Page:Hofstede de Groot catalogue raisonné, Volume 4, 1912.djvu/599

xvi PAULUS POTTER 585 of Potter's widow by her second marriage, says that Potter never took a country walk without carrying his sketch-book and using it assiduously. Unfortunately, these sketch-books have been lost, and there are only a few drawings which may be attributed with certainty to Potter. Many of the drawings, even in celebrated collections, which are attributed to him are only copies of his pictures or of the etchings, about twenty in number, which may safely be attributed to him. PUPILS AND IMITATORS OF PAULUS POTTER Although the works of PIETER POTTER (1597-1652) show, on the whole, little resemblance to the pictures of his son Paulus, they are often ascribed to Paulus because the signature is similar. But while Pieter only gives the initial P of his Christian name, Paulus always writes his Chris- tian name in full. This fact, together with the difference in the subjects treated by the two painters, suffices to distinguish the works of the father from those of the son. And the dates, which almost always occur on the works of both painters, are of further assistance. Pictures later than 1652 cannot be by the father ; those dated earlier than 1640 can scarcely be by the son. The connection between the youthful Paulus and the capable CORNELIS MOEYAERT (born before 1600-1669 ?) has been discussed above. Another older and more old-fashioned painter, whose pictures and drawings of cattle have often caused his work and that of Paulus to be confused, is CORNELIS SAFTLEVEN (1608-1681). And Wouwerman's master PIETER VERBEECK. (who died about the year 1653) has painted some landscapes with horses, at the Haarlem Museum, which so closely resemble such pictures by Potter as "The Old Grey Hunter" in the National Gallery (15 1), 1 that it is easy to understand why Verbeeck's works are often attributed to his greater rival. The nature of the artistic relationship between Potter and his fellow- countryman KAREL DU JARDIN (1622-78), who was the elder by three years which of them was the receptive colleague and which the fount of inspiration cannot be precisely determined. By a curious chance there hung side by side for many years in the Peel collection at the National Gallery a Potter (75), which at first sight looks like a Du Jardin, and a Du Jardin, "Figures and Animals in a Meadow," which might be taken for a Potter. painters exercised a great influence on the development of '"'WILLIAM ROMEYN (about i624-after 1695). But Romeyn in his Italian compositions approaches Du Jardin more closely than Potter, while on the other hand ALBERT KLOMP (1618-1688) comes nearest to Potter. 1 In Onxe Kunst for August 1911, Bredius ascribes this picture to P. Verbeeck, and declares that the signature is an excellent imitation, but he is in error.