baroque art netherlands

The Scientific Revolution

  • Key Figures:

    • Galileo Galilei (Italian)

    • Francis Bacon (English)

    • Rene Descartes (French)

    • Sir Isaac Newton (English)

  • Emphasis: Objective observation, fact-based hypotheses, and unbiased experimentation.

  • Conflict: Challenged the traditional roles of faith and philosophy in understanding the universe.

Development of Scientific Instruments

  • Telescope:

    • Invented in the late 16th century by Hans Lippershey (Dutch eyeglass-maker).

    • Improved by Galileo Galilei.

  • Microscope:

    • Possibly invented by Lippershey.

    • Refined by Antoni van Leeuwenhoek (Dutch scientist).

    • Leeuwenhoek was the first to observe single-cell organisms, opening new avenues for exploring the natural world.

Camera Obscura

  • Mention of Camera Obscura with a reference to Fig:3 Fol: 812 of the World.

The Netherlands and Belgium

  • Netherlands:

    • Sometimes mistakenly called Holland; Holland is a region within the Netherlands, not the country's name.

    • Amsterdam is the capital city.

    • People from the Netherlands are called Dutch.

  • Belgium:

    • During the 15th and 16th centuries, modern-day Belgium was under Spanish rule as Flanders.

    • People from Flanders are called Flemish.

Historical Context of the Netherlands and Belgium

  • 16th Century: The areas of the Netherlands and Belgium were autonomous provinces under Spanish rule.

  • Reformation: Calvinism gained popularity in the Dutch provinces, especially in the north.

  • Spanish Rule: Spain, under King Philip II, remained loyal to the Roman Catholic Church and attempted to impose Catholic rule on the Dutch provinces, which was resisted.

Dutch Revolt Against Spanish Rule

  • Mid 1560s: The Dutch revolted due to high taxes and forced Catholic rule.

  • 1567: The Duke of Alba led 10,000 mercenaries to suppress the Calvinist resistance, but the Dutch flooded the countryside by opening dikes.

  • 1576: The "Spanish Fury" Spanish soldiers rioted in Antwerp, resulting in 7,000 deaths and many injuries.

  • 1581: The northern provinces declared independence from Spain, forming a Republic.

  • Outcome: Spain retained control over the southern provinces (Flanders), while the north remained independent.

  • 1648: After the Eighty Years War, The United Provinces of the Netherlands officially gained independence.

Characteristics of the Dutch Republic

  • Commerce: Highly commercial, with ports facilitating global trade. Amsterdam was the center of commerce in Northern Europe.

  • Religion: Rigidly religious with austere Calvinist doctrine.

    • Public servants were required to be Calvinist.

Northern Baroque Art

  • Characterized by high attention to detail.

  • Verisimilitude: Aiming to appear true or real.

  • Influence of Science and Religion: Meticulous detail reflected scientific discoveries and the religious belief that God is present in nature.

  • Visual detail was seen as an earthly manifestation of the divine.

  • Rise of Secular Art: Coincided with the growth of Calvinism and a financially secure middle class.

Dutch Painting Genres of the 17th Century

  • Still life: Representation of household objects and/or food.

  • Landscape: Representation of the countryside.

  • Genre scenes: Images of everyday life.

  • Portraits: Individual or group representations of personal likenesses.

Notable Dutch Artists and Paintings

  • Johannes (Jan) Vermeer

    • Girl with the Pearl Earring, ca. 1665, oil on canvas, 18.3” × 15.75”

    • Woman Holding a Balance, 1664, oil on canvas (in the National Gallery in Washington, D.C.)

  • Rembrandt van Rijn

    • Self Portrait, 1658, oil on canvas

    • Titus van Rijn (the artist's son)

    • Sketches of Saskia sick in bed

  • Jacobsz Dierck

    • Group Portrait of the Amsterdam Shooting Corporation, 1536

  • Rembrandt

    • The Night Watch or The Militia Company of Captain Frans Banning Cocq, 1642, oil on canvas, 11’ 10” x 14’ 4”

"The Night Watch" Details

  • Details regarding the figures in action.

  • The captain and lieutenant each paid for their portraits.

  • Mentions the mascot of the shooters.

Arquebuses

  • Named from the Dutch words “hook tube,” it's a forerunner of the rifle.

Impasto

  • Thickly applied paint that stands in relief, retaining brush or palette knife marks.

  • Gives texture and a 3-D effect, enhancing light reflection and absorption.

Still Life and Vanitas Paintings

  • Still Life: Depicts household objects and/or foods.

  • Vanitas: A type of still life painting reminding viewers that earthly pleasures and existence are temporary.

  • Reflects strict Protestant principles.

  • Symbolic objects represent impermanence and death.

Example of Vanitas Still Life

  • Harmen Steenwyck, Vanitas Still Life, 1640, oil on wood