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 5) (London: Smith and Son, 1834)

ADRIAN VANDER VELDE.

Few artists have arrived at great excellence in their
profession, without giving very early proofs of a pre-
dominant taste and inclination for drawing. Without
this peculiar developement of the mind, it would be
in vain to expect extraordinary success in a pursuit
of such difficult attainment.
Adrian Vander Velde, like the preceding artist,
Paul Potter, gave the most unequivocal demonstrations
at a very early age, that he inherited a genius of no
common order for the art. Instead of indulging in
the boyish amusements usual with those of his age,
he was occupied sketching animals on the walls of his
room, or on every scrap of paper he could obtain.
This decided predilection for the art, induced his
father to place him under the tuition of John Wynants,
a landscape painter of great celebrity. His introduc-
tion into this school made him acquainted with Philip
Wouwermans (his senior by some years), who was at
that time a pupil under the same master. A similarity
of taste begat a mutual friendship between them, the
example of the elder, together with his advice and
correction, aiding greatly the improvement of the