The view appears to have been one from nature, for its site and features still in part exist. On the right is the steeple of the Weaver's church, and behind it a gate, since destroyed, bearing the name of "Walpoorte." On the left is the " St. Martin's Straet," and the "Steen van Papeghem.” In a spirit of adventure somewhat difficult to share, the Gantois now pretend that the view was from Van Eyck's own window, No. 26, Koey Straat, where, accordingly, medallion portraits of the painters have been placed. Hubert left the Mystic Lamb unfinished. He had only completed its upper portion when he died, in 1426.1 He was buried, on the 18th of September, in a vault below the crypt of the chapel of Burluuts and Vydts.2 The following translation of his epitaph exhibits the pious spirit of the painter and his times. "Take warning from me, ye who walk over me; I was as you are, but am now buried dead beneath you. Thus it appears that neither art nor medicine availed me; art, honour, wisdom, power, affluence are spared not when death arrives. I was called Hubert van Eyck. I am now food for worms. Formerly known and highly honoured in painting, this all was shortly after turned to nothing. 1 Van Mander, pp. 200, 203. Vaernewyk, p. 119. Lucas de Heere, ap v. Mr. p. 202. The records of the tax paid by strangers to the city of Ghent contain an entry for this year, of VI sous paid by Hubert's heirs. The entry runs thus-"1426, Van den hoire van Lubrecht van Eyke VI s. g." This is a confirmation of the date of the painter's death, and a proof that his family was not native of Ghent. Carton, ut sup. 2 Van Mander, p. 203. Vaernewyk, p. 119. Sanderus, (A.) De Brug. Erud. Clar. Lib. i. p. 39. "Decessit Gandavi, et sepultus in latere sinistra anterioris partis Ecc. S. Joh. Bapt." It was in the year of the Lord, one thousand four hundred and twenty six, on the 18th day of September, that I rendered up my soul to God, in suffering. Pray God for me, ye who love art, that I may attain to his sight. Flee sin, turn to the best (objects), for you must follow me at last.” 1 The arm with which he wielded so remarkably the pencil and the brush, was severed from Hubert's body, and suspended in a casket above the portal of St. Bavon, where it still remained in the sixteenth century.2 1 Spieghelt u an my, die op my treden, In't jaer des Herren, des zÿt ghewes, I Baut ghy my volghen moet ten lesten. V. Mander, ut sup., p. 202. Vaernewyck, p. 119, c. xlvii. 2 Vaernewyck. Hist. v. Belgis, p. 119. CHAPTER III. JOHN VAN EYCK. WE have every reason to believe that John Van Eyck was born between the years 1382 and 1386, at Maaseyck, where his family first resided.' His early education was given by Hubert, who employed the young man in his labours, and taught him painting, drawing, and chemistry, -all of which were common to the oldest schools of art in Flanders, Germany, and Italy. Facio informs us that John studied geometry, and had many literary attainments. "He gained," says this author, "proficiency in manipulating colours from the examples of Pliny." His first patron and friend was John, bishop of Liège, a prelate whose reign was short and disturbed. 2 3 Van Eyck was hardly out of infancy when John's predecessor, Arnold de Horne, expired. Wenceslaus, the sup 1 Vaernewyk, ut sup., p. 119. V. Mander, ut sup., p. 199. Vaernewyk, and after him Van Mander, describe two figures in the altar-piece of the Pascal Lamb at Ghent, which they assert are portraits of the brothers Hubert and John Van Eyck. They have always been considered so, for Lampsonius has engraved them. The apparent difference of age in both is twenty years. "John," says V. Mander, was younger than his brother, who lived to be an older man than him." Hubert died in 1426, aged sixty. John died in 1440-41, and must therefore have been born after 1382. Were he born in 1382, he would have reached his fifty-ninth year at his death, and would thus have been younger at his death than Hubert. 2 Facius (Bart.) De Viris Illust. 4to. Flor. 1715, p. 46. porter of the house of Horne, was at that time Emperor of Germany; but Albert of Bavaria, son of the old Emperor Ludwig V., and Count of Hainault, Holland, and Zeland, was a formidable antagonist to the pretensions of that house, being supported by John of Burgundy, who had married his daughter. The pretensions of the house of Horne paled before the exertions of that of Albert, who succeeded in appointing his second son John to the bishopric (1390). The foundation of a feud was thus laid between the two. John of Bavaria was then a youth of seventeen, fond of pleasure, and unfit to hold an office which required vigour and steadiness of demeanour. He was a boy prince-bishop, and his rule, like that of most princebishops, was a stormy one. The canons of St. Lambert, a senate of laymen, controlled the bishop and kept down the people; and the latter rarely failed to rise against their lords and senate when they thought they might succeed or do it with impunity. The bishop's jurisdiction stretched along the Meuse to Maestricht, Hasselt, and Ruremonde, to Huy, Namur, and Dinant; and as these towns constantly contested the authority of the bishop, that prince was frequently engaged in expeditions to reduce them to obedience. In his temporary absence, the people of his city usually followed the example of other towns; and when the bishop had fought and conquered Huy or Tongres, he found on his return that he had to conquer Liège.' 1 For John of Bavaria, we have consulted Foullon, Hist. Leod. Leod. fol. 1730; the Chronicles of Enguerrand de Monstrelet, fol. Paris, 1595; and Polain's Modern History of Liège. John Van Eyck became painter and "varlet de chambre" of John of Bavaria, but at what time is uncertain.-Vide p. 51. DIRL No prince-bishop of the number who succeeded each other on the throne of Liège appears to have incurred so much dislike or obloquy as John of Bavaria, the youthful, pleasure-loving, and cruel prince-bishop of 1390. We wish his private character had been better, were it only for the reason that he appears as the first of the patrons of John Van Eyck. We do not, however, ascertain when John Van Eyck was first connected with him, or whether he followed his fortunes during the vicissitudes of his earlier career. John of Bavaria promised, on succeeding to the mitre and sword of office, to enter holy orders. But he postponed this step so often, that the people of Liège used it as a pretext to depose him. They chose the time of his expedition against Huy to set up in his stead a bishop of the house of Horne. The movement was well timed, for an antipope was then at Avignon; and as the pope of Rome supported John, the antipope took part for him of Horne. John took refuge in the town of Maestricht, and was soon besieged there by the men of Liège. A war ensued. In 1408, however, with the aid of John of Burgundy, and his brother William, Count of Holland,' John was fortunate in fighting a decisive battle at Othée, near Maestricht, in which the towns were beaten, their self-elected bishop and his son destroyed, and the house of Holland reinstated in its rights at Liège. It was in this battle of Othée that John of Burgundy gained his surname of Sans Peur whilst the bishop obtained the nickname of 1 William, eldest son of Albert of Bavaria, had by this time succeeded to the countries of Holland, Hainault, and Zeland. |