ART OF THE DUTCH GOLDEN PERIOD

TOPICS

Dutch Society Dutch Politics

Dutch Intellectual life

The “Dutch” Century

It was a political model

A radical attitude towards religion in the country

A certain level of religious toleration.

Stable, thriving economy.

“Golden Age” of artists and thinkers.

Religion and everyday life were recurring themes in their art.

DUTCH SOCIETY

DUTCH SOCIETY Amsterdam, Rotterdam:

granaries with enough surplus for one year.

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!

View of DoerdrechtAelbert Cuyp, 1650s

Oude Kerk [Old Church], Amsterdam

First built in 1300

Interior of the Oude Kerk in Amsterdam -

Emmanuel De Witt

Catholic “Hidden” Church

in the Attic, Amsterdam, 1630s

Interior of a Portuguese Synagogue in Amsterdam

– Emmanuel De Witte

The Dutch Economy**Fishing was the cornerstone of the Dutch economy

Major industries included textiles, furniture, fine woolen goods, sugar refining, tobacco cutting, brewing, pottery, glass, printing, paper making, weapons manufacturing and ship building

Not much inflation.Offered far lower interest rates than English banks; this was the major reason for its banking dominance

Masters of the “carrying trade” (lowest shipping rates in Europe).

• Did not have government controls and monopolies that interfered with free enterprise

Dutch East India Company

• Dutch East India Company and Dutch West India Company organized as cooperative ventures of private enterprise and the state

• a. DEIC challenged the Portuguese in East including South Africa, Sri Lanka, and parts of Indonesia.

• b. DWIC traded extensively with Latin American and Africa

17c Dutch Global Commerce

Dutch East India Ship, mid-17c

Amsterdam Stock Market (Bourse)

Emmanuel De Witte, 1653

Jewish refugees helped found it in 1602.

DutchDelftware

English Delftware

DUTCH POLITICS

The Dutch Federation REGENTS- provincial level- held virtually all the power- strong advocates of local independence

STADHOLDER- 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

Foreign policy

• 1. Dutch participation against the Hapsburgs in the Thirty Years’ War led to its recognition as an independent country, free from Spanish influence

• 2. War with England and France in the 1670s damaged the United Provinces

• Dikes in Holland were opened in 1672 and much of the region was flooded in order to prevent the French army from taking Amsterdam.

• 3. By the end of the War of Spanish Succession in 1713, the Dutch Republic saw a significant economic decline

• Britain and France were now the two dominant powers in the Atlantic trade.

The Spanish Hapsburgs & Europe (1556)

Philip II consolidated Hapsburg lands

at the end of the 16c.

The Night Watch – Rembrandt, 1642

Anglo-Dutch Wars First Anglo-Dutch War: 1660-

1665

Second Anglo-Dutch War: 1665-1667

Third Anglo-Dutch War: 1674-1678

King William III Queen Mary II ascend the throne of England in 1689 after the Glorious Revolution.