MARIA VERELST.
Maria Verelst was born in 1680, at Antwerp. She was the daughter of the painter Herman Verelst, and belonged to a family abounding in celebrated artists. She received instruction from her uncle, Simon Verelst, and was highly esteemed, not only for her very uncommon skill in small portraits, while she attempted historical pieces successfully, but also for her attainments in the languages and music. She went with her father to London, then, as before and afterward, the rendezvous of foreign talent, and died there in 1744.
Descampes mentions a curious anecdote of her proficiency in the languages. During her residence in London, one evening at the theatre, she chanced to sit near six German gentlemen of high rank. They were struck with her beauty and distinguished air, and expressed their admiration in conversation with each other, in the most high-flown terms which the German language could supply. The lady turned and addressed them in the same tongue, observing that such extravagant praise in the presence of a lady conveyed to her no real compliment. One of them soon after repeated his encomium in Latin. She again turned, and, replying in the same language, said, “It was unjust to deprive the fair sex of that classic tongue, the vehicle of so much true learning and taste.”
With increased admiration the strangers begged permission to pay their respects in person to a lady so singularly endowed. Maria answered that she was a painter by profession, and lived with her uncle, Verelst the flower-painter. They did not lose time in availing themselves of the opportunity of seeing the fair artist and her works. Each of the gentlemen sat for his portrait, for which he gave liberal compensation. The story spread abroad, and proved an introduction for Maria into the best society.
Walpole remarks of this artist that she painted in oil both large and small portraits, and drew small history-pieces. She spoke Latin, German, Italian, and other languages fluently.
In Protestant Holland women artists are found in still greater numbers. Here the same favorable circumstances which had in former ages brought art to early bloom existed with little change. As women assumed an influential position in literature, so they did in the pictorial arts.
The religious spirit that animated many breathed in the hymns and odes of Petronella Mocas, and in the didactic poetry of Lucretia van Merken; Elizabeth Wolff made herself known by her poetical epistles; and the national drama, the fair fruit of the seventeenth century, had a votary in the Baroness von Launoy, who made translations from Tyrtæus. In like manner did women show their enterprise in the branches of study which belong to our subject.