There is a law in Holland forbidding any one on serious penalty to remove
a "Rembrandt" from the country. If any one of the men who combined to
work his ruin is mentioned in history, it is only to say, "He lived in
the age of Rembrandt."




RUBENS

I was admitted to the Duke of Lerma's presence, and took part in
the embassy. The Duke exhibited great satisfaction at the
excellence and number of the pictures, which surely have acquired
a certain fair appearance of antiquity (by means of my
retouching), in spite even of the damage they had undergone. They
are held and accepted by the King and Queen as originals, without
there being any doubt on their side, or assertion on ours, to
make them believe them to be such.

--_Letter From Rubens at Madrid, to Chieppo, Secretary of
the Duke of Mantua_

[Illustration: RUBENS]


The father of Peter Paul Rubens was a lawyer, a man of varied attainments
and marked personality. In statecraft he showed much skill, and by his
ability in business management served William the Silent, Prince of
Orange, in good stead.