HISTORICAL AND CRITICAL

NOTICE

OF

DAVID TENIERS THE YOUNGER,

Although historical painting is considered superior to the other branches, still, it is not necessary to embrace it, to acquire great celebrity; but perfection must be attained in the style adopted, and an original character displayed: and in that, David Teniers the Younger, is particularly distinguished.

This skilful artist was born at Antwerp, in 1610: his father was a painter, bore the same surname, and worked in the same style, which has often occasioned the productions of the one, to be attributed to the other. The son however, possessed a superior talent, and a finer handling. Although their pictures represent similar scenes, Teniers the Younger generally introduced more graceful figures, which show that if others are short, heavy, and grotesque, it is because nature offered them to him thus.

Teniers the Younger was pupil to his father; he also received assistance from Brauwer and Rubens : he also did several copies from the pictures of the Italian Masters at Brussels in the Gallery of the Archduke Leopold of Austria. These paintings are now at Blenheim, they cannot be seen without the beholder feeling astonished at the facility with which Teniers succeeded in imitating the manner of the artist copied by him..

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HISTORICAL AND CRITICAL NOTICE

It was only during his youth, that he occupied himself in this kind of work; the Archduke soon employed him in a manner more suitable to his genius, commissioning him to paint pictures of his own composition, and spread the taste for them, throughout all the Courts of Europe. The King of Spain caused a gallery to be built purposely for the placing of them: Queen Christina of Sweden not thinking it sufficient to pay for the pictures she received, sent to the author, according to a frequent custom of the time, her picture, in a medallion, with a gold chain to wear round his neck. One of Teniers' pictures was also placed in an apartment of Lewis XIV; but it got immediately into disrepute : it is even said that the King on seeing it, exclaimed: Qu'on m'ôte ces magots, Let those ugly runts be removed. Might not so singular an exclamation be suggested by political motives, on the part of the Monarch, rather than by the taste of a Prince, both an amateur and protector of the Fine Arts. May it not be believed that the King of France, being at war with the King of Spain, and trying to subjugate Flanders, wished, by a single word, to testify his contempt for the nation and the prince with whom he was at variance.

Teniers, in order to satisfy the wishes of those who sought to have some of his works, retired in to the country: he purchased the château of the three towers, near the village of Perck, between Antwerp and Mechlin. It was then that in his walks he carefully studied his Kermisses, or Village Festivals. Without degrading himself, like Brauwer, who often got intoxicated with his models, Teniers intermixed with them to observe their dances, their sports, their quarrels and fights. He knew how to catch with spirit the attitudes of a player, a smoker, or a drinker; and did, with subjects, to every appearence so unpromising, an infinite number of pictures, astonishing for their diversity, and admirable for the talent displayed in them. Teniers did not however succeed

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in putting as much variety in his landscapes. Never having travelled, the back-grounds of his pictures often resemble each other, and generally offer no other interest than that of faithful imitation.

Though removed from Court, Teniers was not forgotten by the Courtiers, who came in crowds to visit him in his abode, and often accompanied him in his walks. Don John of Austria frequently resided with him and was his pupil. This prince to testify his gratitude, painted for him his son's picture. Count Fuensaldagna requested him to go to England to purchase some pictures by famous masters: he made a good choice, paid them well, and received from the Count thanks and his picture.

Teniers, in 1644, was named Director of the Academy of Antwerp; but he seldom assisted at the meetings, preferring the practical part of an art in which he excelled to discussions on painting. Working continually and with facility, Teniers executed an immense number of pictures; it is said that to place them all, it would require a gallery two leagues in length. Perhaps their number is not exaggerated, when estimated, at six hundred. It is true that many of them are, in a manner of speaking, but studies which he did in playing: these he called his afternoons from the circumstance in fact of his doing them in that space of time. Other pictures, with one or two figures, took him but a single day but he did others that were considerable, such as the Acts of Mercy, and the Prodigal Son, seen in the Paris Museum. At Cassel, there is a view of the Antwerp Hôtel de Ville, or Mansion House, and the great Square in which are introduced several Companies in full-dress.

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If Teniers usually represented Smokers and Drinkers there were also other subjects, fr wohichhe had a predilection, repeating them several times, such as a Chimist in his Laboratory, Village Festivals, and the Five Senses; as also

HIST. AND CRIT. NOTICE OF DAVID TENIERS.

the Temptation of St. Anthony. One of these compositions was painted in 1666, to decorate the altar of the Church of Meerbeck, a village near Mechlin.

Teniers wrought with great facility; his colouring is light and silvery; his touch most spirited and delicate; the expressions of his figures are full of feeling and variety. « He knows, says Taillasson, how to distinguish the different callings of the country inhabitants, and the gradations are clearly felt in them, from the beggar to the Lord of the Manor. In his Village Festivals how finely has he expressed the varying mirth of the different personages! The rich peasant does not dance like the poor labourer: even the village school master laughs after his own fashion. » The same author adds :

The works of Teniers are filled with truth: they appear as if struck off in a moment; nothing in them appears constrained; nothing is servilely copied : every thing in them seems created. » Teniers painted very fast and did not fatigue himself by a high finish: general action was what he felt and expressed best.

His pictures have often been paid from twelve to thirty thousand franks, from L. 500 to L. 1,300: he etched a few pieces with a light and spirited point. Several engravers have worked after his pictures; the principal are: Coryn Boel, Hollar, Vanden Wingaerde, Coelmans, Lepicie, and particularly Le Bas who did several, assisted by his pupil Chenu.

Teniers died at Brussels in 1690. He was twice married : his first wife was Anne Breughel, daughter to the painter, called Velvet Breughel. He had by this second wife a son, who became a Recollet at Mechlin.

The Collection of his works amounts to more than 300 engraved subjects.