440 SCHOOLS OF PAINTING century the painters of the Dutch school far outnumbered Spanish school. Fi -View of Middelliarnis in Holland, by Hobbeiiia. (National Gallery.) those of any other, and many of them reached a very fair average of skilL 5. Spanish. The early Spanish painters of the 15th and 16th centuries were merely feeble imitators of Italian art. Many of them, such as Juan de Juanes, studied in Italy. Ribalta and Zurbaran were per- haps the first able artists who deve- loped a national style. The latter is remarkable for his paintings of monks ; fig. 36 shows one of the best examples. His large altarpieces are less successful. Velazquez, one of the greatest masters of skilful execution the world has seen, was alike great in portraiture (see fig. 37) and in large figure subjects. His early religious paintings, executed under the influence of Ribalta, are far inferior to his later works, the best of which are at Madrid. Murillo is usually rather un- dervalued ; he was very unequal in his work, and is well represented nowhere except at Seville. No words can de- scribe the exquisite religious beauty and pathos of his great picture of Christ on Fl0 ' ^.-Portrait of Philij the Cross bending FIQ. 36. Franciscan Friar, by Znrbaran. (National Gallery.) 19th century, was an artist of great power, haunted by a hideous imagination. Fortuny, a very clever young painter, who died in Rome in 187-i, was remarkable for his daring use of the most brilliant colour, with which his pictures are studded like a mosaic. His success has caused him to have countless imitators, most of whom reproduce the faults rather than the merits of his work. His influence on modern Continental art has been very great. 6. French. French art, like that of Spain, was almost wholly under French Italian influence during the 15th and 16th centuries, school. Nicolas Poussin, in the 17th century, was the first to develop a native style, though he was much influenced by Titian. His best works are bacchanalian scenes, of which one of the finest is in the National Gallery (see fig. 38). FIG. 38. Bacchanalian Scene, by Nicolas Poussin. (National Gallery.) When at his best his flesh painting resembles that of Titian, but it is frequently marred by unpleasant hot colouring. Claude Lorrain is remarkable for his beauti- ful and imaginative landscapes, often wanting in a real study of nature (see fig. 39). His finest works are in IV. of Spain, by (National Gallery.) Velazquez, down to embrace St Francis. Goya, who lived into the Flo. 39. Landscape, by Claude Lorraiu. (National Gallery.) England (see p. 445). Throughout the 18th century the French school was very prolific, but shared the mediocrity of the age, the corruption and artificiality of which im- pressed themselves strongly on the painting of the time. The most popular artists of that century were Watteau, Boucher, Greuze, Claude Vernet, Fragonard, and David, the reviver of the pseudo-classic style. In the first half of the 19th century Prud'hon, Ingres, Horace Vernet, and Delaroche artists of only moderate merit were in great repute, and more deservedly the very brilliant landscape painter Rousseau. Millet, though little valued during his lifetime, is now highly appreciated. Regnault, a very able
