The Golden Age of the

Dutch Republic

Our objectives are• What were the economic, artistic, and social

strengths of the Dutch Republic?

• You should be able to identify the unique artistic characteristics of Dutch painting during the 17th century.

• What event, drew the Northern Provinces closer together (hint: it started in the 1500s)

The Dutch had acquired a strong national identity in their struggle with

Spain 40 years earlier

Though they weren’t actively fighting in the thirty years war,

they did aid the Protestant cause with money, shipping,

and diplomacy

The Dutch were craftsmen and philosophers.

Toleration was a hallmark of the Dutch Republic. Jews were

welcome, Mennonites, Huguenots and a splinter

group, the Arminians all found safe haven in the Netherlands.

Huyghens (1629-1695)

improved the

telescope

Leeuwenhoek pioneered biology with microscopes

Balthasar Bekker spoke out against witchcraft and other

superstitious beliefs

Anna Maria van

Schurman wrote about educating

women

Perhaps the most famous

area was canvas.

Vermeer’s paintings captured light and

detail.

Rembrandt painted the

bible…

…and commissions that reflected civic pride

Peter de Hooch painted the immaculate Dutch interiors

Still life captured a fleeting nature—and the tulips which

became a national craze.

Paintings also depicted Dutch shipping

The Dutch traded in areas all over the world, including Java, Manhattan (New York), South America and South Africa

The Dutch became the Bankers of Europe. The Bank of Amsterdam became the

clearing house of coinage.

Debased coinage was conformed

or destroyed; some was re-minted with the Dutch seal

The Dutch greatly contributed to the Capitalist explosion that

began in Northern Europe.

Businessmen became active in affairs of the Dutch cities.

They were called Burghers.

The ruling house remained the House of Orange—descendants of William the Silent, who had led the

wars of independence

William II had died in 1650. Between 1650 and 1672, a

stadholder (ruler) had not been chosen.

But a young prince, also named William, was growing up.

He would far exceed expectatio

ns.

Our objectives were:

• What were the economic, artistic, and social strengths of the Dutch Republic?

• Identify the unique artistic characteristics of Dutch painting during the 17th century.

• What event drew the Northern Provinces closer together (hint: it started in the 1500s)