Spice, Salvation and Skeletons: Foundations of The Dutch Golden Age

The Dutch Golden Age of the 17th century, one of the most vibrant periods of western art, displayed the talents of Rembrandt, Vermeer and Hals among many much-loved artists. This series of three lectures will show how an economic miracle, religious toleration and a scientific revolution formed the backdrop to an upsurge in creativity in the visual arts. Familiar masterpieces will be seen in a new light and lesser known works will be unveiled as we explore the themes of trade, tolerance and technology to reveal the foundations of the Dutch Golden Age.

Lecture One - Spice

Sumptuous still-life paintings depicting peppercorn and cinnamon hint at the crucial role played by trade in the Golden Age. Dominance of global trade and the import of exotic goods created a middle class with money to spend on art. Demand for portraits, landscapes and scenes of everyday life led to virtually every Dutch house having pictures on the wall. The wealth of the Dutch will be explored through their art from the viewpoint of painters and patrons.

Lecture Two - Salvation

The sober and uniform dress in Dutch portraits conceals an extraordinary diversity of religions and a unique experiment in toleration. Religious conflict had been at the root of the Dutch Republic, with many protestants settling there to escape persecution in the southern Netherlands. Artists and craftsmen joined the exodus, including the family of Frans Hals. Catholic churches had been stripped of art and painters developed new secular subjects to fill the void in religious commissions left by the Calvinist takeover.

Lecture Three - Skeletons

Rembrandt’s famous anatomy lesson pictures show the Dutch Republic at the forefront of a scientific revolution. Breakthroughs in medicine, botany and microscopy are portrayed by many artists, reflecting the Republic’s role in the early European enlightenment. This lecture will chart the way knowledge was visualised at the frontier of art and science.

Biography:

Rupert Dickens is an art historian based in south London with a special interest in Dutch and Flemish 16th and 17th century painting. He works at the Wallace Collection as a guide conducting public and private tours and lecturing on aspects of the collection. Rupert has accompanied groups on art-themed tours to the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Austria and Italy. He has lectured to large audiences on subjects as diverse as the game of chess in art and Madame de Pompadour’s artistic patronage in 18th century France. He studied art history at Birkbeck College before undertaking a Masters in Dutch Golden Age Studies at University College London. Before that Rupert had a 26-year career as a BBC journalist ending as an editor in radio news.

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