A BIOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY OF
chiefly genre subjects and portraits, were popular.
He died at Diisseldorf in 1881.
BOSHART, WlLHELM, wlio was bom at Munich in 1815, at first studied for the medical profession ; but, abandoning that, he devoted himself in 1844 to art, studied under E. Sclileich, and soon became famous for his landscapes. He died in 1878.
BOSIO, Antonio, a Romish priest, who was a Maltese by birth, reopened and explored, towards the close of the 16th century, the catacombs of Rome. He made accurate engravings of the most remarkable paintings and objects which lie found there, and pubh'shed them together with explana- tory text (see Kugler's ' Handbook of Painting,' revised by Lady Eastlake, p. 12. 1874).
BOSSAERT, Thomas Willeborts. See Wille- DORTS.
BOSSAM, John, an English painter, lived in the reigns of Edward VI., Mary, and Elizabeth. Nicho- las Hilliard calls liim " a most rare English drawer of story works in black and white," and says that "for his skill he was worthy to have been serjeant painter to any Icing or emperor." It is believed that he became a minister in the Church.
BOSSART, Robert, was a German engraver who flourished about the year 1595. He is sup- posed to liave been a pupil of Hendrik Goltzius, from the resemblance in their style, although that of Bossart is much inferior. He engraved a set of prints, in which the different nations of Europe are represented by figures, emblematical of what each country was celebrated for. He also engraved a portrait of B. Spranger, dated 1595.
BOSSCHAERT, Thomas Willeborts. See Wil- leborts.
BOSSCHE, B. VAN DEN. See Van den Bossche.
BOSSE, Abraham, a French engraver, was born at Tours in 1G02. He was the son of a tailor, and went to Paris to gain instruction in art about the year 1617, but under whom he studied does not appear. Becoming acquainted with the mathema- tician Desargues, whose works he afterwards pub- lislied, he devoted himself to the study of perspective, and became professor of that art in the Academy of Painting. He was also elected an honorary academician, but his vanity and bad temper were before long the cause of a quarrel with his col- leagues, and of his ultimate expulsion from their ranks. From 1648 to 1654 the diplomas had been given in the name of M. Martin de Charmois, one of the principal founders of the Academy and its acknowledged chief, but in the last-named year the Academy, deeming this practice to be incon- sistent with its dignity and freedom of action, resolved that all its diplomas should be returned and exchanged for new ones. To this unanimous decision of his colleagues Bosse refused to submit, unless the phraseology common to all were re- placed by certain laudatory words which he had contrived to get inserted in the original document. Being unwilling to precipitate a quarrel, the Academy allowed the matter to rest for nearly three years, during which time Bosse not only went to its meetings, but circulated against it pamphlets overflowing with wit and hatred. At length there was no alternative left but to declare Bosse deprived of his rank of academician. He left Paris and retired to Tours, but before long he returned to the capital, where lie resided until his death, which took place on the 15th of February, 1676. He was buried in the Protestant cemetery of Les Saints- Peres. Bosse ap- pears to have formed his style upon that of Callot, and Ilia plates, which are etched and then finished with the graver, display much spirit and freedom. They consist mainly of allegorical figures, scenes of civil life, popular types, costumes, frontispieces, and vignettes. He also practised painting and archi- tecture, and wrote several works on those arts and on perspective, which are described in the "Cata- logue des Traitez que le sieur Bosse amis au jour," 1674. The best known of these are the "Traicte des manieres de graver en taille douce sur I'airin," 1645, which was republished by Cochin in 1745, the " Traitd des manieres de dessiner les Ordres de I'Architecture antique," 1664, and " Le Peintro converty aux precises et universelles regies de son Art," 1667, which contains some curious informa- tion respecting the disputes which arose between the author and his colleagues in the Academy of Painting. He painted in the manner of Callot, and his pictures are very rare. The Louvre has no example, but there is one, ' The Foolish Virgins,' in the Musee de Cluny, and another, ' An Interior,' in the Museum of Douai. M. Georges Duplessis published in 1859 the "Catalogue de I'CEuvre d' Abraham Bosse," in which are carefully described 1449 works, most of which are from the engraver's own designs. Besides these M. Duplessis enumer- ates 57 pieces executed by Bosse in conjunction with other artists. The following are the most important of his works : —
David holding his sling (frondc), the head of Goliath at his feet ; beneath are eight verses in praise of the Fronde. 1651. Judith putting the head of Holofemes in a bag. The Virgin and Child, with four Angels above ; within a border ; offer St. Igny. The History of Jezebel ; six plates. The Parable of the Prodigal Son ; six plates. The Parable of the Kicli Man and lazarus ; three plates. The Parable of the Wise and Foohsh Virgins ; seven plates. The Acts of Mercy ; seven plates. La deroute et confusion des Jansecistes. 1654. The Senses ; five plates. The Ages of Man ; four plates. 1636. The Seasons ; four plates. The Quarters of the World ; four plates. The Elements ; four plates. The Gauls imploring the clemency of Caesar. Illustrations to Hozier's "Noms, Surnoms, Qiialitez, Armes, et Blasons des Chevaliers et Officiers de rOrdre du S. Esprit," 1634; four plates. The Marriage of Ladislaus IV., King of Poland and Sweden, and Louisa Maria de Gonzaga, Princess of Mantua, at Fontainebleau, 1645. Jacques Callot, the engraver. Louis XIII., King of France, as Hercules. James Howell, the historiographer; full length, the head engraved by Mellan. Cardinal de EiclieUeu. The Infirmary of the Hopital de la Charity at Paris. Le Jardin de la noblesse fran(;oise, 1629 ; eigliteeu plates ; after St. Igny and Bosse. La noblesse fran9oise a I'Eglise ; thirteen plates ; after St. Igny. Les Gardes fraucjoises ; nine plates. Les Cris de Paris ; twelve plates. Les Quatre Jardinieres ; four plates ; after Bellange. Le Mariage a la ville ; six plates. Le Mariage a la campagne ; three plates. Le Mari qui bat sa femme : La Femme qui bat son mari ; two plates. The Painter, the Sculptor, the Engraver, and the Printer ; four plates. The Schoolmaster and the Schoolmistress ; two plates. The Trades ; seven plates. Lettre amoureuse du Capitaine Extrauagant k sa Maistresse : Keponse de la Damoiselle a la lettre du
Capitaine Extrauagant ; two plates. 1640.
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