Politics, wealth and the development of new art

To truly understand how such a tiny country was able to amass such wealth, power and influence that survives until today, you must immerse yourself in history.

As with all great periods of art, it was the times that created the Golden Age. In 1568 the provinces of Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Gelderland, Groningen, Friesland, and Overijssel had declared their independence from Spain. Most of Northern Europe had felt the devastation of the Thirty Years' War from 1618-48. Yet the Dutch had been strangely unaffected, protected by the geographical problems of crossing both the dikes and their efficient navy.

In particular, the province of Holland and its capital, Amsterdam, grew into one of the largest financial, shipping and trading centres for all of western Europe. Money begat money. The famous merchant town houses along the canals and a variety of wealthily appointed public buildings were constructed. Artists were drawn by the expanded possibilities of commissions.

Freedom to experiment

It was also at this time that the well-known Dutch "tolerance" came into play; a heady combination of religious and intellectual tolerance that was unrivalled in Europe. It was the perfect environment to nurture, and pay for, artistic freedom and experimentation.

Not only did a huge variety of painting "schools" and styles co-exist quite happily during this time, the principal patrons of the arts had changed and with it, styles and content seemed to grow almost exponentially. Until that time art had been supported by the church or aristocracy.

At that time, however, the Dutch Reformed church was opposed to placing images inside their houses of worship and the medieval aristocracy lived largely in rural areas, outside of the urban boom. In the 17th century it was the "burgher", the cities' merchant class, that cried out for representations that glorified their own, everyday life. For the first time in history art became available to the burgeoning, newly developing upper and middle classes.

New subjects, new paintings

The abundance of new wealth required new objects, new paintings and new ways of representing them: opulent objects, still lifes and portraits of their families and their political and religious leaders, cityscapes, landscapes, and homely interiors of taverns, stables and, above all, home.

Art historians claim that hints of a unique and specifically Dutch style of painting was beginning to emerge as early as the 15th and 16th centuries, particularly in the schools of Haarlem, Utrecht and Amsterdam. The guild system had created the "master" class of painters in these cities and later, most aspiring and accomplished artists would flock to these centres.

Yet there can also be no doubt that many of the artists of the 16th century were also influenced by two major art movements from Rome; mannerism and what became known as "Caravaggisti" after the Italian master of light and dark.

Dutch mannerism painting was mainly centred in the towns of Haarlem and Utrecht. Followers formed the first academy for artists in the Netherlands early in the century and the resulting Dutch variant on the style was flamboyant, colourful and popular well throughout the 17th century.

Frans Hals

The artist Frans Hals, 1580-1666 Haarlem, is credited with transforming a minor element of early Dutch art into a major genre: the portraits of groups of militia companies and the directors of corporations or guilds. Hals' large group portraits have a dynamic, vibrant quality.

His 'burgers" are living, breathing, robust men shown with a characteristic brushstroke. It was the first time that an individual brushstroke, the "hand" of the artist, was intentionally used and meant to be seen.

It was this "hand" and the sense of freshness that signalled the end of the Mannerist influence and created a whole new school of painting.

While Hals was undoubtedly one of the greatest artists of his time, he died in poverty, largely unappreciated until the 19th century. There are about 250 paintings of Hals that have survived, mostly portraits. A few have become landmarks of the Golden Age, depicting a "healthy optimism" and naturalness in gesture that had not been seen before. One of Hals' most enduring paintings, the Merry Drinker, has an immediacy within its lightening quick brushstrokes and the capture of a fleeting momentary expression.

Hals painted only nine group portraits, but these are seen as his most outstanding works. In his Officers of the Militia Company of St George he breaths life and vitality into the sitters by playing with the posture and movement of his subjects.

Later, his paintings became more sombre and black began to predominate. It is said that his best work came out of this stark period, using high contrast of lights and darks to create haunting images like the Regents of the Old Men's Almshouse. The obvious influence of the Caravaggisti can be clearly seen.

Hals inspired many followers and students, his own brother Dirck Hals, Adriaen Van Ostade, Adriaen Brouwer, Judith Leyster and her husband, Jan Miense Molenaer.

Leyster is of particular interest because she is the only female painter to have attained the title of "master" in the 17th century. In her painting the Young Flute Player you can see the influence of Hals' approach and style on Leyster, capturing a light-hearted moment in time.

Johannes Vermeer

Another gifted artist only recently "rediscovered" was Johannes Vermeer, Delft 1632-1675. His works are counted as some of the most delicate and exquisite genre paintings in the history of western art. They are relatively rare, only about 35 works exist, and mostly portray figures in interiors. It is the soft and sensual touch with which he brings effects of light and colour to his paintings that have made his name.

Little is actually known about Vermeer's life, compared to other artists of the time. It is known that he and colleague Pieter de Hooch placed a new focus on the placement of figures within an interior. While others also painted similar settings, it is Vermeer who raised his work to such a high level of art.

There is a sensual, poetic feel to his work. In The Milkmaid, the balance is delicate; between the figure and the interior, in the formal composition and in the richness of light and detail. If you look closely, you can see in the window one of the panes is broken and the diffusion of light slightly different there. His surfaces are immensely textural, applying paint thickly and modelling forms with firm, definite strokes. Later he would become a master of thinly applied, transparent coats to refine the delicacy of light.

An interesting side note on Vermeer is that his interest in defining the effects of light and colour, and spatial relationships led to his experimentation with the camera obscura. It has been charged that use of this instrument, which would project images of objects before it, had an influence on his later cityscapes. 

Mindy Ran