![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() The style and content of Dutch painting in the seventeenth century was not dictated or determined by the regents or even by the richer merchants but by the middle levels of society, including even artisans and the more prosperous peasants. They had not enjoyed the humanist education and were much less immediately aware of the classical and renaissance heritage, and were consequently hardly conscious of any ‘inferiority’. The majority of Dutch painters and the greater part of the public were much less impressed by the achievements of the rest of Europe in art and literature. PWI90079 The Peasant Family, 1642 (oil on canvas) by Le Nain, Antoine and Louis (d.1648) & Mathieu (1607-77) 61×78 cm Louvre, Paris, France Peter Willi French, out of copyright The French spirit was, however, strong enough to make out of these elements an art which, though varied, was united in its fundamental principles. Paris was open to influences from Flanders and Holland, which led some artists in the direction of naturalism. Many painters visited Italy and were particularly influenced by Venetian art. In the field of painting, different tendencies ranged from the pure classicism of Nicholas Poussin (pictured above) to the naturalism of Louis Le Nain (his Peasant Family is pictured below). Nicholas PoussinĪlthough Classicism and Rationalism were the great invention of the age, culture was not uniform. He gathered round him a team of architects, sculptors, painters, poets, dramatists and musicians, who made Vaux-le-Vicomte the greatest art centre of its period, and after his disgrace they became the nucleus of the culture of Versailles. Patronage of the arts was strong Fouquet (the Superintendent of Finances in France), in particular used his money with exceptional taste. In this article, she illuminates the differences between two opposing artistic traditions of the 17th century, Classicism and Naturalism. Enjoy!Īrtistically, the period of Richelieu and Mazarin saw the rise of French Classicism. Annie’s novels are set during the Early Medieval period, but her knowledge of history extends centuries beyond her chosen era to include the 17th century. As a special treat, I turn my blog over to Annie Whitehead, indieBRAG honouree and author of Alvar the Kingmaker and To Be A Queen. ![]()
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