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)

DAVID TENIERS.

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the same time, to his wealth. Continually surrounded
by friends, and in the possession of ample means to
support a handsome establishment, his life passed away
in the delightful occupation of the pencil, varied by the
enjoyment of domestic pleasures. After a happy, though
industrious life, Teniers died at the advanced age of
eighty years*. He was twice married: first to Anne
Breughel, daughter of Breughel (surnamed Velvet), and
the adopted daughter of Rubens ; and afterwards to
Isabella de Frene, daughter of a counsellor of Brabant.
He had children by his first wife, but neither of them
followed his profession.
OBSERVATIONS.
The variety of style and manner, observable in a large
collection of pictures, form a pleasing diversity to the
eye and an agreeable amusement to the connoisseur.
Every painter of genius, when pursuing the study of
the art without an instructor, gradually acquires a me-
thod of his own, and one best suited to delineate the im-
pressions which nature makes on his mind ; in proportion
to the rapidity of his ideas, so will follow the movement
of his hand; and the operations will either be free and
spirited, or neat and laborious. If, however, his style
be derived from tuition, or a school, it then partakes of
* One of his last works is stated to have been the portrait of a
lawyer, represented sitting in his study, surrounded with books,
parchments, and papers. When engaged on this picture, he observed,
jokingly, to his sitter, that he had all his life used ivory black in
painting, but on this occasion he had substituted his last tooth, which
had just sallen out.