A BIOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY OF
Amsterdam, Bacchus and Diana. Berlin, The Work-
fibop of Vulcan {part h/ Jan Bruec/hel). Brussels,
Plenty (part by Brueghel). Cassel, Dianaand Actaeon.
Dresden, Diana and her Nymphs surprised by
Actseon ; Bacchus and Ariadue (signed). Hague,
Offering to Cybele. Munich, A Bacchanalian Scene;
The Feast of the Gods. Paris, A Feast of the Gods
{signed). Petersburg, Repose of the Holy Family;
Virgin and Child. Vienna, Jupiter and Europa.
BALEN, Jan van, the son of Hendrik van Balen, was born in 1611 at Antwerp, and was instructed by his father. After having made con- siderable progress in the art, his father sent him to Italy, where he had himself derived such advan- tage from his studies. He remained some years at Rome, and appears to have attached himself to the works of Francesco Albani, whose charming Btyle he has imitated without attending to his purity of design. He returned to Antwerp in 1642, and died there in 1654. In all his pictures the style of his country is discernible ; although his colouring is excellent, and his pencil free and flowing, we have always to regret liis want of taste, and his inattention to the correctness of his outline. He had two brothers, Gaspar (born in 1615) and Hendrik (born in 1C20), who were both painters.
BALEN, Matihijs van, who was born at Dordrecht in 1684, studied under Arnold Houbraken, and became a good painter of historical pieces, landscapes, and portraits ; he also practised the art of engraving. He died in his birthplace at a great age. The Darmstadt Gallery has a 'Holy Family ' in a Land.scape attributed to him.
BALESTRA, Antonio, was born at Verona in 16G6. He was first instructed in art by Giovanni Zeffio ; but at the age of 21 he went to Venice, and became the scholar of Antonio Bellucci. After passing a short time with tliis master he went to Bologna, where he remained some time, and afterwards visited Rome, where Carlo Maratti was then in high reputation. He attended the school of that master, gained the prize at the Academy of St. Luke in 1694, and was employed to paint several pictures for the churches and palaces at Rome. He subsequently resided for many years in Venice, and died at Verona in 1740. His style bears some resemblance to that of Carlo Maratti, and his works are held in considerable estima- tion. He selected the best points from every school, uniting a variety of beauties in a style of his own, which partakes least of all of the Vene- tian, though he taught in Venice. He promoted the reputation of that school both by his lectures and example, and left two excellent imitators in his scholars Mariotti and Nogari. In the church of Sant' Ignazio at Bologna is a picture by this master, representing the ' Virgin and Infant, with St. Igna- tius and St. Stanislaus.' The churches of Venice, Vicenza, Padua, Brescia, and Verona also possess examples of his art. Balestra etched some plates from his own designs in a free, masterly style: these are sometimes marked with his name at length, sometimes with a cipher. We have by him, amongst others :
The Sketch of the Head of a Warrior. Two Soldiers. The Virgin Mary and Infant in the Clouds, with St. John; inscribed Mater pulchr(e dilectionis ; Antoniua Balestra in. et fecit : 1703. A Vignette, with two figures holding a Flag ; rerona Jidelis. Portrait of Michele Sanmicbeli.
BALESTRA, Giovanni, an Italian engraver, was born at Bassano in 1771. He studied under Count Remondini, and in 1803 went to Rome, where he remained until his death, which took place in 1843. Among his principal works are : Christ and the Samaritan Woman at the Fountain; after Garofalo. The Penitent Magdalene ; after Murillo. Madonna del Kosario ; after Sassoferrato. Aurora and Cephalus ; after Annibale Carracci.
BALLANTYNE, John, son of Alex. Ballantyne, and a member of the celebrated family of Scotch painters. He exhibited his first picture at the Royal Academy when quite young. He occupied much of his time by copying Old Masters in the principal Galleries on the Continent, and he also executed a series of portraits of celebrated painters in their studios, one of which, that of Sir Edwin Landsecr, was presented to the National Gallery by Sir H. Agnew. He was elected a member of the Royal Scottish Academy in 1845, and died in 1897.
BALLENBERGER, Karl, who was born at Ansbach in 1800, went to Munich as a stone-mason in 1831, and was there instructed in drawing by Fr. Hofifstadt, and subsequently attended the Academy. He established himself at Frankfort, and became very intimate with Philipp Veit. He followed tho romantic style of his time, and studied with the greatest perseverance old German art. His chief paintings are the portraits of Conrad I., Louis of Bavaria, and Rupert of the Palatinate, in the Imperial Hall of the 'Romer,' at Frankfort. He etched a plate of the arms of artists. His ' Death of St. Meinrad ' has been engraved by H. Niisser. He died at Frankfort in 18G0.
BALLI, SiMONE, a Florentine artist, who, not being duly appreciated in his own city, went to Genoa and practised under Pazzi. His style resembled that of Andrea del Sarto. In addition to his pictures for the churches of Genoa, he painted small works on copper. He flourished about 1600, and died at an advanced age.
BALLINI, Camillo, the son of Gaspare Ballini, a goldsmith at Venice, and pupil of Jacopo Palma ' the younger,' flourished, according to Zani, about the latter part of the 16th century : he was both a painter and engraver. Lanzi says he painted in Venice in the age of the Mannerists ; Zani speaks of him as an artist of talent, and Lodovico Dolce commends him for his application and assiduity. Numerous decorative paintings by him are in the Doge's Palace at Venice.
BALLIU, P. DE, (or Baillid). See De Bailliu.
BALMER, George, the son of a house-painter, was born at North Shields about 1806. He was brought up as a decorator, and, while young, practised at Edinburgh. Always fond of art, he found time to contribute to an Exhibition of Water-Colour Drawings in Newcastle in 1831, and afterwards assisted W. J. Carmichael in painting the large picture, 'The Heroic Exploit of Admiral Collingwood at Trafalgar,' now in the Trinity House at Newcastle. Soon afterwards, Balmer visited Holland, the Rhine, and Switzerland, staying on his way home at Paris, where he studied the masterpieces in the Louvre. On his return he settled in London, and for several years exhibited pictures of the Rhine, coast scenes, and moon- light views. In 1836 he suggested to the Findens the publication of a work on ' The Ports and Harbours of Great Britain,' for which he made many drawings. Soon after he came into property, and in 1842 retired to Ravensworth, in the comity of
