From Leiden to London: Anglo-Dutch Relations in Early Modern Art and Science
FAIN: FT-55447-07
Craig Ashley Hanson
Calvin College (Grand Rapids, MI 49546-4301)
As an important Protestant ally, the Netherlands enjoyed a close – albeit often contentious – relationship with Britain during the early modern period. As the Dutch Republic and England emerged as thriving commercial centers, both excelled in the production of goods, from the purely utilitarian to the highly artistic. From country houses and gardens, to textiles, to prints and paintings, artists from the Low Countries made key contributions to Britain’s visual culture. The intellectual communities of Leiden and London likewise excelled in knowledge production, especially in natural philosophy, natural history, and medicine. Addressing ties between the arts and sciences, this study explores this rich flow of art, objects, and ideas.