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 2) (London: Smith and Son, 1830)

LIFE OF RUBENS.

xxxvii

requested that they might be allowed to escort him,
being curious to see the Portuguese Court. When the
cavalcade reached the environs of Villa Vizzosa, the
duke, being informed of the approach of Rubens with
a large retinue, became apprehensive of the expense,
and dispatched a gentleman to meet them, and
apologize to Rubens for his unavoidable absence on
affairs of state at Lisbon, and at the same time to
present him a purse, containing fifty pistoles, to defray
the expenses of his journey. The company was ex-
ceedingly surprised at the ungracious message; but
Rubens, with becoming dignity, replied : “ I beseech
“ you, Sir, to assure the duke of my humble duty, and
“ that having, in obedience to his wishes, made this
“ journey, I am exceedingly mortified in being de-
“ prived of the honour of offering my services to his
“ commands; and I trust his highness will deign
“ to believe, that the object of this journey was not
“ the expectation of fifty pistoles, having myself pro-
“ vided one thousand pieces of the same money for the
“ expenses of the visit.”
The tedious delays of court politics had already
detained Rubens at Madrid eighteen months* ; during
which time (although confined some weeks with the gout
in his feet) he completed eight pictures for the large
saloon of the palace ; among these were the “ Rape of the
Sabines,” and the companion. He also painted several
* Cumberland says nine months, a period far too short for the
artist, even with all his miraculous expedition, to have executed the
great number of works which this writer attributes to his pencil,
among which is a capital altar-piece of the Martyrdom of St.
Andrew.