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 8) (London: Smith and Son, 1837)

SCHOLARS & IMITATORS OF CLAUDE LORRAINE. 395

nearly thirty years. It is highly probable that during those
years he may have acquired a perfect knowledge of the system
employed by his master in painting, so as to copy almost to
deception his works ; he may have also imitated his style, by
borrowing freely from his compositions, and by these means,
succeeded in producing many pictures, which he and others
have sold under the name of Claude.
He died in 1684.
Herman Swaneveldt. This very clever artist was born
at Woerden in Holland, in 1620, and acquired a knowledge
of painting from Gerard Dow, after which he travelled to
Rome; here he first saw some pictures by Claude, which so
enchanted him, that he entirely relinquished the style of Dow,
and sought only how to accomplish himself in landscape
scenery. Impelled by this desire, he is said to have procured
admittance into the atelier of Claude, and to have received
instructions from that great master; be this as it may, he
evidently aimed at an imitation of his works, and like him
was a constant attendant at the shrine of nature, frequently
commencing his studies at the dawn of day, and continuing
till the close of evening. His fondness for wandering among
the ruins of temples, and in sequestered groves, in pursuit of
his art, procured for him the appellation of “ the Hermit of
“ Italy.'11 His application was attended with the success it
merited, and although he was in every way inferior to his
prototype, yet his pictures have occasionally approached so
near to Claude, as to pass under that master’s name.
He died at Rome in 1690.
Jacques Courtois. Several pictures by this artist, repre-
senting sea ports and other views, in which are introduced
magnificent edifices, have come under the writer’s notice, and
in many respects they approximate so nearly to the style and
effect of Claude’s works, as to leave little doubt; but their