"Antwerp has produced such an host of illustrious men, that to enumerate all would truly prove a tiresome task. The names of Bomberg, Plantin, and Moretus, are identified with the art of printing. Antwerp also gave birth to Grammaye, the historian; to Teniers, the Proteus of his art; to Sneyders; and likewise to Jordaens; while the mighty names of Rubens[48] and Vandyke fling a halo of glory around the ancient city of Antwerp.
[48] Rubens was born at Cologne, but his parents were natives of Antwerp, whom civil war had caused to retire from Brabant to Cologne.
"Already we have visited every place worthy of been seen, have viewed every object of curiosity: museums, libraries, cabinets, galleries, and collections of paintings: have inspected palaces, monasteries, churches, and cathedrals, where are to be seen many fine paintings of the first class of excellence. Yesterday we visited the royal academy of paintings, and in the chamber where the professors assemble, is placed the memorable chair that had once belonged to 'the prince of painters,' to the great and unequalled Rubens; it is formed of carved wood, surmounted with lions' heads, and covered with red Morocco leather, with the initials of his illustrious name, and his armorial bearings placed on the back of it. My enthusiastic Adelaide fairly enthroned herself therein, and there she sat, and would still have sat, and how long the genii of poesy and painting can only tell, until I had to give my dear daughter a most maternal tap upon the shoulder to admonish that we were waiting for her.
"Next we visited the altar and tomb of Rubens, which is placed in the church of Saint James; here my enwrapt enthusiastic Adelaide was so delighted, that I really expected every moment to see her doff her sandals, and, bare-kneed, advance a pilgrim of genius to do homage at the shrine of this mighty man. The tomb and altar are highly and richly decorated with marble. A splendid painting from his own inimitable pencil adorns the altar, which forms the central compartment; it represents the infant Saviour placed on the knees of his mother; Saint Jerome is stationed on the right of the Virgin; two female figures, which are portraits of the two wives of Rubens, Elizabeth Brants and Helena Forman, are placed before the principal figure, which represents the painter himself in armour, personifying Saint George; the dragon, pierced to death, lies at his feet, while, with much dignity and the triumph of victory, he holds erect to heaven his triumphant banner. In a niche, crowning the monument, is placed a marble statue of the Virgin, looking up in the ardent act of devotion, and holding with fervour to her breast a crucifix. This famous statue was sculptured by Francis Flamand, and brought from Rome by Rubens himself; it is a work of great excellence, but placed quite too high for the eye sufficiently to appreciate its superior merit.