COURSE DESCRIPTION

The Dutch Golden Age has bequeathed to us an extraordinary heritage, from the birth of modern capitalism and the microscope, to the perfection of many of today’s most loved types of art such as the still life, the landscape and the genre scene. Indeed the explosion in the visual arts was extraordinary, with an estimated 1.3 million master paintings produced each decade between 1640 and 1660 alone. This course explores the art and history of the Dutch Golden Age in detail, from the unexpected rise of a global empire to the masterpieces of Rembrandt, Vermeer and their contemporaries.

Course Content

Session 1: A new world, a new art

“God made the world, but the Dutch made the Netherlands”. In the late 1500s, the Low Countries were torn apart by a war between the Spanish and a band of rebels led by William of Orange. At the time, few suspected that the rebels would achieve much – and yet they defeated Europe’s superpower, took control of trade routes to Asia, and created a corporation that would deliver an annual dividend of 100%+ each year for almost 200 years. In this session we look at the rise of the Dutch and the new forms of art that became popular in this period, from the huge skies of the new Dutch landscape to maritime scenes, and religious paintings for a protestant republic.

Session 2: The stuff of life: well-laid tables, ordered households, flowers and ordinary folk

Painting in the Dutch Golden Age took off: townhouses, palaces and even modest residences would not be complete without at least a small collection of paintings. But the subject of these paintings is fascinating: breakfast scenes with casually displayed goods from around the world, idealised views of domestic life, the sort of thing the ‘help’ gets up to when no-one is looking, and an obsession with flowers. In this session we take a peek into this world through its magnificent paintings, made by masters such as Vermeer, Pieter de Hooch, Willem Claesz Heda and Pieter Claesz.

Session 3: Movers and shakers: Rembrandt, Hals and their subjects

Public life in the Netherlands was full of wealthy, powerful men and women taking control of their affairs. What better way to make sure those who come after you remember you properly, than by having Rembrandt paint your portrait? We begin this session by looking at portraiture from the period, from Hals’s ‘portraits’ of humble folk to the grand group portraits such as The Night Watch. But sometimes the life of the artist tells more about a period than who he or she paints, and this is certainly the case with Rembrandt and Hals, whose triumphs and tragedies infuse their works.

LECTURER

Dr Nick Gordon is a cultural historian and holds a PhD in history from the University of Sydney. His research into medieval and Renaissance Europe has won numerous academic awards and scholarships, including the University Medal in history from the University of Sydney, and has been published in prestigious peer-reviewed journals. Nick has over 15 years’ experience as a lecturer to university and public audiences.

COURSE STRUCTURE

3 x 1.5 hour sessions. Each session includes an interactive lecture and time for questions and discussion.

REQUIREMENTS

This course does not require any assumed knowledge, only a willingness to learn and an interest in art. Sessions require access to ZOOM (which is free), a device with a camera (such as a tablet or computer with a webcam), and an internet connection.