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)

274

RUBENS.

front, are two men on foot, armed with spears, attacking an
enraged wolf, which has reared upon its hind legs and seized
the point of one of the weapons in its mouth ; the other wolf is
furiously beset by the dogs ; the remaining three huntsmen on
foot, one of whom is blowing a horn, are on the farther side of
the animals; a fox lies wounded near the horses’ feet, a second
is killed, and the third is stealing off.
8 st. 1 in. by 12/?. 5 in.—C.
Engraved by Soutman and Vander Leuw.
Energetic expression, the predominant characteristic of this
master’s works, is conspicuous throughout this splendid production,
which, with the exception of the landscape (introduced by Wildens),
the Writer considers to be wholly by the hand of Rubens; or, at
least, if Snyders assisted in the animals, the spirited and powerful
penciling of Rubens has effectually obliterated the peculiar handling
of that artist, and given to them a spirit and animation which none
but his inimitable genius could depict. In the performance of this
picture, the artist was excited by the noblest feelings of gratitude
and friendship, as it was done expressly for his patron, General
Legranes, then commander of the artillery in Flanders, under the
Marquis Spinola, in 1612 ; from whom it descended by inheritance
to the Count Altimera, at Madrid, and from whose family it was
sequestered by the French during the late war in Spain, and trans-
ferred to the Louvre, where it was exhibited in 1814. Similar events
restored it again to the family in 1815. It was subsequently returned
to Paris for sale, and the sum of 80,000 fs. was the required price.
The Writer shortly after became the purchaser, at 50,000fs., or
2000Z. (1824.)
Now in the collection of Alexander Baring, Esq.
A Duplicate of the preceding, of smaller dimensions, in which the
animals are by Snyders and the figures finished by Rubens, is in the
collection of Paul Methuen, Esq., Corsham House.
6 st. 7 in. by 9 st. 2 in.—C.

926. A Lion Hunt. The composition consists of four
huntsmen mounted on fiery coursers, attacking a lion and
lioness ; in the conflict one of the horses has fallen, and pitched