Page:Hofstede de Groot catalogue raisonné, Volume 2, 1909.djvu/21

 vii AELBERT CUYP 5 on the father's portraits and the uncle's Biblical scenes and coast scenes. Such forgeries cannot be justified by any deceptive similarity between Aelbert Cuyp's pictures and those of his father and uncle. In the case of two other artists, the still-life painter ALEXIS GOOSE- MANS (1627-89), and the portrait-painter ADAM CAMERARIUS (at work in 1644, died 1685), the accidental identity of their initials with those of Aelbert Cuyp has lead to fraudulent dealings of the same kind, though there was no reason to suppose that those painters had any connection as pupils with the master. With just as little reason, in the case of a whole series of other painters, pictures by them that are especially warm in tone, and that have often been covered with an unduly yellow varnish, are, without a shadow of justification, palmed off as works of Aelbert Cuyp. As examples may be cited: The church interiors of Hendrik van Vliet (1611-12-1675), Anthonis Delorme ( -1673), and Gerrit Houckgeest (about 1600- after 1653) ; the still-life pieces of Cornelis Lelienberg (before 1626- after 1672), Pieter van Noort (i592-after 1648), Pieter de Putter (about 1600-59), and even of Jacob Gillig (about 1636 (?)-i7Oi); the cavalry fights of Cornelis Beelt (at work, 1650-60); the stable interiors, with a view through an open door of the great church at Dordrecht, by Hubert Ravesteyn (1638-91) ; the landscapes with cattle by Hendrik ten Oever ( after 1705), Anthony van Borssum (1629-301677), and Hendrik Mommers (about 1623-93). With all these artists the similarity to Cuyp is only superficial and obviously accidental. What they have in common with him is clearly to be traced to a common source in the general taste of the time, rather than to any relation as between pupils and a master. Such a relation, however, may be assumed for a little group of painters of Rotterdam, which is near Dordrecht. LIEVE VERSCHUIER (about 1630-86), HENDRIK DE MEYER (before i62O-before 1690), and JACOB DE GRUYTER (working about 1663-89), delighted in painting, besides other themes, views of rivers with shipping, which are warm in tone, and in which brick-red and yellow, the colours most often used by Cuyp, are the dominant notes. It may be noted that at the Rothan sale a picture of this type by H. de Meyer was sold under the name of Cuyp. Lieve Verschuier was the best painter of the group. He showed a thoroughly original talent in his treatment of slightly agitated waters. The two other painters were weaker men. LUDOLF DE JONGH (1616-97), was another Rotterdam painter, not without ability, whose pictures not seldom sail under Cuyp's flag. This artist in his portraits imitated the manner of Van der Heist, in his genre- pieces belonged to the Palamedes group, and in his hunting scenes endeavoured to render Cuyp's effects of sunlight. His peculiar method of composition, and the drawing of his horses and dogs, make it easy, however, to recognise his works.