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)

RUBENS.

72'
Munich Gallery.
Four Studies of the principal groups in the preceding picture,
done in chalks, are in the collection of Sir Thomas Lawrence, P.R.A,
2 ft. 6 in. by 1ft. 6| in.
A fifth Study, sor a group representing Gluttony, done in crayons
and washed in India ink, was sold in the collection of the Duke de
Tallard in 1756, for 85/L This, together with a valuable collec-
tion of drawings, was bequeathed to the British Museum by
R. Payne Knight, Esq.

217- A View in the gardens at the back of the artist’s house,
in which are introduced, in small whole-length figures, portraits
of himself, Helena Forman, and their son, habited in the tasteful
Spanish costume of the period ; on the right is an old female
domestic feeding some peacocks.
3 st. 6 in. by 4>ft. 0| in.—P. Worth 600 gs.
This interesting production is painted in a free and sketchy
manner.
218. The Murder of the Innocents. In viewing this affect-
ing scene, the writer is led to observe, that although every
department of the art was subservient to the genius of Rubens,
yet his powers never appear so conspicuous as in those subjects
where the passions are most strongly actuated, and where
corresponding energy and impetuosity are the result of the
excitation of those passions. Many artists of the highest
celebrity have painted this and other subjects of cruelty ; but
when placed in comparison with similar works by Rubens, there
is an evident artificial and studied expression of the passions,
giving an academic stiffness and theatrical air to the figures.
Not so with this picture ; every part appears to have been
struck off' at once, active and vigorous from his creative ima-
gination, and in strict accordance with nature. The appalling
scene exhibits the passions excited to the greatest degree ; the
cruelty of the soldiers appears to be increased by the natural
resistance of the bereaved mothers, whose agonized feelings