Eeckhout, Gerbrant Vander

, another artist, emU nent for the success with which he imitated Rembrandt, was born at Amsterdam, in 1621, and was a disciple of Rembrandt, whose manner of designing, colouring, and penciling, he imitated wonderfully. But although it is difficult to distinguish between several of his paintings, and those of his master, he is thought to have excelled him in the extremities of his figures. His principal employment was for portraits, and he surpassed all iris contemporaries in the power he had of painting the mind in the countenance, His portrait of his own father had so much force, resemblance, and life, as to astonish even Rembrandt himself when he saw it. But, although Eeckhout painted portraits with great success, he was much more pleased to paint historical subjects, and not less happy in his execution, his composition being rich, and full of judgment; the distribution of his masses of light and shadow truly excellent; and in the opinion of some connoisseurs, he had more transparence in his colouring, and better expression than Rembrandt. His back-grounds are generally clearer than his, yet, if in this and other respects he attained to the perfections of Rembrandt, he also shared his defects; he was often incorrect in design, elegance, and grace, and was totally negligent of the costume. In the collection of the elector Palatine, a picture of this master if mentioned, as. having a strong and admirable expression; the subject is “Christ among the Doctors;” another picture of this master, representing “Simeon with Christ in fcis arms,” is a most excellent performance, and sir Robert | Strange had a third, the “Guard Room,” which he praised very highly. This artist died July 22, 1674. 1

1

Arjenriilc, Tol. III. —Descamps, vol. II. Pilkinjton and —Strutt.