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)

314

WILLIAM VANDER VELDE.

afterwards placed him under the care of Simon de
Vlieger, then the best marine painter of the time. With
this clever artist he had ample means of acquiring a
complete knowledge of the materials of his profession ;
having attained this, he soon gave indubitable proofs
of the superior genius and knowledge which inssu-
enced and guided him in his studies throughout every
succeeding work. Such, in fact, was his progress,
that he not only surpassed his master, but also gave
the severely-contested engagement between the sseets commanded
by the Duke of York and Admiral Opdam, in 1665 ; and again in
the more sanguinary battle that took place in the following year,
between Admiral Monk, Duke of Albemarle, and Admiral De
Ruyter, which lasted three successive days : both these events he
was employed to perpetuate with his pencil, by the .States
General. But notwithstanding the encouragement he is said to
have received from his countrymen, he was induced to accept
the invitation of Charles II. to visit England; and on his arrival,
about the year 1674 or 1675, was kindly received by His Majesty,
taken into his service, and had a pension os one hundred pounds
per annum settled upon him. sSee note in page 316.J Most
of this master’s works are apparently done with a reed pen, or
a free pencil, with black on a prepared white ground, and they
resemble very nearly a coarsely-engraved print. Whether this style
lost its novelty, and thereby its power to please, and the painter
was in consequence induced to attempt oil colours, is a question
not now resolvable ; but if he did so, it must have been at a late
period of his life, and perhaps under the tuition of his son, whom
he may have afterwards occasionally assisted in his large pictures.
Of the correctness of these opinions the Writer has had no satis-
sactory means of convincing himself, surther than that he has seen
many pictures which were in every respect unworthy the son, but were
nevertheless attributed to him ; and also that he, the father, is styled,