ND 653 • S8 J36 1905 -5 V‘ it. c ■ 1 < 4 tt. ■5 MASTERS IN ART : ; :i : . i iDp^terMn^rt K'0ens0;^lu9tratEditt9nojarapl^^ Among the artists to be considered during the current, 1905, V'olume may be mentioned Fra Filippo Lippi, Sir Henry Rae- burn, Claude Lorrain,and Verrocchio. The numbers of *■ Masters in Art ’ which have already appeared in 1905 are : Part6i, JANUARY Part 62, FEBRUARY Part6j, march Part 64, APRIL Part 6s, MAY Pakt66, JUNE . Part 67, JULY . WATTS . PALMA VECCHIO MADAME VIGEE LE BRUN MANTEGNA . CHARDIN . BENOZZO GOZZOLI .JAN STEEN PART 68, THE ISSUE FOR 9lugust WILL TREAT OF i^lcmlinc NUMBERS ISSUED IN FREVUOUS VOLUMES OF ‘MASTERS IN ART’ VOL. 1. Part i.- Pakt 1 - Part Part Part Part Part Part Part Part 10.- Part II.- Part 12.- -VAN DYCK -TITIAN -VELASQUEZ -HOLBEIN -BOTTICELLI -REMBRANDT -REYNOLDS -MILLET -GIO. BELLINI -MURILLO -HALS -RAPHAEL * Sculpture VOL. 3. Part ij. Part 14. Part 15. Part 16. Part 17. Part 18. Part 19. Part 20.- Part 21. Part 22. Part 2J. Part 24. VOL. 2. -RUBENS -DA VINCI -DURER I -MICHELANGELO* -MICHELANGELOt -COROT -BURNE-JONES ' -TER BORCH I -DELLA ROBBIA ^ -DEL SARTO -GAINSBOROUGH -CORREGGIO ^Painting VOL. 4. Part 25.— PHIDIAS Part 26.— PERUGINO Part 27. — HOLBEIN J Part 28.— TINTORETTO Part 29.- P. deHOOCH Part 30.— NATTIER Part ji.— PAUL POTTER Part 43. Part 32.— GIOTTO Part 33.— PR AXI TELES Part 34.— HOGARTH Part 35.— TURNER Part 36.— LUINI ^ Drawings * Frescos VOL. 5. Part 49, JANUARY . . FRA Part 50, FEBRUARY Part 51, MARCH Part 52, APRIL Part 53, MAY Part 54, JUNE Part 55, JULY Part 56, AUGUST . Part 57, SEPTEMBER Part 58, OCTOBER Part 59, NOVEMBER Part 60, DECEMBER Part 37.— ROMNEY Part 38.— FRA ANGELICO Part 39.— WATTEAU Part 40.- RAPHAEL* Part 41— DON ATELLO Part 42.— GERARD DOU CARPACCIO Part 44.— ROSA BONHEUR Part 45,— GUIDO RENI Part 46. — P. deCHAVANNES Part 47.— GIORGIONE • Part 48.— ROSSETTI TH ARTOLOMMEO GREUZE DURER’S ENGRAVINGS LOTTO . LANDSEER VERMEER OF DELFT . 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BRAUN, CLEMENT & CO. 256 Fifth Avenue, corner 28th Street NEW YORK CITY THE LONDON SCHOOL OF ART STRATFORD STUDIOS, STRATFORD ROAD, KENSINGTON W., LONDON, ENGLAND October i, 1905, to July i, 1906 SDralBtng, JOainttng, Composition, lillufitration, Cttljing TEACHING STAFF : JOHN M. SWAN, R. A. FRANK BRANGWYN, A. R. A. W. R. SYMONDS Membership is limited in all classes, and stu- dents will be admitted in the order of their ap- plication whenever a vacancy occurs. For further particulars apply to the Director, C. P. Townsley, Calle de Arrieta 8, Mad- rid, Spain, until August 15; after that date at London address. In answering advertisements, please mention Masters in Art MASTERS IN ART BOSTON & MAINE RAILROAD i§ummer Publications! DESCRIPTIVE OF New England Scenery AND Summer Resorts FULLY ILLUSTRATED AND CONTAINING VALUABLE MAPS Wizard Tree, Intervale, N. H. 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' V ‘ jiivs-'’ ■ ' m '* .’* ‘ - ■^■’■'■*' ■ ’ ’ > > •» vr ■"’ *^-‘*'- . t*» ’ *’ *•' ' ' “•*' ■ '''* " ■ A- rV*-» V. -v-i \*J -§| ^r‘5 . - -■ ' • ' *■' . ■.■ r---<*,'^ ' ■■ :. -«'->i- ■ ■ ■■ < » ■«-- -* • y ■!. * > JC'*:' n»^ t-'S --X . i , ' r.fc^ri - (<■ -T -' '"-'•‘ 11 ^^ . J '' '4^ " Z-V;? vV-y^ ■gewtl*'*'-' ■ «'_ ■••< .'2 ■-■:•<;••« MASTKKS IX AH'V PI.ATK V Photograph by braun, clement a cie. .TAX STKKX 1?A 1) roM 1>A X V JA)I VHK, I'AUIS ■" ^ ^ IV "4^ r . - ST w ' ^ "JL * 3 -^ I- • - • ,*■ »4 ./, .-1, ^7^.' ‘f ■■® -c -V"^' - ■ i!>4 ■ _:_; ,j ", y '^yy y vy : ■; t; -_• ;i> ■ , . ■; ‘v'-lfev ';4’ v- ; 14.; ^P\ - ^ • ■ 4- '4 •■- r ■'’ ■ ;4J-* >:-vi--:< 4- 4'.f'"--' ■ ‘I' ■ »■ •■ . - ’ T'^* - X’liC - • r ,,- • “ • • '.' • •% 'I “i.' ‘I '■■•*%' yr ' ^ • ■ I - -. yy ■ .yy ,. ^ .- x < v.^ «.' >•->■■■ -‘v^ .• , ®-'%-4.‘te i .' - i- -‘ . rJf. «■ *• - ’ . - * . £- • . .. ^ ,> r^j* ^ r' , JK -T' y- r , >. » ,X - - ■ , . I - *" C' .-J'- • ■ -■ • >^’1' ?s,r ir:?r-4- t* ♦'a' -ar » w . ' ^ ■• • x,-c;y . <'<■<: 4 ■- :-;.v4^ ,-v r- ^.p-- . p;- yyp-^... p- > - yv * .%'vP;‘Pi ■ -•' MASTKltS IX AIM' 1*1. ATK VI PHOTOGRAPH BY BRAUN, CLEMFNT & CIE. .lAX STKKX^ A M KX AGKK' K TIIK JIAIU'K GALI.KKY fi-- ■•"-'# ' • ■- i. , -p— ' •■ ■: •- '■ - '• ' ■ i ^ '■ -.V. . '-‘t5-:?K; '•-e-';-'» •..•i..---t .v-'Ojrp m ,. ■ I : > rr -’;' v:. -A- ■' ■•' r- “ ‘^i ■ ' ' ' < ^ >' 'J.' : '■ ' ;-- '-:'‘-.i‘-, ■ '• >• - '.'■-< Z -- V At .■ ."'*■•31- ■ '*.Jra = rf^- -■•;• : 97 m- • f ^ 1^. C'^- ■/ ■- ir. i- p jf*'^ IS .- ■' . 4 ?r : . . - ^ ' * " - _'4 ^ ' ' i pM * < > ''"•V. , . ^ A SQ •'^' . ^ ,✓ 7-W;.T ‘-*'*-* -A -^A-J •V* A - «r -*■'•'■■•;■ ''7.- An' 7’*-‘ A : r^.-'^-v- . ,v .r^* a - ® .jisf. -•< f ' A-? , »* . . “TT. ■ . - -, - £ ^ .' . J . ','nia ■ * ■■< J i ' .% ^ 7 --- V . ^>:, p,:;/ ^iC •■•ta?jr • .-• T - •'• > :^-J^':'. -r ;ta-AvA- ■ ♦ -^“-•7:^ . f; r- - j . _ .T-.^ • ,5- - . .*: '*'vv •• ^ * >.J?- ^ MASTERS IX AKT I'LATE VII PHOTOGRAPH BY HANFSTAENGL [ 2 <-. 7 ] •TAX STEEX THE (lALEAXT OEEEKIXG HKL'SSELS MUSEUM - " ' ’•.* .» > " ’*- •- ■• • ' • > » *!•’'. ' '- ;‘'n * \ • -^■■*A*',*^ ■! \ «'v -T-' ■ i * >. *■ V -, .■> \1S " ■■ V-'V ■ V' ^ , - ■' r f^''-.',:.? *.-■ ■ :- : • .-■'. ■.■■■- ■ ' - is :J - • V^: ’ . ■ ’ ■ * : ^ — - < r . .. ;• - V* ' m^ ‘ ■ i ?'V ; , ■‘-i # > . » J^ .vt* ••;« -> y:c V . ‘■^‘T C- '"/ ■ “■". •--‘i ■ -a . ■.'•'J* ■ - -^' ■■ ijuti,.' .■•■‘''■y ^■'■ '-'■.Hfi#'/- „ -r ■•P' ’ -: 'm ;v. :\v..-.' ;:•< :- .? ■ ;"''i, w?rr.,: yT : • ^ y .-lr: ':■• a MASTKKS IX AHT Pl.ATK IX Photograph by braun, clIment & ciE. [->71 ] ,7 AX STKKX TIIK SICK KAUr Di'KK OF avklj.ix(;tox-s COI-KKCTIOX, I.OXDOX ■’ -?^ . •i‘SS-^;ym^ ■ ■ ■ .«., . >■■> .-'i'>tt: ■ 3,. ,>■ f/ - MASTKHS Ii\ AHT IM^ATKX .) A X S I'KKX HOTOQRAPH BY BRAUN, CLEMENT A CIE. 'I’lIK 'I’AN'hMJX [;27.!] THK 1IA<;UK c;am-khv POHTl{AlT ny .TAX STKK.V HY HIMSKr.F KAHli OK XOHTHHKOOlv'S COLI. KCTIOX , I.OXDOX Jan Steen painted this portrait when he was about forty years old. Dressed in a brown jacket with yellow sleeves, green slashed hose, a dark red cap, and long brown cloak lined with red, he sits before us with legs crossed, singing a rollicking song as he touches the strings of his mandolin. Behind him is a green curtain, and at his side a table on which are music-books and a silver tankard. The tones are broken and transparent; the execution broad and masterly. 'I'he panel measures less than two feet high by one foot and a half wide. [• 274 ] t MASTERS IN ART an lb t e e n BORN 1 0 2 G : DIED 1 G 7 9 DUTCH SCHOOL T he lives of the great seventeenth-century painters of Holland are for the most part known to us only in outline. Even that of Rembrandt, the greatest of them all, is more or less shrouded in mystery, and therefore it is perhaps not surprising that of the life of Jan Steen (pronounced Yahn Stane), who in certain of his qualities as a painter is regarded as second only to Rem- brandt, few authenticated details have been handed down. Recent research has revealed a number of facts, and discovered and established beyond ques- tion considerable data, thereby providing us with a framework which it is left to our imagination to fill out — to our imagination, or to those legendary tales concerning the painter for which Houbraken, the eighteenth-century biog- rapher of Dutch artists, is largely responsible, but which rest on no firm foun- dation and are wholly without documentary proof. It is safe to say that no man has been more maligned than Jan Steen. Re- garded for many years as a drunken profligate, spending his life in the pursuit of pleasures of the lowest kind, taking no thought for the morrow and painting only when necessity in the shape of creditors compelled him to do so, Steen has long been accepted by one and all as the typical drunkard and ne’er-do- Vv^ell so often depicted by his own clever brush, and it has been only in com- paratively recent times that the justice of such wholesale denunciation has been seriously questioned by his biographers, who, while readily admitting that he was a genial and jovial soul, a good-natured, light-hearted fellow, fond of his pipe and by no means insensible to the charms of a glass of good wine, have failed to find any recorded proof of the laziness and intemperance with which he has been accused, and who claim that the vast number of authentic works, amounting to nearly five hundred, executed during his comparatively brief career, would alone belie the first charge, while the fact that many even of those painted towards the end of his life are not only minutely finished, but are executed with a sure touch, and a steady and unfaltering hand, utterly refutes the accusation of habitual drunkenness. The little that is actually known of }an Steen is soon told. He belonged to an old and highly respectable family of Leyden, Holland, where he was born in the year 1626 — a date that has been established beyond dispute by the fact [ 2 75] 24 MASTERS IN ART that his name is inscribed as a student upon the records of the university of his native town with the date 1646 and a note to the effect that he was then twenty years of age. His father was a prosperous brewer, who, recognizing the talent for art which his son evinced very early in life, placed the young man in the studio of one Nicolaus Knupfer, a German painter then living in Utrecht, or it may be, as Dr. Bredius supposes, temporarily residing in Leyden. It is thought by some that Steen went to Haarlem after a brief period and there studied under Adriaen Brouwer; but as Brouwer moved to Antwerp in 1631-32, this could not have been the case. It is probable that his master in Haarlem was Adriaen van Ostade, whose influence is perceptible in his work. Dr. Bode’s belief that he was at this time influenced by Frans Hals and his less famous brother, Dirk, is supported by the fact that certain similarities ‘exist between some of Steen’s pictures and the works of those painters. This supposed early sojourn in Haarlem, however, could not have been of long duration, for we soon hear of Steen at The Hague, where he entered the studio of the painter Jan van Goyen, whose daughter Margaretha he married in October of the year 1649. The year before this he was apparently in Leyden, for he had then been inscribed in the painters’ gild of that town; but during the next few years he seems to have resided for the most part at The Hague, and in 1654 to have leased for a period of six years, and in consideration of the sum of four hundred florins annually, a brewery in the neighboring town of Delft, known as ‘‘The Brewery of the Serpent,” in which financial enterprise his father went security for him. Whether this brewery was exchanged for another, or whether he later leased a second, is uncertain, but in 1656 his name occurs in a legal document of the day as the owner of “The Brewery of the Currycomb” at Delft, and in the following year it stands recorded that Steen’s father went to Delft for the purpose of paying the debts of his son, whose busi- ness venture there had evidently met with a disastrous end. Poor Steen’s affairs were assuredly in a bad way at this period of his career. His father-in-law, Jan van Goyen, had lately died, leaving behind him nothing but debts, and there is every probability that Steen suffered through the finan- cial difficulties which had embarrassed his father-in-law, for he seems to have removed for a time to Leyden, where his own father could render him assist- ance. The various gaps that occur from time to time in attempting to follow the steps of Jan Steen make it impossible to assert with positiveness the exact chronological order of the scenes of his labors; but in 1661, when he was thirty- five years old, we find him in Haarlem, where, with his wife and children, he probably resided for the next eight years. This was the period in which his best works were painted; but his pictures never commanded high prices, selling generally, indeed, for as small an amount as twenty florins apiece — rarely for so much as fifty — and therefore his circumstances continued straitened, as is proved by a record to the effect that in 1670 the unfortunate painter’s pictures were seized and sold by an apothecary in payment of a debt of some ten florins contracted for medicine during the illness of Steen’s wife the previous year. .We also learn that the artist was forced to borrow money, the interest on which, [27 6 ] \ JAN STEEN 25 amounting to twenty-nine florins, or about twelve dollars, annually, he paid the first year in the form of three portraits ‘‘painted as well as he was able.” In 1669 his wife died, and was buried in Haarlem. That same year his father also died, and not long afterwards Steen returned with his children to Leyden to take possession of the property he had inherited, including a house, in which in the autumn of 1672 he asked and obtained permission of the magis- trate of Leyden to open a tavern. “Realizing,” writes one of his biographers, “that in such an undertaking a wife would be useful,” he married, in the fol- lowing spring, a widow, Maria van Egrnont by name, who took charge of his household and his children, and by whom he had one son in addition. The fact that the painter in his last years became the keeper of a public- house is sufficient foundation for the many tales told by Houbraken and by a somewhat later biographer, Weyerman, of the jolly painter and his numerous boon companions who were wont to assemble in the tavern to enjoy over their pipes and bowls the enlivening society of their genial host. A number of Steen's pictures depict the scenes of boisterous merriment, many of them none too nice, which took place in this very tavern, sometimes showing us the in- mates feasting and reveling, sometimes introducing us into the intimacy of his family circle. As long as he lived Jan Steen continued to paint, working industriously at his art to the end. The circumstances of his death are unknown to us; we only learn that it took place in the winter of 1679, when he was but fifty-three years old, and that on the third of February he was buried in the Church of St. Peter at Leyden, leaving to his widow and children the house in that town where the last ten years of his life had been spent. Cht of Jan ^tren FREDERICK WEDMORE