contrary1 has chosen the darkness of night to represent the horrors of the martyrdom--the red burning light of the living coal conveys a tenfold force to the torments of the saint1 and the very reality of the colour gives a corresponding truth to the scene1 which takes it completely out of the regions of apocrypha1 and stamps it with the character of ,holy ,writ4 ,the descent of the cool light from heaven upon the scorching body of ,st4 ,lawrence is like a rush of water to counteract his sufferings1 and give him a confidence in his future reward1 which the spectator fully enters into4 ,these are the triumphs that appropriate chiaro-scuro and colour achieve for their introduction into historical works4 ,that we may more clearly perceive the rank which ,rembrandt holds as a colourist1 ,i shall endeavour to investigate the peculiar qualities that characterise the several manners of ,titian1 ,rembrandt1 and ,reynolds--the one living before1 the other after our artist1 and of course confining the investigation to portraiture alone4 ,i have selected ,titian in preference to ,vandyke1 not that ,i consider him1 in this branch1 superior2 on the contrary1 ,i agree with ,sir ,joshua1 in mentioning ,vandyke as the greatest portrait painter that ever existed1 all things considered--but ,i wish to confine myself exclusively to colour1 and in this branch it is evident that these three great artists are more similar in their works than any other painters2 but ,titian1 by the concurrent testimony of his contemporaries and all succeeding judges upon the subject1 is the highest authority on the great leading principles of colour4 ,besides1 his works are in many instances uninjured by the rough usage of uneducated men4 ,with regard to the works of ,rembrandt1 which are in comparison as of yesterday1 many of them remain in the same frames and on the same walls on which they were first hung4 ,the works of ,reynolds1 though of a more recent date1 have suffered more1 not from the ruthless hand of the picture-cleaner1 but from his making use of more perishable materials4 ,still1 from the variety of his vehicles1 changed from an anxiety to get a nearer approach to the look and appearance of nature1 many of his pictures are sufficiently perfect to build an investigation upon4 ,previous to the appearance of ,giorgione and ,titian1 this branch of the art differed but little from the treatment the several heads received in historical pictures generally2 only with this exception1 that when introduced as the component parts of a work where a story had to be told1 they were imbued with action and expression2 but when treated as simple portraiture1 the higher qualities were left out1 and a quiet map of the face1 to use a familiar expression1 was all that was desired to be transferred to the canvas4 ,neither did the head receive that superiority over every other subordinate part of the work which science and a long line of celebrated examples seem now so imperatively to demand4 ,in drawing a comparison between the three great portrait painters1 it is necessary1 in the first instance1 to refer to the several characters of their models1 or sitters4 ,the nobility of ,venice were1 at the time of ,titian1 men of long descent1 dignified1 and holding high rank in a city at that time the emporium of the merchandize of the ,east1 and distributors of rich manufactures to the whole of civilized ,europe2 hence that senatorial dignity which characterises his works1 and the style and richness of costume so necessary to grandeur1 and the historical air in his portraits4 ,his sitters also possessed countenance and figure well calculated to engender and support the noblest character of painting4 ,the sitters of ,reynolds1 notwithstanding the pomatumed pyramids of the female hair1 or the stiff1 formal curls of the male1 which set every attempt to beautify the features at defiance1 either by extension of the forms or harmonizing the several parts of the countenance1 7serious obstacles to pictorial beauty17 were still in possession of that bland and fascinating look which distinguishes people of high breeding4 ,in contrast with these we have to array the models of ,rembrandt's painting-room--fat burgomasters1 florid in complexion and common in feature2 ,jews and attornies2 shipbuilders1 and hard harsh-featured master mechanics4 ,independent of the models themselves1 there is a congenial feeling created in the artist who associates with and has to represent them2 we imperceptibly imbibe the manners of those we are in contact with1 either advantageously or injuriously4 ,from these few remarks we may perceive that the dignified attitude1 the broad general tone of the countenance1 though deep1 yet rendered bright and luminous by the jetty blackness of the hair and beard1 were all conducive to the creation of the style of ,titian--a style that swallows up the varieties of minute tints in a general breadth4 ,so in ,reynolds1 the absence of everything strong in expression or harsh in colour gave a refinement to the heads of his men1 and a beauty to the faces of his females2 and to this treatment all his sitters were subjected--so that even those heads1 however deficient in the originals1 came off his easel ladies and gentlemen4 ,a subdued delicacy of expression and colour removes them from the common look of familiar life4 ,now1 on the contrary1 the very character and colour of ,rembrandt's heads are pronounced with the strong stamp of flesh and blood--an exact representation of nature in an unsophisticated state4 ,his handling1 his manner of leaving the various tints1 and the marking of minute parts1 all conspire to give his works that appearance of truth unfettered with the attempt to elevate the general character at the expense of individuality4 ,the peculiarity of ,titian's portraits1 independent of the high character and simple and dignified attitude of the figure1 is a careful and distinct modelling of the features1 with the half-shadows1 though not dark1 yet never slurred over--which in other hands would produce heaviness2 but ,titian counteracts this by the intense darkness of his dresses and backgrounds1 so that the features1 often modelled with the firmness of sculpture1 are rendered comparatively gentle by the treatment of the other parts of the picture4 ,the portraits of ,sir ,joshua have this peculiarity1 that however loaded and enriched in every part of the work1 the head is kept smooth1 and often thinly painted4 ,the whole-length of ,the ,marquis of ,granby1 and ,the ,portrait of ,mrs4 ,siddons1 two of his finest pictures1 are examples of this mode of treating the head4 ,this has given rise to an anecdote1 that ,mrs4 ,siddons1 looking at the picture when unfinished1 begged ,sir ,joshua not to touch the head any more--and having promised her1 he refrained1 notwithstanding the richness and depth of the fearless glazings would seem to demand a corresponding force in the head4 ,the truth is1 that ,reynolds seems always to have depended upon the small dark shadows to give solidity to his heads1 without clogging them with colour or dark half-tints4 ,the importance of thus refining upon the head may be perceived in the portrait of himself1 painted con amore1 and presented to the ,dilettante ,society1 of which he was a member4 ,the features1 and1 indeed1 the whole head1 depend upon the extreme darks2 the judicious arrangement of these shadows not only gives a pictorial dignity to the work1 from the stamp of science1 but also1 where the features in nature are either blunt or mean in themselves1 draws off the attention of the spectator to higher qualities4 ,shadows are never mean1 but are the stamps of truth rendered beautiful by taste and feeling4 ,independent of the advantage of dark touches giving delicacy to the features that produce them1 there is a motion and life given by the vivacity and freedom of the handling1 which cannot with safety be taken with the features themselves4 ,this quality seems very early to have been ,sir ,joshua's greatest anxiety to acquire4 ,in a remark respecting the pictures of a rival1 ,john ,stephen ,liotard1 whose only merit was a strong likeness1 with great neatness of finish1 ,reynolds says--,the high-finished manner of painting would be chosen if it were possible with it to have that spirit and expression which infallibly fly off when the artist labours2 but there are transient beauties which last less than a moment1 and must be painted in as little time2 besides1 in poring long the imagination is fatigued1 and loses its vigour4 ,you will find nature in the first manner--but it will be nature stupid1 and without action4 ,the portraits of ,holbein are of this high-finished manner2 and for colouring and similitude what was ever beyond them8 ,but then you see fixed countenances1 and all the features seem to remain immoveable4 ,northcote observes1 ,of mere likeness in portraiture ,reynolds thought very little1 and used to say that he could instruct any boy that chance might throw in his way to paint a likeness in a portrait in half a year's time2 but to give an impressive and a just expression and character to a picture1 or paint it like ,velasquez1 was another thing4 ,what we are all1 he said1 attempting to do with great labour1 he does at once4 ,barry1 speaking of ,reynolds as a portrait painter1 mentions the wretched state the art was in before his time1 and how elevated it became from the manner ,sir ,joshua treated it4 ,in continuation1 he says--,in many of ,titian's portraits the head and hands are mere staring1 lightish spots1 unconnected with either the drapery or background1 which are sometimes too dark1 and mere obscure nothings2 and in ,lely1 and even in ,vandyke1 we sometimes meet with the other extreme of too little solidity1 too much flickering and washiness4 ,sir ,joshua's object appears to have been to obtain the vigour and solidity of the one1 with the bustle and spirit of the other1 without the excess of either2 and in by far the greatest number of his portraits he has admirably succeeded4 ,his portrait of ,mrs4 ,siddons is1 both for the ideal and the executive1 the finest portrait of the kind perhaps in the world2 indeed1 it is something more than a portrait1 and may serve to give an excellent idea of what an enthusiastic mind is apt to conceive of those pictures of confined history for which ,apelles was so celebrated by the ancient writers4 ,but this picture of ',mrs4 ,siddons1 or the ,tragic ,muse1' was painted not long since1 when much of his attention had been turned to history2 and it is highly probable that the picture of ,lord ,heathfield1 the glorious defender of ,gibraltar1 would have been of equal importance1 had it been a whole length2 but even as it is--only a bust--there is great animation and spirit1 happily adapted to the indications of the tremendous scene around him2 and to the admirable circumstance of the key of the fortress1 firmly grasped in his hand1 than which imagination cannot conceive anything more ingenious and heroically characteristic4 ,it is1 perhaps1 owing to the ,academy1 and to his situation in it1 to the discourses which he biennially made to the pupils upon the great principles of historical art1 and the generous ardour of his own mind to realize what he advised1 that we are indebted for a few expansive efforts of colouring and chiaro-scuro which would do honour to the first names in the records of art4 ,and speaking of the large historical work he painted for the ,empress of ,russia1 he adds--,nothing can exceed the brilliancy of light--the force and vigorous effect of his picture of ',the ,infant ,hercules strangling the ,serpent2' it possesses all that we look for and are accustomed to admire in the works of ,rembrandt1 united to beautiful forms and an elevation of mind to which ,rembrandt had no pretensions4 ,the prophetical agitation of ,tiresias and ,juno1 enveloped in clouds1 hanging over the scene like a black pestilence1 can never be too much admired1 and are1 indeed1 truly sublime4 ,after such commendations1 and from so high an authority1 we might feel a diffidence in bringing forward the great founder of the ,dutch school in competition with such artists as ,titian and ,reynolds1 did we not know that the qualities of the chiaro-scuro and colour of ,reynolds are founded on the deep tones of ,rembrandt1 who1 as a colourist1 takes his proper place between the two heads of the ,venetian and ,english schools4 ,how far ,rembrandt was indebted for his principles of colour to the works of ,titian1 it is impossible to say2 but many of his pictures bear a greater affinity to the last style of this great colourist than to any other painter4 ,we perceive by the catalogue of his effects1 that folios containing drawings by ,titian1 also prints after him1 were in his possession4 ,the luminous1 rich tones of his flesh are more like ,titian than ,rubens or ,vandyke1 whose works he must have been familiar with2 and while his backgrounds are less black and inky than those in the portraits of ,titian and ,tintoret1 they are also more broken1 both in colour and execution1 which prevents heaviness4 ,his handling--which conveys from its dexterity and touch so lifelike an appearance--is not unlike that of ,frank ,hals1 of whom ,reynolds speaks so highly3--,in the works of ,frank ,hals1 the portrait painter may observe the composition of a face1 the features well put together1 as the painters express it1 from whence proceeds that strong1 marked character of individual nature1 which is so remarkable in his portraits1 and is not found in an equal degree in any other painter4 ,if he had joined to this most difficult part of the art a patience in finishing what he so correctly planned1 he might justly have claimed the place which ,vandyke1 all things considered1 so justly holds1 as the first of portrait painters4 ,there is1 however1 this difference in their works--independent of the flesh of ,rembrandt's being much richer in tone1 it is produced by glazing and fresh touches of transparent colour1 whereas the tints of ,hals seem to have been mixed in the first instance on his palette2 hence that undisturbed dexterity of handling which gives so much the appearance of life in his best works4 ,the distinctive characteristics between a portrait painter and a historical painter1 is that the one paints man in general1 the other a particular man2 hence1 to ennoble the work1 it is necessary to make it conform1 as much as can be done with safety to the likeness1 to the great principles that guide the highest branches of the art--that is1 by softening down those features that overstep the boundary of general nature1 and assisting those parts that fall short1 or are defective4 ,therefore1 when ,lawrence painted ,mrs4 ,siddons1 the ,duke of ,wellington1 or ,lord ,brougham1 he chose a front view of the face1 that their peculiarities might not be too apparent4 ,now ,sir ,joshua carried these generalizing principles to so great an extent at times that his sitters did not recognise the striking likeness that some people look for as paramount to all other considerations1 which made his pupil1 ,northcote1 remark that there was a class of sitters who would not be content unless the house-dog barked at it as a sign of recognition4 ,rembrandt1 on the contrary1 did not generalize enough2 therefore1 many portraits were left on his hands1 as it is said they were left on ,reynolds's4 ,but see the result1 those very pictures from the easel of both painters bring higher prices than the more favoured of their likenesses1 from being intrinsically fine works of art4 ,the number of portraits ,rembrandt painted of himself is a proof of the little encouragement he received in painting the portraits of others4 ,from ,sir ,joshua's hand we have but two or three1 while from ,rembrandt's we have nearly fifty4 ,yet1 with all the deficiencies in the art of making up a beautiful face1 ,rembrandt frequently produced portraits of great feminine beauty3 witness ,the ,lady with the ,fan1 in the collection of the ,marquis of ,westminster1 and ,the ,lady1 in the ,royal ,collection4 ,had he got the same models of female beauty that ,titian and ,reynolds had1 he would1 in all probability1 have transferred them to the canvas with the same truth and intenseness of feeling that guided his pencil in other matters4 ,rembrandt's style was that which would have suited ,oliver ,cromwell1 who1 when he sat for his portrait1 made it a sine qua non that the painter should leave out neither warts nor wrinkles4 ,the same truth and verisimilitude that regulated his forms1 guided his eye with respect to colour4 ,in his earlier pictures1 such as ,the ,ship ,builder1 in the ,royal ,collection1 there is a greater degree of hardness and solidity of pigment than in his later works1 which possess more the suppleness of flesh4 ,this is also to be observed in the later works of ,titian1 ,velasquez1 and ,reynolds1 and in the later works of our ,scottish ,velasquez--,raeburn4 ,the portraits of ,gainsborough possess this in a high degree4 ,what has been said with regard to ,rembrandt laying on his colours with the palette-knife1 is very much exaggerated4 ,many of his heads are as smooth as ,reynolds's1 and finished with great delicacy and precision2 in fact1 the versatility of his genius1 and the wonderful command over his materials1 from indefatigable practice1 have given both his pictures and prints that character of having been done in the best style suited to accomplish his object4 ,i have mentioned that ,titian keeps his backgrounds often dark1 for the purpose of giving a delicacy to his strong shadows in the face2 both ,vandyke and ,rembrandt do this by making the colour of the background amalgamate with the colour of the hair1 or dark shades of the head4 ,rubens1 ,reynolds1 and ,lawrence often used a red curtain in contact with their flesh1 to produce the same result4 ,the luminous character of the head is certainly better preserved by its giving out rays or similarity of tone to the surrounding background4 ,it has been remarked that the luminous and transparent character of the flesh is enhanced1 as in several of ,vandyke's portraits1 by bringing it in contact with an earthy1 dull tint4 ,vandyke1 indeed1 when his ground would not permit him1 introduced over the shoulders of his females a scarf of this colour4 ,rembrandt often plunges from the dark shadows of his head into his ground1 and thus gives both a breadth and unity4 ,this practice1 where the shadows of the face are produced by the same colour as the contiguous background1 is certainly the foundation of simplicity4 ,i think the money value of ,rembrandt's portraits may be taken as a criterion of their intrinsic worth as works of art2 other masters' decline in producing high prices1 ,rembrandt's increase--witness the portrait sold the other day at the ,duke of ,buckingham's1 at ,stowe2--though the half-length of a burgomaster whom few people ever heard of1 it realized seven hundred guineas and upwards4 ,no nameless portrait by ,reynolds1 under the same disadvantages1 would produce an equivalent sum4 ,sir ,joshua's portraits are either branches of our aristocracy1 or celebrated public characters4 ,as a knowledge of art advances1 works fall naturally into their proper stations4 ,when ,reynolds's sister asked ,sir ,joshua the reason that we never see any of the portraits by ,jervas now1 he replied1 ,because1 my dear1 they are all up in the garret4 ,yet this man drove his chariot and four1 and received the praises of ,pope in verse4 ,sir ,godfrey ,kneller would sometimes receive a sum of money and a couple of portraits by ,vandyke as payment2 but now1 a single portrait of the great founder of the ,dutch school would outweigh in true value a large number of ,kneller's collected talent3 yet ,rembrandt died insolvent1 and ,sir ,godfrey accumulated a large fortune4 ,and such will be the fate of those who paint for posterity1 and look beyond the ignorant present4 ,the true statement of this change1 which of necessity takes place1 is1 that the man of genius paints according to the high impulse that has been given him1 as paramount to every other consideration2 the other panders to the caprice and ignorance of those who employ him4 ,this it was that made ,reynolds's master1 ,hudson1 exclaim1 after ,sir ,joshua's return from ,italy1 ,why1 ,joshua1 you don't paint so well as you did before you went abroad6 ,when men of genius and high talent fall upon favourable times1 the result is the reverse1 and the fine arts are esteemed1 and their professors rewarded according to their excellence4 ,the age in which ,titian lived was famous for literary men1 who had made the republic of ,venice known and honoured through the whole of ,italy4 ,the praises of ,michael ,angelo bestowed on the works of the great ,venetian1 had adorned the name of ,titian with a halo of supernatural brightness2 so much so1 that whilst painting the portrait of the ,emperor ,charles the ,fifth1 happening to drop one of his pencils1 ,charles stooped and picked it up1 observing1 that a genius like ,titian deserved to be waited on by emperors4 ,of ,reynolds we know that all the beauty and talent of the land flocked to his painting-room1 conscious of being handed down to posterity with all the advantages that pictorial science could achieve4 ,the grace of ,coreggio was grafted by this great master on the strong stem of ,rembrandt's colouring4 ,in opposition to those advantages1 we have to remark that the people with whom ,rembrandt came in contact were not only of an inferior character1 when measured by the standard of grace and dignity1 but the troubles of the times militated in a high degree against that encouragement so necessary to the perfection of the art4 ,in spite of these inauspicious circumstances1 the genius of ,rembrandt has produced works fraught with the highest principles of colour and pictorial effect1 and to his want of encouragement in the department of mere common portraiture1 we are indebted for many of the most pictorial and splendid specimens of strong individual character in familiar life4 ,of all the works by ,rembrandt1 perhaps no picture has attracted so much attention and observation as his ,night ,watch1 now in the ,museum of ,amsterdam4 ,as its dimensions are thirteen feet by fourteen1 it secures attention by its size2 its effect1 also1 is striking in a high degree1 though ,reynolds1 in his ,tour to ,holland and ,flanders1 says it disappointed him1 having heard so much respecting it4 ,he remarks that it had more of the appearance of ,ferdinand ,bol1 from a prevalence of a yellow1 sickly colour4 ,on the other hand1 ,wilkie says1 ,had it been a subject such as ',the ,christ before ,pilate1' which he has etched1 it would have been his finest and grandest work4 ,though painted in #afdb1 it possesses all the force and high principles of colour to be found in his later works4 ,nothing can exceed the firmness and truth of the two figures advancing to the spectator--especially the officer in the light dress--it is modelled with all the force of nature1 and the background figures being steeped in the deepest hues of subdued colour1 give a strength and richness which nothing can surpass4 ,of course1 there is a want of interest in the story1 which is merely an assemblage of the ,militia of ,amsterdam1 on occasion of the expected visit of the ,prince of ,orange and the daughter of ,charles the ,first1 whom he had espoused4 ,the principal pictures by other great masters receive a greater notoriety from the interest of the subject--such as ,the ,transfiguration1 by ,raffaelle2 ,the ,peter ,martyr1 by ,titian2 ,the ,miracle of ,st4 ,mark1 by ,tintoret2 ,the ,martyrdom of ,st4 ,george1 by ,paul ,veronese2 and ,the ,st4 ,jerome1 by ,coreggio4 ,nevertheless1 ,the ,night ,watch1 by ,rembrandt1 may safely be classed with the choicest productions of the great painters of ,italy and ,venice4 ,when we consider that his pictures extend to upwards of six hundred and fifty1 the reader will appreciate the difficulty ,i have felt in describing the peculiar merit which has so indelibly stamped most of them with the passport to posterity4 ,,landscapes4 ,the landscapes by ,rembrandt1 unhappily few in number1 possess the strong mark of truth for which his works are so strikingly fascinating4 ,they are chiefly small1 the largest not exceeding three feet4 ,one of his best is in the collection of the ,marquis of ,lansdowne1 representing a mill seen under the influence of an uncertain twilight2 the warm light of the western sky sheds its lustre on the sails of the mill1 which stands on high ground2 but the other portions of the picture are of dark half-tint1 except a reflection of the light on the water towards the foreground4 ,it was exhibited in the ,british ,gallery1 in #ahae1 and attracted great attention4 ,another picture peculiar to the genius of ,rembrandt is in the collection of ,sir ,richard ,colt ,hoare1 ,bart42 it represents a night scene on the skirts of a wood1 with a group of figures seated round a fire1 the red gleam of which is reflected in a stream that flows along the foreground4 ,a few cattle are partially seen in the obscure portions of the picture1 with a peasant passing with a lantern4 ,other smaller works are in the collections of ,sir ,robert ,peel1 ,samuel ,rogers1 ,esq41 ,sir ,abraham ,hume1 and the ,marquis of ,hertford4 ,his largest picture of this class was formerly in the ,louvre1 and is now in the public gallery at ,hesse-,cassel4 ,in the landscapes of ,rembrandt we meet with the same breadth1 and hues of a deep tone1 without being black or heavy2 they are also painted with a full pencil1 and rich juicy vehicle4 ,rembrandt1 like ,titian1 ,rubens1 and others who were historical painters1 seizes upon the great characteristics of nature without entering into the painful fidelity of topographical littleness2 the same generalizing principles pervade every variety of subject4 ,fuseli1 speaking of portrait painting as mere likenesses1 adds--,to portrait painting thus circumstanced1 we subjoin1 as the last branch of uninteresting subjects1 that kind of landscape which is entirely occupied with the tame delineation of a given spot--an enumeration of hill and dale1 clumps of trees1 shrubs1 water1 meadows1 cottages1 and houses--what is commonly called views4 ,these1 if not assisted by nature1 dictated by taste1 or chosen for character1 may delight the owner of the acres they enclose1 the inhabitants of the spot1 perhaps the antiquary or the traveller1 but to any other eye1 they are little more than topography4 ,the landscape of ,titian1 of ,mola1 of ,salvator1 of the ,poussins1 ,claude1 ,rubens1 ,elsheimer1 ,rembrandt1 and ,wilson1 spurns all relation with this kind of map-work4 ,to them nature disclosed her bosom in the varied light of rising1 meridian1 and setting suns--in twilight1 night1 and dawn4 ,illustration3 ,,fac-,,simile ,,of ,a ,,drawing ,,by ,,rembrandt ,,in ,,british ,,museum ,,drawings ,,by ,,rembrandt4 ,in looking over the numerous portfolios of drawings in public and private libraries1 we are struck with the accumulated mass of mediocre talent4 ,many of them are often well composed1 and even well drawn1 but they are completely destitute of what constitutes true merit--they possess no distinguishing mark whereby we can discern one master from another2 they are struck off with wonderful dexterity1 as far as the eye or hand is concerned1 but the mind is totally wanting2 neither do they possess the peculiar features of natural truth1 whose lines are filled with variety1 sometimes sharp1 sometimes round--in parts faint and delicate1 and in other places strong and cutting4 ,on the other hand1 when the drawings of great painters are examined1 the master mind shines forth in every touch1 and we recognise the works of ,michael ,angelo1 ,raffaelle1 ,coreggio1 and others1 at a glance4 ,the drawings of ,rembrandt possess this quality in a superlative degree1 and the slightest indication seems sufficient to mark the character and leading features of the object represented4 ,his drawings are generally in pen outline1 with a wash of bistre1 or other warm colour2 sometimes he makes use of black and red chalk2 they are seldom finished with colours1 but have often portions rendered lighter and broader by means of a wash of white4 ,from his great practice in using the point in etching1 he not only gives the greatest precision and certainty1 but his outline assumes the gentlest delicacy or overpowering boldness4 ,everything from his hand seems to possess a largeness of form1 and the greatest breadth of light and shade that can be given2 this it is that gives them the stamp of truth1 so that it is difficult to distinguish between those drawn immediately from nature1 and such as are emanations from his imagination4 ,on looking into the catalogue of his effects1 we perceive large folios of his drawings1 which1 though at the sale they produced but small sums1 are now marked with their true value4 ,i may notice here a small drawing of ,the ,death of the ,virgin1 that brought1 at the sale of the late ,baron ,verstolk1 one hundred and sixty guineas4 ,one cannot but regret that the excellent collection of the drawings by ,rembrandt and other masters1 selected by the late ,sir ,thomas ,lawrence1 with great taste and at large sums1 should have been lost to the country1 though offered in his will at comparatively a small price4 ,nevertheless1 we possess several fine specimens in the ,british ,museum ,print-room4 ,,the ,,etchings ,,of ,,rembrandt4 ,no painter has gained so much celebrity by his etchings as ,rembrandt1 both on account of their number and excellence4 ,claude1 ,parmegiano1 ,berghem1 ,paul ,potter1 ,adrian ,ostade1 and others1 have all been dextrous in using the etching point4 ,rembrandt's performances have all the interest and beauty of finished works2 his making use of the dry point1 which was unknown before his application of it1 gives his etchings that richness and softness peculiar to himself1 for the process in the hands of others has never since been attended with the same triumphant success4 ,the etchings consist of three hundred and sixty-five plates1 accompanied by two hundred and thirty-seven variations4 ,i can only here give their titles and dates3 the amateur is referred to the descriptive catalogues of ,gersaint1 ,daulby1 ,bartsch1 ,claussin1 and ,wilson4 ,the catalogue by the latter gentleman is the one adopted by the ,british ,museum2 ,i have1 however1 numbered them according to the ,catalogue ,raisonne of ,rembrandt's ,works by ,smith1 who made use of the arrangement of the ,chevalier ,claussin4 ,i have also marked those that are of the greatest excellence with a star before the number4 ,illustration3 ,,portrait ,,of ,,rembrandt',s ,,mother ,illustration3 ,,portraits ,,of ,,rembrandt ,,and ,,his ,,wife ,portraits of the ,artist4 #a4 ,portrait of ,rembrandt when a young man1 having frizzly hair4 #b4 ,portrait of ,rembrandt with moustaches1 and wearing a bonnet put sideways on his head4 #c4 ,portrait of ,rembrandt1 represented with a falcon on his right hand4 #d4 ,portrait of ,rembrandt1 with frizzly hair1 and the head uncovered2 remarkable for thick lips and a large nose4 ,very rare4 #e4 ,portrait of ,rembrandt1 seen in nearly a front view1 with frizzled hair1 and the head uncovered4 #f4 ,portrait of ,rembrandt when a young man1 wearing a fur cap and a black habit4 #g4 ,portrait of ,rembrandt when young1 seen in a front view1 wearing a slouched hat1 and a mantle lined with fur4 ,dated #afca4 #h4 ,portrait resembling ,rembrandt1 seen in nearly a front view1 with moustaches1 short curling beard1 and frizzled hair4 #i4 ,portrait of ,rembrandt when young1 seen in a three-quarter view1 with the head uncovered and the hair frizzled4 #aj4 ,portrait of ,rembrandt1 seen in a front view1 having an expression of grimace4 #aa4 ,portrait of ,rembrandt1 seen in nearly a front view1 with a flat bonnet on the head4 #ab4 ,portrait of ,rembrandt when young1 seen in a three-quarter view1 with head uncovered1 and the hair frizzled4 7,oval47 #ac4 ,portrait of ,rembrandt when young1 with the mouth a little open1 the head uncovered1 and the hair frizzled4 ,dated #afcj4 #ad4 ,portrait of ,rembrandt1 seen in a front view1 having a fur cap1 and a mantle bordered with fur4 ,dated #afca4 #ae4 ,portrait of ,rembrandt1 seen in a three-quarter view1 with the head uncovered1 and the hair frizzled2 he has on a mantle buttoned in front4 ,dated #afca4 #af4 ,portrait of ,rembrandt1 seen in a front view1 wearing a fur cap of a round form1 and a mantle4 ,dated #afca4 #ag4 ,portrait of ,rembrandt1 seen in nearly a front view1 having on a bonnet of the usual shape1 placed sideways on his head1 and a kind of scarf round his neck4 ,dated #afcc4 #ah4 ,portrait of ,rembrandt1 seen in a front view1 having on a richly-ornamented cap or turban1 and an embroidered robe4 ,he holds a drawn sabre in his hand4 ,dated #afcd4 #ai4 ,portraits of ,rembrandt and his ,wife1 on one plate4 ,dated #afcf4 #bj4 ,portrait of ,rembrandt4 ,he has on a mezetin cap1 decked with a feather1 and a rich mantle4 ,dated #afch4 99#ba4 ,portrait of ,rembrandt1 seen in a three-quarter view2 he has long curling hair and moustaches2 a cap of the usual shape covers the head1 and a rich mantle the body4 ,the left arm leans on some stone work4 ,dated #afci4 99#bb4 ,portrait of ,rembrandt1 seen in a front view1 wearing a narrow-brimmed hat1 and a plain habit open in front2 he is seated at a table1 holding a crayon in his hand4 ,dated #afdh4 #bc4 ,portrait of ,rembrandt1 seen in a three-quarter view1 with long curling hair2 he has on a cap with a small feather in front of it1 attached by a ribbon2 his mantle is fastened in front by a clasp4 ,dated #afcd4 7,oval7 7,this is the cut plate of the celebrated sabre print47 #bd4 ,portrait of ,rembrandt1 seen in nearly a front view1 having on a fur cap1 which covers his forehead to the eyebrows2 his curling hair falls on his shoulders1 and his robe is bordered with fur4 ,dated #afcj4 #be4 ,portrait of ,rembrandt1 with the left side of the face strongly shadowed2 his frizzled hair falls on the shoulders1 and his habit is a little open in front1 and lined with fur4 ,dated #afca4 #bf4 ,portrait strongly resembling ,rembrandt1 seen in a front view1 having short frizzled hair1 and the mouth a little compressed2 he has on a cap1 and wears a mantle attached by a little ribbon4 #bg4 ,portrait of ,rembrandt1 closely resembling ,no4 #a4 ,the face is seen in a front view1 and the body in a three-quarter position2 the hair is frizzled1 and a toupee is on the left side2 the eyes and forehead are in shadow4 #bh4 ,portrait of ,rembrandt1 seen in a three-quarter view1 with a small beard and mustacheos2 a cap of the usual shape covers his frizzled hair1 and the dress is composed of a mantle bordered with fur4 ,this is placed by ,bartsch and ,gersaint among the fancy portraits4 #bi4 ,portrait resembling ,rembrandt when young1 seen in a front view1 with round face1 large nose1 the mouth a little open1 short frizzled hair1 and a cap on the head2 his mantle is attached by four buttons in front4 ,dated #afcj4 #cj4 ,portrait of ,rembrandt 7styled by some writers1 ,titus1 the ,son of the ,artist47 ,it represents a young man1 with ragged frizzled hair falling on the shoulders4 ,he is dressed in a habit with a collar4 ,dated #afci4 #ca4 ,portrait of ,rembrandt1 or very like him1 when a young man2 he has frizzled hair1 and wears a fur cap4 7,octagon47 ,this is inserted by other writers among the fancy heads4 #cb4 ,portrait closely resembling ,rembrandt1 seen in a front view1 with a cap on2 the attitude is that of a person drawing4 ,engraved very lightly1 and almost without shadow1 on a narrow plate4 #cc4 ,portrait closely resembling ,rembrandt1 seen in a front view1 having on a cap of the usual shape1 the top of which is cut off by the edge of the plate4 ,dated #afcj4 ,these figures are ill formed4 ,subjects from the ,old ,testament4 #cd4 ,adam and ,eve in ,paradise2 the latter has the forbidden fruit in her hand1 which she has received from the tempter1 who is seen in the form of a serpent in a tree1 with an apple in his mouth4 ,dated #afch4 99#ce4 ,abraham entertaining the three angels at the door of his house4 ,dated #afef4 #cf4 ,abraham offering up his ,son4 ,dated #afee4 #cg4 ,abraham sending away ,hagar and ,ishmael4 ,dated #afcg4 #ch4 ,abraham caressing his son ,isaac4 #ci4 ,abraham with his son ,isaac4 ,the subject represents the moment when the son asks his father1 ,where is the sacrifice8 ,dated #afde4 #dj4 ,four ,subjects to illustrate a ,spanish ,book4 ,these were originally engraved on one plate1 which was afterwards cut into four4 ,they represent as follows3-- ,jacob's ,dream on the plain of ,padan ,aran4 ,four angels are ascending and descending the ladder4 ,dated #afee4 ,david preparing his ,sling to attack ,goliath4 ,dated #afee4 ,the ,image seen by ,nebuchadnezzar in his ,dream4 ,dated #afee4 ,the vision of ,ezekiel4 ,dated #afee4 #da4 ,joseph relating his ,dream to his ,parents1 in the presence of his ,brethren4 ,dated #afch4 #db4 ,jacob lamenting the supposed ,death of his ,son ,joseph4 #dc4 ,joseph and ,potiphar's ,wife4 ,dated #afcd4 99#dd4 ,the ,triumph of ,mordecai4 #de4 ,david on his knees in prayer4 ,dated #afeb4 #df4 ,blind ,tobit leaning on a ,staff1 followed by his ,dog4 ,dated #afea4 #dg4 ,the ,angel departing from ,tobit and his ,family4 ,dated #afda4 ,new ,testament ,subjects4 99#dh4 ,the ,angel appearing to the ,shepherds1 and announcing the ,birth of the ,saviour4 ,dated #afcd4 #di4 ,the ,nativity of the ,saviour4 99#ej4 ,the ,adoration of the ,shepherds4 #ea4 ,the ,circumcision4 ,dated #afed4 #eb4 ,the ,circumcision1 differently composed4 #ec4 ,the ,presentation in the ,temple4 #ed4 ,the ,presentation in the ,temple1 differently composed4 #ee4 ,the ,presentation in the ,temple1 differing from the preceding4 ,dated #afcj4 #ef4 ,the ,flight into ,egypt4 ,dated #afcc4 #eg4 ,the ,flight into ,egypt1 differently composed4 ,no date4 #eh4 ,the ,flight into ,egypt1 differing from the preceding4 #ei4 ,the ,flight into ,egypt1 differing from the preceding4 ,dated #afea4 #fj4 ,the ,flight into ,egypt1 differing from the preceding4 #fa4 ,a ,reposo of the ,holy ,family by night4 #fb4 ,a ,reposo of the ,holy ,family4 ,dated #afde4 #fc4 ,a ,reposo of the ,holy ,family1 supposed to be unique4 99#fd4 ,the ,return from ,jerusalem of the ,holy ,family4 ,dated #afed4 #fe4 ,the ,virgin1 with the ,infant ,jesus in the ,clouds4 ,dated #afda4 #ff4 ,the ,holy ,family4 #fg4 ,the ,holy ,family1 differently composed4 ,dated #afed4 #fh4 ,jesus amidst the ,doctors4 ,dated #afed4 #fi4 ,jesus disputing with the ,doctors4 ,dated #afeb4 #gj4 ,jesus amidst the ,doctors1 differently composed4 ,dated #afcf4 99#ga4 ,christ preaching to the ,people4 #gb4 ,the ,tribute ,money4 #gc4 ,christ driving the ,money ,changers out of the ,temple4 ,dated #afce4 #gd4 ,christ with the ,woman of ,samaria4 ,the third proof is dated #afeh4 #ge4 ,christ with the ,woman of ,samaria1 differently composed4 ,dated #afcd4 99#gf4 ,the ,resurrection of ,lazarus2 styled the ,little4 ,dated #afdb4 #gg4 ,the ,resurrection of ,lazarus2 styled the ,great4 ,no date4 99#gh4 ,christ ,healing the ,sick4 ,this beautiful print is known under the appellation of ,the ,hundred ,guilder ,print4 ,no date4 99#gi4 ,christ in the ,garden of ,olives4 ,dated #afe4 ,the last figure is wanting4 #hj4 ,christ before the ,people4 ,dated #afee4 #ha4 ,christ on the ,cross between the two ,thieves1 styled ,the ,three ,crosses4 ,dated #afec4 99#hb4 ,the ,ecce ,homo4 ,dated #afcf4 99#hc4 ,the ,descent from the ,cross4 ,dated #afcc4 #hd4 ,christ on the ,cross between the two ,thieves4 #he4 ,christ on the ,cross4 #hf4 ,the ,descent from the ,cross4 ,dated #afdb4 99#hg4 ,the ,descent from the ,cross2 a night piece4 ,dated #afed4 99#hh4 ,the ,entombment4 #hi4 ,the ,virgin lamenting the ,death of the ,saviour4 #ij4 ,christ in the ,tomb4 99#ia4 ,christ at the ,table with the two ,disciples of ,emmaus4 ,dated #afed4 #ib4 ,christ at the ,table with the two ,disciples of ,emmaus4 ,dated #afcd4 #ic4 ,christ in the midst of his ,disciples1 and the incredulity of ,st4 ,thomas4 ,dated #afej4 #id4 ,the ,good ,samaritan4 ,dated #afcc4 #ie4 ,the ,return of the ,prodigal ,son4 ,dated #afcf4 #if4 ,the ,decollation of ,st4 ,john4 ,dated #afdj4 #ig4 ,peter and ,john at the ,beautiful ,gate of the ,temple4 ,dated #afei4 #ih4 ,peter and ,john at the ,gate of the ,temple1 differently composed4 #ii4 ,st4 ,peter on his ,knees1 with a ,key in either hand4 ,dated #afde4 #ajj4 ,the ,martyrdom of ,st4 ,stephen4 ,dated #afce4 #aja4 ,the ,baptism of the ,eunuch4 ,dated #afda4 99#ajb4 ,the ,death of the ,virgin4 ,dated #afci4 ,saints4 #ajc4 ,st4 ,jerome seated at the foot of a tree4 ,dated #afcd4 #ajd4 ,st4 ,jerome at his devotions4 ,dated #afcb4 #aje4 ,st4 ,jerome at his devotions1 with a lion behind him4 ,dated #afcd1 or #afce4 #ajf4 ,st4 ,jerome seated1 with spectacles on1 writing4 ,dated #afdh4 #ajg4 ,st4 ,jerome seated1 reading in a large book held with both hands4 #ajh4 ,st4 ,jerome seated at a table in a room4 ,dated #afdb4 #aji4 ,st4 ,jerome on his knees1 meditating before a skull4 #aaj4 ,st4 ,francis on his knees at his devotions1 with a crucifix and a book before him4 ,dated #afeg4 ,historical1 ,allegorical and ,fancy ,subjects4 #aaa4 ,a ,youth surprised by the ,apparition of ,death4 ,dated #afci4 #aab4 ,an ,allegorical subject1 allusive to the demolition of a statue offensive to the ,low ,countries4 ,dated #afei4 #aac4 ,fortune ,reversed1 an allegorical subject1 allusive to some hero upon whom ,fortune has turned her back4 ,dated #afcc4 99#aad4 ,the ,marriage of ,jason and ,creusa4 ,dated #afdh4 #aae4 ,the ,star of the ,kings1 an ancient ,dutch custom on the feast of the kings4 #aaf4 ,a ,lion ,hunt2 several huntsmen on horseback attacking a lion4 ,dated #afda4 #aag4 ,a ,lion ,hunt1 differently composed to the preceding4 #aah4 ,a ,lion ,hunt1 also differing from the above4 #aai4 ,a ,battle4 ,the subject represents a group of horsemen advancing1 full speed1 with swords1 javelins1 c4 #abj4 ,three ,figures in ,oriental dresses1 accompanied by a dog4 ,dated #afda4 #aba4 ,the ,blind ,bagpiper amusing some cottagers4 #abb4 ,the ,spanish ,gipsy4 #abc4 ,the ,rat ,killer4 ,dated #afcb4 #abd4 ,the ,rat ,killer1 differently composed4 #abe4 ,the ,goldsmith4 #abf4 ,the ,pancake ,woman4 ,dated #afce4 #abg4 ,the ,game of ,kolf4 ,dated #afed4 #abh4 ,the ,jews' ,synagogue4 ,dated #afdh4 #abi4 ,the ,schoolmaster4 ,dated #afda4 #acj4 ,the ,mountebank4 ,dated #afce4 #aca4 ,the ,draughtsman4 #acb4 ,a ,peasant with his ,wife and ,child4 #acc4 ,a ,jew wearing a high ,cap4 ,dated #afci4 #acd4 ,the ,onion ,woman4 ,dated #afca4 #ace4 ,the ,peasant with his hands behind him4 ,dated #afca4 #acf4 ,the ,card ,players4 ,dated #afda4 #acg4 ,the ,blind ,fiddler4 ,dated #afca4 #ach4 ,a ,man on ,horseback4 #aci4 ,the ,polander1 with his hands united4 #adj4 ,the ,polander1 with his sword and staff4 #ada4 ,the ,polander1 with a cane in his left hand4 ,dated #afca4 #adb4 ,an old ,man1 standing with his back to the spectator4 #adc4 ,a ,peasant ,man and a ,woman walking together4 #add4 ,a ,philosopher seated1 with a pen in his hand4 #ade4 ,a ,man seated at a table1 on which is an open book4 #adf4 ,an old ,man seated1 resting his arm on a book4 #adg4 ,an old ,man without a beard4 ,dated #afca4 #adh4 ,an old ,man with a short beard1 leaning on a staff4 #adi4 ,an old ,man with a long beard1 in the dress of a ,persian4 ,dated #afca4 #aej4 ,the ,blind ,jew1 standing with his back to the spectator1 leaning on a staff4 #aea4 ,two ,figures in ,venetian ,dresses4 #aeb4 ,a ,doctor feeling the ,pulse of a ,patient4 #aec4 ,the ,skater4 99#aed4 ,the ,hog with his ,legs tied4 ,dated #afdc4 #aee4 ,a little ,dog lying asleep4 #aef4 ,a ,shell1 known under the appellation of ,the ,damier4 ,dated #afej4 ,beggars4 #aeg4 ,a ,beggar seated1 with his hands united4 #aeh4 ,a ,beggar and his ,wife4 #aei4 ,a ,beggar standing1 resting both hands on a staff4 #afj4 ,a ,beggar standing1 holding a stick in his right hand4 #afa4 ,a ,beggar ,man and a ,woman1 standing in conversation4 ,dated #afcj4 #afb4 ,a ,beggar ,man and a ,woman by the side of a ,bank4 #afc4 ,a ,beggar with a ,stick in his right ,hand4 ,in the manner of ,callot4 #afd4 ,a ,beggar in a slashed ,cloak4 ,dated #afca4 #afe4 ,a ,beggar ,woman1 with a calebash hanging behind her4 #aff4 ,a ,beggar1 wearing a fur cap1 and resting both hands on a staff4 #afg4 ,an old ,beggar ,woman asking ,charity4 ,dated #afdf4 #afh4 ,lazarus ,klap1 or the ,dumb ,beggar4 ,dated #afca4 #afi4 ,a ,beggar with a wooden ,leg1 standing with his hands behind him4 #agj4 ,a ,beggar sitting at the side of a ,wall4 #aga4 ,a ,beggar sitting on a ,bank4 ,dated #afcj4 #agb4 ,a ,beggar sitting1 with his ,dog by his side4 ,dated #afea4 99#agc4 ,three ,beggars at the ,door of a ,house4 ,dated #afdh4 #agd4 ,a ,beggar with one ,hand in the ,breast of his ,jacket1 in a cold day4 ,dated #afcd4 #age4 ,a ,beggar with his ,hands behind him4 #agf4 ,a ,beggar with a wooden ,leg1 and a stick in his hand4 #agg4 ,a ,peasant with his ,hands behind him1 and a basket at his feet4 #agh4 ,a ,peasant ,woman with a ,bottle attached to her ,waist4 #agi4 ,a ,beggar4 ,this is merely a sketch4 #ahj4 ,a ,beggar ,man and a ,woman walking side by side4 #aha4 ,a ,beggar wrapped up in his ,mantle4 #ahb4 ,a ,sick ,beggar lying on the ground4 ,academical ,subjects4 #ahc4 ,the ,french ,bed4 ,dated #afdf4 #ahd4 ,the ,friar among the ,corn4 #ahe4 ,the ,flute ,player and the ,shepherdess4 ,dated #afdb4 #ahf4 ,an old ,man sleeping1 and a couple caressing4 #ahg4 ,a pot-bellied ,man1 with a pack at his back1 and a pouch by his side4 ,dated #afcj4 #ahh4 ,a ,woman crouching under a ,tree4 ,dated #afca4 #ahi4 ,a ,painter drawing after a ,model4 #aij4 ,a naked ,man1 seated4 ,dated #afdf4 #aia4 ,academical ,figures of ,men4 #aib4 ,the ,bathers4 ,dated #afca4 #aic4 ,a ,man sitting naked for a ,model4 ,dated #afdf4 #aid4 ,a ,woman sitting before a ,dutch ,stove4 #aie4 ,a ,woman sitting naked on a ,bank4 #aif4 ,a ,woman at the ,bath4 ,dated #afeh4 #aig4 ,a ,woman sitting naked with her feet in the water4 ,dated #aeeh4 #aih4 ,venus in the ,bath4 ,she is seated at the foot of a tree1 with her feet in the stream4 99#aii4 ,a ,naked ,woman sitting on a ,bed1 with an arrow in her hand4 ,dated #affa4 #bjj4 ,antiope1 ,jupiter1 and a ,satyr4 ,dated #afei4 #bja4 ,a ,woman lying asleep on a ,couch4 ,a ,satyr in the background4 #bjb4 ,a ,negress lying on a ,couch4 ,dated #afeh4 ,landscapes4 #bjc4 ,a ,landscape1 in which is introduced a cow4 #bjd4 ,a ,landscape1 distinguished by a large tree growing by the side of a house4 #bje4 ,a ,landscape1 with a bridge1 styled ,six's ,bridge4 ,dated #afde4 #bjf4 ,a ,view of ,omval1 near ,amsterdam4 ,dated #afde4 99#bjg4 ,a ,view of ,amsterdam4 ,illustration3 ,,view ,,of ,,amsterdam ,illustration3 ,,cottage ,,with ,,white ,,palings #bjh4 ,a ,landscape1 with a huntsman on a road1 followed by two dogs4 99#bji4 ,a ,landscape1 known under the appellation of ,the ,three ,trees4 ,dated #afdc4 99#baj4 ,a ,landscape1 distinguished by a man carrying a yoke of pails4 #baa4 ,a ,landscape1 with a canal1 on the banks of which are two houses embosomed in trees4 ,washed in bistre1 or ,india ink4 #bab4 ,a ,landscape2 the scene is remarkable for a coach passing along a road in the centre of the view4 #bac4 ,a ,landscape1 with a terrace1 and a road over it in the centre4 99#bad4 ,a ,landscape1 with a village situate near the high road4 ,dated #afej4 #bae4 ,a ,view of the village of ,randorp1 remarkable for an old tower1 of a square form4 ,dated #afej4 #baf4 ,a ,landscape1 in the foreground of which may be noticed a man seated1 drawing4 #bag4 ,a ,landscape1 with a pond1 on the bank of which sits a woman with a child in her lap2 a shepherd stands behind her4 ,dated #afdd4 #bah4 ,a ,view in ,holland4 ,some cottages among trees are seen in the centre1 and a canal flows along the front4 #bai4 ,a ,landscape1 representing a woody scene1 with a vista on the right4 ,dated #afeb4 #bbj4 ,a ,landscape1 with an old tower rising above the roofs of some houses4 99#bba4 ,a ,landscape distinguished by a road leading to a village1 on which is a shepherd with a flock of sheep4 ,dated #afcf4 #bbb4 ,a ,landscape1 with a cottage and barn4 ,dated #afda4 #bbc4 ,a ,landscape1 with a large tree and a cottage on the left1 and divided obliquely by a canal4 ,dated #afda4 #bbd4 ,a ,landscape1 remarkable for an obelisk standing on the left1 and a village stretching along the distance4 #bbe4 ,a ,landscape1 with three houses on the left1 backed by trees1 and near these is a woman followed by a dog2 on the opposite side is a canal1 with a sailing vessel on it4 #bbf4 ,a ,landscape1 with a cluster of trees at the side of a road2 a second road divides the scene in the centre4 #bbg4 ,a ,landscape1 with a cottage on the left1 and in the centre an alley of trees2 close to the front is a man with a stick on his shoulder4 #bbh4 ,a ,landscape1 with a large piece of water4 ,the name and date are inscribed at the foot of the trunk of a tree on the right4 ,dated #afde4 #bbi4 ,a ,landscape1 with a cottage near the middle1 on either side of which is a tree1 and in front an enclosure of paling4 99#bcj4 ,a ,view1 supposed to be that of the house in which the artist was born1 and the adjacent windmill4 ,dated #afda4 #bca4 ,the ,gold-weigher's ,field4 ,the scene is remarkable for a mansion placed near the centre1 and a wood stretching along the left of it2 on the right is seen the steeple of a church rising above some trees4 ,dated #afea4 #bcb4 ,a ,landscape1 distinguished by a canal1 on which are two swans4 ,dated #afej4 99#bcc4 ,a ,landscape1 with a canal1 and a boat lying alongside the shore4 ,dated #afej4 #bcd4 ,a ,landscape1 with a canal in front1 at which a cow is drinking4 #bce4 ,a ,view of a ,village1 remarkable for an old square tower4 ,dated #afec4 #bcf4 ,a ,landscape1 with a river on the left1 on which is seen the half of a boat4 #bcg4 ,a ,landscape1 in which may be noticed a little man1 and in the distance two windmills and a steeple4 #bch4 ,a ,landscape of an upright form1 having a large tree in the middle1 and a man and a woman in front4 #bci4 ,a ,landscape1 with a farm-house partly concealed by trees1 and surrounded by a wood fence4 #bdj4 ,a ,landscape1 with a river1 on which are two sailing boats1 and on the left of the print is seen a man seated on a barge1 angling4 #bda4 ,a ,landscape1 traversed obliquely by a canal1 on the bank of which sits a man1 angling4 #bdb4 ,a ,landscape1 distinguished by a low house built on the bank of a canal1 and above the roof of which rises the gable of a second house2 near these are some trees and a boarded fence4 #bdc4 ,a ,landscape1 in which may be noticed a house of two stories high1 a windmill1 and a river with a sailing boat on it4 #bdd4 ,a ,landscape1 divided by a canal2 in the centre rises a large tree1 near which is a cottage partly concealed by trees4 ,dated #afei4 #bde4 ,a ,landscape1 with a barn filled with hay1 adjacent to which is a cottage with a fence in front of it1 and a clump of trees4 #bdf4 ,a ,landscape1 with a canal in front1 and a boat on it2 the scene is further distinguished by a large cottage1 with the upper part of the door open4 #bdg4 ,a ,landscape1 with a large house on the right1 constructed of wood1 and having three chimneys2 beyond this object are two hovels surrounded by trees1 at the foot of which flows a river4 #bdh4 ,a ,landscape1 on the left of which may be noticed a peasant drawing water from a well1 behind which grows a lofty tree4 ,a dray-cart is also introduced4 #bdi4 ,a ,landscape4 ,this scene is distinguished by a chateau with eight pointed towers4 ,this is doubted by ,m4 de ,claussin4 #bej4 ,a ,landscape1 with several trees in the distance1 in addition to which may be noticed a large trunk of a tree1 and in front of it is a bull attached by a cord4 #bea4 ,a ,village ,scene4 ,the view represents1 on the right1 two houses with pointed roofs2 above which rises a round tower4 #beb4 ,this view exhibits a portion of a village1 with six thatched houses1 only one of which is shadowed and finished4 ,dated #afei4 #bec4 ,a ,landscape1 with a large canal extending throughout the scene1 on the banks of which are two men angling4 ,portraits of ,men4 #bed4 ,portrait of a ,man1 seen in nearly a front view1 with his left hand resting on a table4 ,dated #afdb4 #bee4 ,portrait of a young ,man1 seated1 with his right hand placed on his thigh1 and the left on his breast4 ,dated #afej4 #bef4 ,portrait of an old ,man4 ,he is in the act of raising the right hand to his bonnet4 #beg4 ,portrait of an old ,man1 seen in nearly a front view4 ,he appears to be seated1 and his attention is directed downwards4 #beh4 ,portrait of a ,man1 with long straight hair covered with a cap2 a chain is suspended round his neck1 to which is attached a cross4 ,dated #afda4 #bei4 ,an old ,man with a long beard1 having on a fur cap1 and a large mantle1 sitting in an arm-chair4 #bfj4 ,a man with a short beard1 represented in a front view1 with a fur cap on his head1 and dressed in an embroidered mantle4 ,dated #afca4 #bfa4 ,portrait of ,jan ,antonides ,vander ,linden4 ,he wears a handsome robe1 and is represented in a garden1 with a book in his hand4 #bfb4 ,an old ,man1 with a square-shaped beard1 a fur cap on his head1 and the right hand placed on his belt4 ,dated #afdj4 99#bfc4 ,portrait of ,janus ,silvius4 ,he is represented in nearly a front view1 dressed in a robe bordered with fur1 a ruff1 and a cap1 and seated at a table1 with one hand placed on the other4 ,dated #afcc4 #bfd4 ,an old ,man with a long beard1 seated at a table1 with both hands on a book4 #bfe4 ,a young ,man seated at a table1 on which are some books4 ,he has on a cap1 and wears a robe lined with fur4 ,dated #afcg4 #bff4 ,portrait of ,manasseh ,ben ,israel4 ,he is distinguished by a pointed beard1 and is seen in a front view1 having on a broad-brimmed hat1 and a large collar4 ,dated #afcf4 99#bfg4 ,portrait of ,dr4 ,faustus4 ,this person is represented in a profile view1 having on a white cap and a robe1 standing1 with one hand on a table1 and the other on his chair4 #bfh4 ,portrait of ,renier ,hanslo4 ,he is seen in a front view1 seated at a table1 on which is placed a large open book4 ,dated #afda4 #bfi4 ,portrait of ,clement de ,jonge1 a print dealer4 ,he is seated in nearly a front view1 wearing a slouched hat1 a mantle1 and a small collar2 he wears gloves1 and the right hand is placed in front4 ,dated #afdb4 #bgj4 ,portrait of ,abraham ,france1 an amateur of prints4 ,he is seated in an arm-chair examining a print which he holds in his right hand4 99#bga4 ,portrait of the elder ,haaring4 ,he is represented in a front view1 seated1 resting both arms on the elbows of his chair1 and the fingers of his right appear to hold a pinch of snuff4 99#bgb4 ,portrait of young ,haaring1 son of the preceding ,burgomaster4 ,he is seen in a front view1 apparently seated1 with his right hand resting on the elbow of his chair4 ,dated #afee4 99#bgc4 ,portrait of young ,lutma1 a celebrated goldsmith4 ,he is seated1 holding in his right hand a metal figure4 ,upon a table near him are a silver tazza1 and other objects relative to his occupation4 ,dated #afef4 #bgd4 ,portrait of ,jean ,asselyn1 surnamed ,crabatje4 ,he is represented standing in a front view1 having on a slouched hat2 his body is enveloped in a mantle1 and his right hand rests on a table1 on which are a palette and several books4 99#bge4 ,portrait of ,ephraim ,bonus1 a ,jew doctor4 ,he appears to be in the act of descending some stairs1 and his right hand is placed on the baluster4 ,his dress consists of a high-crowned hat1 and a pendent frill4 ,dated #afdg4 #bgf4 ,portrait of ,utenbogardus1 a ,dutch minister4 ,he is seen in a front view1 seated1 holding with his right hand a book1 which lies open on a table4 7,oval47 ,dated #afce4 99#bgg4 ,portrait of ,jean ,silvius1 a learned man and a minister4 ,this print is enclosed in an oval1 around which is written1 ,spes mea ,christus1 c4 99#bgh4 ,portrait of ,utenbogaerd1 known under the appellation of the ,gold ,weigher4 ,he is seated1 holding a pen in his right hand1 which rests on a large book lying open on a table4 ,his attention is directed to a youth1 to whom he is giving a bag of money4 ,dated #afci4 #bgi4 ,portrait of ,coppenol1 a celebrated writing master1 styled ,the ,little ,coppenol4 ,he is seated at a table1 holding a pen in his right hand1 which he rests on some paper1 and the left is also placed on the same sheet2 a boy stands behind him1 with his hat in his hand4 99#bhj4 ,portrait of ,coppenol1 called ,the ,great1 to distinguish it from the preceding4 ,he is also seated near a table1 holding with both hands a sheet of paper1 and between the fingers of the right is a pen4 99#bha4 ,portrait of ,tolling1 a ,lawyer4 ,he is seen in a front view1 seated at a table1 on which is a large book1 resting both arms on the elbows of his chair1 and holding his spectacles in his hand2 he has on a slouched hat4 99#bhb4 ,portrait of the ,burgomaster1 ,jan ,six1 when twenty-nine years old4 ,he is represented full-length1 standing near an open window1 engaged in reading a book1 which he holds with both hands4 ,this precious work of ,rembrandt is dated #afdg4 ,fancy ,heads of ,men4 #bhc4 ,a ,head of an ,asiatic1 seen in a front view1 having on a calotte4 ,the dress consists of a furred robe1 adorned with a gold chain and a medal4 ,signed1 ,rembrandt1 ,venitiis fecit4 ,dated #afce4 #bhd4 ,a ,head of a similar person1 seen in a profile view1 having on a turban1 and a robe bordered with fur4 ,signed1 ,rembrandt1 ,venitiis fecit4 #bhe4 ,a third ,head1 ,asiatic2 he has a large beard1 and is seen in a profile view1 having on a turban1 decked in front with a feather4 ,signed1 ,rembrandt1 ,venitiis fecit1 #afce4 #bhf4 ,the ,bust of a ,man1 with long hair1 and a short frizzled beard1 seen in nearly a profile view1 having on the usual shaped cap peculiar to the master4 #bhg4 ,the ,bust of an old ,man1 with a long beard1 seen in nearly a front view4 ,he has on a fur cap1 and wears a mantle1 attached in front by clasps4 #bhh4 ,the ,bust of an old ,man1 with a long beard1 and a bald head in front2 he is seen in a front view1 bending a little forward1 in such a manner as to throw a shadow over the face4 #bhi4 ,an old ,man1 seen in a profile view1 having a short beard and a bald head4 ,his dress consists of a robe bordered with fur4 ,dated #afcj4 #bij4 ,the ,bust of an old ,man without a beard1 having a bald head1 and seen in a profile view4 #bia4 ,the ,bust of an old ,man1 seen in a profile view1 with a bald head1 inclined a little forward4 ,dated #afcj4 #bib4 ,a small ,bust of an old ,man1 with a bald head1 which is bent considerably forward2 the face is seen in a three-quarter view4 #bic4 ,the ,bust of an old ,man1 with a beard and frizzled hair1 seen in a three-quarter view4 ,dated #afca4 #bid4 ,the ,bust of an old ,man1 with a bald head1 which inclines forward1 and is turned a little to the right2 the mouth is considerably open4 ,dated #afca4 #bie4 ,a small ,bust of an aged ,man without a beard2 the face is turned towards the right1 and a large fur cap covers the head4 #bif4 ,the ,bust of an elderly ,man1 with a short frizzled beard4 ,he is seen in a three-quarter view1 having on a turned-up cap2 the mouth is open1 and he appears to be calling to some one4 #big4 ,a ,head very similar to the preceding1 but smaller in size1 and extremely rare4 #bih4 ,a small ,bust1 the head of which partakes of the character of a ,turkish slave4 ,he has on a large high cap1 turned up4 ,the body is slightly sketched out4 #bii4 ,a very small ,bust of a ,man1 similar in character to the preceding2 seen in a profile view1 having mustacheos4 ,he has on a cap1 the upper part of which hangs over1 and a frill surrounds the neck4 #cjj4 ,the ,bust of a ,man1 seen in a front view1 having on a cap in the shape of a calotte1 and a mantle bordered with carmine4 #cja4 ,the ,bust of a ,man1 with the head uncovered and seen in a front view2 his hair is frizzled1 and his mouth a little on one side4 #cjb4 ,the ,head of an old ,man1 with a short beard and a bald crown2 his neck is enveloped in fur4 ,the shoulders are only slightly indicated4 #cjc4 ,the ,bust of a ,man1 represented in a three-quarter view1 with the head bending forward4 ,he has on a fur cap1 and a robe bordered with fur1 which is open in front1 and shows a vest under it4 ,dated #afca4 #cjd4 ,the ,bust of a ,man1 seen in nearly a profile view1 having a pouting mouth1 resembling a negro1 and a short frizzled beard4 ,he has on a calotte1 and a robe bordered with fur1 attached in front with a single button4 #cje4 ,a ,bust of an old ,man1 with a grey beard and bald in front1 represented in a three-quarter view1 with the head inclining4 ,he has on a hairy coat with a collar4 ,dated #afcj4 #cjf4 ,a ,half-figure of a young ,man1 represented in a profile view1 having short frizzled hair4 ,he wears a large cravat enriched with lace1 and a coat with large sleeves and girt with a belt4 ,dated #afd-99992 the last figure is omitted4 #cjg4 ,a ,bust of a ,man1 seen in a three-quarter view1 having mustacheos4 ,he has on a large hat with a broad brim1 a coat buttoned in front1 and a pendent frill4 ,dated #afcj4 #cjh4 ,a ,bust of an old ,man with a large beard1 seen in nearly a front view1 with a fur cap on4 #cji4 ,a ,bust of an old ,man1 with a large square-shaped beard1 seen in a three-quarter view4 ,he has a cap of the usual shape1 and a robe bordered with fur4 ,dated #afcg4 #caj4 ,a ,bust of an old ,man1 with a similar beard to the last4 ,the face is represented in a three-quarter view1 having on a large cap1 and a robe bordered with fur4 #caa4 ,a ,bust of an old ,man with a pointed beard1 seen in a three-quarter view1 with a bald front1 and the eyes bent downwards2 the body is enveloped in a cloak4 #cab4 ,a ,bust of an old ,man with a straight beard1 seen in a profile view4 ,he has on a small pointed cap4 ,dated #afca4 #cac4 ,a ,philosopher1 with a large square-shaped beard1 seen in a profile view1 having on a large cap decked with fur2 an hour-glass and a skull are faintly introduced4 ,engraved on wood4 ,this print is doubted by the ,chevalier ,claussins4 #cad4 ,an elderly ,man1 represented in a three-quarter view1 apparently seated2 he has mustacheos1 and a tuft of beard1 and wears a large high cap1 and a robe bordered with white fur4 ,dated #afcj4 #cae4 ,a small ,bust of a ,man1 seen in a front view1 with the usual shaped cap on his head1 and the body enveloped in a mantle4 ,dated #afca4 #caf4 ,a ,bust of a ,man1 seen in a profile view1 having on a cap with pendent ear straps2 the shoulders are covered with a mantle1 relieved by a small frill4 #cag4 ,a ,bust of a ,man with a bald head1 seen in a three-quarter view2 the shoulders are covered with a mantle bordered with fur4 ,dated #afca4 #cah4 ,a ,bust of an old ,man1 with a very large square-shaped beard1 seen in nearly a front view4 ,the head inclines forward1 and the eyes are directed downwards4 ,dated #afcj4 #cai4 ,a very small ,head1 of a grotesque character1 seen in a profile view1 having on a fur cap1 surrounded by a band4 #cbj4 ,another small ,head1 having the appearance of being that of a beggar2 the mouth is open1 as if he were calling to some one2 he has on a pointed cap1 and a coat attached by a single button4 #cba4 ,a ,bust of a young ,man1 the head only of which is finished4 ,he has on a large slouched hat4 #cbb4 ,a ,bust of a young ,man1 with a hat on1 of the same form as the preceding4 #cbc4 ,a ,bust of a young ,man1 with a cap on1 decked with feathers1 and represented at a window4 ,m4 ,claussins thinks this to be of a doubtful kind4 #cbd4 ,a ,bust of a ,man1 with mustacheos1 and frizzled hair1 which falls on the right shoulder4 #cbe4 ,a ,bust of an old ,man1 with mustacheos1 and a tuft of beard1 represented in a three-quarter view1 having on a high fur cap1 and a fur cloak4 #cbf4 ,a ,bust of an old ,man1 with a long beard1 and a bald head in front1 seen in a profile view2 a robe1 bordered with fur1 covers his shoulders4 #cbg4 ,a ,bust of a ,man1 with a cap on1 decked with feathers4 ,he is seen in a front view1 having a beard and mustacheos1 and wearing a frill round the neck4 #cbh4 ,a ,bust of an old ,man1 with a white beard1 having on a turned-up cap1 and a mantle bordered with fur4 #cbi4 ,a ,man1 having the appearance of a negro1 represented in nearly a profile view4 ,he has on a turban decked with a feather1 and holds a cane in the right hand4 ,portraits of ,women4 99#ccj4 ,portrait of a ,woman1 styled1 ,the great ,jewish ,bride4 ,she is seated1 resting her right hand on the elbow of her chair1 and holding a roll of papers in the left4 #cca4 ,a ,head1 similar to that of the preceding print1 and supposed by some amateurs to have been a study for it1 but ,m4 ,claussins1 in his catalogue1 combats that opinion4 99#ccb4 ,portrait of a ,woman1 styled1 ,the little ,jewish ,bride4 ,her face is seen in a three-quarter view1 and she appears to be standing1 with her hands crossed on her waist4 ,dated #afcc4 #ccc4 ,an aged ,woman1 seated at a table1 with her hands placed one on the other2 a black veil covers her head1 and a mantle1 bordered with fur1 envelopes her shoulders4 #ccd4 ,an aged ,woman2 she appears to be also seated1 and is seen in a three-quarter view1 with a kind of bonnet on her head1 and a veil over it2 her dress terminates in a frill4 #cce4 ,portrait of a young ,woman1 seen in nearly a profile view1 seated near a table1 on which is a book2 her right hand is concealed by her robe1 and the left placed on the book4 ,dated #afcd4 #ccf4 ,an aged ,woman meditating over a book4 ,she is seated1 having her right hand under her robe1 and the left on a book lying on a table4 ,a half-figure1 looking to the left4 #ccg4 ,portrait of a ,woman1 seen in a profile view4 ,her hair is tastefully arranged1 and decked with pearls2 two rows of the same adorn her neck1 and the sleeves of her robe are open4 ,dated #afcd4 #cch4 ,portrait of an elderly ,woman1 seen in a profile view4 ,she is seated1 with the left hand placed on her breast1 and the right on the elbow of her chair4 ,dated #afca4 #cci4 ,a ,bust ,portrait of the ,mother of ,rembrandt1 represented in nearly a front view1 with a veil on her head4 ,her left hand is placed on her breast4 ,dated #afca4 #cdj4 ,an elderly ,woman sleeping4 ,she appears to have been fatigued with reading1 and having removed her spectacles from her eyes1 has fallen asleep while resting her head on her hand4 #cda4 ,an aged ,woman1 resembling the ,mother of ,rembrandt4 ,she is seen in a three-quarter view1 with a linen covering over her head1 which falls on her shoulders4 ,dated #afcc4 #cdb4 ,a ,head of an elderly ,woman1 having also the resemblance of ,rembrandt's ,mother4 ,she is seen in a front view1 with the mouth compressed4 ,she has on a cap of the usual form4 ,dated #afbh4 #cdc4 ,a ,bust of an elderly ,woman1 having the same character as the preceding4 ,she is seen in a three-quarter view1 with a covering on the head1 turned up over the right ear1 and falling on the left4 ,dated #afbh4 #cdd4 ,a ,bust of the ,mother of ,rembrandt4 ,she is seen in a front view1 with the usual kind of cap on the head1 and a robe bordered with fur1 which is only slightly sketched in4 #cde4 ,an old ,woman in a black veil4 ,this bust represents the face in a three-quarter view2 the veil falls on the shoulders1 and her robe is turned up with fur4 ,dated #afca4 #cdf4 ,a young ,woman1 represented in nearly a profile view1 with a basket on her right arm1 and a pouch suspended to the left4 ,she has on a small flat hat1 and a tippet over her shoulders4 #cdg4 ,a ,bust of a ,moorish ,woman1 seen in nearly a profile view1 having on her head a scarf turned up in front1 decked with a feather1 and falling behind her head4 #cdh4 ,a ,bust of an aged ,woman1 lightly etched4 ,she is seen in a three-quarter view1 with a bonnet on1 in the form of a turban1 and lappets hanging on either side1 and the dress consists of a fur robe4 #cdi4 ,a ,bust of a ,woman1 seen in a three-quarter view1 with the head enveloped in a kerchief1 the ends of which hang on either side4 ,the body is unfinished4 #cej4 ,a ,head of an elderly ,woman1 seen in a three-quarter view1 with the eyes bent downwards4 #cea4 ,a ,woman seated1 resting her head on her hand1 and turning over the leaves of a book with the other4 #ceb4 ,an elderly ,woman1 seen in nearly a profile view1 with spectacles on1 and holding with both hands a book1 which she appears to be reading4 ,studies of ,heads and ,other ,objects4 #cec4 ,a ,head of ,rembrandt1 together with studies of old ,men and ,women1 and other objects1 on the same plate4 #ced4 ,a ,study of a ,horse1 two ,heads1 a part of a ,house1 and other objects1 on the same plate4 #cee4 ,rembrandt's ,wife1 and five other ,heads1 on the same plate4 ,dated #afcf4 #cef4 ,five ,heads of ,men on one sheet1#b one of which1 placed on the right1 wears a square cap1 and another1 seen on the opposite side1 has on a fur cap4 #ceg4 ,three ,heads of ,women on one sheet1 one of them1 occupying the centre and top1 is seen in a front view1 with one hand raised to her face4 #ceh4 ,three ,heads of ,women on one sheet4 ,this print is distinguished by one of the women resting her head on her hand1 asleep4 ,dated #afcg4 #cei4 ,two ,women in separate ,beds2 several ,heads1 and studies of an old ,man and ,woman1 with sticks in their hands2 on one sheet4 #cfj4 ,a ,head of ,rembrandt1 and other studies1 on the same sheet4 ,dated #afea4 99#cfa4 ,a ,study of a ,dog1 the head only of which is finished4 #cfb4 ,a ,sketch of a ,tree1 and other objects1 on the same sheet4 #cfc4 ,two small ,figures1 one of which1 having on a high crowned cap1 is seen to the knees2 the form of the other is but imperfectly traced1 and the other objects are still more indistinct4 #cfd4 ,three ,heads of old ,men on one sheet4 ,they are all seen in a profile view1 and placed in the same direction4 #cfe4 ,a ,study of a ,female ,head1 very lightly etched4 ,she has on her head a kind of mob cap1 and the body is turned to the right4 ,footnote #b3 ,this plate was afterwards cut into five1 and the several heads are arranged in their proper order4 99 99 99 99 99 ,savill ,edwards1 ,printers1 #d1 ,chandos ,street1 ,covent ,garden4