The New Student's Reference Work/Van Dyke, Sir Anthony

SIR ANTHONY VAN DYKE

Van Dyke or Van Dyck, Sir Anthony, was born at Antwerp, March 22, 1599. It is said that his talent for painting was fostered by his mother, who painted landscapes and was highly skilled in embroidery. After making considerable progress under Van Balen, he became a pupil of Rubens at the age of 16, who was not slow to discover his remarkable genius. In 1621, by advice of Rubens he visited Italy, remaining there five years. In 1632 he came to England on the invitation of the earl of Arundel, where a pension of $1,000 a year was settled on him. He died at London in 1641, leaving property to the amount of $100,000. It was only 20 years from the time when Van Dyke left the studio of Rubens until his death; and in that short period nearly 1,000 pictures of various kinds were executed by him. His best known works are representations of the crucifixion.