FREE THE ART OF DESCRIBING: DUTCH ART IN THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY PDF

Svetlana Alpers | 302 pages | 15 Apr 1984 | The University of Chicago Press | 9780226015132 | English | Chicago, IL, United States Dutch Golden Age Painting Movement Overview | TheArtStory

Artistic production in the long 17th century in the Dutch Republic radically reenvisioned the forms of visual culture and its consumption. In the wake of the Dutch Revolt of that severed the formerly conjoined Low Countries into the largely Catholic regions of Flanders, controlled by the Spanish Habsburgs, and the predominately Protestant Dutch Republic, which fought for the political independence that it officially achieved inDutch art developed a distinctive, if not revolutionary, character. During the period, there was a multifaceted and unprecedented flowering of diverse secular genres, from still life to landscape to genre image to portrait. Each of these types of subjects had historical precedent, but they had not existed as independent genres complete with individuals who specialized in the creation of just one category of art. Many artists employed a highly naturalistic mode of representation when crafting these secular genres, as did those who produced the histories and biblical narratives that also remained popular. In paintings and prints, artists largely strove for naturalistic representations of space, volumetric renderings of objects, seemingly accurate depictions of light, and unidealized formulations of the human body, especially the face. Like the new forms, art was consumed in way that it had not been previously. The relatively wide distribution of wealth in the Dutch Republic led to more people, and people of different social levels, buying art than had occurred previously in Europe. In turn, the consumption of art operated on an unprecedented scale. Several million new paintings were created in the region in a little over one hundred years. Aside from portraiture, few of these objects were created The Art of Describing: Dutch Art in the Seventeenth Century commission. Rather, various indirect methods of exchange emerged, creating an open art market. Several reliable texts provide readers with a broad survey of the arts of the Dutch Golden Age. At five hundred folio pages, Haak provides the most extensive and comprehensive introduction to painters of the period. In general, Haak frames the subject geographically by grouping artists by municipal region. Slive takes a more biographical approach, emphasizing individual stylistic developments. Haak and Slive treat paintings and painters exclusively. Each of the three texts explores 17th-century Dutch art in local cultural conditions and artistic traditions. In the process, each source tends to isolate Dutch art from other aesthetic interests and developments current in Europe. Haak, Bob. New York: Stewart, Tabori, and Chang, Divided chronologically into three parts, this book is organized geographically. This organization enables the inclusion of more artists than one finds in other sources. Haak treats painters beyond those in the primary urban centers, like the artists active in Dordrecht and Middleburg who are not usually covered in a nonspecialist study. Slive, Seymour. Dutch Painting, — First published inrevised in and Slive presents accepted, established positions on major themes and figures. The text alternates in focus between biographical treatment of major artists and explorations of genres of pictures. Thirteen The Art of Describing: Dutch Art in the Seventeenth Century the seventeen chapters cover the period between andleaving cursory discussion of lateth- and 18th-century art. Earlier editions of the book were coauthored with Jakob Rosenberg and E. Originally published in Westermann utilizes a thematic organization. The text shifts focus from the artists to interpretation of images. In each chapter, Westermann clearly and concisely conveys complex issues in a way that is accessible to all levels of readers. Westermann integrates nonrealist pictorial trends and styles more successfully The Art of Describing: Dutch Art in the Seventeenth Century is done by other comparable texts. Likewise, she treats art from the entire period relatively equally. Users without a subscription are not able to see the full content on this page. Please subscribe or login. Oxford Bibliographies Online is available by subscription and perpetual access to institutions. For more information or to contact an Oxford Sales Representative click here. Not a member? Sign up for My OBO. Already a member? Publications Pages Publications Pages. Subscriber sign in You could not be signed in, please check and try again. Username Please enter your Username. Password Please enter your Password. Forgot password? Don't have an account? Sign in via your Institution. You could not be signed in, please check and try again. Sign in with your library card Please enter your library card number. Related Articles Expand or collapse the "related articles" section about About Related Articles close popup. Introduction Artistic production in the long 17th century in the Dutch Republic radically reenvisioned the forms of visual culture and its consumption. General Overviews The Art of Describing: Dutch Art in the Seventeenth Century reliable texts provide readers with a broad survey of the arts of the Dutch Golden Age. How to Subscribe Oxford Bibliographies Online is available by subscription and perpetual access to institutions. Jump to Other Articles:. Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. Powered by: PubFactory. 17th-Century Dutch Art - Renaissance and Reformation - Oxford Bibliographies

Alpers' book defines Dutch art by contrast with the Italian ideal. Where Italian art is narrative, Dutch art is descriptive and, she feels, without the concealed iconographic meanings recent criticism has found there. Where Italian art depends on the Alberti model of looking at the world from a particular vantage point and The Art of Describing: Dutch Art in the Seventeenth Century if through a window, Dutch art does not use the framed image, the clearly located viewer. She ties the idea of picturing in with optics-with seeing itself-and with mapping. If there is deception, she says, it is in the illusion of picture making itself: "northern images do not disguise meaning or hide it beneath the surface but rather show that meaning by its very nature is lodged in what the eye can take in-however deceptive that might be" xxiv. She has some interesting things to say about multiple views of one figure, not as a way of showing narrative, but as a way of enabling the viewer to see all around a figure at the same time She mentions the figure come fratelli of Pollaiuolo's Martyrdom of St. Sebastian, the twisted figure or figura serpinata where we see back and front, and Picasso's multi-faceted figures. Here at Walmart. Your email address will never be sold or distributed to a third party for any reason. Sorry, but we can't respond to individual comments. If you need immediate assistance, please contact Customer Care. Your feedback helps us make Walmart shopping better for millions of customers. Recent searches Clear All. Enter Location. Update location. Learn more. Report incorrect product information. Svetlana Alpers. Walmart The Art of Describing: Dutch Art in the Seventeenth Century Free delivery Arrives by Wed, Oct Pickup not available. Add to list. Add to registry. The art historian after Erwin Panofsky and is not only participating in an activity of great intellectual excitement; he is raising and exploring issues which lie very much at the centre of psychology, of the sciences and of history itself. Svetlana Alpers's study of 17th-century Dutch painting is a splendid example of this excitement and of the centrality of art history among current disciples. Professor Alpers puts forward a vividly The Art of Describing: Dutch Art in the Seventeenth Century thesis. There is, she says, a truly fundamental dichotomy between the art of the Italian Renaissance and that of the Dutch masters. Italian art is the primary expression of a 'textual culture, ' this is to say of a culture which seeks emblematic, allegorical or philosophical meanings in a serious painting. Alberti, Vasari and the many other theoreticians of the Italian Renaissance teach us to 'read' a painting, and to read it in depth so as to elicit and construe its several levels of signification. The world of Dutch art, by the contrast, arises from and enacts a truly 'visual culture. She herself has the verve, the knowledge, and the sensitivity to make us see familiar The Art of Describing: Dutch Art in the Seventeenth Century in a new light. About This Item. We aim to show you accurate product information. Manufacturers, suppliers and others provide what you see here, and we have not verified it. See our disclaimer. Gombrich, New York Review of Books "The art historian after Erwin Panofsky and Ernst Gombrich is not only participating in an activity of great intellectual excitement; he is raising and exploring issues which lie very much at the centre of psychology, of the sciences and of history itself. Italian art is the primary expression of a 'textual culture,' this is to say of a culture which seeks emblematic, allegorical or philosophical meanings in a serious painting. Gombrich, New York Review of Books. Specifications Language English. Write a review See all reviews Write a review. Average Rating: 3. August 31, See more. Reviewed by michaelm michaelm Written by a librarything. Ask a question Ask a question If you would like to share feedback with us about pricing, delivery or other customer service issues, please contact customer service directly. Your question required. Additional details. Send me an email when my question is answered. Please enter a valid email address. I agree to the Terms and Conditions. Cancel Submit. Pricing policy About our prices. We're committed to providing low prices every day, on everything. So if you find a current lower price from an online retailer on an identical, in-stock product, tell us and we'll match it. See more details at Online Price Match. Related Pages :. Email address. Mobile apps. Walmart Services. Get to Know Us. Customer Service. In The Art of Describing: Dutch Art in the Seventeenth Century Spotlight. Shop Our Brands. All Rights Reserved. To ensure we are able to help you as best we can, please include your reference number:. Thank you for signing up! How was your experience with this page? Thank you. Thank you! The Art of Describing : Dutch Art in the Seventeenth Century - -

The Dutch Golden Age is one of the finest examples of independence breeding cultural pride. During the 17 th century, driven by new freedom from Spanish Catholic rule, the Dutch Republic experienced a surge in economic and cultural prominence. An influx of trade boosted commerce, leading to the rise of a large middle and merchant class in the market for the proliferation of art that had cropped up in response to the burgeoning celebration of Dutch life and identity. Painting flowered as artists focused on everyday scenes of ordinary life, expressed through a growing cadre of genre works, all indicative of the thriving creative period. However, it was primarily a reflection of the Dutch Golden Age's cultural, economic, and scientific domination of the era. This genre piece depicts a lute player, his body turned toward the viewer, while he saucily looks to his left. The lute's intricately carved sound hole centers The Art of Describing: Dutch Art in the Seventeenth Century lower half of the canvas, while the diagonal created by its neck extending out of the cropped frame The Art of Describing: Dutch Art in the Seventeenth Century a sense of movement. The player seems to be in mid-movement, his right hand strumming the strings, his left fingering a chord on the neck, as he cocks his head sideways, smiling. The red and black pattern of his jester's costume, marked by prominent yellow buttons, adds to the festive and entertaining air, while the clear light lends to the sense of immediacy. ' painting technique, dubbed the "rough style," was innovative, as he used quick loose brushwork to create energetic movement. His work transformed the genre that was introduced by Dirck van Buburen, as his figures moved realistically, caught in the midst of action. As art critic Roberta Smith wrote, "Mostly through cropping and enlargement, these works elevate genre painting into a form of clear-eyed portraiture Hals' rough style had a noted influence on later artists of the Realist movement, including Courbet and Manet, and of the Impressionist movement, including Monet and Mary Cassatt. This self-portrait shows the artist at her easel, turning in mid-stroke, with brush in hand to face the viewer. The diagonal of her The Art of Describing: Dutch Art in the Seventeenth Century as she turns, the play of light suggesting movement in her lace collar and her sleeve, and her facial expression, lips open as if beginning to smile, create a sense of lively immediacy. On the easel to the right, an animated musician dressed in blue, is playing a violin and singing along. The painting within a painting further emphasizes Leyster's self-presentation as a masterful painter of genre works. Here she innovatively compares the arts of music and painting in the echoing diagonals of the musician's bow and the painter's brush, while her use of cropping makes the painting seem almost as spontaneous as a snapshot. Leyster's treatment here is a noted innovation of self-portraiture as, in effect, she is marketing her brand, as the musician depicted here is copied from her most popular work The Happy Couple At the same time, X- rays have shown that painting on the easel was originally a girl's portrait, probably a self-portrait, and as art critic Peter Schjeldahl wrote, "the literal self-effacement tells a melancholy tale, but the painting is a joy and, retroactively, a feminist icon. Beneath Leyster's vibrant surfaces, Schjeldahl notes, "social and The Art of Describing: Dutch Art in the Seventeenth Century anxieties tingle with fire-alarm immediacy. In the Louvre purchased The Happy Couplebelieving it to be a work of Hals, only to discover Leyster's signature and trademark, a star symbol playing upon the meaning of her last name "lodestar. This iconic painting shows Dr. Tulp providing an anatomy lesson, as the forceps in his right hand lift a tendon from the partially dissected arm of a man who had been executed for armed robbery earlier that morning. Tulp looks toward the seven men gathered around the corpse as his left hand gestures to explain an anatomical point. The men, their white collars and fine clothes indicating their wealth, look in various directions. The three closest to the center lean forward as if watching Tulp's hands, while the two in the back look out toward the viewer. The two on the far left, depicted in profile, face toward Tulp but seem to be looking beyond him, outside the picture frame. A sense of dynamic movement and psychological complexity results, as no one returns Tulp's gaze or looks directly at the pale corpse. The umbra mortisor shadow of death, fills the center of the canvas. The man's body, his genitals covered with a piece of white linen, evokes the iconography of Christ's death, though here, the body is forgotten, at the same time his dissected arm grimly conveys death's reality. In this work, innovatively transformed group portraiture by dramatically focusing on the event in mid-action, rather than merely presenting a posed scene. As a result the work becomes a mise-en-sceneThe Art of Describing: Dutch Art in the Seventeenth Century kind of graphic documentary, and a masterful portrait. The Amsterdam Guild of Surgeons commissioned the group portrait, Rembrandt's first important one in the city. The men attended the Guild's annual public dissection in at which Dr. Tulp, the City Anatomist, presided. In 17 th century Holland, anatomical lessons The Art of Describing: Dutch Art in the Seventeenth Century noted social events, accompanied by music, conversation, and food and wine, taking place in theater lecture rooms, and attended by those who could afford the entrance fee. The well-dressed appearance of these men, their white collars and fine gowns, testify to their social importance, and yet, they are presented as if both sensationalized and distracted, their humanity overshadowing their status. Manet painted a copy of this painting in after studying it on a trip to the Netherlands, and the American realist Thomas Eakins was also influenced by it in painting his The Gross Clinic The executed man Kindt has also taken on a kind of later cultural life, referred to in W. Content compiled and written by Rebecca Seiferle. Edited and revised, with Summary and Accomplishments added by Kimberly Nichols. The Art Story. Ways to support us. Dutch Golden Age Painting Started: I can't paint the way they want me to paint and they know that too. Of course you will say that I ought to be practical and ought to try and paint the way they want me to paint. Well, I will tell you a secret. I have tried and I have tried very hard, but I can't do it. I just can't do it! And that is why I am just a little crazy. More quotes. Beginnings and Development. Later Developments and Legacy. Key Artists Frans Hals. Quick view Read more. Frans Hals was a Dutch Golden Age painter who specialized in portraits celebrated for their lively and spirited style. Judith Leyster. Overlooked by art historians for centuries, the provocative painter Judith Leyster was an important figure in the Dutch Golden Age. Rembrandt van Rijn. The seventeenth-century Dutch artist is among the premier master painters in Western civilization. Rembrandt's art was characterized by his sweeping Biblical narratives, stunning attention to detail, and masterful use of chiaroscuro, the painterly application of light and shadow. Anthony Van Dyck. The Dutch Anthony Van Dyck revolutionized portrait painting in Britain, moving it away from the stiff and formal conventions. Carel Fabritius. Fabritius's few, but iconic paintings show the Dutch Golden Age painter a master of compositional illusionism and narrational ambiguity. . Regarded as one of the foremost masters of Dutch painting, Vermeer specialized in domestic interior scenes with balanced compositions, soft-focus elements, and luminous effects. The Baroque. Baroque art and architecture emerged in late sixteenth-century Europe after the Renaissance, and lasted into the eighteenth century. In contrast to the clarity and order of earlier art, it stressed theatrical atmosphere, dynamic flourishes, and myriad colors and textures. The Rococo. The Rococo was a far reaching artistic movement associated with ornate decoration that included architecture, painting, sculpture, music, interior design, landscape design, and theater. The Lute Player Artist: Frans Hals This genre piece depicts a lute player, his body turned toward the viewer, while he saucily looks to his left. Self- Portrait c. The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp c. View all Important Art. Vermeer - Secret Lives of the Artists. Frans Hals in the Metropolitan Museum. Frans Hals - Master Series Lecture. The Art of Describing: Dutch Art in the Seventeenth Century books and articles below constitute a bibliography of the sources used in the writing of this page. These also suggest some accessible resources for further research, especially ones that can be found and purchased via the internet. : Windmills and Water Mills. Dutch Paintings of the 17 th Century. Hercules Seger video installation Rijksmuseum. Rembrandt: The Late Works review - dark, impassioned, magnificently defiant. Rembrandt showed us what it feels like to be inside the human skin. His beloved country: Jacob van Ruisdael. Cite article. Updated and modified regularly [Accessed ] Copy to clipboard. Related Movements.