Page:Dictionary of Artists of the English School (1878).djvu/470

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Veronese ; 'St. Sebastian/ by Spagnoletto : ' Leda,' by Da Vinci ; and ' The Raising of Lazarus/ after the Sebastian del Piombo, now in the National Gallery. He died in Regent Street, February 8, 1839.

VERELST, Simon, portrait andflower- painter. Was born at Antwerp in 1664, and distinguished himself there by his flower and fruit pieces. He came to Eng- land in the reign of Charles II., and then took to portrait painting, surrounding his portraits with flowers and fruit. His por- traits in this manner became popular. They were, as well as the flowers, painted with extreme delicacy and finish, and he received large prices for them. Many anecdotes are told of his immoderate vanity, which Walpole says led to his con- finement as a madman. He called him- self ' The God of Flowers/ and did not recover his reason till towards the close of his life. In 1683 he was living in Jermyn Street, St. James's ; he died in Suffolk Street in 1710.

VERELST, Herman, flower-painter. Was the elder brother of the above. He practised for some years in Vienna, where he gained a reputation as a flower-painter. He sometimes attempted history painting. About 1683 he came to England, where he settled, and continued to paint the same subjects. He died about 1700, and was buned at the Church of St. Andrew, Hol- born. His works are engraved by Becket, Faber, Smith, and others.

VERELST, Maria, portrait painter. Daughter of the above and his pupil. Born in 1681). She painted small delicately fin- ished portraits in oil, and some historical subjects. She was mistress of several languages, a great proficient in music, and a very accomplished woman.

VERELST, Cornelius, portrait paint- er. Son of the above Herman. Was bora at Vienna in 1667, and accompanied his father to England, where he practised por- traiture in oil with some repute. He aied March 7, 1734.

VERELST, William, portrait painter. Son of the above. Practised, in London,

Sortraiture in oil, and was esteemed in his ay. There is a good portrait of Smollett by him, dated 1756, solidly and carefully painted. He died unmarried soon after that date.

VERGAZON, Henry, landscape and portrait painter. He was a native of Holland, where he practised as landscape painter. In the reign of William III. ne came to England and settled here. He painted portraits of a small size, but was chiefly employed by Sir Godfrey Kneller in painting the back-grounds of his portraits.

VERNON, Thomas, enaraver. He was born in Staffordshire about 1824, and studied his art both in Paris and in Eng-

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land. He practised in the pure line man- ner, and maintained a high reputation, excelling in his figures. Among his chief works are ' The Madonna and Child/ after Raphael ; ' The Virgin and Child/ after Dyce, R.A. ; ' The Princess Helena/ and Winterhalter ; * Oh via Unveiling, after C. R. Leslie, R.A. ; * The First-born/ after Cope, R. A. ; and ' Christ Healing the Sick/ after Murillo, probably his finest work. His art was finished and elaborate, and falling in times when engraving of a high class met with little appreciation, found only a poor remuneration. He died January 22 1872.
 * The Lady Constance Grosvenor ' after

VERPYLE, Simon, sculptor. Was bora in England, and was a pupil of Scheemaker. Towards the end of the 18th centuiy he was invited to Dublin by the Earl of Charle- mont, and for some time, and about 1764, found full employment and practised there. He was considered a clever bust-modeller, but his art did not extend beyond this. He practised for many years in Dublin, and died there. His widow was relieved by the Artists' Society.

irVERRIO, Antonio, history painter. VVas born at Naples in 1634. After making some progress in his art he visited France, and settled at Toulouse, where he met with employment, and painted an altar-piece for the church of the Carmelites. He came to England in 1671, on the invitation of Charles II., who purposed to re-establish the tapestry manufacture at Mortlake, which nad oeen interrupted by the civil war ; but seeing some painting which he had executed for Lord Arlington, the King preferred to employ him in the decoration of Windsor Castle, where he was engaged for several years in painting the principal chambers. Most of the ceilings are by him ; the Chapel, and one side of St. George's Hall. For these works he was paid nearly 7000/. He held also the place of master gardener, had a lodging assigned him in St. James's Park, and lived sumptuously. He was continued in his employment at Wind- sor by James II., and there is in the great hall of Christ's Hospital a painting ninety feet long of the Governors, accompanied by the officers and children, in large life- size groups, returning thanks to that mon- arch for the grant of the Hospital Charter — a work of great pretension and power. On the Revolution we are told he refused to paint for William III. and was for some time employed at Burleigh by Lord Exeter, and afterwards at Chatsworth. He was then induced to work for the King, and painted his well-known work, the great staircase at Hampton Court. His sight failing, Queen Anne granted him a pension of 2001. a year, and soon after he died at Hampton Court, June 17, 1707. His works a 44.9