A little history of Amsterdam’s Golden Age as told by some paintings in the Rijksmuseum Gallery of Honour and then somewhat explained with a little context.
The Sampling Officials of the Amsterdam Drapers’ Guild, Known as ‘The Syndics’
Rembrandt van Rijn, 1662 (image via)
The men in this painting might seem like a trivial and unimportant subject for an artist such as Rembrandt to paint, but that is one reason which makes this work remarkable. This triviality shows us the important role that guilds and administrative duties played in the Dutch Golden Age. This painting is not of a naval expedition nor is it of the beauty of a canal at sunrise. In fact, it’s worth noting that Rembrandt hardly painted landscapes. It’s worth noting that his painting here shows the mundane inner workings of Amsterdam.
Rembrandt’s Son Titus in a Monk’s Habit
Rembrandt van Rijn, 1660 (image via)
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Self Portrait of the Apostle Paul
Rembrandt van Rijn, 1661 (image via)
Whether an anonymous monk or the famous apostle, Rembrandt seeks to humanize his subjects, especially through the use of his own face as Paul’s. Amsterdam was once a religious center due in part to the Miracle of Amsterdam in 1345 but with the economic and liberal explosion of the Dutch Golden Age, the religious fervor of the city had noticeably declined.
Portrait of Marten Soolmans
Rembrandt van Rijn, 1634 (image via)
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Portrait of Oopjen Coppit
Rembrandt van Rijn, 1634 (image via)
The subject of these paintings, Marten Soolmans, the son of a wealthy Flemish immigrant who owned a sugar refinery in Amsterdam, and his wife Oopjen Coppit, showed the wealth known to many of their time. Their wealth was likely typical of the Golden Age, an immigrant to the city who profited greatly from the VOC trade and new found Dutch colonies across the globe. What better way to show it than with fashion.
River Landscape with Riders
Aelbert Cuyp, c. 1653–1657 (image via)
Contrary to this painting, Holland does not have hills. Yet the artist was likely inspired by Italian landscapes which often featured Italy’s mountainous terrain. The Dutch may have made their land from removing the water, but the only mountains they ever made were on the canvas. Unless they ever made the proverbial mountain out of the molehill.
The Merry Family
Jan Havicksz. Steen, 1668 (image via)
The note on the wall of this painting reads “As the old sing, so shall the young twitter.” We can see in this family that the parents are enjoying themselves with music and wine while their children follow their looseness by smoking pipes. This was not uncommon among children in Amsterdam at the time and we can likely attribute this to families placing greater importance on family unity across the generations rather than morals.
The Love Letter
Johannes Vermeer, c. 1669 — c. 1670 (image via)
In what was likely a common scene since the Dutch Golden Age, Vermeer shows a young lady receiving a letter from her partner who, judging from the painting of the seascape and ship underway, we can infer is away at sea. No doubt she would be worried for his safe passage and looking forward to his return. Just as we listen to love songs today, she is likely paying a similar tune on her cittern.
The Milkmaid
Johannes Vermeer, c. 1660 (image via)
Here we see one of Vermeer’s daughters pouring milk, but this is likely a scene common across all of Holland and beyond. At first it looks idyllic but upon closer inspection we see how human she is — the table is messy with old bread and the room is bare of furniture — and that many, despite Holland’s wealth, struggled.
The Night Watch
Rembrandt van Rijn, 1642 (image via)
In The Night Watch, we see the local civic guard of Amsterdam gathering together to head out of a patrol of the city. This was unusual to Europe in that the city’s defenders were local citizens and not part of the state’s military. However, this is typical of the liberal independence known to Amsterdam during its Golden Age.
