III. The governing body of wealthy regents, known as the ‘De Witt regime’ 8 , frequently commissioned artwork for urban renewal schemes or public buildings (such as the Amsterdam Town Hall and the Admiralty Building). Thus, a new genre of ‘history’ painting began to emerge, soon recognised as some of the noblest works of the Dutch art market. Renewed political climate also facilitated the commission of Flemish artists, arriving from the Spanish Netherlands, by the ruling élite. However, the economic fragility was mirrored in the unstable power structure, in which the art market had a vested interest. As the lack of central government prevented the ability of the ruling classes to take hard line military action to protect economic interest, the Dutch art market began to increasingly subject itself to external political influences, forming an underlying weakness on which the abundance of production depended. Although economic expansion was not unknown to the history of the Republic (as a result of the plethora of artistic creation witnessed in the 1590s), historians 9 now understand the level of economic production after 1650 to have been unprecedented for the Republic. The end of war appears to have allowed the Dutch economy to steer the allocation of resources to new demand with more efficiency. Evidence of this can be seen in its labour market as well. Despite an urban population boom, (Amsterdam increases from 150,000 to 200,000 between 1640 and 1672; a share of 8% to 11% of the total population 10 ), an estimated third of the working population in 1664 was made up of foreign migrants from Germany, Norway and Denmark 11 . This projection of demand for employment was seen most vividly in the shipping industry which was free to flourish after the Treaty of Münster and was largely responsible to the movement of ‘rich trades’, from which the art market drew most of its resources. The revitalisation and diversification of ‘rich trades’ improved the prospects for the production of finer materials and goods, such as painting and sculpture; accelerating the process of urbanisation. This economic restructure can also be seen in agriculture. The post-war rise in agricultural output of surrounding countries such as the Spanish Netherlands, France and a recovering Germany meant that, after 1647, Dutch rural society showed increasing signs of deprivation. Many turned to new land of poorer quality to scrape a living. In Drenthe, for example, 8% more of the land was cultivated between 1650 and 1750. On top of this, the farming industry was often subject to fluctuating tariffs, as set by the States-General, who were more concerned with profitable urban renewal. This meant that the cities and towns became far more appealing to a growing population, creating sufficient conditions for a proliferation of demand in the art market from a new and emerging class of small traders, shopkeepers and artisans, amongst others. It is in light of these economic, political and continental climates that we can begin to understand in greater depth, the fabric of the Dutch art market. As Dutch commerce entered this increasingly dynamic phase, the growing disposable income found new outlets of expenditure in urban renewal of buildings in towns such as The Hague, Leiden and Haarlem, and likewise into the decorative arts. Furthermore, the decentralised nature of Dutch society facilitated the formation of distinct styles associating with different towns, such as the Leiden fijnschilder and the Delft School. As the urban landscape developed, new genres of painting such as townscapes and urban panoramas started to evolve. Some of the leading masters in this field included Gerrit Berckheyde (famous for his cityscapes of Amsterdam and The Hague), Jan van der Heyden and Jacob van Ruisdael (who gained recognition from his landscapes in and around Haarlem). Each brought a novel realism through internal reflection between towns and inhabitants. Defined by its lavish, sophisticated works and richer colouring (from increasing supplies of dyes originating in tropical countries), this movement followed a growing interest in agricultural painting, pioneered by the likes of Pieter Saenredam and Gerard Houckgeest. Although the Reformed Church saw little interest in commissioning decorative works, paintings of churches or gatehouses became a popular subject of interest for masters like Emanuel de Witte, whose church interior paintings stood in stark contrast to those of Saenredam. The market now had to satisfy
8 Named after Johan de Witt, grand pensionary 1625-1672. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johan_de_Witt.
Accessed
14.03.15. 9 J.L Price, ‘Dutch Culture in the Golden Age’, Painting and Graphic Art
10 Israel, ‘The Dutch Republic’, Part III: The Later Golden Age (1647-1702) , Society, Population 11 Israel, ‘The Dutch Republic’, Part III: The Later Golden Age (1647-1702) , Society, Work and Migration
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