a celebrated painter of conversations, landscapes, cattle, &c. was born at Laeren near Narden in 1613. His name was Peter Van Laer; but in Italy they gave him the name of Bamboccio, on account of the uncommon shape of his body, the lower part being one-third longer than the upper, and his neck so short that it was buried between his shoulders. He had, however, an ample amends for the unfeemliness of his limbs, in the superior beauties of his mind: he was endowed with an extensive genius; and, indeed, had an universal taste for every part of painting. He resided at Rome for fifteen years successively; every day studying to improve himself by those beautiful models which were continually open to his observation, and by the lovely scenery in the environs of that city. He was held in the highest esteem by all ranks of men, as well as by those of his own profession; not only on account of his extraordinary abilities, but also for the amiable qualities of his mind. He studied nature incessantly; observing with a curious exactness every effect of light on different objects, at different hours of the day; and whatsoever incident afforded pleasure to his imagination, his memory for ever perfectly retained. His style of painting is sweet and true; and his touch delicate, with great transparency of colouring. His figures are always of a small size, well proportioned, and correctly designed; and although his subjects are taken but from the lower kind of nature, such as plunderings, playing at bowls, inns, farriers shops, cattle, or conversations; yet whatever he painted was so excellently designed, so happily executed, and so highly finished, that his manner was adopted by many of the Italian painters of his time. His works are still universally admired, and he is justly ranked among the first class of the eminent masters. His hand was as quick as his imagination, so that he rarely made sketches or designs for any of his works; he only marked the subject with a crayon on the canvas, and finished it without more delay. His memory was amazing: for whatever objects he saw, if he considered them with any intention to insert them in his compositions, the idea of them was so strongly impressed on his mind, that he could represent them with as much truth as if they were placed before his eyes. Sandrart observes, that although painters who are accustomed to a small size are frequently inaccurate in the disposition of the different parts of their subject, seeming content if the whole appears natural; yet Bamboccio was as minutely exact in having his figures, trees, grounds, and distances, determined with the utmost precision and perspective truth, as the best masters usually are in pictures of the largest size; which. Bamboccio is one circumstance that causes the eye to be so agreeably deluded by the paintings of Bamboccio. In the latter part of his life, he was severely tormented with an asthmatic complaint, which he endured with much impatience; and it is reported, that as the disorder seemed to him unsupportable, he threw himself into a canal to shorten his misery, and was drowned. His death happened in 1673.