, an artist, was born at Mechlin in 1497, and received the first notions of painting,
, an artist, was born at
Mechlin in 1497, and received the first notions of painting, when he was very young, from Bernard Van Orlay of
Brussels but quitting- his own country, he travelled to
Rome, and there had the good fortune to become a disciple of Raphael. He studied and worked under the direction of that superior genius, for several years; and in that
school acquired the taste of design and colouring peculiar
to his master, as also the power of imitating his exquisite
manner so far, as to be qualified to design his own female
figures with a great deal of grace and elegance. He had,
however, no great invention, nor did he possess a liveliness of imagination; and therefore, when he left Rome, to
return to Jns native country, he took care to carry along
with him a considerable number of the designs of Raphael,
and other eminent masters of Italy, which he did not scruple to make use of afterwards in his own compositions.
By that means he gained a temporary reputation, and his
pictures were wonderfully admired through the Low Countries; but when Jerom Cock returned from Rome, and
brought with him into Flanders, the “School of Athens,
”
designed by Raphael, and other designs of the most famous Italian artists, they were no sooner made public, than
the plagiarism of Coxis was discovered, and his reputation
proportionably decreased.
, a learned physician and botanist, of a West Friesland family of good repute, was born at Mechlin, in 1517. He studied medicine at Louvaine, and
, a learned
physician and botanist, of a West Friesland family of good
repute, was born at Mechlin, in 1517. He studied medicine at Louvaine, and afterwards visited the celebrated
universities of France and Italy, and to his medical knowledge added an acquaintance with the classics and polite
literature. On his return from Italy, his reputation procured him the honour of being appointed physician to the
emperors Maximilian II. and Rodolph II. Having been
obliged during the civil wars of his time to quit the imperial court, in order to take care of his property at Mechlin and Antwerp, he resided awhile at Cologne, from
whence he was persuaded to return to Antwerp but soon
afterwards he became professor of physic in the newlyfounded university of Leyden, with an ample stipend.
This took place in 1582, and he sustained the credit of his
appointment by his lectures and various writings, till death
put a period to his labours in March 1585, in the sixtyeighth year of his age. It appears by his epitaph at Leyden, that he left a son of his own name behind him.
Dodoens is recorded to have excelled in a knowledge
of the history of his own country, and especially in genealogical inquiries, as well as in medicine. His chief fame
at present rests on his botanical publications, particularly
his “Pemptades,
” or 30 books of the history of plants, in
1 vol. folio, published at Antwerp in 1583, and again in
1612 and 1616. This is still a book of general reference
on account of the wooden cuts, which are numerous and
expressive. Hailer reckons it “a good and useful work,
though not of the first rate.
” The author had previously
published some lesser works in 8vo, as “Frugum Histona,
”
printed at Antwerp, in Herbarium Belgicum
” first appeared in the German language
in Henry Lyte,
esquyer
” composed his Herbrl, which is pretty nearly a
translation of the whole. It was published in 1578, and
went through several subsequent editions. This work, in
its various languages and editions, is accompanied by
wooden cuts, very inferior, for the most part, to those in
the above-mentioned “Pemptades.
” Halier records an
epitome of Dodoens by William Kam, printed at London, in 1606, 4to, under the title of “Little Dodoen.
”
This we have never seen.
, brother to the preceding, was born at Mechlin, and arrived to the rank of chancellor of G
, brother to the preceding, was born at Mechlin, and arrived to the rank of chancellor of Gtielderland. Like his father and brothers, he studied jurisprudence, and like the latter cultivated Latin poetry. He died at Brussels March 20, 1568. His Latin verses were published with those of his brother Nicholas Grudius, in the Leyden edition of 1612, and consist of two books of elegies, a book of epigrams, one of epistles, a satire, a piece on the death of his brother Joannes Secundus, and sonic detached epigrams. It is also said that he translated into Latin verse some of Lucian’s dialogues, and into prose his treatise on calomny.
, a portrait painter of great celebrity, was born at Mechlin in 1584. He was a pupil of C. Van Mander, and
, a portrait painter of great celebrity, was born at Mechlin in 1584. He was a pupil of C. Van Mander, and by a careful observation of nature obtained that accurate knowledge of the structure of the human frame, which is so useful in his art. No man ever set the features of a face together with more truth than Frank Hals, or with a readier pencil; and he did it with great truth and spirit also of colour, as well as of execution. He avoided the laboured mode of finish so much admired among his countrymen at the time, and gave his portraits much expression and animation of countenance, particularly of a gay and humourous nature. A decided character of individual nature is remarkable in his portraits, and is not found in an equal degree in any other painter. If he had joined to this most difficult part of the art, a patience in finishing what he had so correctly planned, he might justly have claimed the place which Vandyke, all things considered, so justly holds as the first of portrait painters. This last mentioned artist was so delighted with his works, that he went to Haerlem, where he resided, for no other purpose than to pay him a visit. He introduced himself as a gentleman on his travels, who wished in haste to have his portrait painted. Hals was hurried from the tavern, where he usually passed his leisure time, seized the first canvas he could find, and began his labour. In a short time he had proceeded so far, that he asked Vandyke to look at what he had done, who expressed himself as very well pleased with it, at the same time saying that he thought such work so easy, he was persuaded he could do it himself. Taking the palette and pencils, he desired F. Hals to sit down, and in a quarter of an hour shewed him the portrait. The moment he saw it he recognized his visitor, and embraced him with transport. Vandyke endeavoured to prevail upon Hals to accompany him to England, engaging to enrich him but he was not able to succeed Hals declaring that his happiness consisted in the enjoyment of his friends and his bottle, and while he possessed these he was satisfied with his condition. For his treatment of Brouwer, see our account of that artist. He died in 1666, at the age of eighty-two. He had a brother, Dirk Hals, a painter of animals, merry-makings, conversations, feasts, and subjects of drollery, to whom, however, as an artist, he was far superior in all the better qualities of art: yet Dirk’s works gained him much reputation, and he practised with great success till he was sixty-seven years old, when he died in 1656.