Nicolas Maes (Màs), 1632–1693

JUEENS and fine ladies have always had their stately and often fictitious charms depicted in ambitious portraits, and Maes himself, in his later and weaker days, made many a likeness of the formal kind, but when he was able to paint really good pictures he found his subjects in the cottage, in the kitchens or living rooms of the ordinary Dutch family.

Maes was born at Dort, and when eighteen years old he was for four years the faithful pupil of Rembrandt at Amsterdam. The essential principles of that great master's art he made his own, winning the secrets of light and shade, rich color, and the style and finish, which make homely themes beautiful in the perfection of the painter's skill. The next twenty years he spent in his native Dort, then resided in Amsterdam until his death.

While his earlier portraits, under Rembrandt's influence, are fine, and his humble domestic interiors with figures, perfect in tone, drawing and action, later in life, yielding to the deterioration in the general taste and fashion in art, as, fortunately for us, Rembrandt could not, he painted chiefly stiff portraits in costume, which doubtless pleased his sitters, but now delight us not.

This little work, in its quiet simplicity, has all the good qualities which inspire and instruct the painter, as well as the subtle charm of conception, pose and lighting which gratify the layman. Even in mere black and white, as before us, color and life are strongly suggested by the truth of drawing and the magic contrast of light and shadow.

Spaniels of the King Charles Breed

Sir Edwin Landseer, 1802-1873

UST as Reynolds and Lawrence, for example, won fortune and success by devoting their social and artistic talents to painting the likenesses of the English aristocracy, so Landseer, equally a favorite, found much employment in painting for his wealthy patrons their animal pets. When he or his employers could be satisfied with an honest transcript from nature, a good picture was the result, but when, as too often happened with Landseer, an attempt was made to bestow on these creatures all sorts of human feelings and impulses, a sound taste is pained at the futile effort.

Robert Vernon was an eminent collector and patron of English art, who in 1847 gave to the nation for the National Gallery his collection of one hundred and fifty-seven British pictures. In this splendid gift was included this picture of Mr. Vernon's pet spaniels, painted in 1845.

They are simply and honestly painted, although they have been grouped into a sort of still-life picture, in which the rendering of the large feather is almost as much a feature as the dogs themselves. Still these accessories and the position of the dogs on the table serve to show us that they are privileged beasts to whom nothing is sacred, not even their master's finest hat.

Doubtless the experienced dog fancier will be able to read out of this sincere and unsophisticated dog portrait, many of the distinctive qualities of their breed, and find much to admire, while even those whose hearts are steeled against animals as house pets, will agree that painted dogs, if well done like these, are pleasing companions in the best ordered households.