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)

160

RUBENS.

Paul Pontius has given a fine print from it in reverse, which is
copied by Savery ex. It is also engraved by Worlidge, Chambers,
Facius, and Pelham, and recently by J. H. Robinson. The same
portrait, without the hat, is engraved by Meyssens.
There is a duplicate (also by Rubens), of an oval form, in the
Florence Gallery, engraved by Meulmeester ; and the picture from
which Facius made his print was then in the possession of the Duke
of Norfolk. Dickenson has engraved a small portrait of Rubens.
559. Helena Forman. The portrait is exhibited in a three-
quarter view, looking towards the right, and the hands cross
each other in front; her auburn hair is decked with pearls
and a few ssowers ; the dress is composed of a black silk
neglige over a yellow satin gown and bodice, the sleeves are
slashed and underlined with white satin, a richly-worked lace
frill surrounds the bosom and stands up behind the head, and
a string of pearls adorns the neck.
This admirable portrait is said to have remained in the family of
Rubens srom the time it was painted until 1819, forming a pendant
to the celebrated Chapeau de Paille, then in the collection of the
Baron Siers d’Aertselaer, at Antwerp, of whom it was purchased pri-
vately by a dealer and sent to Paris, from whence it was consigned
to the writer, who sold it to His Majesty, in 1820, for 800 gs.
It is highly commended by Sir Joshua Reynolds, in his Tour
through Flanders, for the excellence of its colouring and drawing.
At the period he wrote it was in the collection of M. Van Parys,
who was related by marriage to the samily of Rubens.
Exhibited in the British Gallery, in the years 1826 and 1827.
Now in His Majesty’s Collection.
At the back of the panel of this picture is a slight but very
spirited Sketch, in brown (also by Rubens), representing the
Continence of Scipio.
The portrait of this elegant lady occurs so frequently in the
catalogue, that it is difficult to give credence to all of them being
the work of Rubens. The writer, however, begs to state, that, as
the greater part of them have come under his inspection, he has no
hesitation in answering for those he has seen being from that
master’s hand. Other pictures are noticed in consequence of their