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)

OF MINDERHOUT HOBBEMA.

163

but whether he was one of the three of that name mentioned
by biographers, or was any relation to either of them, the
Writer has no means of deciding.
Nicholas Rombout, or Rombourg. The works of this
painter remind the observant connoisseur of the manner of
Hobbema. But although his colouring is fresh, and his sites
well chosen, a monotony of tone prevails throughout them,
owing to the absence of those gleams os sun, and variety of
tints, which give such value to landscape scenery.
He was born at Ghent in 1617, and died in 1676.
Francis Decker. Of the history of this clever painter
little more is known than that he was contemporary with most
of the distinguished artists of the seventeenth century. His
works evidently evince that he took Hobbema and Ruysdael
for his models, and some of his pictures approach so near to the
style and manner of the former, as to deceive the inexperienced.
Decker also painted interiors; these usually represent
weavers’ rooms; and the figures in such subj ects were gene-
rally introduced by Adrian Ostade.