List of people from the Dutch Golden Age

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

The Dutch Golden Age was a period in

Tulip Mania
in 1637 and onwards.

The accompanying article about the Dutch Golden Age focuses on society, religion and culture. There are also articles about the Eighty Years' War (the Dutch revolt against Spain) and the Anglo-Dutch Wars. A concise broader picture is painted in History of the Netherlands.

People are listed here per category in order of year of birth.

Note: Many Dutchmen from this period had a middle name ending in szoon, which means son of. It is also commonly written as sz., for instance Rembrandt Harmensz. van Rijn.

Sciences and philosophy

Religion

  • Jacobus Arminius (1560–1609), Dutch theologian, served from 1603 as professor in theology at the University of Leiden
  • Gerardus Vossius (1577-1649), Dutch theologian and humanist
  • Gisbertus Voetius (1589-1676), Dutch theologian, served from 1634 as professor in theology at the University of Utrecht. Noted opponent of Cartesianism.

Painting

The best known Dutch painters of the 17th century include:

  • Frans Hals (ca. 1583–1666), portraits, schutterstukken, regent groups, genre pieces (inns, figures)
  • Hendrick Avercamp (1585–1634), landscapes with snow
  • Hendrick Terbruggen
    (1588–1629), historical and biblical paintings
  • Willem Claeszoon Heda
    (1594–1680), still lifes
  • Jan van Goyen (1596–1656), landscapes
  • Pieter Jansz Saenredam
    (1597–1665), church interiors, cityscapes
  • Salomon van Ruysdael (ca. 1600–1670), landscapes
  • Adriaen Brouwer (c. 1605–1638), genre pieces (inns)
  • Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn
    (1606–1669), historical and biblical paintings, portraits, schutterstukken, regent groups, genre pieces (figures)
  • Jan Lievens (1607–1674), historical and biblical paintings, portraits
  • Adriaen van Ostade (1610–1684), genre scenes of peasant life
  • Willem van de Velde, the elder
    (ca. 1611–1693), seascapes
  • Bartholomeus van der Helst (1613–1670), portraits, schutterstukken, regent groups
  • Jan Both
    (1615–1652), Italian landscapes
  • Govert Flinck (1615–1660), historical and biblical paintings, portraits, schutterstukken
  • Ferdinand Bol (1616–1680), historical and biblical paintings
  • Emanuel de Witte (ca. 1617–1692), church interiors
  • Gerard Terborch
    (1617–1681), portraits, genre pieces (family scenes)
  • Philips Wouwermans
    (1619–1668), landscapes
  • Aelbert Cuyp (1620–1691), Italian and Dutch landscapes
  • Carel Fabritius (1622–1654), historical and biblical paintings, genre pieces (figures)
  • Paulus Potter (1625–1654), animals in landscapes
  • Jan Steen (1626–1679), genre pieces (inns, family scenes)
  • Jacob Isaakszoon van Ruisdael
    (c. 1628–1682)
  • Gabriel Metsu
    (1629–1667), genre pieces (family scenes)
  • Pieter de Hooch (1629–1683), genre pieces (family scenes)
  • Johannes Vermeer (1632–1675), cityscapes, genre pieces (family scenes)
  • Nicolaes Maes (1634–1693), portraits, genre pieces (family scenes, figures)
  • Meindert Hobbema (1638–1709), landscapes

For a more comprehensive listing, see the List of Dutch painters.

Less famous painters from this period were:

Architecture

The most famous Dutch architects of the 17th century were :

Less famous architects from this period were:

  • Hans Vredeman de Vries (1527–1606), architect in Antwerp, used a lot of ornamentation
  • Arent van 's-Gravenzande (..-1662), built De Lakenhal (1639) and the Marekerk (1638–1640), both in Leiden, and the Oostkerk (1646) in Middelburg
  • Philip Vingboons
    (1607–1678), built many canal houses in Amsterdam in classicistic style
  • Pieter Post (1608–1669), built Huis ten Bosch in The Hague (1645-)
  • Adriaen Dortsman
    (1625–1682), built the Lutheran Church in Amsterdam
  • Elias Bouman (1636–1686), built the
    Portuguese-Israelitic Synagogue
     in Amsterdam (1671/1675)
  • Maurits Post (1645–1677), built Slot Amerongen (1676)

Literature

See also: Dutch Renaissance and Golden Age literature

The most famous Dutch men of letters of the 17th century were:

  • Joost van den Vondel (1587–1679), poet and playwright, who wrote more than 30 plays, many of those based on biblical stories. After The Gijsbrecht (see above) his best known drama is Lucifer (1654). He translated many French, Italian, Latin and Greek works. A recurring theme is man's inner conflicts, on the one hand rebellious, on the other hand pledging obedience to God.
  • Gerbrand Adriaensz. Bredero
    (1585–1618), poet (sonnets) and dramatist (comedies), his most famous comedy, De Spaanse Brabander (English: The Spanish Brabanter), describes the seamy side of life in Amsterdam
  • Pieter Corneliszoon Hooft (1581–1647), historian, poet and dramatist, who wrote Nederlandsche Historiën (English: Dutch History), which was never completed, but highly valued. His poetry was of high standard as well. He introduced French and Italian lyricism into Dutch poetry.
  • Jacob Cats (1577–1660), poet, famous for his moralistic writings. Houwelijck and Trouringh (English:Marriage and Wedding ring) are two major volumes to educate the Dutch about these serious affairs. Indeed, his all too serious tone, lacking humour and esprit, made him a lesser writer than the three named above, and sometimes the object of mockery. His Kinderen zijn hinderen (English: Children are a nuisance) is still a Dutch saying, often followed by the remark that Cats probably had forgotten that he had been a child himself.

Less famous literary men from this period were:

  • Roemer Visscher (1547–1620), writer of epigrams and emblemata
  • Karel van Mander (1548–1606), wrote the Schilderboeck, a book about painting, and also several biographies about painters
  • Justus de Harduyn (1582–1636), poet from the southern Low Countries
  • Bredero
    , founder of the First Dutch Academy in 1617
  • Statenbijbel
    that appeared in 1637 and is still in use today in some Protestant circles
  • Thomas Asseleyn (1620–1701), writer of comedies
  • Willem Godschalk van Focquenbroch
    (1640–1670), poet and playwright
  • Jan Luyken (1649–1712)

Sculpture

Dutch sculptors of the 17th century were:

  • William of Orange in the Nieuwe Kerk (English: New Church) in Delft (1614). All ruling descendants of Willem of Orange and their kin have been interred here to this date. De Keyser also created the statue of Erasmus in Rotterdam
    (1618)
  • Artus II Quellinus (his nephew) (1625–1700) and Rombout Verhulst (1625–1696). All originating from the southern Netherlands (present day Belgium), they were the most prominent sculptors in the Northern Netherlands. Among their greatest works is the decoration of the Amsterdam city hall (built between 1648 and 1665), now known as the Royal Palace of Amsterdam
    .

Music

The most famous Dutch composers of the 17th century were:

  • Jan P. Sweelinck (1562–1621), composer and organ player, major force in the development of 17th century organ music
  • Constantijn Huygens (1596–1687), more famous as a poet, member of the famous chamber of rhetoric De Muiderkring, composed some 800 pieces, most of which got lost, promoted use of the organ during church services

Less famous composers/musicians from this period were:

Exploration

Colonization

Business

Politics

  • Maurice of Nassau, Prince of Orange (1567–1625), stadtholder
  • Frederik Hendrik, Prince of Orange (1584–1647), stadtholder
  • Willem III van Oranje (1650–1702), King-Stadtholder
  • Johan van Oldenbarnevelt (1547–1619), statesman who played an important role in the Dutch struggle for independence from Spain
  • Johan de Witt (1625–1672), Grand Pensionary of Holland, statesman who played an important role in the Republic of the United Netherlands
  • Cornelis de Graeff (1599–1664), Amsterdam regent and Dutch statesman who played an important role in the Republic of the United Netherlands; uncle of Johan de Witt
  • Andries de Graeff (1611–1678), Amsterdam regent and Dutch statesman; uncle of Johan de Witt
  • Andries Bicker (1586-1652), powerful Amsterdam regent and Dutch statesman and diplomat; leader of the Dutch States Party
  • Cornelis Bicker (1592-1654), Amsterdam regent; uncle of Johan de Witt
  • Agatha Welhouk (1637–1715), central figure in 17th-century court case and daughter of Delft's mayor
  • Nicolaes Witsen (1641–1717), Dutch statesman who was mayor of Amsterdam thirteen times, between 1682-1706

Military

  • Cornelis Jol (1597–1641), admiral and privateer
  • Maarten Tromp (1598–1653), admiral
  • Michiel de Ruyter (1607–1676), admiral in the Anglo-Dutch Wars
  • Cornelis Tromp (1629–1691), admiral, commander-in-chief of the Dutch and Danish navies
  • Cornelius Cruys (1655–1727), Dutch Vice Admiral of the Imperial Russian Navy and the first commander of the Russian Baltic Fleet

References

  1. ^ "Freedoms, as Given by the Council of the Nineteen of the Chartered West India Company to All those who Want to Establish a Colony in New Netherland". World Digital Library. 1630. Retrieved 2013-07-28.
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