OTHO, Venus, a very celebrated Dutch painter. He was descended of a considerable family in Leyden, and was born in 1556. He was carefully educated by his parents in the belles lettres, and at the same time learned to design of Isaac Nicholas. He was but 15 when the civil wars obliged him to leave his country. He retired to Liege, finished his studies, and there gave the first proofs of the excellence of his mind. He was well known to Cardinal Groosbeck, who gave him letters of recommendation when he went to Rome, where he was entertained by Cardinal Maduccio. His genius was so active, that he applied himself to philosophy, poetry, mathematics, and painting, all at once. He became a great proficient in designing under Frederico Zucero. He acquired an excellence in all the parts of painting, especially in the knowledge of the claro-obscuro; by which means he came to be accounted one of the most ingenious men of his age. He lived at Rome seven years, during which time he performed several rare pieces; and then passing into Germany, was received into the service of the emperor. After this the duke of Bavaria and the elector of Cologne employed him; but all the advantages he got from the courts of foreign princes could not detain him there. He had a desire to return into the Low Countries, of which Alexander Farnese, prince of Parma was then governor. He drew the prince's picture, armed cap-a-pee, which confirmed his reputation in the Netherlands. After the death of that prince, Venus returned to Antwerp, where he adorned the principal churches with his paintings. The archduke Albert, who succeeded the prince of Parma in the government of the Low Countries, sent for him to Brussels, and made him master of the mint, a place which occupied much of his time, yet he found some time for the exercise of his profession. He drew the archduke and the infant Isabella's portraits at large, which were sent to James I. of Great Britain; and, to show his knowledge of polite learning likewise, he published several treatises, which he embellished with cuts of his own designing. Louis III. made him very great offers to tempt him into his service; but he would never leave his own country, satisfying himself with the character and employments he held there. He was the first, after Polydore Caravaggio, who reduced the claro-obscuro to a principle of the art of painting. Rubens perfected what he began, and the whole Flemish school learned
learned it of him. Venus died at Brussels, 1634, in his 78th year. He had two brothers, Gilbert, who was a graver, and Peter a painter. He had also the honour of breeding up the famous Rubens in his art.