Page:Bryan's dictionary of painters and engravers, volume 1.djvu/23

A

Biographical Dictionary

of

Painters and Engravers.

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Aa, Van der. See Van der Aa.

Aachen, Johann von (or Aach), who was born in Cologne in 1552, takes his name from the town of Aachen (Aix-Ia-Chapelle), the birth-place of his father. His early-displayed talent for art induced his parents to comply with his wish to become a painter, and he was placed under the tuition of a respectable portrait painter, named Jerrigh. After passing six years under this master, he applied himself to study and copy the works of Barthel Spranger. About the year 1584 he visited Italy, and first stopped at Venice, where he passed some time among the great works of art in that distinguished school of colouring. He studied especially the style of Tintoretto, with much success. He afterwards went to Rome, where his first painting was an altar-piece, representing the ‘Nativity,’ for one of the chapels of the Jesuits’ church. He also painted a picture which gained him great reputation, and has been considered as one of his best productions; in it he represented the portrait of the celebrated musician, ‘Madonna Venusta playing on a Lute,’ and introduced himself holding a goblet of wine. From Rome he went to Florence, where he painted the portrait of the famous poetess ‘Madonna Laura.’ In 1588, the Elector of Bavaria invited him to Munich, where he produced his most excellent work the ‘Resurrection of our Saviour,’ which has been engraved by Raphael Sadeler; and the ‘Finding of the True Cross by Helena, mother of Constantine.’ He painted the portraits of the electoral family, and was liberally rewarded by his employer, who also presented him with a gold chain and medal. By the invitation of the Emperor Rudolph II., he visited Prague, where the court was then held, and was favoured with the particular patronage of that monarch. His first work was a picture of ‘Venus and Adonis,’ which he designed with a taste and elegance then little known in Germany. This performance was so much admired by the emperor that he retained him in his service for the remainder of his life. Von Aachen died in 1615 in Prague. It is but justice to this painter to allow him the credit of being one of the first that attempted to reform the stiff and Gothic taste of his country, and although he did not entirely divest himself of it, it may be asserted that his design, always correct, approaches sometimes to grace and beauty. His ‘Bathsheba Bathing,’ in the Vienna Gallery, is one of his best works. The dates of his birth and death, above given, are taken from the inscription on the monument, erected at Prague to his memory by his widow, which was discovered in 1790. Other authorities give 1562 as the date of his birth.

Aalst, Van. See Aelst.

Aartjen van Leiden See Claessoon.

Aartsen, Pieter (or Aertsen,

or Arijaensz, in which form it occurs in the record of his death in the ‘OudeKerk’ at Amsterdam). This painter, called from his great height ‘Lange Peer,’ was the son of a stocking manufacturer, and horn at Amsterdam in 1507. Having shown an early inclination for art, he was placed under Allart Claessen, with whom he did not, however, remain longer than was necessary to learn the first rudiments, and in 1535 he joined the Antwerp Guild. Before long he had produced several pictures of the interiors of kitchens with culinary utensils, painted with great spirit, and well coloured. These performances were much admired, and it is somewhat remarkable, that although he was so successful in his attempts in that style, he abandoned these subjects, and applied himself to the more elevated walk of sacred historical painting, in which he acquired no little celebrity. One of his most esteemed works was the altar-piece he p.iinted for the church of Our Lady at Amsterdam. The principal picture represented the ‘Death of the Virgin Mary,’ and on the two folding doors he painted the ‘Nativity,’ and the ‘Adoration of the Magi.’ These subjects were ingeniously composed

and well drawn, and the colouring warm and