"To the man who loves art for its own sake. . . it is frequently in its least important and lowliest manifestations that the keenest pleasure is to be derived." -- Sherlock Holmes (COPP).

To pass the time, Watson and Holmes browse the works of the "Belgian Masters" in the Bond Street Picture Galleries. But regardless of their mutual presence in the galleries, Watson and Holmes had considerably different opinions on art as a whole and claimed the other knew nothing about the topic. Watson says Holmes "was entirely absorbed in the pictures of the modern Belgian masters. He would talk of nothing but art, of which he had the crudest ideas, from our leaving the gallery until we found ourselves at the Northumberland Hotel" (HOUN).

The Belgian Masters they browsed might have included:

Robert Campin (Master of Flémalle) (1375 – April 26, 1444), considered the first great master of Flemish painting.
Rogier van der Weyden (1399 or 1400 – June 18, 1464), one of the greatest Flemish painters.
Barend van Orley (1491 - 1542) , a significant Flemish artist.
Dirk Bouts (c. 1415 - 1475).
Hieronymus Bosch (c. 1450 – August, 1516) , a prolific 15/16th Century Dutch painter.
Quentin Metsys (1466 - 1530), a founder of the Antwerp school.
Jan van Eyck (c. 1385 – July 9, 1441), one of the greatest 15th Century Painters.
Jacob Jordaens (May 19, 1593 - Oct. 18, 1678), a Flemish painter.
David Teniers (the Younger) (December 15, 1610 - April 25, 1690), a celebrated Flemish artist.
Anthony van Dyck (22 March 1599 – 9 December 1641), A leading Flemish painter who became an English Court painter.

Nativity by Robert Campin

St. Ivo by Rogier van der Weyden

Joris van Zelle by Barend van Orley

Holmes did, however, know something about art. He could identify Sir Godfrey Kneller and Reynolds paintings by sight.

Sir Godfrey Kneller, 1st Baronet (August 8, 1646 - Oct. 19, 1723) was a leading English portrait painter in the 17th and 18th centuries. Interestingly, Kneller was famous for painting portraits of members of the Kit-Kat Club, an 18th Century London Club that was Pro-Whig. The Kit-Kat club originally met at the Trumpet Pub in London and at Water Oakley in the Berkshire countryside. It was later moved to the Fountain Tavern on the Strand, which became Simpsons (and later Simpsons-in-the-Strand), one of Holmes' favorite places to eat.

Sir Joshua Reynolds (July 16, 1723 - Feb. 23, 1792) was a very influential and important 18th Century English Painter. He was one of the founders and the first president of the "Royal Academy."

Colonel Acland and Lord Sydney, The Archers by Joshua Reynolds

Sir John Vanbrugh by Godfrey Kneller