Italy.

Artist: Sir Anthony Van Dyck (văn dīk´´).

Birthplace: Antwerp, Belgium.

Dates: Born, 1599; died, 1641.

Questions to arouse interest. What are these three little children doing? Who are they? Did you ever have your picture taken? Where did you go to have it taken? Where do you think these children are? Why did they not go to a photographer as we do? Who, do you suppose, brought them to the studio? How are they dressed? How long do you suppose these children had to stand to have their picture painted? How did the photographer tell you to stand? What is the baby holding in his hands? What do you see on the rug in front of the little girl? Why do you suppose the dog sits so quietly near Prince Charles? Which child should you like best to play with? Who painted this picture? Do you like it? why?

The story of the picture. Once there lived a very beautiful queen and a very proud king. They had three beautiful children, whom they loved very dearly. They were very proud of these children, and gave them everything they could to make them happy.

The child standing so straight with his hand on the dog's head is a boy, although he is dressed much like a girl. His name is Prince Charles. He had the finest little pony and cart you ever did see. His sister, Mary, the little girl standing beside him, had a very beautiful doll that could do so many wonderful things that it really seemed to be alive. The baby, Prince James, had such a great number of toys they almost filled a large room. There were several servants who brought out the toys and put them away again, and who had nothing else to do but wait upon these children. The children had a fine large yard to play in, too. It was so large that people called it a park. The king had his gardener build a seat up in one of the big oak trees, and there the children could play all kinds of games.

It was great fun to climb up into this seat, where they were just as high up as the birds. On windy days the big tree would rock back and forth just like a swing. One day they were having a good time in the park when they were told their mother wanted them. They were to be dressed to go and have their pictures painted.

There were no cameras in those days, so there was no photograph gallery to go to. But instead, there was a great artist whose name was Sir Anthony Van Dyck. He painted beautiful pictures with oil paints. Prince Charles had already had his picture painted so many times he probably would not have cared to go if it had not been for the boat ride he knew he would have. You see, the king's palace and Sir Anthony Van Dyck's house both stood near the banks of the same river. Sir Anthony had a private boat landing made just for the king and queen and their children. The king liked so much to watch Sir Anthony Van Dyck paint that he used to visit him nearly every day. He had several fine boats to take him there.

It must have taken a long time before the children were dressed and ready to go. "Baby Stuart," as people loved to call little Prince James, wore blue silk, trimmed with lace. His brother wore rose-colored silk, with a large lace collar and cuffs. I don't see how he could run or even walk in such a long, heavy dress; do you? It looks as if it were his very best dress. Probably he had a shorter one to play in.

How strange it seems that both the boys wear bonnets tied under their chins, while the little girl does not. Perhaps they did not want to spoil her pretty curls. Princess Mary's dress is white satin, trimmed with lace. She looks like a grown-up lady in that dress. People said she looked just like her lovely queen mother. No doubt her mother curled her hair and put the string of pearl beads around her neck. Probably the queen mother also gave Baby Stuart the big red apple he holds in his hands. He was only two years old, and she thought he might get hungry or need something to play with.

Children of Charles I

When at last they were all ready, the boats were waiting for them. Several ladies went with the queen, so it was quite a party. It was a beautiful ride down the river to Sir Anthony Van Dyck's house. When at last the boats came to the landing place, very likely Prince Charles was the first to jump on shore.

The great Sir Anthony Van Dyck himself came out to meet them. He was glad to have three such lovely children to paint. He was very fond of children and then, too, he always liked to have a great many people about him. When the party entered his studio,—the room where Van Dyck painted,—they found many people already there. The ladies wore beautiful dresses and the men, too, were dressed in velvets and silks, and carried shining swords. Sir Anthony Van Dyck had a very large, fine dog, and as soon as the dog saw the children he came right up to them. He seemed to like Prince Charles best, and sat beside him all the time his picture was being painted. He liked to feel the soft stroke of Prince Charles's kind hand.

Baby Stuart stands upon a raised platform and his head is almost as high as his sister's. He looks a little shy as he stands there, holding his apple tight in his chubby little hands. His sister Mary must have held some roses in her hand and dropped them. Can you see them on the rug, in front of her? If Baby Stuart should drop his apple, perhaps the dog would bring it to him.

Sir Anthony Van Dyck was very fond of music, and always had some musicians playing while he painted. The children liked the music, too, and it made them forget they were standing still so long. The ladies and gentlemen talked together in another part of the room, but this did not disturb the artist. He was so absorbed in his work that he did not hear them, and no one would have thought of interrupting him.

The children stood still almost half an hour that day before the artist said, "That will do"; and they came several times before Sir Anthony Van Dyck could finish painting their faces. Then he told their mother to send him the three little dresses the children were wearing, and he would paint them without the children. You may be sure the children were glad they did not need to stand while the dresses were being painted.

Sir Anthony Van Dyck painted a curtain just back of the children, and through the window we see a rosebush which may be the one from which the little Princess Mary picked her roses. The great artist painted many pictures of these three children, but the king and queen liked this one best of all.

A long time after this picture was painted the father, King Charles I, was beheaded by some of his people who did not like him. Prince Charles grew up to be King Charles II. He did not like to do anything but have a good time, so people called him the "Merry Monarch." He nearly always took a dog with him wherever he went, even to church. He seemed to like a certain very small dog best, and people named these dogs after him. They called them "King Charles spaniels." Have you ever seen a King Charles spaniel?

When Princess Mary was only ten years old she was married to the Prince of Orange, who was then only fifteen years of age. But she lived in her own home until she grew up. When at last she did go to live in her husband's country every one was glad to see her, for she was such a good and wise princess. She often helped her brothers, too, for it seemed as if they were always in trouble.

Baby Stuart grew up to be