DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.49256#0043
TENIERS.
3
contemporary, he daubed with precocious lines the walls of his patentai mansion. His native
city was Antwerp, the cradle of Rubens, of Vandyck, of Jordaens, of Gaspard de Craÿer, and of
Porbus—the country of colour. David Teniers the younger was to enjoy the destiny of becoming
greater than his father—a fate rare indced amongst the sons of celobrated men.
In the early years of the seventeenth century, the Terriers family wero far from being lords. Old
Terriers, who then painted rustic figures, led pretty much the sanie life as his niodels. Tradition
represents him as going with his son to market to sell his pictures, which were packed on the
back of a donkey. The paintor, his son, and his ass, went thus from Antwerp to Brussels,
offering their merchandise for sale, and more than once thoy had the mortification of finding no
purchasers. Probably the faste for painting small figures and popular scenes was imbibed by
young Teniers from his daily studies in this humble species of commerce even more than from
the example set by his father ; great compositions, poetry, thought, and stylo, are rarely to bo
acquired at market. The donkey brought home the capital productions, and was only relioved
of the inferior commodities. Thus Teniers was ail his life addicted to traffic, for he wished his
mode of existence to be as rich as his. palette, and as easy as his talent, and wc shall see that in
this line of ambition he succeeded quite as well as in any other. He is, in painting, the creator of
that extempore labour which bestows on ail hands châteaus and footmen, satin vests, fine chosts of
carved wood, lustres of polished copper, and noble sideboards loaded with brilliant plate of gold.
One day, Teniers, then about fifteen years old, was painting in his father’s studio, when
Rubens unexpectedly entered. Everything was confusion at the suddcn appearance of the
great painter, and the young man trembled, not with fear but with cnthusiasm. Rubens
stopped beforo the easel of the student, and fixed upon the picturo just commenced, that
eye which could framo a composition at a glance; then, taking the pcncil of young Teniers, and
instructing him at once with hand and voice, he gave him in a few moments a Icsson and a-
picture. Wouldnot that be a subject to paint? Teniers the student, Rubens the master, and the
traditions of genius thus verbally transmitted. No doubt great artists convey their expériences
to each other from âge to ago ; thus serving as professors by the transfusion of thought, and
though the tomb may separate, still their Works connect thom ; but when a living lesson is
imparted, this visible transmission is an additional émotion for posterity. We love thèse
greetings in the past, amongst those who are to meet again in the future.
Enthusiastic imitation of the works of great masters is almost always the first form of
inspiration visible in youth. To recognise the talent of others is the first intimation of that
which the student may himself possess : but in the youthful labours of Teniers, imitation offers
this peculiarity, that it is in truth originality. A copy made by Teniers is not a copy, but
another specimen by the master. He does not, for instance, imitate Titian, or Paul Veronese,
or Rubens, he renews them, and it certainly is not to Teniers that we can apply the remarks
of the Chevalier de Jaucourt : * “ Counterfeit painters more easily imitate those works
which do not require much invention, than those which display the whole imagination of
the artist. Painters of cannot counterfeit either the composition, the colouring,
«• Vide old Encyclopédie^ article Pastiche.
f The Italians apply this word, which signifies a pie, to a description of pictures which are neither ëntirely originals
nor copies, and which are sometimes made up of different parts, taken from other paintings, as a pâté is composed of
varions kinds of méat. This appellation is likewise extended to such productions as are entirely the invention of the
artist, but in which he has imitated the style of another master, in composition, design, and colouring. These imitations
are usually confined to simple and limited compositions, and are seldom successful except in ordinary subjects. It
would be necessary for an artist to draw like Raffaelle to be able to counterfeit his design. Ile must possess his
mind, before he can imitate his expression, and be endowed with his genius, before he can equal the grandeur of his
composition.
19
3
contemporary, he daubed with precocious lines the walls of his patentai mansion. His native
city was Antwerp, the cradle of Rubens, of Vandyck, of Jordaens, of Gaspard de Craÿer, and of
Porbus—the country of colour. David Teniers the younger was to enjoy the destiny of becoming
greater than his father—a fate rare indced amongst the sons of celobrated men.
In the early years of the seventeenth century, the Terriers family wero far from being lords. Old
Terriers, who then painted rustic figures, led pretty much the sanie life as his niodels. Tradition
represents him as going with his son to market to sell his pictures, which were packed on the
back of a donkey. The paintor, his son, and his ass, went thus from Antwerp to Brussels,
offering their merchandise for sale, and more than once thoy had the mortification of finding no
purchasers. Probably the faste for painting small figures and popular scenes was imbibed by
young Teniers from his daily studies in this humble species of commerce even more than from
the example set by his father ; great compositions, poetry, thought, and stylo, are rarely to bo
acquired at market. The donkey brought home the capital productions, and was only relioved
of the inferior commodities. Thus Teniers was ail his life addicted to traffic, for he wished his
mode of existence to be as rich as his. palette, and as easy as his talent, and wc shall see that in
this line of ambition he succeeded quite as well as in any other. He is, in painting, the creator of
that extempore labour which bestows on ail hands châteaus and footmen, satin vests, fine chosts of
carved wood, lustres of polished copper, and noble sideboards loaded with brilliant plate of gold.
One day, Teniers, then about fifteen years old, was painting in his father’s studio, when
Rubens unexpectedly entered. Everything was confusion at the suddcn appearance of the
great painter, and the young man trembled, not with fear but with cnthusiasm. Rubens
stopped beforo the easel of the student, and fixed upon the picturo just commenced, that
eye which could framo a composition at a glance; then, taking the pcncil of young Teniers, and
instructing him at once with hand and voice, he gave him in a few moments a Icsson and a-
picture. Wouldnot that be a subject to paint? Teniers the student, Rubens the master, and the
traditions of genius thus verbally transmitted. No doubt great artists convey their expériences
to each other from âge to ago ; thus serving as professors by the transfusion of thought, and
though the tomb may separate, still their Works connect thom ; but when a living lesson is
imparted, this visible transmission is an additional émotion for posterity. We love thèse
greetings in the past, amongst those who are to meet again in the future.
Enthusiastic imitation of the works of great masters is almost always the first form of
inspiration visible in youth. To recognise the talent of others is the first intimation of that
which the student may himself possess : but in the youthful labours of Teniers, imitation offers
this peculiarity, that it is in truth originality. A copy made by Teniers is not a copy, but
another specimen by the master. He does not, for instance, imitate Titian, or Paul Veronese,
or Rubens, he renews them, and it certainly is not to Teniers that we can apply the remarks
of the Chevalier de Jaucourt : * “ Counterfeit painters more easily imitate those works
which do not require much invention, than those which display the whole imagination of
the artist. Painters of cannot counterfeit either the composition, the colouring,
«• Vide old Encyclopédie^ article Pastiche.
f The Italians apply this word, which signifies a pie, to a description of pictures which are neither ëntirely originals
nor copies, and which are sometimes made up of different parts, taken from other paintings, as a pâté is composed of
varions kinds of méat. This appellation is likewise extended to such productions as are entirely the invention of the
artist, but in which he has imitated the style of another master, in composition, design, and colouring. These imitations
are usually confined to simple and limited compositions, and are seldom successful except in ordinary subjects. It
would be necessary for an artist to draw like Raffaelle to be able to counterfeit his design. Ile must possess his
mind, before he can imitate his expression, and be endowed with his genius, before he can equal the grandeur of his
composition.
19