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 3) (London: Smith and Son, 1831)

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SCHOLARS AND IMITATORS.

Charles II. brought a large accession of business to Lely, toge-
ther with the appointment of state-painter to the king, and the
honour of knighthood. Increase of business was attended with
a decline in art: his portraits, at this period, are in a ssorid style,
far removed from the dignified elegance, the chaste correctness
of air and attitude, and the tasteful and becoming manner of
dress, peculiar to the portraits by Van Dyck. His extensive
practice and prudent conduct enabled him to amass a large for-
tune, a considerable portion of which he spent in forming a col-
lection of pictures, drawings, and other objects of art, which,
after his decease, were sold by auction. The sale lasted forty
days, and realized twenty-six thousand pounds; in addition to
which he left his family an estate of nine hundred pounds a-year.
A curious manuscript catalogue of the sale, with the prices of
each object, &c. is in the possession of Messrs. Molteno and
Graves. Lely died of apoplexy, while in the act of painting
the portrait of the Duchess of Somerset, in 1680.
Pietro Moyra—was born at Grenada, in 1610, and received
his first instructions in painting from Joannes del Castillo. On
quitting his master he visited Flanders, where he was so struck
with the colouring of the Flemish school, that he instantly re-
solved to imitate it. While engaged in this study, the sight of
some pictures by Van Dyck excited in him a strong desire to be
under that artist, who was at that time established in London,
whither Moyra went, and had the happiness to experience from
him a favourable reception, and also to obtain permission to
enter his school. Although he was deprived of this advantage
in less than a year, by the death of his instructor, yet such had
been his application during that short period, that he had ac-
quired sufficient knowledge of the style and system of Van
Dyck to be able ever after to imitate his works with surprising
success. After the death of his friend he returned to Seville,
and from thence to his native city, where he died in 1666.—
See Dictionnaire des Peintres Espagnolspar Quillet.