thinks that Vandyck felt the hopelessness
of surpassing his master in historical painting, and therefore resolved
to devote himself to portrait. One authority states that the above
mentioned incident only increased Rubens' esteem for his pupil, in
perfect accordance with the distinguished character for generosity and
liberality, which that great master so often evinced, and which forms
very strong presumptive evidence against so base an accusation. Besides,
his advice to Vandyck to visit Italy--where his own powers had been, as
his pupil's would be, greatly strengthened--may be considered as
sufficient to refute it entirely. They appear to have parted on the best
terms; Vandyck presented Rubens with an Ecce Homo, Christ in the Garden,
and a portrait of Helen Forman, Rubens' second wife; he was presented in
return, by Rubens, with one of his finest horses.

VANDYCK'S VISIT TO ITALY.

At the age of twenty, Vandyck set out for Italy, but delayed some time
at Brussels, fascinated by the charms of a peasant girl of Saveltheim,
named Anna van Ophem, who persuaded him to paint two pictures for the
church of her native place--a St. Martin on horseback, painted from
himself and the horse given him by Rubens; and a Holy Family, for which
the girl and her parents were the models. On arriving in Italy, he
spent some time at Venice, studying with great attention the works of
Titian; after which he visited Genoa, and painted many excellent
portraits for the nobility, as well as several pictures for the churches
and private collections, which gained him great applause. From Genoa he
went to Rome, where he was also much employed, and lived in great style.
His portrait of Cardinal Bentivoglio, painted about this time, is one of
his masterpieces, and in every respect an admirable picture; it is now
in the Palazzo Pitti, at Florence, hanging near Raffaelle's celebrated
portrait of Leo X. Vandyck was known at Rome as the _Pittore
Cavalieresco_; his countrymen there being men of low and intemperate
habits, he avoided their society, and was thenceforward so greatly
annoyed by their criticisms and revilings, that he was obliged to leave
Rome about 1625, and return to Genoa, where he met with a flattering
reception, and plentiful encouragement. Invited to Palermo, he visited
that city, and painted the portraits of Prince Philibert of Savoy, the
Viceroy of Sicily, and several distinguished persons, among whom was the
celebrated paintre