Page "Anthony van Dyck" Paragraph 9

Van Dyck had remained in touch with the English court, and had helped King Charles ' agents in their search for pictures.

He had also sent back some of his own works, including a portrait ( 1623 ) of himself with Endymion Porter, one of Charles's agents, a mythology ( Rinaldo and Armida, 1629, now in the Baltimore Museum of Art ), and a religious work for the Queen.

He had also painted Charles's sister, Queen Elizabeth of Bohemia in the Hague in 1632.

In April that year, van Dyck returned to London, and was taken under the wing of the court immediately, being knighted in July and at the same time receiving a pension of £ 200 per year, in the grant of which he was described as principalle Paynter in ordinary to their majesties.

He was well paid for paintings in addition to this, at least in theory, as King Charles did not actually pay over his pension for five years, and reduced the price of many paintings.

He was provided with a house on the river at Blackfriars, then just outside the City and hence avoiding the monopoly of the Painters Guild.

A suite of rooms in Eltham Palace, no longer used by the Royal family, was also provided as a country retreat.

His Blackfriars studio was frequently visited by the King and Queen ( later a special causeway was built to ease their access ), who hardly sat for another painter whilst van Dyck lived.