1. The
Dutch
"Golden Age"
(1580s s)

2. The Netherlands: The “Low Country”

3. Dutch Architecture Patrician homes along the canal in Leiden
Row houses & Catholic “hidden” Church, Amsterdam
Upper-class Homes, Amsterdam 1600s

4. The
“Dutch”
Century
Why was the Netherlands the best place to live in Europe in the 17th c.?

5. 17th c: The “Dutch” Century
A fiercely republican form of gov’t
Religious toleration  Protestants, Catholics & Jews lived together peacefully
Urban society  more people lived in cities than any other area of Europe.
1st capitalist economy (thriving & stable)
Amsterdam  Europe’s financial capital
“Golden Age” of artists and thinkers.
Dutch universities were centers of intellectual life, progressive ideas & scientific achievement.

6. Dutch Society
Granaries with enough surplus for one year (Amsterdam & Rotterdam)
Generally higher salaries than in any other parts of W. Europe.
Even women had higher wages.
“Protestant work ethic.”
Thrift and frugality.
Had the highest standard of living in Europe!
Had a commercial empire that spanned the globe!

7. The Dutch Republic (Federation)
Loose confederation of seven independent & strong states

8. The Dutch Republic: A Flow Chart
REGENTS
provincial level
held virtually all the power
strong advocates of local independence
STADTHOLDER
States General representative from each province
responsible for defense and order
STATES GENERAL
federal assembly
foreign affairs (war)
all issues had to be referred to the local Estates

9. Oude Kerk [Old Church], Amsterdam
First built in 1300.

10. Interior of a Portuguese Synagogue in Amsterdam – Emmanuel De Witte

11. Portrait of an Old Jewish Man Rembrandt, 1654

12. Amsterdam Stock Market (Bourse) Emmanuel De Witte, 1653
Jewish refugees helped found it in 1602.

13. Sampling Officials of the Drapers Guild – Rembrandt - 1662

14. University of Leiden, 1575
By 1645, it was the largest university in the Protestant world.
The separation of the strong provinces hindered the power of any church to control intellectual life in the Dutch Republic!

15. University of Gröningen, 1614
Along with Leiden, they were the first international universities.
Half of the students were foreigners.

16. Anatomy Lecture of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp – Rembrandt, 1632

17. Dutch Contributions to Science
Hans Lippershey
Telescope
Christiaan Huygens
Explanation of Saturn’s rings
Wave theory of Light
Anton von Leeuwenhoek
Microscope
Discovery of micro-organisms

18. Women at Work

19. Return of the Dutch East India Fleet, c. 1559
Dutch East India Ship mid-17th c.
Dutch in Japan, 18th c

20. 17th c. Dutch Global Commerce

21. Decline of the Dutch Republic (18th c.)
Unified political leadership vanished after death of William III (1702)
Wars w/ France & England placed heavy burdens on Dutch finances & manpower
English shipping began to challenge Dutch commercial supremacy
Fishing industry declined
Stagnation of domestic industries brought about by disunity of provinces
Only thing saving them from insignificance = financial system

22. Dutch
Realism

23. Characteristics of Dutch Realism:
Chiaroscuro  contrast b/t light & dark
Usually one light source (ex. a window)
Imitated Caravaggio’s use of light & shadow
Realism  detail in fabrics, facial expressions, etc
Intimate Settings  indoor scenes w/in middle-class homes
Allegories symbols/themes w/in paintings

24. Dutch Realism Goals: “Genre” Paintings
Provide Protestant middle-class w/ small-scale, affordable, portable artwork
Display everyday life as realistically as possible
Praise the lives & accomplishments of the middle class
“Genre” Paintings
Still life
Portraits
Landscapes/Cityscapes

25. Still Life with Gilt Goblet William Heda, 1635
“Genre” Painting

26. The Merry Drinker (1628-30)– Frans Hals

27. View of Doerdrecht Aelbert Cuyp, 1650s

28. Two Giants Of
Dutch Realism

29. Rembrandt van Rijn (1606-1669) Self-portrait, c. 1629-30

30. The Night Watch – Rembrandt van Rijn, 1642

31. Anatomy Lecture of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp – Rembrandt, 1632

32. The Mill– Rembrandt van Rijn, 1645-48

33. A Young Woman with a Water Jug - Jan Vermeer, 1662

34. The Astronomer Jan Vermeer, 1668

35. Girl with a Pearl Earring Jan Vermeer, 1665

36. The Little Street – Jan Vermeer, 1657-1661

37. Jan Vermeer and Optics
Did Vermeer use some of the new discoveries in optics?
Did he use lenses to project the image of the subject [camera obscura] onto the canvas?
It is argued that van Leeuwenhoek was the model for his painting, “The Astronomer.”

38. Camera Obscura