he shimmering of material, the delicacy of
tone, the colouring of those robes, rose, blue, and white, of exquisite
harmony and incomparable finesse.

What shall we say of the physiognomy, of the grace, and also the
penetrating charm of those three child figures? Such a work would alone
suffice for the glory of a museum, above all when it has kept its
freshness like the flowering of genius.

Every moment of the painter was consecrated to the various members of
the royal family. That was natural enough. Charles I. never desisted
from watching his clever _protege_ at work, and spending his leisure in
his studio,--the habitual _rendez-vous_ of the young gentlemen and the
beauties of fashion. The establishment of the artist permitted him to
receive such guests becomingly. Hired musicians were instructed to
divert his aristocratic models during the hours of work. Thus he was
enabled to attract and hold at his home the very best society in
London. Every day at his table sat numerous guests chosen from the
_elite_ of the artists and _litterateurs_ mingled with the greatest
personages. Carried into the whirlwind of this light world so full of
entertainment, Van Dyck hastened to enjoy all the pleasures and exhaust
all the delights, without considering his strength, or hoarding his
health....

The King would never let him stop painting the pictures of his children.
On his side, Van Dyck brought to this task all his art, we might say all
his heart. Doubtless, he derived from Rubens and also from Van Balen
that very lively intelligence for the graces of childhood. Also, when he
occupied himself in rendering those delicious faces of rosy and chubby
babies, in the midst of glimmering stuffs, he found colours of
incomparable freshness....

Every artist of high degree carries within himself the ideal type whose
expression he pursues without pause. This search imprints upon each of
his works the characteristic mark of genius: originality. Thus we
recognize at the first glance the giants that sprang from the brain of
Michael Angelo, the enigmatical sirens of da Vinci, and those superhuman
figures with which Raphael has peopled his immortal compositions. Titian
lived in a world of kings and magnificent princes. Correggio's
individuality is grace of form and charm of colour; his portion is not
to be scorned. The exuberant nature of Rubens betrays itself in his
least important canvases. The personages of his innumerable pictures
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