PORTRAIT OF A MAN. By Dirk Bouts
Next to the Dutch, the Flemish is the one best represented among the older schools. High finish and purity of color are the chief characteristics of these careful brushmen. There is a tiny fragment by Jan van Eyck (ike) (?-1440), usually identified as a portrait of Thomas à Becket. A monumental “Annunciation” is by Roger van der Weyden, with rich velvets and brocades and careful painting of details. In the Altman Collection there are four panels by Memling. All are of superior quality—in fact, the “Portrait of an Old Man” was for a long time attributed to Jan van Eyck. Another portrait, by Dirk Bouts, has the same directness and force, and is almost equally fine. This is portraiture of the highest order.
PORTRAIT OF AN OLD MAN. By Hans Memling
Rubens (1577-1640) brought a new spirit to the school. One may obtain at the Metropolitan a fairly clear idea of his power and of the influence of his style upon his fellow-artists, although there are none of his finest creations present. Rubens relied upon the help of his assistants more than most other artists. Indicating his intentions, whether by a small sketch or roughly on the canvas itself, he would leave the carrying out to his pupils, and afterwards correct or retouch the parts that did not satisfy him. The large “Wolf and Fox Hunt” was probably handled in some such way, as were a number of these hunting pictures. The “Holy Family,” nearby, is in his first style, and some of Rubens’ brushwork may still be recognized in the figure of the Christ-child. Rubens’ skill in another field is upheld by two good portraits of men. There are several school pieces[1] of merit, and an early copy of his “Susannah.”
[1] A school piece is a picture done by a pupil, closely following the style of his master.
THE ANNUNCIATION. By Roger van der Weyden
Van Dyck, Rubens’ best pupil, is even better represented than his master. We may trace his development in no less than eight portraits. Two in the Altman Collection were done during his visit to Genoa, and betray some of the influence of Italy. But Van Dyck hardly ever surpassed the full-length of James Stuart, Duke of Richmond and Lennox.