_Jan Both_ (Dutch: 1610-1662).
Jan Both, born at Utrecht, was one of the first "Italianisers"
in landscape. He was the son of a glass painter, who gave him
his first lessons in drawing; he afterwards became the pupil
of Abraham Bloemaert. As soon as he was old enough to travel,
he set out with his brother Andries for Italy. Unlike Rubens,
who even at Genoa painted only the Netherlands, Both adopted
Italian scenery as his subject. At Rome he formed his style on
that of Claude. The two brothers travelled, studied, and worked
in Italy together. Jan excelled in landscape; the figures and
cattle in his pictures were generally sketched by Andries.
After some years at Rome, the brothers worked for a time at
Venice; here Andries, having dined one evening not wisely but
too well, fell from his gondola into the water and was drowned.
This was a terrible blow to Jan, who returned to Utrecht in
despair, where he survived his brother for some years, during
which Poelenburgh took the place of Andries (see No. 209). In
the year 1649 Jan was one of the chiefs of the Painters' Guild
at Utrecht, and the inscription on an engraved portrait of him
published in 1662 speaks of him as a "good and well-respected
landscape painter." Both loved to paint abruptly-rising rocks,
with mountain paths fringed with trees, and cascades or lakes
in the foreground. His best works are distinguished by the soft
golden tones of the declining day. Several good examples of
this master are to be seen at the Dulwich Gallery.
A reminiscence, doubtless, of one of Both's journeys in the Italian
lake district. One may recall the reminiscence of Italy by another
northern traveller--
Know'st thou the mountain bridge that hangs on cloud?
The mules in mist grope o'er the torrent loud,
In caves lie coil'd the dragon's ancient brood,
The crag leaps down and over it the flood:
Know'st thou it, then?
'Tis there! 'tis there
Our way runs; O my father, wilt thou go?
MIGNON'S song in _Wilhelm Meister_: Carlyle's translation.