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 6) (London: Smith and Son, 1835)

161

SCHOLARS AND IMITATORS
OF
MINDERHOUT HOBBEMA.
——
Among the numerous imitators which this excellent artist's
works have attracted, not one has succeeded in embodying in
his pictures those peculiar qualities which give value to the
scenes of Hobbema. They have chosen similar sites, disposed
their objects in a similar manner, and to a considerable degree
have counterfeited his handling; but beyond these, their powers
have invariably failed; and instead of verdant freshness, diver,
sity of tints, and bursts of sunshine ssoating over the surface,
and gliding off among the trees, together with the most illusive
gradation, we behold a prevalence of heavy tones, either tending
to black or brown, a feeble and imperfect management of the
chiaro scuro, and a sad deficiency of the gradations. But
although these are the more prominent distinctions between the
works of the master and his imitators, there are yet very many
peculiarities which only the practised eye can discover, and
which are better felt than described. It may not, however,
be superssuous to observe, that Hobbema has not always
painted equally well, nor have all his pictures retained their
primeval brilliancy and purity of tints, for a great portion of
them have become dark; and in some instances the browns of
VOL. VI. M