DOI chapter:
John Van Huysum
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.62940#0476
460
JOHN VAN HUYSUM.
In furtherance of this object, he sought out the
works of those artists who had acquired reputation in
the branch which he purposed pursuing: among these,
the most eminent were John De Heem, and Abraham
Mignon. His discerning eye readily discovered the
principles on which they worked, and he highly appre-
ciated their performances; but, like all real geniuses,
he determined to form a style of his own, that should
approach nearer to the beauty and brilliancy of nature
than any other painter had hitherto done. In order,
therefore, to attain that degree of perfection which he
had figured to himself as possible, he painted every
object with the most scrupulous care, from nature,
selecting always for his models those ssowers which
were in the highest state of perfection. In the pro-
gress of his labours, he soon discovered that individual
objects, however true to nature, required the auxiliary
of an union of parts, produced by harmony of colour,
and a tasteful arrangement in grouping, to make them
interesting as pictures. To these important principles
in art, he appears to have directed his most studious
attention, and by dint of close observation, and much
practice, he obtained a method of composing, by which
he produced a fine effect of the chiaro scuro, without
materially altering the natural hues of the ssowers.
His good taste also suggested to him the idea of dis-
posing his splendid groups in vases, of suitable elegance
both in form and colour. In the accomplishment of
this object, his previous knowledge of ornamental
drawing was eminently useful, as it enabled him, by
a judicious adaptation of the chaste style of the antique,
JOHN VAN HUYSUM.
In furtherance of this object, he sought out the
works of those artists who had acquired reputation in
the branch which he purposed pursuing: among these,
the most eminent were John De Heem, and Abraham
Mignon. His discerning eye readily discovered the
principles on which they worked, and he highly appre-
ciated their performances; but, like all real geniuses,
he determined to form a style of his own, that should
approach nearer to the beauty and brilliancy of nature
than any other painter had hitherto done. In order,
therefore, to attain that degree of perfection which he
had figured to himself as possible, he painted every
object with the most scrupulous care, from nature,
selecting always for his models those ssowers which
were in the highest state of perfection. In the pro-
gress of his labours, he soon discovered that individual
objects, however true to nature, required the auxiliary
of an union of parts, produced by harmony of colour,
and a tasteful arrangement in grouping, to make them
interesting as pictures. To these important principles
in art, he appears to have directed his most studious
attention, and by dint of close observation, and much
practice, he obtained a method of composing, by which
he produced a fine effect of the chiaro scuro, without
materially altering the natural hues of the ssowers.
His good taste also suggested to him the idea of dis-
posing his splendid groups in vases, of suitable elegance
both in form and colour. In the accomplishment of
this object, his previous knowledge of ornamental
drawing was eminently useful, as it enabled him, by
a judicious adaptation of the chaste style of the antique,