240
SCHOLARS AND IMITATORS.
time to enjoy his freedom, and the friendship of his liberator ;
he died at the age of thirty-six.
The colouring and style of this master’s pictures strikingly
resemble those of Van Dyck ; his handling is less light and
free than that distinguished painter’s, yet it is as firm and
decided. His drawing is remarkably correct, and his effects
broad and powerful. His portraits are always distinguished
by a noble and dignified air, and have frequently a haughtiness
in the expression ; the attitudes are graceful and animated.
Among many excellent pictures by his hand may be instanced:—
A Family Group, in the Marlborough collection. A portrait
of Prince Charles, clad in armour, and attended by a youth
(Mr. Wyndham), bearing the prince’s helmet; the battle of
Edge Hill is represented in the distance: now in the possession
of the family of the late Sir Eliab Harvey. An admirable
Portrait of a Gentleman (quite worthy the name of Van Dyck)
is in the collection of Edward V. Utterson, Esq.
Daniel Mytens. The history of this artist is exceedingly
misrepresented by Descamps, who evidently knew nothing
about him. According to the best information, he was born at
the Hague, about the year 1606. It is not, however, correctly
known under whom he learnt the art of painting; but having
attained a tolerable proficiency he came over to England, at
the latter end of the reign of James I., and soon after rose to
considerable eminence in his profession. His only competitors
were Paul Van Somer and Cornelius Jansen ; the former dying
in 1621, brought Mytens a large accession of business. Through
the interest of Mr. Endymion Porter he was appointed, in
1625, to the office of picture-drawer in ordinary to the king,
with a fee of J?.20 per annum. His exclusive enjoyment of
court favour was interrupted by the arrival of Van Dyck, in
1630, whose presence at first naturally excited a feeling of
jealousy, which, however, that great painter’s urbanity soon
overcame, and Mytens sat to him for his portrait, which is
engraved among a series of portraits of celebrated artists of that
SCHOLARS AND IMITATORS.
time to enjoy his freedom, and the friendship of his liberator ;
he died at the age of thirty-six.
The colouring and style of this master’s pictures strikingly
resemble those of Van Dyck ; his handling is less light and
free than that distinguished painter’s, yet it is as firm and
decided. His drawing is remarkably correct, and his effects
broad and powerful. His portraits are always distinguished
by a noble and dignified air, and have frequently a haughtiness
in the expression ; the attitudes are graceful and animated.
Among many excellent pictures by his hand may be instanced:—
A Family Group, in the Marlborough collection. A portrait
of Prince Charles, clad in armour, and attended by a youth
(Mr. Wyndham), bearing the prince’s helmet; the battle of
Edge Hill is represented in the distance: now in the possession
of the family of the late Sir Eliab Harvey. An admirable
Portrait of a Gentleman (quite worthy the name of Van Dyck)
is in the collection of Edward V. Utterson, Esq.
Daniel Mytens. The history of this artist is exceedingly
misrepresented by Descamps, who evidently knew nothing
about him. According to the best information, he was born at
the Hague, about the year 1606. It is not, however, correctly
known under whom he learnt the art of painting; but having
attained a tolerable proficiency he came over to England, at
the latter end of the reign of James I., and soon after rose to
considerable eminence in his profession. His only competitors
were Paul Van Somer and Cornelius Jansen ; the former dying
in 1621, brought Mytens a large accession of business. Through
the interest of Mr. Endymion Porter he was appointed, in
1625, to the office of picture-drawer in ordinary to the king,
with a fee of J?.20 per annum. His exclusive enjoyment of
court favour was interrupted by the arrival of Van Dyck, in
1630, whose presence at first naturally excited a feeling of
jealousy, which, however, that great painter’s urbanity soon
overcame, and Mytens sat to him for his portrait, which is
engraved among a series of portraits of celebrated artists of that