VANDEVELDE, Adrian (1639-1672), animal and landscape painter, a brother of William Vandevelde (see below), the marine painter, was born at Amsterdam in 1639. He was trained in the studio of Jan Wynants, the landscape painter, where he made the acquaintance of Philip Wouwer-man, who is believed to have aided him in his studies of animals, and to have exercised a powerful and beneficial influence upon his art. Having made exceptionally rapid progress, he was soon employed by his master to introduce figures into his landscape compositions, and he rendered a similar service to Hobbema, Ruysdael, Verboom, and other contemporary artists. His favourite subjects are scenes of open pasture land, with sheep, cattle, and goats, which he executed with admirable dexterity, with much precision of touch and truth of draughtsmanship, and with clear silvery colouring. He painted a few small but excellent winter scenes with skaters, and several religious subjects, such as the Descent from the Cross, for the Roman Catholic church in Amsterdam. In addition to his paintings, of which nearly two hundred have been catalogued, he executed about twenty etchings, several of which appear from their dates to have been done in his fourteenth year. They are simple but pleasing in tonality, and are distinguished by great directness of method, and by delicacy and certainty of touch. Adrian Vandevelde died at Amsterdam in January 1672....
VANDEVELDE, William (1633-1707), the younger, marine painter, a son of William Vandevelde, the elder, also a painter of sea-pieces, was born at Amsterdam in 1633. He was instructed by his father, and afterwards by Simon de Vlieger, a marine painter of repute at the time, and had achieved great celebrity by his art before he came to London. In 1674 he was engaged by Charles II., at a salary of <£100, to aid his father in “taking and making draughts of sea-fights,” his part of the work being to reproduce in colour the drawings of the elder Vandevelde. He was also patronized by the duke of York and by various members of the nobility. He died in London on 6th April 1707.
It seems probable that most of Vandevelde’s finest works were executed before his residence in England, for they represent views off the coast of Holland, with Dutch shipping. His best productions are delicate, spirited, and finished in handling, and correct in the drawing of the vessels and their rigging. The numerous figures are tellingly introduced, and the artist is successful in his renderings of sea, whether in calm or storm. His later productions are less carefully finished, and less pure and transparent in colour. Vandevelde was a most prolific artist: in addition to his paintings, of which Smith catalogues about three hundred arid thirty, he executed an immense number of drawings, sketches, and studies, which are prized by collectors.
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