None
" Le lendemain, qui fut le Dimenche viije jour du dit Janvier, se party ma dite dame bien matin du Dam, et par yaue vint prez de la bonne ville de Bruges, et descendy assez prez de la porte que on dit la Spec porte. Ilec trouva que mon dit seigneur lui avoit fait appareiller pour sa personne une tres belle lictiere, precieusement ouvree, richement couverte de riche drap d'or, soustenue et portee de deux beaulx haulx chevaulx ou haquenees : avec ce y avoit mon dit seigneur fait mener pluiseurs charioz et dames ? richement ouvrez, parez et couvers, et bien attellez et furniz de moult beaulx chevaulx et haquenees et de grant pris pour porter les dames, damoiselles et femmes de ma dite dame." Registre 132 de la Chambre des Comptes, fol. clvij-clxvj. Brussels : State Archives. BIBLIOGRAPHY Ixxiii c. 1 450. PIZZICOLLI, Cyriacus, of Ancona, 1391-1457, is the earliest known author who makes mention of John van Eyck. Sundry notes left by him were first printed by Colucci, in " Antichita Picene," xv, 143. Among them occurs this brief mention : " Rugerius (De la Pasture) in Bursella, post preclarum ilium Brugiensem, picture decus, loannem, insignis nostri temporis pictor habetur." 1454. FACIO, Bartolomeo, "Liber de Viris illustribus," written 1454-55, first printed at Florence in 1745, contains the following interesting notice, p. 46 : " loannes Gallicus nostri saeculi pictorum princeps iudicatus est, litterarum nonnihil doctus, geometriae praesertim et earum artium quae ad picturae ornamentum accederent, putaturque ob earn rem multa de colorum proprietatibus invenisse, quae ab antiquis tradita, ex Plinii et aliorum auctorum lectione didicerat. Eius est tabula insignis in penetralibus Alphonsi regis in qua est Maria Virgo ipsa, venustate ac verecundia notabilis, Gabriel, angelus Dei, filium ex ea nasciturum annuntians, excellenti pulchri- tudine capillis veros vincentibus, loannes Baptista vitae sanctitatem et austeritatem admirabilem prae se ferens, Hieronymus viventi persimilis, bibliotheca mirae artis, quippe quae, si paulum ab ea discedas, videatur introrsus receclere, et totos libros pandere, quorum capita modo appropinquanti appareant. In eiusdem tabulae exteriori parte pictus est Baptista Lomellinus cuius fuit ipsa tabula, cui solam vocem deese iudices, et mulier, quam amabat, praestanti forma, et ipsa, qualis erat, ad unguem expressa, inter quos solis radius veluti per rimam illabebatur, quem verum solem putes. Eius est mundi comprehensio, orbiculari forma, quam Philippo, Belgarum principi, pinxit, quo nullum consummatius opus nostra aetate factum putatur, in quo non solum loca, situsque regionum, sed etiam locorum distantiam metiendo dignoscas. Sunt item picturae eius nobiles apud Octavianum cardinalem, virum illustrem, eximia forma feminae, e balneo exeuntes, occultiores corporis partes tenui linteo velatae, notabili rubore, e quibus unius os tantummodo pectusque demonstrans, posteriores corporis partes per speculum pictum lateri oppositum ita expressit, ut et terga, quemadmodum pectus, videas. In eadem tabula est in balneo lucerna ardenti simillima, et anus, quae sudare videatur, catulus aquam lambens, et item equi hominesque perbrevi statura, monies, Ixxiv HUBERT AND JOHN VAN EYCK nemora, pagi, castella tanto artificio elaborata, ut alia ab aliis quinquaginta millibus passuum distare credas. Sed nihil prope admirabilius, in eodem opere, quam speculum in eadem tabula depictum, in quo quaecumque inibi descripta sunt, tanquam in vero speculo prospicias. Alia complura opera fecisse dicitur, quorum plenam notitiam habere non potui." 1464. AVERULINO, Antonio, surnamed Filarete, wrote a treatise on Architecture, the original manuscript of which, dedicated to Peter de' Medici, is preserved in the Magliabecchi Library at Florence. He mentions (p. 182) master John (van Eyck) of Bruges and master Roger (De la Pasture) as the two painters who had made use of oil colours with the greatest skill. c. 1485. SANTI, Giovanni, in his Chronicle of the Dukes of Urbino, the manuscript of which is preserved in the Library of the Vatican, wrote as follows in praise of the same two masters : — " A Brugia fu tra gli altri piu lodato il gran Joannes, el discepol Ruggero, con tanti d'alto merto dotati, Delia cui arte e summo magistero di colorire furno si excellenti, che han superato spesse volte il vero." 1495. MUENZER, a physician and humanist, travelling through the Low Countries, visited Ghent in the course of this year, and has left an interesting notice of the polyptych, preserved in the Royal Library at Munich (MS. Lat. 631), first published by Dr. Voll, in the Supplement of the Allgemeine Zeitung of September 7, 1899. " De nobilissima tabula picta ad loannem, cuius simile vix credo esse in mundo. " Ecclesia S. loannis inter illas tres principal es est pulcrior, maior et longior de 156 passibus. Et inter cetera habet unam tabulam depictam supra unum altare magnam et preciosissimam de pictura. In cuius summitate est depictus Deus in maiestate. Et ad dextram beata virgo. Et ad sinistram loannes baptista. Et sub eis figure octo beatitudinum. In ala autem dextra Adam : et circa ipsum angeli : cantantes melos Deo: In ala autem sinistra Eva : et angeli cum organis. Et in inferiori ala dextra lusti BIBLIOGRAPHY Ixxv indices et lusti milites : sub ala autem sinistra lusti heremite : et lusti peregrini. Et omnia ilia sunt ex mirabili et tarn artificioso ingenio depicta : ut nedum picturam : sed artem pingendi totam ibi videres videnturque omnes ymagines vive. Postquam autem magister pictor opus perfecit : superadditi sibi fuerunt ultra pactum et precium sexcentum corone. Item quidam alius magnus pictor supervenit volens imitari in suo opere hanc picturam et factus est melancolicus et insipiens. O quam mirande sunt effigies Ade et Eve : videntur omnia esse viva. Et singula membra sibi correspondent. Sepultus est autem magister tabelle ante altare." 1504. LEMAIRE de Beiges, Jean, in " La Couronne Margaritique," a poem commenced by him in 1504 and finished in 1511, first printed at Lyons in 1549, has three lines in praise of John van Eyck. " Hugues de Gand, qui tant cut les tretz netz, y fut aussi, et Dieric de Louvain avec le roy des peintres lohannes du quel les faits parfaits et mignonnetz ne tomberont jamais en oubly vain." 1521. DUERER, Albrecht. A few days after Easter of this year, Durer visited Bruges. He was taken about to see various buildings and works of art. After mentioning a visit to the church of Our Lady, he goes on to say : " Darnach fiihreten sie mich in viel Kirchen, und liessen mich alle gute Gemahl sehen, dessen ein Ueber- schwahl do ist, und do ich lohannes und der andern Ding alles gesehen hab ; do kamen wir zuletz in die Mahler Capelln, do ist gut Ding innen." " lohannes " in this passage is generally supposed to refer to John van Eyck ; to me it seems far more probable that Saint John's Hospital is here indicated. From Bruges Durer went to Ghent, and there he says : " Sah ich des lohannes tafel ; das ist eine iiberkostliche, hochverstandige Malerei und insbeson- dere die Eva, Maria, und Gott Vater sind sehr gut." By "des lohannes tafel" Durer most probably meant, not the painting of John van Eyck, nor the painting in St. John's church, but the painting representing Saint John's vision. Ixxvi HUBERT AND JOHN VAN EYCK 1550. VASARI, in the first edition of his " Vite," mentions Van Eyck in two passages. The first occurs in chapter xxi, in which, treating of painting with oil, he says : " Fu una bellissima invenzione ed una gran commodita all' arte della pittura, il trovare il colorito a olio ; di che fu primo inventore in Fiandria Giovanni da Bruggia ; il quale mando la tavola a Napoli al Re Alfonso, ed al Duca d'Urbino Federigo II. la stufa sua ; a fece un' san Gieronimo che Lorenzo de' Medici aveva et molte altre cose lodate." The second mention, in the Life of Antonello of Messina, is the well-known passage in which he gives his account of the invention of oil painting. 1560. VAERNEWYCK, Marcus van. " Vlaemsche audvremdigheyt." Ghendt ; strophe 92— " Veel constige werken zijn binnen die Ghentsche baermen als den yzeren zolder, wel weerdt te beziene en die tafel t' Sente lans, noch al meer dan tiene." Here there is no mention of the painter. 1562. VAERNEWYCK, Marcus van. " Nieu Tractaet ende curte bescry- vinghe van dat edel graefscap van Vlaenderen." Ghendt ; strophe 102 :— "In Sente lans keercke es een autaer tafel te ziene so constich van ingiene, pictoriale practijcke so dat in gheheel Europen, om de waerheyt te bediene nauwelic en es te vinden eene dierghelijcke : meester Ian van Eyck hiet den meester publijcke van Maeseyc een stedeken in ruudt Kempen lant, in eenen ruden tyt, ons God desen grooten constenaer sant." And further on, writing about Bruges ; strophe 121: — " Constighe schilderye en heeft Brugge ooc nooyt ontdiert zij esser wel af verciert in kercken ende husen, meester Huge, meester Rogier die wonder hebben verziert, met den duytschen Hans om te schilderen abusen en boven al loannes van Eycx were (vrij gheen refusen)." In this work he makes no mention of Hubert, but attributes all to John. Apparently he derived his information from Vasari's " Vite." BIBLIOGRAPHY Ixxvii 1565. DE HEERE, Lucas, the painter, published this year a volume of poems entitled, " Den Hof en Boomgaerd der Poesien," the only known copy of which is preserved in the Library of the University of Ghent. It contains (pp. 35-38) an enthusiastic ode in praise of the Adoration of the Lamb, composed on the occasion of the holding of the twenty-third Chapter of the Order of the Golden Fleece in Saint John's church, July 23-25, 1559. It contains the first mention of Hubert, and of his having had a sister. " Lof en prijs des wercs (dwelc S. lans in de capelle es) van schilderien, ghemaect by die M. Ian hiet van Maesheyc gheboren den Vlaemschen Apelles : nerstigh leest, verstaet ende op d'werck dan ziet. ODE. i. " Comt hier ghi const beminders van alle gheslachten en besiet desen costelicken schat oft pant waerbi ghi Croesus rijcdommen niet en zult achten : want tis eenen hemelschen schat in Vlaender lant. 2. " Comt (zegh1 ic) maer met andacht en verstant, en lett vry op alle zaecken, zo merct ghi mids desen dattet is een zee van gratien abundant daer elc om te schoonst voortdoet, en wilt sijn gepresen. 3- " Bemerct des Vaders Godd'lic, en loannes wesen, met Maria tooghende een lieflic ghelaet : tschijnt dat men heuren mont siet devotelic lesen, en hoe wel is ghemaect die croone en al tcieraet ? xxviii HUBERT AND JOHN VAN EYCK 4- "Hoe verschrickelic en levendigh Adam staet ? Wie zagh oynt vleesschelicker verwe van lichame ? Tschijnt dat hi weighert, en ontseght Evams raet, die hem presenteert een fighe, haer anghename. 5- " Maer deur d'hemelsce Nymphen en Ingels bequame zinghende discant, elcx gheeft te recht veriolijst : wiens diversche voysen men kent naer den betame want elc mondeken, en ooghsken dat claer uutwijst. 6. " Maer te vergheefs men iet hit besondere prijst, daert al zijn om te constighste en schoonste iuweelen het schijnt datter al leeft, roert, gaet ofe uutrijst : tsijn spieghels, en gheen gheschilderde tafereelen. 7. " Ziet hoe deghelic, en eerbaer zijn daer die deelen van d'auders en den gheestlicken staet die daer lijt, hier siedy (Schilders) bisonder in dees parceelen exemple van goet laken emmers naer dien tijt. 8. " Wie en soude in die maeghdekens niet sijn verblijt daer de onze wel mochten zebaerheit an leeren : en anmerckt hoe triumphant in de deuren rijt, de bende der Coninghen, Princen, Graven en heeren. 9- " Ten rechten siet men onder de zulcke verkeeren, den princelicken Schilder die dit werck voldee, met den rooden Paternoster op zwarte cleeren sijn breeder Hubert rijdt by hem in d'hooghste stee. BIBLIOGRAPHY Ixxix " Welcken Hubert dit waerck begonste naer sijn zee maer deur de doot (diet al doodt) moest hijt staken, hi leit hier begraven, ende zijn zuster mee, die ooc in schilderyen dede groote zaken. 1 1. " Maer op dat wy t'onser materie gheraken, wilt dees excellentie in dit werck gade slaen, dat hy d'aensighten al onghelijc conste maken, hoe wel datter nochtans drye hondert sijn ghedaen. 12. "Ten anderen moet net selfde veel lofs ontfaen, van weghe sine schoone blivende coleuren : die in hondert vijftigh iaren niet en scijn vergaen : twelcke men nu ter tijt niet veel en siet ghebeuren. " Summa tis vul perfectien achter en veuren : tooghende wel dat den werckman en meester goet, verciert was met veel gratien (zonder erreuren) de welcke een constigh schilder altijt hebben moet. 14. " Sijn scherpicheit maect ons zijn patientie vroet, en zijn memorie groot blijckt in tselfde claerlic alzoo oock zinen grooten gheest boven al doet, in d'inventie, ende ordinancien openbaerlic. " Van desen moet men hem te meer lofs gheven waerlic om dat hi in zulcke tiden alsoo heeft ghefloreert doen hi zulck' excellente wsercken eenpaerlic als hi selve dede en had' gh' experimenteert. 1 In the margin of this strophe is the note: "Hubert sterf anno 14... " a proof that De Heere was, in 1565, unacquainted with the epitaph. Ixxx HUBERT AND JOHN VAN EYCK I6.1 " Een Schilder uut Italien selfs confesseert, clat Heycus daer d'Olverwe broght en heeft vonden en van dry sine waercken hi mentioneert die te Napels, Florencen en tUrbino stonden. " Wat conste vantmen oynt (de waerheit t'orconden) soo perfect int eerste als dese const' excellent ? van welcke belyden alle verstandighe monden, dat men heuren Meester noynt en heeft ghekent : 1 8. " Was hy dan niet ten rechten tot sijns levens bent van Hertoghe Philips zijn meester vul trauwen hooghelic verheven ? en als een ornament van ons landen, ia van gheel Vlaenderen ghehauwen ? 19. " Sijn wercken waren ghesocht uut alle landauwen, daerom en vindt men boven dees tafel niet, dan dat men te Brugghe magh noch een anschauwen, ende t' Ypre ooc een onvulmaecte zo men siet. 20. " Dese blomme zeer vrough van de weerelt schiet, die uut dat onnoosel Maesheyc is becleven Brugghe bewaert hem, daer hi syn leven liet, maer sijn name zal in der eewigheit leven. 21. " Dit waerck heeft ons Coningh soo hooghe verheven (zo alle goede consten staen in zinen sin) dat hi (om dat te contrefaiten) heeft ghegheven, wel vier duysent guldenen oft lutter min. 1 In the margin of this strophe : " Georgius Vasarius." BIBLIOGRAPHY Ixxxi 22. " Michiel Coxsye, hadde voor dit waerck zulc gewin twee iaren daer met besigh zijnde in dees capelle. Hy bewaerde sijn eere van int beghin totten hende toe, als een oprecht werck-gheselle. 23- " Dees copie is in Spaignen (op dat ict vertelle) te Vendedoly, t'eender memorie bloot, van ons Coninghs liefde, die ic voor ander stelle : ende tot Heycus, en Coxyens glorie groot." This poem was affixed to the wall of the chapel, and was v doubtless read by those who went to see the altar-piece. Here, no doubt, is the source of the apocryphal legend of the Van Eycks. The discovery of the inscription on the exterior of the frame had revealed the fact that the altar-piece had not been entirely painted by the master (Hubert) buried beneath the chapel, as had been believed up to that time, but that it had been commenced by him and completed by John. De Heere, fancying that the early painters must have intro- duced their own portraits into the picture, as was the general habit of painters in his day, fixed on two of the Just Judges as being the portraits of Hubert and John (strophe 9) ; I shall demonstrate the absurdity of the selection in the chapter devoted to the altar- piece. De Heere is also responsible for the statement that Hubert had a sister (nameless), who lived with him, painted great works, and was buried by his side. 1565, April 27. LOMBARD, Lambert, of Liege. In a letter bearing this date, written to Vasari, preserved in the Gallery of the Offices at Florence, and printed by Gaye (" Carteggio," in, 176, Firenze, 1540), there is the following mention of John : " Mi ricordo haver visto in Italia le cose fatte al tempo di 1400, molto dispiacevoli al occhio per non esser ne secche, ne tampoco grasse, ne di bella maniera, et parmi lopere delli maestri che furono tra il Giotto et Donatello riescono goffe, et cosi ghene in paesi nostri et per tutta F Ixxxii HUBERT AND JOHN VAN EYCK la Germania da quel tempo fisi'a Maestro Rogiero et Joan di Bruggia ch'aperse li occhi alii coloritori, i quali imitando la maniera sua et non penzando piu inanzi, hanno lasciate le nostre chiese plene di cose che non simigliano alle bone et naturali, ma solamente vestite di belli colori." 1567. GUICCIARDINI, Ludovico, a native of Florence, born in 1521, who settled in Antwerp in 1550, undertook a description of the Low Countries, and set about collecting information from every available source in order to produce a standard work. The manu- script, completed in 1561, was printed and published at Antwerp in 1567. In the chapter on Antwerp, writing of the Gild of Saint Luke, he mentions a number of painters : " I principal} e piu nominati cli quelli . . . sono stati Giovanni d'Eick, quello il quale (come narra Giorgio Vasari Aretino nella sua bellissima opera de Pittori eccellenti) fu inventore all' anno MCCCCX del colorito a olio, cosa importantissima et degnissima in quell' arte, perche conserva il colore quasi perpetuamente, ne mai piu che s'habbia notitia, stata ritrovata alia memoria degli huomini. Mando costui delle sue opere in Italia a'l grande Alfonso Re di Napoli, al Duca d'Urbino, ed al altri Principi, che furono molto stimate, onde il gran Lorenzo de Medici ne raccolse poi anche egli la parte sua. Truovasi in queste bande fra le altre sue opere in Guanto nella chiesa di S. Bavone 1'eccellentissima tavola del Trionfo dell' Agnus Dei, benche alcuni inpropriamente la nominino d'Adam et Eva : opera nel vero maravigliosa et ammiranda in tanto che il Re Filippo desiderandola, et non osando di la torla, la fece ultima- mente ritrarre per mandare in Hispagna, dall' eccellente maestro Michele Cockisien, il quale statovi sopra circa due anni, havendo servito per excellenza hebbe del Re, oltre ad altre habilita fatteli, del vitto et- da colori, per parere et sententia di quattro maestri dell' arte, due milla ducati per la fattione, benche non si conten- tando, pare che il Re allargasse ancor' la mano. Et medesima- mente in Bruggia nella chiesa di S. Donatiano, e una bellissima Pittura di quel maestro con 1'imagine di nostra Donna, et altri Santi. Ancora a Ipri n'e un altra bella et memorabile. Dimorava il detto Giovanni il piu del tempo nella trionfante citta di Bruggia, ove finalmente si mori in grande honore. A pari a pari di BIBLIOGRAPHY Ixxxiii Giovanni andava Huberto suo fratello, il qualeviveva et dipingeva continuamente sopra le medesime opere, insieme con esso fratello." Guicciardini, it will be remarked, quotes his fellow-countryman v Vasari as his authority for all the first portion of his statement, adding thereto the information, derived directly or indirectly from Luke De Heere, here for the first time printed, that John and Hubert lived together, and that they collaborated in painting the Ghent, Bruges, and Ypres altar-pieces ; we now know positively that they did not dwell together after 1422 ; and that the Bruges and Ypres altar-pieces were not even ordered until many years after Hubert's death. Guicciardini is the first author who names the year 1410 as the date of the invention of oil-painting by John. 1568. VASARI during this year published the second edition of his " Vite." Since the issue of the first he had received a few notes from Lambert Lombard, Dominic Lampson of Bruges, and Guicciardini ; from them he learnt the name of the eldest brother, and that the invention of painting with oil colours was made in 1410. The altered passage, which reads like a paraphrase of Guicciardini, runs thus : " Lasciando adunque da parte Martino d'Olanda, Giovanni Eick da Bruggia, ed Huberto, suo fratello, che nel 1510 (evidently a misprint for 1410) mise in luce 1'in- venzione et modo di colorire a olio, come altrove s'e detto, e lascio molte opere di sua mano in Guanta, in Ipri ed in Bruggia, dove visse e mori onoratamente." Vasari evidently knew nothing of the Eyckian process, and to conceal his ignorance made out a plausible story as to how it came to be invented. It must be borne in mind that he was a gossip who sought to amuse rather than to instruct his readers. 1568. VAERNEWYCK, Marcus van. "Den Spieghel der Nederland- scher Audtheyt." Ghendt. In this work the . author devotes several pages to the Van Eycks, and makes a large number of statements which evidently did not rest on the foundation of any old tradition. He travelled a good deal, and no doubt saw some of the paintings at Bruges and Ypres, and noted all the gossiping stories he heard from Luke De Heere and others. He gives the epitaphs of both John and Hubert, the latter copied by himself, letter by letter, from the brass tablet, and mentions the preservation Ixxxiv HUBERT AND JOHN VAN EYCK of Hubert's arm-bone, which he had himself seen. He says that Hubert's sister's name was Margaret, that she remained a spinster, devoted herself to painting, lived with Hubert, and was buried by his side. He gives the number of figures in the Ghent altar-piece as 350, fifty more than De Heere. He tells us that John was the younger brother but the chief master, that it was he who painted his own and his brother's portraits, and that he died young. The altar-piece is stated by him to have had a predella on which there was a representation of Hell painted in tempera by John, which was effaced by a painter who washed it. He also adds that John, on account of his science, was made a privy councillor by Duke Philip. Cap. xlvij : " Van die wonderlicke gheschilderde Altaer Tafel te Ghendt, welcx gheliicke nauwelick in de weerelt en is, wie de Meesters waren ende ander dijnck. "In die stede van Ghendt, zijn oock zommighe Wonderen ende Singulariteyten, als alvoren ende boven al, die wonderlicke constighe gheschilderde Tafele in S. lans Kercke, welcx gelijcke men in gheheel Europen niet en vint : oorzaecke d'werc is so constich, dattet Appelles were niet te wijcken en heeft. . .. Maer desen Meester die de uutnemende Tafel, S. lans te Ghendt ghemaeckt heeft, en is gheensins minder te achten, uut causen (so voorseyt is) dat het were dies vulle ghetuyghenisse gheeft : want die alderbeste Schilders van onzen tyde, zien dat were met groot verwonderen aen. Albertus Durerus van Norenberch, . .. Meester Jan van Mabeuse, Meester Hughe, ende veel meer andere, hebben elck bysonder eenen grooten lof daer af ghegheven, ooc Meester Lanchelot van Brugghe ende Meester Jan Schoore Canonic van Utrecht, ooc trefflicke Schilders, sijn te Ghendt ghecommen, ende begon den dees tafel te wasschen, anno xv hondert vijftich, den vijfthiensten Septembris, met zulcker liefden, dat zy dat constich werck in veel plaetsen ghecust hebben, waeromme hemlieden die Heeren van S. Baefs voor een gratuiteyt elc een gheschinck ghedaen hebben, als Meester Jan Schoore eenen zilveren cop daer ic te Utrecht tsynen huyse uut ghe- droncken hebbe : niemant (verstandt van der conste hebbende) ende die dit stick ghesien hebben, oft zy en belyden (met die BIBLIOGRAPHY Ixxxv Coninghinne Saba) dat die waerheyt van dien meerder is dan die fame. Meester Michiel de Cocxien anno xv hondert lix uut bevele, ende by laste van onzen edelen Coninck Philippus die xxxvj Grave van Vlaendren, heeftse zeer levende ghecontre- faict : want hy ooc een uutnemende Schilder is, residerende te Bruessel in Brabant : maer heefter moeten te Ghent zijn domicilie om houden, alle den tijt dat hy besich was met contrefaicten, dwelck onsprekelick goet ghecost heeft, ende wiert naer Hispanien ghevoert. Men zecht dat Toetsianus van Venegien ooc een abel rijcke Schilder, der Azuer zant, om daerinne te verbesighen, ooc by laste van den Coninck, waer voren dat zoude betaelt zijn xxxij Ducaten alleene om den Mantel van onze lieve Vrouwe te coloreren. . . . Vrau Marie die moeye van onzen edelen Conine Philips, . . . heeft eens een cleen tafereelkin van den zelven Meester ghedaen (welcx name was loannes van Eyck, waerin dat gheschildert was, een trauwinghe van eenen man ende vrauwe, die van Fides ghetrauwt worden, eenen Barbier diet toebehoorde) betaelt met een officie, die hondert guldenen tsiaers in brachte. " Georgius Vasarius . . . schryvende van die excellente Schilders van Italien, zecht : dat desen loannes van Eyck, heeft ghelevert tafelen, eene te Naples, eene te Florencen, ende eene te Urbino van olye verwen, waerdoor die Italiensche Schilders ontsteken waren tot liefde, van zulck een maniere van wercken, ghevende Meester loanni van Eyck van die eerste inventie van Lyzaet olie in schilderyen te ghebruycken den prijs . . . ende schrijft dat loannes van Eyck tvoornoemde vandt door zijn groote industrie ende gheleertheyt ende dat hy die olye wist te purgieren om die coleuren onsterffelick te onderhouden : maer hy schrijft errerende dat hy van Brugghe in Vlaendren gheboren was, alwaer hy begraven licht in S. Donaes kercke, welcx Epitaphie aen een colomne staende luyt aldus : Hie iacet eximia, &c.1 " Maer hy was van nativiteyt uut dat ruyde Kempenlant, van een verworpen stedekin gheleghen by der Riviere van der Mase, . . . dit stedekin is ghenoemt naer die zelve Riviere Maseyck, waernaer hy ende zijn breeder toeghenoemt waren van Eyck: 1 See in Biography of John, p. 22. Ixxxvi HUBERT AND JOHN VAN EYCK want zynen oudsten breeder was ghenoemt Hubertus van Eyck, ende was oock een uutnemende constich Schilder, die de tafel in S. lans kercke eerst begonnen hadde, zijn sepulture is te Ghendt in de zelve kercke, ende is boven een witte steenen doode, in eenen Zaercsteen, die een metalen Tafeletkin voor haer houdt, daer dit (na die oude Vlemsche carmina) in ghegraveert staet, zo ic van letter tot letter gheortographieert hebbe. Spieghelt u enz.1 " Die aerm pype, daer zijn constighe handt aen ghestaen heeft, heeft langhe ghehanghen in een yser besloten, op tkerchof (soo ick ooc ghesien hebbe) midts dat die kercke nieuwe ghemaeckt wiert, ende zijn graf met meer ander opghedolven. Zi hadden een zuster Margareta ghenoemt, die haren maechdom totter doot toe bewaerde, die men oock grooten prijs toeschrijft, in die edel conste pictoria oft Schilderye ; maer zeker dits wel te noteren ende voor een groot wonderstic te achte dat dese groote hemelsche lichten, ende geesten ghefloreert hebben in zoo blent eenen tijdt, te weten bycans over hondert, ende vijftich iaren, als men van zulcker conste niet en wiste, zoot wel blijckt aen die oude gheschil- derde tafelen, ende glaesvensteren, die een groote plompicheyt vertooghen, oock quamen zy (so voorseyt is) uut een zeer ruyt landt, daer zy ooc gheen exempel oft voorbeelt van haerder conste in dese landen gheinventeert hadden, ende niet alleene ghevonden ; maer oock ten hoochsten ghebracht. " De drie proprieteiten die een excellent schilder in hem moet hebben, sijn volcommelic in hemlieden ghevonden : te wetene, gheest, verstant, ende patientie. Den gheest hebben zy ghebruyckt naer tleven, dwelck den alderbesten patroon is. Tverstant in veel manieren, als in die vremde boomen, die hier te lande niet en groeyen, ende in tcorael dat uut de rootsen schijnt wassende Item in de vighe die Eva in de hant heeft : want Augustinus ghelooft bet dattet een vighe was, die Adam nuttende was dan eenen appel, oorzake, den literalen text zecht van een vrucht, niet discernerende wat vrucht : maer deckten haer met vigheboom bladers terstont na den val, niet met appelboom bladeren, voort in alle die constighe aensichten, die schynen zom te mediteren, som 1 See in Biography of Hubert, p. 6. BIBLIOGRAPHY Ixxxvii te spreken, som to lesen, ende som te zinghen, ende niet twee onder meer dan dry hondert en dertich gheheele aensichten, die elck anderen ghelijck sijn, ick late staen alle die ander gheestighe, ende verstandighe wercken in dees tafel bevonden, die als een Zee tallen canten overvloeyen, waerinne ooc een overgroote patientie gebesicht is, in alle die netticheyt ende den tijdt die daerinne gheoccupeert is, so dat men die grassekins met duysentich duyst tellen, ende die cruydekins onderkennen zoude moghen, ende ooc mede die bladeren ende vruchten der boomen. " Item die coleuren der zelver tafele, sijn noch zoo wonderlick schijnbaer, dat zy alle nieuwe gheschilderde tafelen beschamen. . .. Hoedanighe historien daerinne gheschildert staen, mach elc commen zien diet belieft. . . . loannes den ioncsten broeder, ende principael meester, is in de zelve tafel gecontrefaict rydende te peerde, met eenen rooden Pater noster, op zwarte cleederen, ende Hubertus om zijn ouderdom, zitt op een peert neffens hem, ter rechter hant : loannes is ionc overleden, hadde hy noch moghen leven hy hadde lichtelick alle Schilders cler weerelt te boven ghegaen. . .. " Item een helle heeft den voet van deser tafel gheweest, door den zelven meester loannes van Eyck van waterverwe gheschil- dert, de welcke zommighe slechte Schilders (zoo men zecht) haer hebben bestaen te wasschen, oft zuyveren, ende hebben dat miraculeus constich were, met hun calvers handen uut gevaecht de welcke met de voornoomde tafel, meer weert was dan tgout dat men daerop ghesmeedt zoude connen legghen. loannes heeft om zijn over groote conste, zeer lief ghetal geweest bi Philips van Charlois, zone van Hertoge Ian van Digion, die xxxj Grave van Vlaendren, ende men wilt dat hi hem om sijn wijsheyt ende natuerlic hemels verstant, tot eenen eymelicken raet van zijnder Maiesteyt gemaect heeft, sijn stadelic bysijn ende gheselschap zeer begheerende." 1569. VAERNEWYCK, Marcus van. "Van die Beroerlicke Tijden in die Nederlanden, 1566-1568." ' In this his last work, Vaernewyck, 1 The original manuscript, preserved in the University Library at Ghent, was edited by M. F. VAN DER HAEGHEN, in 1872. A French translation by H. VAN DUYSE was published at Ghent, 1905-6. Ixxxviii HUBERT AND JOHN VAN EYCK who died November 20, 1 569, gives an account of all that happened in Flanders down to the middle of November, 1568. He tells us that in August, 1566, the Calvinists sacked the church of Saint Martin at Ypres, but that he did not know whether the painting by John van Eyck, an artistic work surpassing all other works, had been injured. In his account of the wrecking of the cathedral A of Ghent, he informs us that on August 19, 1566, two days before the irruption of the iconoclasts, the altar-piece was wisely taken down from the chapel and removed for safety into the tower. In this account occurs for the first time a description — not, however, quite exact — of the exterior of its shutters. We are told that at the foot were represented, kneeling before their name-saints, the persons who had the picture painted, a man and a woman, opposite each other, ugly figures dressed in the old fashion, who, neverthe- less must have been very fine and intelligent, for they had not spared their money when they entrusted the work to such a master whose equal would not be found in a thousand years. He adds that Hubert and Margaret were both great painters, but inferior to John, and refers the reader for a fuller account of them to the twentieth chapter of his leecken philosophic, a work which is unfortunately lost. " 1566, Ougst. Esser 'tghemeen volck mede in ghevallen en hebben Sente Martins keercke gheheel gheruumt, oft hier in dees ravesie dat tafereel schade gheleden heeft, dat meester lohannes van Heyck gheschildert, maer niet vuldaen en heeft, de figueren van der maechdelicheyt van Onser Lieve Vrauwe wesende, een Marie beelde ende eenen abt daer voren biddende int midden, dat en weet ic niet, welc constich weerck alle schilderien te boven ghaet. " Maer emmer was boven maten wel ghedaen dat gheweert was, uut desen periculuesen brant die uutnemende ende zonder ghelijcke tafele, die men heet van Adam ende Eva, om dat van binnen in de bovenste dueren onse eerste auders gheschildert staen, ende an de zelve dueren over d'een zjide inghelen die schijnen te zijnghen an eenen lesseneere, ende an d'ander zijde ooc inghelen die up een hurghel spelen, ende int midden den Vader, den Zone ende den Helighen Gheest, met Maria die BIBLIOGRAPHY Ixxxix moeder ons Heeren die zij coroneren, welcx peerlen van der croone, schijnen licht uut te gheven, zoo ooc de boorden ende boorduersel doet, dat an dees personaigen es. Maer van Adam ende Eva waer wonder te zegghen, niemant en zoude wel zonder twijffelen connen jugieren, tzelve anziende, of den eenen voet van Adam uuten platten tafereele steect of niet, ende zijnen rechter aerme ende handt, die hij up zijn burst lecht, schijnt van zijnen lijve duerluchtich zijnde. Dlichaem es oock zoo vleeschachtich dat schijnt vleesch te wesen. Niet alleene de aderen en zijn daer inne gheconterfeet zeer levende, maer ooc die cleene aerkins die een meinsche uuten lichame groijen. Ende Eva heeft die figuere van een versche vijghe in haer handt, hier duer betoo- ghende den weercman zijn groot verstant ; want die helighe scrift en zecht niet, dat zij eenen appel hetende waren, maer een vrucht, ende anghezien dat zij curts daer naer haer met vijgheblaren deckende waren, zoo vermoeclen Augustinus ende meer andere, dattet een vijghe was. Die benedenste tafel es dusdanich : zij heeft int midden tlammekin Godts staende up een coufferkin, up een fonteyne waer af dwater schijnt te vloeijen, ende zoo daer dat men die cleene steenkins in den gront ziet. Die crude- kins int pleijn ende die ghersekins ende bloumkins van diversche colueren zoude men moghen tollen ; ooc van die boomen schenen al die vruchten ende bladeren telbaer te wesen. Daer commen die maechdekins ende veel andere helighen van alle zijden, elck in zijn oordene, dit lammekin anbeden, zoo uutnemende constich dat niet om zegghen en es. Daer staet achter tghebeerchte ende die bosschaigen een eerlicke stadt, tes altemale een hemelsch dijnck om te ziene. "Zijn breeder Hubertus was ooc hier inne een wonderlic gheest ende Marghareta zijn zustere, maer beede verre beneden desen Johannes. Hier af zult ghij breeder bescheet vinden in mijn leecken philosophic int xxe bouck. In de bovenste duere, buten dees tafele, zijn ander schilderien : onder andere ziet men, duer zeker veinsteren, in een strate van een stadt, niet alleene den dack ghewacht, maer die claerheyt der zonne boven up den dach. Die schilders weten wel wat ic zegghe. Dese uutnemende wonder- licke hemelsche tafele, waer bij dat andere constighe schilderien maer en schijnen bastaert ende leelic van coluere te zijne was wijselic afghedaen ende upghewonden met sticken up den turre, up den xixen Augustij, twee daghen te voren eer dees breekijnghe ghebuerde, d'welck duer Godts beschicken es gheschiet." 1569. OPMEER, Pieter, who died on the loth of November, 1595, com- pleted in 1569 a chronicle, which was printed for the first time, and published at Antwerp, in 161 1, with the title : " Opus Chrono- graphicum Orbis Universi." The following are the passages which relate to the Van Eycks (p. 167) : " Promeruit et non vulgarem laudem loannes Eickius, docens colores oleo seminis lini contritos quam diutissima ferre aetatem, in multaque durare saecula : picturam quoque barbaric extinctam resuscitando. Opus eius erat tabula ilia Agnus Dei dicta, in D. loannis Gandavi : quam Philippus Austriacus II., Hispaniarum rex locarat 2000 ducatis imitatione exprimendam Michaeli Cochsieno." Further on, under the year 1410 (p. 406), he remarks : " Hac tempestate floruerunt BIBLIOGRAPHY xci Gandavi loannes Eickius cum Huberto fratre suo maiore natu, summi pictores. Quorum ingeniis primum excogitatum fuit colores terere oleo seminis lini. Nee modo tabulas pinxerunt suis Belgis : sed complures ipsorum tabulae ad Alphonsum Neapolim et Laurentium Medicem Florentiam transmissae in magno apud eos precio fuerunt. Porro loannes Eickius iuvenis Brugis obiit : et Hubertus grandaevus Gandae : orti Masaico Taxandriae oppido ad flumen Mosam. Hie in D. loannis, sepulcro Flandricis carminibus annum obitus 1426 decimo quarto Kalendas Octobris indicantibus ornato, fuit conditus ; ille in S. Donatiani, ubi eius Epitaphium, elegiaco carmine Latino columnae appensum legitur." He prints John's epitaph, and reproduces the apocryphal portraits of the two brothers. The qualifications grandaevus and iuvenis are a development from that oifratcllo employed by Guicciardini. 1572. LAMPSON, Dominic. " Pictorum aliquot celebrium Germanicae inferioris Effigies etc. una cum doctiss. Dom. Lampsonii huius artis peritissimi elogiis." Antwerpiae, apud Viduam Hieronymi Cock. 1596. MARCHAND, Jacques, in his " Flandria Commentariorum lib. 1 1 1 1 descripta," published at Antwerp, makes the following astounding- statement, p. 132 : "Neque forsitan hinc exclucli velint ubi lubenter habitarunt ac pinxere Michael Angelus, et Bonarotus Florentini celeberrimi : neque loannes Vaneickius, summi nominis : qui primus oleo ex lini seminibus extuso, cepit picturae colores Brugae miscere, ac perpetuare, Brugae sepultus." 1604. MANDER, Carel van. " Het Leven der doorluchtighe Neder- landtsche en Hooghduytsche Schilders." Alckmaer, 1604. (2nd edition, Amsterdam, 1618.) The author was born at Meulebeke in West Flanders, in 1548. He probably did not commence collecting materials for this work until after he had settled at Harlem in 1583. He was at Bruges in 1574 before going to Italy, and again after his return in 1582, yet on neither occasion does he seem to have looked at a single early picture— his own paintings show that he did not appreciate them — or to have made the acquaintance of any of the painters then living there, such as Pourbus and the Claeissens. His statements as to the Van Eycks are derived from the works of xcii HUBERT AND JOHN VAN EYCK van Vaernewyck and Vasari ; from the latter he took several paragraphs, translated and amplified them, adding what he re- membered having heard from his master the poet-painter Luke De Heere, who, banished from the Low Countries in 1566, fled to London, where he remained ten years, then, after a short visit to Ghent, retired to Paris, where he died, August 29, 1584. So far, then, as the Van Eycks are concerned, no reliance whatever can be placed on this work. Traduction, notes et commentaires par Henri HYMANS, i, 25-48. Paris, 1884. Uebersetzung und Anmerkungen von Hanns FLOERKE, i, 22-48, and 402-408. Leipzig, 1906. 1608. LE MIRE, Aubert. " Rerum toto orbe gestarum Chronicon." Antwerpiae, 1608. Under the year 1410, he records: " loannes Eickius et frater eius Hubertus, pictores eximii — Brugis Flandro- rum emporio tune celeberrimo florent. Sunt qui volunt eos natos et sic nuncupates a Maseica, vulgo Maes-Eyck, ditionis Leo- diensis opido ad Mosam flumen sito. Horum alter loannes, oleo ex lini seminibus extuso picturae colores primus miscuit, atque aeternos, ut sic dicam, adversus aevi iniuriam reddidit. Divinum hoc inventum plerique ad annum Christi 1410 referunt : sed ante annum Christi 1400 id Belgicis cum pictoribus Eyckium com- municasse, convincunt vetustiores tabellae coloribus oleo mixtae depictae : atque in his una quae in templo Franciscanorum Lovanii spectatur : cuius quidem auctor sive pictor motatur obiisse anno 1400. Ceterum Antonellus Messanensis, Siculus, cum Brugis aliquamdiu versatus fuisset, colorum oleo temperatorum usum primus in Italiam attulit eumque Dominico Veneto, et aliis pic- toribus Italis commonstravit : ut Georgius Vasarius in suo opere fatetur. Tanta porro loannis Eickii apud exteros fama ut pictas ab eo tabellas Alfonsus Rex Neapolitanus, Fredericus II. Urbi- natium Dux, Laurentius Medicaeus, aliique Italiae Principes vehementer expeterent, atque Belgio advectas ingenti sibi pretio compararent. Visitur hodie Gandavi in S. loannis basilica cathedrali nominatissima Eickiorum tabula, septem misericordiae opera continens, una cum Adami et Evae imaginibus, in alis tabulae. Huius exemplar a Michaele Coxia efformandum curavit BIBLIOGRAPHY xciii Philippus II., Hispaniarum Rex ; quod in Hispaniam transvectum, hodie in Scuriaco, Hieronymianorum coenobio, D. Laurentio martyri sacro, spectatur. Putatur autem tabula ista Gandensis ab Huberto Eickio primum incohata, sed illo ex vivis sublato a loanne fratre perfecta. Hubertus obiit Gandavi anno 1426, ibidem in cathedral! aede sepultus. loannes vero obiit Brugis, ibidem in cathedrali S. Donatiani sacra conditus. Annum obitus eius nondum equidem comperi. The statement as to the date of the painting formerly in the Franciscan Friars' church at Louvain is an erroneous deduction from the words of Molanus (see RUELENS, "Annotations/ clxx.). The story about Antonello is now proved to be untrue. 1624. SUEYRO, Emanuel. " Annales de Flandes." Anvers. Under the year 1410 he gives an account of the Van Eycks and of the Ghent altar-piece, evidently translated from Le Mire. He however, adds that Coxcie's copy was in the Royal Chapel at Madrid. 1624. SANDERUS, Antonius. " De Brugensibus eruditionis fama claris libri duo," 38. Antverpiae. 1625. SANDERUS, A. " De Gandavensibus eruditionis fama claris lib. i," 50. Antwerpiae. 1627. DE VRIENDT, Max. " Epigrammata," 115. Brugis. 1631. GOELNITZ, Abraham. "Ulysses Belgico-Gallicus." Lugduni Batavorum, 1641, p. 15, repeats the passage in the " Flandria " of Marchant. 1640. MANDELSLO, J. Albrecht von. " Voyages . . . publiez apres la mort de 1'illustre voyageur par ... A. Olearius." Traduit de 1'original par A. de Wicquefort, 765 and 784. Amsterdam, 1727. 1 66 1. DE BIE, Cornelius. " Het gulden Cabinet van de edele vry Schilder Const," 32. Lyer. 1668. BOUSSINGAULT. La Guide universelle de tous les Pai's Bas. Paris. 2nd edition, 1677. 1682. BULLART, Isaac. " Academie des Sciences et des Arts," 377-380. Bruxelles. 1739. FOPPENS, loannes F. " Bibliotheca Belgica," 635. Bruxellis. 1795. LEDOULX, Pieter. " Levens der Konst-schilders, . . . de welke van der stadt van Brugge gebooren syn, ofte aldaer hunnen xciv HUBERT AND JOHN VAN EYCK konsten geoeffent hebben." Original Manuscript. Bruges : Town Archives. Pages 1-8 are devoted to the Van Eycks ; his account of them is based on Van Mander. 2. BIOGRAPHY AND ART OF THE VAN EYCKS. 1753. DESCAMPS, Jean Baptiste. La Vie des Peintres Flamands, i, 1-7. Paris. 1763. MENSAERT, G. P. Le Peintre amateur. Bruxelles. 1769. DESCAMPS, J. B. Voyage pittoresque de la Flandre et du Brabant avec des reflexions relatives aux arts. Paris. 1816. EYNDEN, Roeland van, and VAN DER WILLIGEN, Adriaan Geschiedenis der Vaderlandsche Schilderkunst, 340-364. Haarlem. 1817. FIORILLO, Johann D. Geschichte der zeichnenden Kiinste in Deutschland und den Vereinigten Niederlanden, n, 283-293. Hannover. 1817. CORNELISSEN, Norbert. Notice sur la grande et celebre pro- duction de Jean et d'Hubert van Eyck. In Annales Belgiques des Sciences, i, 141-163. Gand. 1818. GAULT DE SAINT GERMAIN, Pierre M. Guide des Amateurs de Tableaux, i, 4-5. Paris. 1818. KEVERBERG VAN KESSEL, Charles L. G. J. van. Ursula, prin- cesse Britannique, loi-iioand 181-183. Gand. 1822. SCHOPENHAUER, Johanna H. Johann van Eyck und seine Nachfolger, i, 18-98. Frankfurt-am-Main. 1822. JAMES, John T. The Flemish, Dutch, and German Schools of Painting, 83-92. London. 1822. WAAGEN, Gustav F. Ueber Hubert und Johann van Eyck. vin and 271 pp. Breslau. 1823. DE BAST, Lievin A. M. Sur le merite d'Hubert van Eyck comme peintre. In Messager de* Science*, i, 89, 155,257. Gand. De Bast has the merit of being the first Belgian who endeavoured to interest his fellow-countrymen in the early painters and their works. 1824. CAMBERLYN, J. B. G. Eyckii immortal! genio. 29 pp. Gandavi. 1824. BOISSEREE, Sulpice. Lettre au Secretaire de la Societ£ royale des Beaux Arts a Gand. 51 pp. Gand. BIBLIOGRAPHY xcv 1824. WAAGEN, G. F. Ueber das von dem Briidern Hubert und Johann van Eyck zu Gent ausgefuhrte Altargemalde. In Kunstblatt, 23-27. Tubingen. 1825. DE BAST, L. A. M. Notice sur le chef d'ceuvre des freres Van Eyck, traduite de 1'Allemand, augmentee de notes inedites sur la vie et sur les ouvrages de ces cdlebres peintres. 90 pp., 4 plates, and i cut. Gand. 