Art and Commerce in the Dutch Golden Age

During the seventeenth century The Netherlands (a small country of just two million inhabitants and virtually no natural resources) enjoyed a 'Golden Age', becoming a leading economic and world power. In this period, commercialization had far-reaching effects not only on Dutch economic life but also on art: for the first time in Europe, market forces proved more powerful than patronage. Michael North explores the reasons behind the outstanding success of the Dutch in trade and industry, and the effects that this success had on the art world. Book jacket.

Michael North is Professor and Chair of Modern History at the Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-Universitat, Greifswald.