DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.48088#0600
(THE ELDER).
Hendrik van Balen belonged to an artistic family. As early as the year 1464, we find
notices of various members of his family amongst the artistic chronicles of Antwerp. According
to the usual data, Hendrik van Balen was born about 1560, at Antwerp. We have no direct
evidence against this date, yet it is probable that Balen was only received into the guild of
St. Luke in 1593, and married in 1605. It is supposed, and probably on authentic grounds, that
political excitement and the insurrection of the iconoclasts in 1566 hindered his artistic career.
If, however, he was born so early, it is difficult to believe that he can have been a pupil of
Adam van Noort (born 1557), and if not, we have no accurate information respecting hfs artistic
education, excepting that he was in Italy, where he studied the antique, and avoided the excesses
of his predecessors in imitation of the Italian style.
Van Balen was the founder of a numerous school. Even vftn Dyck was originally his pupil,
and lias left us a portrait of his master. (The portrait is engraved by Paul Pontius, and may
be studied by our wood-engraving). Balen is poor in expression, and his figures have a trans-
parent flesh tone. His art especially delights in mythologic scenes, and other subjects which
afford opportunity for the introduction of the nude; lie was also fond of introducing figures into
his friends’ landscapes, and thus worked in unison with Jose de Momper, Jan Breughel, &c.
Where he is most at home, in small pictures representing trivial scenes, he is attractive, not-
withstanding his defects. When, however, he attempts more serious subjects, as in the resur-
rection of Christ in the church of St. Jacques at Antwerp, he is very unsatisfactory.
On the 9th of September, 1605, he was married in the above-named church to Margaret
Brurs, and by this marriage he had eight children. The first-born son, Gaspard, died early.
Two sons, Jan Gaspard, and Hendrik, the youngest, became painters, like their father.
Van Balen died on the 17th of July, 1632, and was interred in the church of St. Jacques.
His widow erected a monument to him, which she adorned with the picture, already mentioned,
of the Resurrection. Above it may be seen the double portrait of himself and his wife, also by
his own hand. His wife is buried at his side; she died on October 23, 1638. In the house
“Zum wilden Mann,” which he inhabited in the “Rue Neuye” at Antwerp, a picture by him may
still be seen over the mantle-piece, in one of the rooms, representing the vanity of all earthly
things. B. M.
Hendrik van Balen belonged to an artistic family. As early as the year 1464, we find
notices of various members of his family amongst the artistic chronicles of Antwerp. According
to the usual data, Hendrik van Balen was born about 1560, at Antwerp. We have no direct
evidence against this date, yet it is probable that Balen was only received into the guild of
St. Luke in 1593, and married in 1605. It is supposed, and probably on authentic grounds, that
political excitement and the insurrection of the iconoclasts in 1566 hindered his artistic career.
If, however, he was born so early, it is difficult to believe that he can have been a pupil of
Adam van Noort (born 1557), and if not, we have no accurate information respecting hfs artistic
education, excepting that he was in Italy, where he studied the antique, and avoided the excesses
of his predecessors in imitation of the Italian style.
Van Balen was the founder of a numerous school. Even vftn Dyck was originally his pupil,
and lias left us a portrait of his master. (The portrait is engraved by Paul Pontius, and may
be studied by our wood-engraving). Balen is poor in expression, and his figures have a trans-
parent flesh tone. His art especially delights in mythologic scenes, and other subjects which
afford opportunity for the introduction of the nude; lie was also fond of introducing figures into
his friends’ landscapes, and thus worked in unison with Jose de Momper, Jan Breughel, &c.
Where he is most at home, in small pictures representing trivial scenes, he is attractive, not-
withstanding his defects. When, however, he attempts more serious subjects, as in the resur-
rection of Christ in the church of St. Jacques at Antwerp, he is very unsatisfactory.
On the 9th of September, 1605, he was married in the above-named church to Margaret
Brurs, and by this marriage he had eight children. The first-born son, Gaspard, died early.
Two sons, Jan Gaspard, and Hendrik, the youngest, became painters, like their father.
Van Balen died on the 17th of July, 1632, and was interred in the church of St. Jacques.
His widow erected a monument to him, which she adorned with the picture, already mentioned,
of the Resurrection. Above it may be seen the double portrait of himself and his wife, also by
his own hand. His wife is buried at his side; she died on October 23, 1638. In the house
“Zum wilden Mann,” which he inhabited in the “Rue Neuye” at Antwerp, a picture by him may
still be seen over the mantle-piece, in one of the rooms, representing the vanity of all earthly
things. B. M.