Velasco, Cristobal de, a Spanish painter, was a native of Toledo. He received instruction from his father, whose precepts he followed. In 1598 and fol- lowing years he did some painting for the archduke Albert and Philip III. See Spooner, Biog. Hist, of the Fine A rts, s. v.
Velasco, Matias de, a Spanish painter, son of Cristol)al de Velasco, was born at Toledo about the be- ginning of the 17th century. He was instructed by his father, and accompanied the court of Philip HI to Valladolid, where he was employed to paint several his- tories of the Virgin for the Royal Nunnery of the Car- melites. See Spooner, Biog. Hist, of the Fine A rts, s. v.
Velasquez, Alexandro Gonzai.es. a Spanish painter and architect, was born at Madrid in J 719. He studied in the Academy of his native city, and made such rapid progress that at the age of nineteen, in con- nection with his brother Luis, he was employed to paint the decorations of the theatre of the Ketiro. In 171:4 he superintended the painting and sculpture at San Ildefonso, and afterwards was employed tor three years in making the plans and elevations of tlie palace at Araiijuez. In 1752 he was elected subdirector of the Academy in the department of architecture, and in 1762 he was chosen for the same office in that of painting. Among his architectural wfirks at jNIadrid is the mod- ernizing of the church Las Ballecas. He instructed
many pupils, and died iu 1772. See Michaud, Bio- graphie Unieersclle ; Spooner, Biog, Hist, of the Fine A rts, s. V.
Velde, Adriaan van per, an eminent Dutch paint- er, was born at Amsterdam in 1639. He early discovered a talent for drawing pictures, and was placed under the instruction of Jolin Wynants. He learned from this master to sketch from nature, and practiced it all his life. He executed several works for the Roman church at Amsterdam, the subjects of which were taken from the life and [lassion of Christ. The chief of these is the Descent from the Cross. His pictures are hekl in higli estimatit)n, and are to be found only in the finest collections. One, a Mountainous Landscape, in which Jacob, his family, and his servants appear conducting their Hocks and herds, was sold in 1765 for $630, and in 1811 for $4600. Van der Velde died at Amsterdam in 1672. See Spooner, Biog. Hist, of the Fine A rts, s. v.
Veli, Benedetto, a Florentine painter, flourished about 1650. Little is known of him except that he painted the Ascension of Christ, which is placed at the entrance of the presbyterj' in the Cathedral of Pistoja, as the companion to the Pentecost, bj' Gregorio Pagaui. See Spooner, Biog. Hist, of the Fine Arts, s. v.
Velthem ( or Veltheim ), Valentin, a Protes- tant theologian of (iermany, was born March 11, 1645, at Halle, in Saxony. He studied at Jena, where he was made professor of moral philosophy in 1672, and professor of theology in 1683. He died April 24, 1700. He was a voluminous writer, and a catalogue of his writings is given by Jiicher, AUgemeines Gelehrten-Lex- ikon, s. V. See also Zeumer, Vitm Pi-ofessoruni Jenen- sium ; Pipping, Memorice Theologorum. (B. P.)
Velthusen, .Johann Caspar, a Protestant theo- logian of (iirmany, was born Aug. 7, 1740, at Weimar. He studied at Gottingen under Walch, Michaelis, and Hcyne. From (iottiugen he went as private tutor to Bremervorde, and from thence, in 1767, as deacon to Hameln. In 1770 he was calleii as chaplain to London. In 1775 he went as professor of theology to Kiel, hav- ing shortl)'' before received the doctorate from Gottin- gen on account of his De I^egibus Dicinis havd quaquam A rhitrariis. In 1778 he was called to Helrastiidt as professor of theology, general sujierintendent, and pas- tor of St. Stephen's. At the same time he was appoint- ed abbot of Marienthal. In 1789 he was called to Ros- tock as first professor of theology and rector of the luii- versity. In 1791 he went to Stade as general superin- tendent of the duchies of Bremen and Verden, where he died April 13, 1814. Velthusen was a voluminous writer, and his writings comprise almost all theo- logical branches. They are given by Driring, Die Gelehrten Theologen Deutschlands, iv, 577-582 ; Winer, Handb. der theol Literatur, i, 13, 15, 138, 214, 847; ii, 203, 221, 227, 245, 280, 354, 382; Furst, Bibl.Jud. iii, 471. (B. P.)
Venable, Henry Isaac, a Presbyterian minister, was born June 28, 1811, in Shelby County, Ky. He was prei)ared for college at Shelby ville under the tuition of the Rev. Andrew Shannon ; graduated from Centre College in 1830; and, while a student iu college, united by profession with the Cluirch in Danville at about eighteen years of age. He then taught school one year in Clark County, and entered Princeton Seminary, N. J., in 1831. After remaining there one year, he went to the Union Theological Seminary, in Virginia, where he remained two years, and graduated. He was licensed by West Hanover Presbytery April 19, 1834, and was ordained Oct. 10, 1834. l)y the Transyl- vania Presbytery, Kv., as an evangelist. Having de- voted himself to the work of foreign missions, he em- barked at Boston, Dec. 3, 1834, for Zululand, in South Africa, where he labored with great earnestness and self-denial imtil he was driven from his tield by war, when he returned to the United States in March, 1839.