Public

and Private Sphere in the Protestant Dutch Republic (Domestic

Morality and the Dutch Republic) Mar 3

1. Europe in 1648 map after the Treaty of Westphalia – the Dutch Republic is
the first nation state. Up until now, there were only city-states. They declared
themselves independent in 1581 from the Holy Roman Empire but it didn’t
happen then. There was the 30 years war from 1618-1648 that involved
Catholics and protestants and expansionist states like the kingdom of Poland
or the new Austria Hungarian conglomeration. Everyone wants territory

Dutch republic composed of the of 7 united Netherlands but they were in battle with
the Spanish for 80 years from 1568 to 1648 led to them declaring dependence in
1581

New entity nation-state, not subject of monarchy create own body politic, own
identity. Do it through the visual one of the practices

Create a public identity of nation state, of an individual in civic spaces in the outside
world, and individual private identities around the home

Landscape – look at to understand nation state
Individual identity in the home

2. Frans Hals, Archers of St. Hadrian, 1633 –

corporate groups, called companies. We called them companies for the first time
here once these groups started forming. These were companies of men from the
middle class, merchant class that were called up/ volunteered to defend cities from
Spanish etc. who were preventing their freedom or religious freedom. This was a
company of archers, each company had 20 people and there were 3 types of
companies – crossbow, archers or musketeers

They were willing to give up their lives to defend their principles (political) and
religious freedoms. They were heroic. By 1620 when these wars were dwindling,
these companies didn’t need to guard gates. General militia from working classes
did the guarding. They used whatever they had. These companies new purpose was
charitable work like the freemasons, Shriners who do charity. When thinking of civic
identity, one for all and one for all. It is for the common good they come together,
and for their own best interest. Also economic unions where businessmen get
together and talk about business.

Look at the image how does it support civic identity and economic unions?
horizontal, calls up ancient Greek relief sculpture all equal in size. All heads same
size. Each sat for the portrait and paid for their portion. This painting would hang in
company hall, like high school portrait, for posterity we know of these men. IN this

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image, you can see differences in clothing and sash colours. Differences maybe
hierarchy in the company, lieutenants captains etc.

Clothing for status – lace collars, made by hand called tatting, very expensive to
produce. More elaborate the higher standing. Not saying now everyone is equal but
willing to come together to create a community identity.

3. Rembrandt the Night Watch –

Commissioned as a company portrait on occasion of annual banquet. Individuals sat
for it. Each member is not given equal presence. The captain and lieutenant have
golden light, elaborate clothing, in front of all. Some in back fade in darkness. Speak
of heroic action – show their heroic past not show them as businessmen. We call this
history painting. It is massive in size, stands as a history painting. He wanted this.
Rembrandt was upwardly mobile. Did hundreds of portraits. He wanted to move up
genre and become a history painter. History painters had more status. He didn’t tell
the company he was going to do this. This painting is gigantic. They company
displeased those in background. Did cause controversy, which he wanted. Perhaps
increase his status.

The young girl in golden light has a chicken on her belt like “America”– she
represents a mascot of them, the feet of chicken are so prominent. “Claw” is like the
name of a musket or gun

Khan Academy:
Painting very specific in Dutch painting. Painting of militia group in Amsterdam to
defend the city but time Rembrandt painted this they were largely symbolic of civic
pride. They paid dues to be part of this group. Processions, parades for city. A
leading citizen head this up, elite citizens. Hung with other elite militias in a gallery.
Here active coalescing in action. Caption giving order to lieutenant.

Portrait function played down. hierarchy imposed. Portraits generally even
handling. Two men here are more pronounced. Captains hand casts shadow on
ornate uniform of lieutenant, those flux of light and dark make this different.

This is a baroque painting not only in handling of light but in the momentary, the
compositional diagonals that are dfined by the banner spheres. Theres also sense of
informality and movement to the genre of group portrait. Narrative.

3 uses of gun – loading musket, someone shooting with smoke confused with feather
of lieutenant. On right blowing out used powder. The depictions may have come
from a manual that showed how to use these guns, a source of pride for the militia
who used these weapons, they practiced it.

Dog barking, drums, girls striding forward. The girl is a mascot, dead chicken claws
prominent referred to the name of this militia group.

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This portrait hung in a militia group room. Frans Hals portrait is beautify painted
but I care less, dn’t know people in portrait. Get involved in story of Rembrandt
transcent category.

Rembrandt brings in lessons of Caravaggio and the lessons of Italian baroque. We
see this painting cut down when taken out of militia hall. It is now off centre. A little
illegible now. The painting was not originally called the night watch, it was named
for the militia and the captain who led it.

It got the Night Watch title in 18th century after painting darkened no longer looking
at daytime image. Although it’s still dark, it comes out of the Italian baroque
tradition with mystery and drama.

Another addition of painting, large shield added after most militia died so people
could remember them.

Painting is so large, life like like figures intereacting

Foreshortening of weapon, or rifle, moving towards us. Really have to do with
separateness of each figure. We see the complex moment when people are moving
from individual thoughts into a formation.

4. Rembrandt, the Hundred Guilder Print, 1642-49 – this is Jesus healing the
sick. Biblical story that was popular. Called the Hundred Guilder Print
because Rembrandt claimed that this was how much someone paid for it
when other prints cost $1-2 guilders. By him claiming this, he is claiming
himself great artist and move up his status. It is innovative, uses etches, many
forms of etching. One is dry point (scratch into a plate). Like the hand of the
artist, not an engraving, the subtleties of drawing. He uses aquatint to give it
texture. Apart from means of representation, this very intimate, small scale,
look at closely. Unless history painting we just looked at that was for public
consumption, this is for private consumption.

IN this image, Christ healing sick. Right side, wealthy (Clothing); on left side
the lowly, the poor and sick. However you don’t see him reaching down and
touching the sick and healing them. He equally reaches out to rich. This is a
spiritual healing not physical one. They went through constant war. Huge
breach between Protestants and Catholics with many who turned away from
the church. This is a discussion about that. Turn inward, introspective in
terms of spirit, faith. Interesting because Rembrandt raised Calvinist (strict
religious) he spent most time with Mennonite sects. Mennonites are pacifist,
accept only bible as authority. His leanings are like this, passivity and
teaching of Christ rather than teachings of church.
5. Rembrandt, Self Portrait, 1659-60 – fascinating to look at self-portraits. He
was fascinated with own image, he was intimate with himself. He did 80

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 selfies. One in textbook he’s getting older. Durer talked about self-presence –
identity, who am I in this new nation state, I’m an artist, introspection, self-
presence. All of these things, through intimacy of portraits he shows himself
as painter.

Khan academy:

Rembrandt in the room with us, he’s looking at me. very present. He made self
portrait as a subject like no one else, very intimate, carefully observed. Teaches
me how to look at me look at himself. honesty and directness. Room filled with
Rembrandts. In other portraits there is a space between the person sitting and
the viewer, a social propriety, here Rembrandt’s left arm is in our space, maybe
because Rembrandt doesn’t’ need to flatter the sitter. Purpose is to find every
imperfection. His self portraits through his career different types, young man
with wife in knee. This one is very introspective, layered thick paint on face, and
rest loosely brushed, the light working across it, picking up folds, muscles, shifts
in architecture of face. Figure out how he did it. Movement in and out of light, not
sharp demarcation of light as you see in Caravaggio’s portraits. Also see greens
and yellows and blues, reds, greys etc.

Intimacy in two parts – careful observation of Rembrandt but also we can feel
his hand moving across the surface, double intimacy. This was a vulnerable
moment in his career. He was sought after portrait artist but he got into debt and
year or two ago declared bankruptcy and had to pay his creditors. His wife Saski
had died. This has a man who ived a complex life. We don’t need to read the
biography. Know when you reach 53 you live through a lot, what he has taken as
his subject here is long life

Rembrandt, Self-Portrait with Two Circles
He is an old man here in a white cap. Left hand holds a palette, brushes and
maulstick while right hand disappears in blur into his thigh or folds of coat.
Wears a bib over white shirt, fur lined coat. Some viewers see a gold chain,
usually a mark of high honour.

Two arching lines in background. Probably unfinished painting. This is
Rembrandt in early 1660s, late in his career and when he used thick impasto and
dark colours to build up complex and engaging artworks. Regards this self
portrait as perhaps the most enigmatic and masterful of all. Stands out because
of light toned background, which emphasizes the strangeness of the two circles.

about 10% of all of his paintings were self-portraits and then they were printed.
Could be vieed as a process of self-exploration, where he was at each point in his
career. May be consistent with a Calvinist mindset that advocated deep personal
responsibility for the state of one’s own soul.

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 Be cautious of psychologizing these portraits because our idea of psychology is
rooted in 20th century ideas.

His early self-portraits may have been exercises on how to express emotions on
bodies and faces to make him a better painter. He created some expressive and
some calm, so can conclude he created different self-portraits for different
reasons.

Who buys self-portraits?
Self-portraits not only an internally reflective meditation on self and identity as
an end in itself, but as a commodity. They could have functioned as
advertisements to get future commissions.

King Charles 1 of England, Cosimo de’Medici owned his self portraits. But at
some point he painted over his self-portraits to convert them into something
that would sell. The self-portrait was a commodity, he did not keep a single one
suggesting that they were not primarily personal explorations of the internal life
of Rembrandt.

Rembrandt’s Self-Portrait of 1640 mimics Titian and Raphael’s Gerolam
Barbarigo and Baldassare Castiglione portraits. Rembrandt’s posture and attire
underline that he is a man of means and talent. His self-portrait was a way to
advertise to potential investors and to secure a place for himself in Amsterdam
society and art history.

Self-Portrait with Two Circles:
By the 1660s he was no longer presenting himself the same way perhaps
because he was no longer seeking the same kind of audience in earlier times of
life. Nearing the end of his career, these portraits are more somber. The circles in
this portrait are still incomprehensible.

One idea is they represent two hemispheres on a world map. Maps were
common in Vermeer’s paintings. But some believe these circles too far apart to
be a map. A more philosophical interpretation by Jan Emmens is that all artists
needed to have ingenium (inborn genius), ars (theory or learned knowledge)
and exercitatio (or gained skill through practice). In this interpretation, the
figure of Rembrandt stands in for Ingenium while the circles indicate ars theory
and the canvas at the edge of the picture plane is exercitatio.

Others like Karel van Mander repeats the famous story of Vasari that Giotto
could draw a perfect circle freehand at a young age. Demonstration of innate
skill, the height of perfection. The story of drawing a perfect line is traced to
classical antiquity. Yet Rembrandt’s are made of short interrupted strokes

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 Ben Broos claims that this portrait could be making a claim that Rembrandt was
at the pinnacle of greatness situating himself alongside other masters by
showing his mastery of the heavy impasto technique.


Public and Private Sphere in the Protestant Dutch Republic

Primarily private spaces now in terms of identity

6. Gerrit van Honthorst – the Proposition. This is a typical of the way genre
paintings (everyday life) produced on spec for the art market. The art market
developed around Utrecht moved north to Amsterdam and Leiden. Images
popular adapted for the northern taste and construction of identity. Compare
this to Caravaggio’s Musicians of young men singing songs of love. When you
come to the north it’s transformed.

Here we have a young woman with lute, lute symbol of love. Have a man and
an older woman pointing to young man. Man has coins in his hands at the
behest of the old woman. He is not just proposition her for song, she is clearly
a sex worker, older woman is a pimp setting up the relation with two of
them.

Why protestant moral home want image of prostitution in home. Think of
identity as always relational. This is what I am not, the contamination that
exists in money in taverns, street corners, I must protect myself from. People
buy these as moral precautions, moral tales.

7. Honthorst, Supper Party, 1619– older woman with wrap around head is the
procurist brings young women to this table of young men. Caution against
this love and gluttony. Woman feeding man. Over the top with what is
acceptable in private sphere.

8. Henrick ter Brugghen, the Concert, 1626 – compare this also to Caravaggio’s
Musicians. Here a young woman is depicted her shoulder bare, two young
boys also part of this, part of sexual economy within taverns. Moral story.

Why do buy them? appealing, use of candlelight appreciate them as paintings
even if scandalous

9. Vermeer, the Letter, 1666 –

by the 1640s the majority of genres focused on middle class everyday stories.
Mostly domestic, private home sphere. Reasons 1) its these are homes buying the
painting, 2) subjects primarily of women because it was woman’s responsibility to
maintain purity, protection against contamination in public realm 2) it was usually
women choosing images more appealing to choose subject of women

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Here shows woman practicing on lute, she’s received a letter from maidservant
coming from outside world. Pair of outdoor clogs in doorway that enters the room,
she would have taken them off to present the letter. We are also excluded from
images, not in room, we and clogs are contaminating influence. On left women light
coming into room – notion of outside through window. The letter comes in and
interrupts practice. She is well dressed lined with ermine. She has a maidservant.
Usually have one maidservant in middle class doing domestic chores. If you are
asking for representation of middle class home, shows you are wealthy enough you
don’t have e to dirty your hands.

She is well dressed, paintings, furnishings, maid has basket of laundry, modest
cloths. Broom symbol of purity of domestic realm.

Subject of letter – she seems surprised, maid is intrigued. Understand the letter as
love letter because beside lute, and image of a calm sea, suggesting contents of letter
is requited. A seascape is a new form of painting, landscape is another new form
help identify Dutch as a nation state.

10. Jan Steen, The Feast of St. Nicholas, 1660-65 – there is Khan academy
discussion of image

11. Jan Steen, the Feast of St. Nicholas, 1660-65:

A Holiday for Children

Celebrate the Feast of St. Nicholas, still one of the most important holidays on the
Dutch calendar especially devoted to children. In the Netherlands, on the night
before the feast, St. Nicholas travels on horseback over rooftops accompanied by his
helper, Zwarte Piet ("Black Peter"), whose name comes from his being covered in

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soot. Children place their shoes on the hearth and hope to find them the next
morning filled with presents and other delectable treats. Families sing songs in
honour of the saint and share an abundance of candies, breads, and sweet
biscuits. It is a day full of fun and surprises and even a bit of mischief.

A master visual storyteller, Steen incorporates many of these traditions while also
representing the actions and expressions of the children in this middle class family.

A smiling mother reaches out to her daughter who clings possessively to the gift: a
doll clad in white fur with a halo and holding a cross-shaped staff, which represents
St. John the Baptist. On the child’s arm, a pail hangs full of goodies including an
orange, a gingerbread figure, and a sugar candy chicken on a stick.

The girl’s brother, behind her to the right (see image above), also seems quite
pleased with his gift, a kolf club and ball. A game analogous to modern hockey. The
boy laughs and points to a shoe held by a young maidservant. The shoe contains
birch switches that were used to punish naughty children. Clearly, a tearful boy, to
the maidservant’s right, received the shoe as a not-so-desirable gift for his poor
behaviour.

His grandmother, however, beckons him toward the bed in the back of the room,
where it appears that she has discovered a better gift hidden behind the bed
curtains. On the right side of the scene, three additional children gaze with wide-
eyed amazement toward the chimney through which their presents were delivered.
An older brother holds up a toddler for a better view. The toddler hugs a
gingerbread version of St. Nicholas, a reminder of who is being honored on this
joyous occasion.

In the foreground of this domestic interior, Steen tempts us with an assortment of
treats piled high in a woven basket and strewn across the seat of an ornately carved
chair. Here we see apples, nuts, sugared candies, waffles and other baked delights of
various shapes and sizes. Particularly impressive is the large, richly decorated
diamond-shaped loaf that leans against the chair. This sweet white bread, called
a duivekater, was traditionally enjoyed at the Feast of St. Nicholas, as well as at
Christmas, and on the Dutch New Year.

Saint Nicholas
The Christian Saint Nicholas, or as the Dutch call him, Sinterklaas, was a 4th century
Bishop of Myra (a town located in modern day Turkey) who was known for his
generosity and kindness especially to children. He died on December 6th in 343 C.E.,
and it is this day that is commemorated. Although traditionally a Catholic holiday,
the Feast of St. Nicholas survived in the Protestant Netherlands, although in a
secularized form to be celebrated by all. Nevertheless, Sinterklaas continues to be
shown wearing his customary bishop’s garb: a tall, pointed red mitre (hat) and long
red robes. In the 18th century, when Dutch immigrants brought their traditions to

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America, the well-loved Saint Nicholas eventually developed into the figure known
today as Santa Claus.

A Comic Genius
This charming scene of family is a fine example of the type of painting that Jan Steen
is best known for. In addition to holiday gatherings such as this, his other works
include representations of school life, rowdy taverns, love-sick women, and
dissolute households. Steen fills his scenes of everyday life with engaging details,
presenting them in a direct and amusing way. While he finds some inspiration in the
theater, Steen relies as well on his keen wit and narrative ability to capture, and in
some cases, even ridicule human nature in a good humored and entertaining
manner. An especially versatile artist, Steen was also a talented painter of biblical
and mythological subjects as well as portraits. With some 300 paintings to his credit,
Steen leaves a legacy as a comic genius and one of the most prolific Dutch painters of
the seventeenth century.

12. Jan Steen, the Merry Family, 1668– he made images, satirical, of extended
families, these are the families we are not. They were country bumpkins or
the nouveau riche. Country people who sold of their lands and moved to
cities but don’t get it right. The new mercantile organization of family was a
nuclear family, a mother, father and two children, but the father can support
the family by his income on own. The nuclear family is tied to capitalism this
new economic organization. We see in merry family not the case, this is
extended family many folks, grandparents, servants etc., and they don’t get it
right. Food on floor, dogs eating from plates, drinking in day. Boy smoking,
chaos. Feet on table, mother wears low cut neckline. Nothing that talks about
the austere, frugal, clean, pious protestant.

Set up as a satire of what a well-run nuclear family is

13. Judith Leyster, the Proposition, 1631 – this one is within the home, not
outside with sex workers in intimacy of middle class home. Judith was able to
support herself but here in the north, women had more freedoms than Italy,
roles not so proscribed, some women did business, ship building, bakers,
involved in mercantilism since beginning. No strict laws as in Italy. Not
entirely surprising a woman artist is well received for domestic images. She
takes up the same subject matter, man offering coins to young woman. This
woman is working class, clothing of a maid. Maid offering refers to a virgin
and a maid in house. Here she is ignoring man, he came in from outside. He is
the contamination of money offering rude proposal. He is touching her
shoulder, very intimate rude, not reciprocated. She is also like in letter of
Vermeer, unaware of the viewer. This safeguards her modesty, we are not
able to objectify her sexuality. Another thing that protects her is that she is
concentrated on embroidery by oil lamp protects her. Her ethic does not
include distractions of sexuality. Hard working protestant ethic, modesty,
cleanliness, diligence

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14. Vermeer, the Milkmaid – subject is the working class, contracting identity of
working class as well. Speaks of frugality versus tavern image of gluttony.
She is making a bread soup using stale bread and adds a milk to for porridge.
Frugal. She is completely modest, yes has bare arms, but her lots of clothing,
apron, hair neatly covered. Modesty, diligence, hard work, concentration.
Window on left speak of contamination. Ceramic stein and basket on wall not
working class household. Tiles on the wall were Delft, expensive household.
In front of delft tiles is a heater for her, house provides her with this. Ceramic
basin in box is hot coals. Everything in image speaks of quiet I can hear the
milk being poured. Constructed identity of well run middle class home and
identity for a working class woman.

15. Vermeer, Woman Holding a Balance, 1664 – Khan academy
Quiet painting. Scene of everyday life but embues with greater meaning. See woman
in fine clothing upper merchant class that was buying art. She is wearing typical
linen cap when women wore at home. Fur trimmed jacket for keeping warm. Stands
on front of table. Window letting in light and mirror. Right hand fine balance,
nothing on either side, like she’s waiting for balance to come to rest. On box is open
which would have held the balance and the weights. The other box holds strings of
pearls and coins indication of material wealth and about to weigh valuables.
Probably much more going on. Painting with Christ functioning as judge over souls
ever lived see souls at bottom. Souls on right of Christ are blessed, souls on left are
damned this is the last judgment. Having this image is a strong indication of that this
painting is about a lot more than. Her head divides the judgment of damned and
saved. The subject is the light that comes through golden curtain casting a shadow
on wall behind illuminating her face. The light creates motion waiting for this
balance to come to alignment, this idea of time and change and at the same time a
kind of complete static, frozen quality, that intense quiet. Painting very real, natural
but also planned out by Vermeer. We know exactly where the vanishing point is, at
pinky finger we also know exact centre is where the balances meet. The
compositional control with colour – deep shadow, gold of curtain picked up by the
two bars of frame, gold pearls, dress. Not sure what it means. The painting is
reminder of changes taking place in 17th century. Painting for merchant class not
church. Interior scene. What is the relationship between wealth and piety, wealth
and spirituality and need to balance the two. Maybe balance signifies this. Idea of
weighing and judging. Educated guesses. If it’s mirror what does it mean. Mirror
symbols of vanity maybe related to possessions, concerned for the material not the
spiritual. One of the older reasons of the painting. She’s attending to world of
wealth, could be seen as vanitas. But mirrors could also signify knowledge and truth.
The painting could mean all of these or what we haven’t determined.

16. Gerard ter Borch, the Suitor’s Visit, 1658 - not working

Landscape: Constructing the Nation

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16. Aelbert Cuyp, A Distant View of Dordrecht with a Milkmaid, c. late 1640s –
not working

golden light because of their placement (the cows and maiden) on the hillside they
are monumentalized, as if they are put on a pedestal with this glowing light on them.

this is because cows become symbol for Holland, think about cheese as symbol of
Holland. This is what they meant. This is what they called “hollensique” which
translates to fat, fertile and peaceable. They stood for
Springtime, fertility and prosperity. Bring into home to have national pride of these
ideals.

The other is the enclosed garden, it’s pride and country hard working people who
produce this. Background you can see church, dyke, windows, reclaimed land.

17. Jacob van Ruisdael, View of Haarlem from the Dunes at Overveen, 1670 – we
call this the low country with big skies what we see in foreground is enclosed
garden. Hollensee – ideal this peaceable, fertile land that they create from
effort. People who have linen in the field to be bleached in son. Linen
production major industries of Haarlem

Khan Academy:
Most famous painting by this artist. Recognized as Haarlem because of
church of St. Bavel but most of painting is cloud. Landscape new type of
painting. Long tradition of landscape but almost subsidiary to other things.
Here landscape is prominent. This is a portrait of someone’s love of a city.
Built into this is artist feelings and attachments. May have been
commissioned by the linen works. This is a partially cloudy day, used light
and shadow to draw eye back to landscape. Alternating plans of light and
dark. Shade then light, helps our eye move into space do it slowly. Holland is
very flat, where is artist standing, he likely on a dune at elevation. Likely
made in studio. 70% given to sky sense everything in motion. Italian painters
are painting idealized landscape. Here we have weather, time, specificity
makes this town enduring. Changing landscape is sign of the baroque style
where there is a dynamism within the static landscape is brought to
foreground. Dynamic movement, in process sense in baroque.

Still Life: Morality and Money

Still life a new form. We’ve got a market for images to put into homes now. Still life
more than pretty pictures. Construct nationhood in relation not just other cities but
to rest of world. The Dutch were primarily mercantile seamen. By this time
challenging the Spanish in terms of colonial posessions e.g. Dutch East Indies. Doing
trade for over 100 years. this is one of the prides of nationhood, import export.

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 18. Willem Kalf, Still Live with late Ming Ginger Jar, 1669 – whole cornucopia of
objects domestic an foreign. Ginger jar, Chinese, contemporary at time, filled
with luxury candy ginger, exotic. Peach in front speaks of southern Spain,
lemon citrus trade important for Dutch. Board off scurvy you. Seamen get
scurvy, important to have citrus for medicine. Carpet from India, pewter
Dutch plate, stack of glasses got domestic beer stein sitting on venetian glass
stand holding a horn of plenty a cornucopia speaking of their wealth,
champagne glass. Edge of plate pocket watch to remind us. Moral tale,
reminder that we shouldn’t care so much, it’s your immortal soul. This is
called a vanitas (a vanity)

19. Pieter Claesz, Vanitas Still Life, 1630s – everything here speaks about the
passage of time, now they are gone. In order to play music need to be
present. Violin speaks to presence/ absence. Book tattered, walnut, glass
overturn, writing instruments need to be present to use this. Smoke on oil
lamp. Image of watch. Diagonal come to the skull, about passing of life and
what will remain. Metal ball acts a mirror, tribute to van Eyck. Shows in the
mirror image of the artist painting this still life. This painting outlived the
artist. All this carries on after he dies.

20. Van der Heyden, Room Corner with Curiosities – speak about colonial assets
of the Dutch but speaks more to knowledge’s with flood of objects coming in.
how is it organized, is it mass put all these things in one room, or is it or how
we have access to this knowledge. Image of distinctions in terms of
disciplines. The bible is open to reading talks about vanity but we should be
cautioned whether its personal vanity or vanity to acquire goods. It would be
theology to learn church things. Sitting on a chair beautiful tapestry,
importation of fabric, touching it moving to table is a silk tapestry on table,
that table is Carrera Italian marble, on carpet from India, Afghanistan again
importation of goods. The other book is an atlas, this is the first atlas ever
compiled was done by Dutch publisher. Touches a globe, then touches as star
globe navigation and astronomy, another discipline. Mantle has a neoclassical
style disciple of architecture. Painting is mythological painting suggests
history as discipline. Armadillo suggests zoology. There’s a whole lot of
weapons spear, samurai sword, map. Far corner has cabinet of curiosity. Put
collections in cabinet. It’s fancy inset ivory and tortoise shell materials form
Far East. Painted on doors Asian woman, piece of porcelain from Japan or
China. This cabinet claims I have these objects and that I know about them.
about the knowledge not really about the objects. I just have to buy a painting
of objects to know. The objectification of culture, forerunner of the museums

21. Rachel Ruysch, Flower Still Life, after 1700 – flowers were hard to paint
because to make them delicate and fresh hard. Another woman artist who
was able to have a long career painted for 70 years had countless
commissions not filled. Her works reference not only major Holland
industries like tulip bulbs, but also collecting different species of flowers

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 worldwide now propagated in Holland. Tulips from Turkey introduced in
Holland. People putting bouquets in winter stood in for the bouquets.

Often a vanitas, because flowers fade. Here flowers keel over, include insects,
insects short lived. Other references to passing of time. Shouldn’t be too
concerned with vanitas and delight of eye.

Contradictions in delight of looking (brings us pleasure) pleasure in
acquiring, looking. Versus we live austere lives and we shouldn’t have desire
to want things. Pull between desire and prudence. Also bring up
contamination through wealth at same time we have pleasure in viewing

Khan Academy:
Ruysch painted for more than 80 years regularly sold for double than
Rembrandt. Dutch artists specialized she specialized in flowers. Here this
about autumn, harvest. Still lives not only single representations of items but
have symbolism. Christians would see the wheat and the grapes and thought
of Eucharest. Not just a scene on a table. Likely a composite of grapes,
studies, combined into a composition. A microcosm, this was a time in the
late 17th century when microscope was perfected and looking at new worlds.
Scientific interest in categorizing natural world. Her father Frederick famous
scientist in botany and anatomy. He was an artist with a cabinet of curiosities
that he published a book. Mother was daughter of famous architect. Rachel
was looking at infinitely small details of natural world. Colour harmonies, red
and greens complementary balanced by red plums. Red purple grapes same
thing on plum on right. Butterfly is reminder father collected butterflies and
preserved them. about slow careful discovery who rewards the patient
observer.

The tulip was a coveted status symbol of wealth, status and economics. In 1648, the
Netherlands became independent from Spain, ushering in a period of great
economic prosperity. Flourishing international trade and a thriving capitalistic
economy resulted in a newly affluent middle class. Wealthy merchants created a
new kind of patronage and art market. Like today, buyers purchased art either from
professional dealers or from the artist in their studios. Subjects like big historical,
mythological or religious paintings were no longer desired; buyers wanted portraits,
still lifes, landscapes and genre paintings (scenes of everyday life) to decorate their
homes. Proud of their newly independent country and trade wealth, they desired
artworks that would reflect their success. In a competitive open market, artists
began to specialize. Rachel Ruysch became known as one of the greatest flower
painters of her time.

Flowers a national passion
Ruysch’s career paralleled the growth of the Dutch horticultural industry and the
science of botany. The Netherlands became the largest importers of new and exotic
plants and flowers from around the world. Once valued primarily for their use as

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herbs or medicine, flowers became newly appreciated simply for their beauty and
fragrance. They became prized luxuries and desirable status symbols for the
wealthy

Tulip mania
The word tulip mania is often used today to refer to certain types of economic crises.
It describes a financial bubble caused by large numbers of people speculating on
unproved commodities or companies. Tulip bulbs were so avidly desired in 17th
century Netherlands that a “futures market” was born. At the peak of tulip
speculation in 1636, some bulbs sold for more than a skilled craftsman earned in ten
years.

In February 1637, investors suddenly decided that tulip bulbs were grossly
overpriced, and began to sell. Within days, panic ensued. With more sellers than
buyers, demand for tulips evaporated. Prices plummeted, tulip bulbs lost 90% of
their earlier value, and the market crashed. The world had just experienced its first
financial bubble.

The Painting focuses on microscopic details
A successful Dutch still life painting was highly valued for its degree of skillful
realism. Flowers Still Life depicts a profusion of scientifically accurate floral details.
Each petal, stem, and leaf is minutely and precisely rendered. Textures are
remarkably realistic, meticulously depicted tiny insects: a caterpillar crawls on a
stem, a bee gathers pollen from the center of a poppy, a white butterfly alights on a
marigold.

Flower Still Life depicts a lush variety of different flowers, from popular common
European blooms to rare overseas species. Ruysch combines a complex and
intricate arrangement of poppies, snapdragons, roses, carnations, hollyhocks,
marigolds, morning glories and a single red and white flamed tulip. Flowers lavishly
spill out of the vase, filling the entire picture space. Some are in full bloom, others
droop and wilt, as leaves and curving stems entwine throughout. While many of her
contemporary flower painters used more symmetrical and formal compositions,
Ruysch was known for these lively and informal looking arrangements. The flowers
are asymmetrically arranged, leading the eye diagonally from the lower left
drooping marigold to the upper right red poppy. Our eye is first attracted to the
lightest flowers in the center, then to the brightly colored surrounding flowers, and
finally out to the small darker flowers at the edges of the bouquet. Complementary
colors create harmony, as warm yellows and rose balance cool blues and greens.
Light alternates with shadow, enlivening the flowers as they stand out dramatically
against the darker background.

“Vanitas”: Hidden Meanings?
Some scholars believe there is another way to view Ruysch’s flower paintings. One
common interpretation is to understand them in light of vanitas, a moral message
common at the time. Taken from a passage in the Christian bible, it was a reminder

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that beauty fades and all living things must die. While still life paintings celebrated
the beauty and luxury of fine food or voluptuous flowers, vanitas was a warning
about the fleeting nature of these material things and the shortness of life.
In Flowers Still Life, some flowers wilt and die while insects have eaten holes in the
leaves. Wealthy Dutch consumers were being reminded to not become too attached
to their material possessions and worldly pleasures; eternal salvation came only
through devotion to God.

The Art of Painting

22. Jan Vermeer, Allegory of the Art of Painting –

Vermeer’s tribute to painting. Remember Velasquez’s painting, Las Mininez, he
painted himself as a knight because he wanted to raise his status beyond crafts
person to be recognized as a knight, which he was. Here Vermeer depicts painting to
suggest he is a fine painter. He’s talking about history and recording of history is an
posterity will be there forever. Painter’s role in preservation of history. Listen to
Khan academy

The young woman is an allegory of history itself. Map on back wall is map of 7
united provinces recognized of Dutch republic. Images of cities surround map are all
within Dutch republic. Notion of nationhood, individual within nationhood and
artist’s role in building of nation identity.

Khan Academy:
Painter painting a painting, painting a model to transform into Clio muse of history
(laurel leaves, trumpet). She is allegorical and stating painting power to transform.
We have a privileged view into the studio here. The curtain drawn back, takes top
corner of painting. The curtain shimmers and shines, the painting doesn’t resolve
until you see model who is clarified. Like the painting has a depth of field so much so
that some art historians suggested that perhaps he’s using camera obscura to begin
process 3d onto 2d. we don’t see source of light but it filters onto muse, objects, on
floor, stocking feet etc. follow the light path. Catches ridging on map. The artist is
dressed up too. Black vest with slits, hat. Image important ot Vermeer larger than
most of his other works. In his possession at death wife tried to save it from
creditors. Like Las Meninez by Velasquez very formal manner of dress. Places artist
at high level, painting in high way. he depicted artist this is an artificial image.
Painting has complex history. This painting reammerges in 19th century but another
artist name was added to it. Mellon tried to buy it but because of laws could not be
transported out of country. Hitler bought it and he amassed collection wanted to
created museum. At end of war recovered by allies returned to museum in Vienna.
Interesting that painting about artist and role of art has a complex history itself.

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