In the 17th century, the Netherlands grew rich from colonization and slavery, creating a marked shift in the Dutch economy. As Dutch colonies grew, art was no longer limited to wealthy patrons, and people of various social classes began to purchase artworks. This created a unique environment for the arts within the Netherlands, and estimates place the number of works created during the 17th century in the millions.
Though this time period was formerly referred to as the "Dutch Golden Age," several museums in the Netherlands have stepped away from this term in recognition of the violence, colonialism, slavery, and poverty of the time period. In a move towards decolonizing the museum, 13 photographs of Dutch people of color posing as historical figures were added to the Amsterdam Museum's collection, and museums have changed exhibits and removed art pieces in recognition of colonial legacies. Museums are also spotlighting 17th-century portraits of people of color as part of their decolonization process.
During the 1600s, hundreds of trained painters worked in the Netherlands. Most of these painters were the children of artists or were middle-class, as the poor could rarely afford training, and painting did not provide sufficient social status to attract the wealthy. Guilds traditionally oversaw the training of young painters, and boys between the ages of 10 and 12 were apprenticed to a master painter for a fee. After several years of training, the painters would submit masterworks to the guild, and some would become master painters.
People of color were not accepted into guilds, and white women were only occasionally allowed to join guilds and become trained painters. White women from wealthy families were often encouraged to take up the arts in order to promote supposed feminine virtues. Judith Leyster was an especially famous female artist, and was one of only two women to be accepted by the Haarlem guild. Rachel Ruysch and Maria van Oosterwijck were both notable flower painters that became popular with European royalty. Overall, about a dozen or so women gained master status from guilds in the Dutch Republic.
Other significant painters of the period include Rembrandt, Johannes Vermeer, Frans Hals, Jan Steen, and Carel Fabritius, the painter of The Goldfinch. Most of the works fell into five main types of painting strongly associated with the period: landscape painting, genre painting, still-life painting, portraiture, and history painting. Landscape paintings, from the Dutch word landschap, include dramatic naturalistic views of outdoor scenery. Genre paintings depict the range of life in Dutch society, from harvest festivals to tavern brawls to home interiors. In still-life paintings, artists depict plants, animals, and objects. Though hugely popular, this genre did not rank highly with art theorists. Portraiture, a prominent genre in the Netherlands, depicts individuals. History paintings depict subjects from literature, history, the Bible, or myth, and many 17th-century art theorists considered this genre to be the highest form of art.
