BADENS, FRANCIS, hiftorical and portrait painter, was born at Antwerp in 1571; and the firft rudiments of the art were communicated to him by his father, who was but an ordinary artift. However, he vifited Rome, and feveral parts of Italy, and then formed a good tafte of defign, and a manner exceedingly pleafing. When he returned to his own country his merit procured for him great employment, and ftill greater reputation, and he was ufually diftinguifhed by the name of the Italian painter. His touch was light and fpirited, and his colouring warm; and he had the honour of being the firft who introduced a good tafte of colouring among his countymen. While his acknowledged merit was rewarded with every public teftimony of efteem and applaufe, unhappily he received an account of the death of his brother, who had been affaffinated on a journey; and the intelligence affected him fo violently, that it occafioned his own death, to the inexpriffible regret of every lover of the art, in 1603.