Smith, John: A catalogue raisonné of the works of the most eminent Dutch, Flemish, and French painters: in which is included a short biographical notice of the artists, with a copious description of their principal pictures : a statement of the prices at which such pictures have been sold at public sales on the continent and in England; a reference the the galleries and private collections in which a large portion are at present; and the names of the artists by whom they have been engraved; to which is added, a brief notice of the scholars & imitators of the great masters of the above schools (Part 1) (London: Smith and Son, 1829)

200 PHILIP WOUWERMANS.
from his pencil is full of taste, and is handled with
admirable freedom and spirit, and the greatest delicacy,
truth, and tenderness of colour. His compositions are
rich, and well disposed; the cavaliers and ladies, who
adorn them, have the air of persons of distinction ; and,
in the arrangements of his horses, every variety of
position may be observed. Nothing short of the most
consummate knowledge of the science, added to inde-
fatigable labour, could have enabled Wouwermans to
have produced such a number of pictures; many of
them full of incident, and all exquisitely finished.
The early pictures of this artist may be known by
a brown tone which pervades them, and by the meagre
and angular forms of the objects—this is called his
bamboccio * manner. In his second style, although he
retained a little of the brown tone in his grounds,
and is sometimes foxy in the skies ; his colour is more
clear and brilliant, the touch broad and melting, and
in texture like enamel; towards the end of this time,
his pictures have more force, breadth, and effect, than
at any other period : this opinion is confirmed by refer-
ence to the dates upon two very capital pictures, one
of which is in the collection of M. V. Loone, at Amster-
dam, and is signed, and dated 1657. The other is in
the collection of the Prince of Orange, at Brussels.
Signed, and dated 1660. A third picture, in his first
manner, signed, and dated 1646, also establishes the
former opinion ; these are the only pictures which the
author has discovered with dates on them, although his
search has been diligent and extensive.
* On account of the similitude which his pictures, at this period,
bear to those of Bamboccio.