essay: How was the place of women in Dutch society reflected in the paintings with them in? Has the portrayal of women depicted in painting from the 17th century created the foundation for how women are portrayed in paintings by artists in today’s society?
Introduction
The objective of this paper is to explore the place of Women in Dutch 17th Century society, through the lens that the golden age of Dutch art focused upon them. Further, it will examine how those depictions influenced how women are portrayed in modern times, in artwork and society. Firstly the paper will outline and discuss 17th century Dutch art in reference to the context of gender. Secondly
After the end of the eighty years war with Spain, the Dutch Republic emerged as an important new economic, political and cultural force , with power passing to the middle classes. This led to significant changes in the art market in the Netherlands. The birth of a capitalist, mercantile society allowed for a great deal of paintings to be bought, by a wider audience than before. People had more money then was required for their essential needs, and so many decided to spend their excess money on improving the look of their homes with paintings. They chose to buy paintings that reflected their middle class experience, with still life and portraiture being especially popular.
In the Girl with the Pearl Earring, Vermeer paints a woman with smooth, unblemished skin, a vision of beauty emanating from the darkness surrounding her. The darkness around her deprives us of any setting, and along with the direct contact of the girl’s eyes with us, makes for a very intimate, close piece. Her pearl suggests purity, with the meaning of the pearl deriving from ideas expressed by St Francis De Sales, who said that women should only hear chaste words, the ‘oriental words of the gospel’ . By comparison, Vermeer’s Woman in Blue Reading a Letter, does give us a setting, one of domestic life in the Dutch Republic. The woman’s home is clean and tidy, which in Dutch art suggests a hardworking woman, with a strong sense of order and morality at home. Her light blue dress again emphasises her suitability for a domestic role. Pearls sit on the table, suggesting her purity. The map on the wall, and the letter, suggest that her lover/husband is at sea and writing to her. Altogether, this artwork portrays a woman in domestic bliss, keeping her purity and house in order while her lover/husband is away.
Dutch Artwork featuring women frequently emphasised these points, of purity, domesticity and morality. Despite the relatively emancipated position Dutch women found themselves in, they were still legally second class citizens, who had little part to play in the political or economic life of the Dutch Republic. So they were left to the domestic life, and artwork featured them there.
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