17th Century Dutch Painting - A Pathfinder

Introduction & Scope

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17th century Dutch painting makes up a large majority of the work usually considered to be the Dutch Golden Age. Though this golden age applied to all aspects of the Dutch world, it is particularly present in the painting from this time period. Some of the earlier artists and paintings from this time period could be considered to be part of the late European Renaissance, while most others would be considered to be from the movement known as the Baroque. Because of the productivity of the artists working at this time, and the particular caliber of the work being produced there are endless amounts of publications, exhibitions and information out there for researchers to sift through. Some attempt has been made to gather resources which the author feels rise above the rest and could be considered vital to anyone who is interested in researching 17th century Dutch painting.

A quick caveat: This pathfinder was created as an assignment through San Jose State University's School of Library and Information Science. As per the instructions of the assignment all resources can be located at one library: Sonoma State University Library; the author, however, has no affiliation with the institution.

Furthermore, it must be noted that the resources which the author has included are not an exhaustive list of those available; neither are they comprehensive of all aspects of Dutch painting in this time period. Rather, they provide varied information of the paintings of this era, in varying degrees of specificity. There are numerous resources which give good background information, as well as those which focus on specific motifs, schools or exhibitions. The author has not included any purely biographical studies simply because the goal of this pathfinder is to provide a solid framework for research concerning Dutch painting during the 17th century as a whole. If a researcher is looking for biographical material there is plenty out there, especially on the ‘Big 3’ – Rembrandt, Vermeer and Hals.

The inclusion of material in this resource is predicated on a few criteria, namely the scholarly quality, reputability of the author, and whether or not the resource contains a bibliography. Not all resources included in this pathfinder have bibliographies, but those that do are specifically noted. Bibliographies are important to consult when conducting research, and as there are no stand alone bibliographies of Dutch painting in the 17th century listed in the library catalog, special attention should be given to those resources which have one.

Browsing Areas & Subject Headings

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Browsing Areas – Library of Congress Classification

Shelf browsing areas which will be helpful for researchers of 17th Century Dutch painting will all fall under class N. Within that class it will be appropriate to browse subclass N (visual arts), and subclass ND (painting). Please note that materials which fall under this classification system may be shelved in a number of places: Reference 2nd Floor, 3rd Floor Stacks, 3rd Floor Oversize and Automated Retrieval. Following is a breakdown of specific areas with the appropriate classes and subclasses which might be of particular interest.

N - Visual Arts (General)

Subclass N-
N400-3990 -- Art museums, galleries, etc.
N4390-5098 -- Exhibitions
N5300-7418 -- History
N7420-7525.8 -- General works
N7560-8266 -- Special subjects of art

Subclass ND-
ND – Painting
ND25-(48) -- General
ND49-813 -- History
ND1130-1156 -- General works
ND1300-1337 -- Portraits
ND1340-1367 -- Landscape painting
ND1390-1393 -- Still life

Subject Headings – Library of Congress Subject Headings

Use these Library of Congress Subject Headings when searching for records in the library catalog. Not all of these subject headings will return records in the catalog, but it is possible to find records from other catalogs via resources like WorldCat, and request items through Interlibrary Loan. It is also possible to search many of the aggregate databases with these subject headings of variations thereof. The subject headings set in bold are most likely to retrieve results for this material.

Painting, Baroque
Painting, Baroque--Netherlands
Painting, Baroque--Netherlands--Exhibitions

Painting, Dutch
Painting, Dutch--17th century
Painting, Dutch--17th century--Catalogs
Painting, Dutch--17th century—Exhibitions
Painting, Dutch--History

Painting, European
Painting, European--17th century

Painting--History
Painting--History--17th-18th centuries
Painting--History--Dictionaries

Painting, Late Renaissance

Painting, Modern 17th-18th centuries
Painting, Modern--17th-18th centuries--Europe
Painting, Modern--17th-18th centuries--Netherlands
Painting, Modern--17th century

Painting, Netherlandish
Painting, Netherlandish--Catalogs
Painting, Netherlandish--ExhibitionsPainting--Netherlands--History

Indexes & Abstracts

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Indexes and abstracts, whether retrieved from online aggregate databases or from print materials, are some of the most powerful resources that researchers can use. As stated above, there are two distinctly different types of indexes, print and digital. Print indexes have the advantage of being on a reference shelve, and can be browsed over relatively easily. They tend to be about a particular topic which makes them very accessible. Aggregate databases, though only accessible digitally, have one huge advantage over their print counterparts; they can be keyword searched. This feature allows the researcher to retrieve articles that are related by subtle nuances, and might have been missed otherwise.

Academic Search Premier (EBSCO). (2009). EBSCO Industries, Inc.
Retrieved from Sonoma State University.
http://xerxes.calstate.edu/sonoma/databases/proxy/CAL15419

This database is extremely flexible when it comes to searching. Though it retrieves a fair number of hits when searching by keywords like ‘Dutch painting’ and ‘17th century’, it becomes really powerful when searching for articles on painting personalities of the era.

ARTstor. (2009). ARTstor.
Retrieved from Sonoma State University.
http://xerxes.calstate.edu/sonoma/databases/proxy/CAL07866

ARTstor is a powerful image database which can retrieve high quality digital representations of paintings. It has a powerful advanced search option which can narrow results by keyword (Dutch), location (Europe), type of art (painting), and time period (1600-1700ce). The images are high quality scans which can be viewed at high magnification.

Art Index (Wilson). (2009). H.W. Wilson Company.
Retrieved from Sonoma State University.
http://xerxes.calstate.edu/sonoma/databases/proxy/CAL11590

Another powerful aggregator, this database yields many scholarly articles, as well as exhibition reviews. Excellent results are returned for personality keywords (i.e.: Rembrandt, Hals, Vermeer), as well as keyword combinations (i.e.: ’Dutch painting’ and ‘17th century’).

Havlice, P. P. (1977). World painting index. Metuchen, N.J.: Scarecrow Press.

The author of this book is a reference librarian at a university. It indexes pieces of art by artist, term or subject, and then lists where the selected pieces are housed. It also offers multiple bibliographies based on indexed search terms.

Location: Reference 2nd floor
Call #: ND45 .H38
ISBN: 0810810166
Contains Bibliography: Bibliographies are linked to unique terms.

ISI Web of Science. (2009). Thomson Reuters.
Retrieved from Sonoma State University.
http://xerxes.calstate.edu/sonoma/databases/proxy/CAL15419

This resource offers many results for publication reviews and exhibition reviews. Exhibitions are hugely important to the world of art history, and as such researchers should seek out reviews of them. Some keyword suggestions: (‘Dutch painting’ and ‘17th century’).

JSTOR. (2000-2009). JSTOR.
Retrieved from Sonoma State University.
http://xerxes.calstate.edu/sonoma/databases/proxy/CAL08191

JSTOR is a powerful database for searching for art and art history related articles. All articles are scholarly in nature. For the purposes of this topic the research can search by keyword combination (i.e.: ‘painting, Dutch’), or by particular personalities of the era (i.e.: ‘Vermeer, Jan’).

Wright, C. (1992). The world's master paintings: From the early Renaissance to the present day: a comprehensive listing of works by 1,300 painters and a complete guide to their locations worldwide. London: Routledge.

This is a slightly different type of reference work than the others listed in this section. It is a good reference resource if a researcher needs to know where to locate paintings. This resource lists painters and their known works as well as the gallery or museum where they are housed. Look under '17th Century Dutch Republic' for relevant works.

Location: Reference 2nd floor
Call #: ND40 .W75 1991
ISBN: 0415022401
Contains Bibliography: N/A

Periodicals

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Periodicals on their own can be overlooked because much of their content is now available via aggregate databases. Nevertheless, it helps to know a few specific titles which can be consulted for information without consulting an aggregator. Among these there are two which will guarantee outstanding results: Art Journal, and Simiolus. The other inclusions to this area of resources are included not because they contain a bounty of articles rather that they have a fair amount of articles which contain content that might not be seen in catalogs, exhibitions or books. Often times the search strategies need to be creative, and rely upon starting broad and getting more specific. It is possible to find articles so specific that they contain information about the iconography of the grape in 17th century Dutch painting.

Apollo. (1925). London: Apollo, etc. http://library.calstate.edu/erm/sonoma/1000000000293600/1000000000002200.

This publication focuses on antiquity and history, but offers a great deal of art history related articles. Researchers can search the online database via common search terms for the subject area, like ‘painting, Dutch’, or based on particular artists. It is not as scholarly as other periodicals, but it does contain reviews of some exhibitions.

Location: Internet resource, available online via America’s Historical Newspapers: Jan. 01, 1793- Dec. 31, 1793
ISSN: 0003-6536

Association of Art Historians (Great Britain). (1978). Art history. [Oxford]: Blackwell.
http://library.calstate.edu/erm/sonoma/954925471348/110975947325577.

This scholarly publication is published five times a year, and offers a fairly substantial number of articles on the topic. Though not quite as bountiful a periodical as Art Journal, or Simiolus, it nevertheless is worth searching. The search terms need to be a little creative, but once found they yield some specific articles.

Location: Internet resource, available online via Academic Search: Jan. 01, 1981-
ISSN: 1467-8365, 0141-6790

College Art Association of America, & College Art Association (U.S.). (1960). Art journal. New York: College Art Association of America. http://library.calstate.edu/erm/sonoma/954925382042/111064877009001.

This quarterly scholarly publication focuses on art criticism, and offers a different viewpoint than a purely historical take. It offers a bounty of articles, including genre or artist specific ones. Such a varied resource is invaluable to the researcher. The search terms can be varied greatly based upon the specific area of research.

Location: Internet resource, available online via JSOTR: Jan. 01, 1960- Dec. 31, 2004
ISSN: 0004-3249

Renaissance Society of America. (1967). Renaissance quarterly. New York, N.Y.: Renaissance Society of America. http://library.calstate.edu/erm/sonoma/954925438515/111034282729001.

Published by the University of Chicago this quarterly periodical is academic in scope, focusing on the historical era of the Renaissance. Though most commonly associated with the Baroque, Dutch painting in the 17th century also fits into the late Renaissance. This journal ties together painting and history. Search by historical figures or ‘Dutch painting’.

Location: Internet resource, available online via JSTOR: Jan. 01, 1967- Dec. 31, 2004; Project MUSE: Jan. 01, 2005-
ISSN: 1935-0236, 0034-4338 1

Simiolus. (1967). Amsterdam, Netherlands: Nederlandse Universiteitspers. http://library.calstate.edu/erm/sonoma/954925444658/111081201279001.

This is the periodical to consult for researchers of 17th century Dutch painting. It is a quarterly publication from the Netherlands, focusing on Dutch and Flemish art from the 15th-17th century. It is available from 1966-2005 via JSTOR. Topics included are wide-ranging and unique. Search by ‘Dutch Painting’, or specific genres or artists.

Location: Internet resource, available online via JSTOR: Jan. 01, 1966- Dec. 31, 2005
ISSN: 0037-5411

Encyclopedias & Dictionaries

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Encyclopedias and dictionaries are often the starting resource when confronting a research project. All of the titles listed below are excellent resources to consult when trying to formulate a research strategy. Most of the resources should be consulted for general background information for the era as a whole, though some resources provide excellent biographical information. These resources can be consulted at any stage in a research project and should not be overlooked.

Bénézit, E., Busse, J., Dorny, C., Murray, C. J., & Beaulah, K. (2006). Dictionary of artists. Paris: Gründ.

This resource is fully comprehensive when it comes to covering artists of the era. Entries include an informational article as well as a listing of selected works. There is also included in each entry a sampling of the artists signature. This is a good resource for basic background information.

Location: Reference 2nd floor
Call #: N40 .D5213 2006
ISBN: 9782700030709
Contains Bibliography: N/A

Bleiberg, E. (2005). Arts & humanities through the eras. Farmington Hills, MI: Thomson Gale.

This five volume set is available electronically, and as such allows for keyword searching. Of particular interest to researchers will be articles such as 'Painting in the Low Coutnries', 'Dutch Republic', and various entries on specific artists of the era. This is an excellent resource and a good starting point for any research project.

Location: Online via Gale Virtual Reference Library
Call #: N/A
ISBN: 0787693847
Contains Bibliography: N/A

Earls, I. (1996). Baroque art: A topical dictionary. Westport, Conn: Greenwood Press.

Many late 17th century Dutch painters are often attributed to the Baroque movement, and as such this advanced reference tool is well suited for use in research. It will not provide extensive information about critique, theory or interpretation; rather it will be used as a cross reference and clarifying tool. It is helpful when defining terminology (i.e.: 'breakfast piece' or 'still-life').

Location: Reference 2nd floor
Call #: N6415.B3 E18 1996
ISBN: 0313294062
Contains Bibliography: N/A

Myers, B. S. (1959). Encyclopedia of world art. New York: McGraw-Hill.

This is a great print resource. Look for entries on 'Flemish and Dutch Art', 'Baroque Art', and 'Golden Age'. The entries are comprehensive and offer a bounty of background information. Do not look here for in depth biographical information about a particualr artist.

Location: Reference 2nd floor
Call #: N31 .E533
ISBN: 0910081
Contains Bibliography: N/A

Oxford art online. (2008). Oxford: Oxford Univ. Press.

This online reference resource combines four powerful tools for beginning research: The Oxford Companion to Western Art , Encyclopedia of Aesthetics , The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Art Terms , Grove Art Online. Search for particular artists, genres, terminology or by subject. It offers many biographical entries as well.

Location: Online via Oxford Art Online
Call #: N/A
ISBN: N/A
Contains Bibliography: N/A

Catalogs & Exhibitions

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Catalogs and exhibitions are important tools for researchers because they are created to highlight a choice selection of artists based on a curator’s rationale for inclusion. It must be noted that because of the fact that these types of publications are particular in regards to artists considered for inclusion they are not comprehensive. Different from a survey of the period as a whole, they often provide a unique interpretation of the art. These are invaluable tools which can be used to gain an understanding of the interconnectivity between many of the artists of the period.

Bernt, W. (1970). The Netherlandish painters of the seventeenth century. London: Phaidon.

This is an excellent resource for researchers because it provides information on many artists, including their signature and any pupils they might have taught. It also includes many of the lesser known Dutch artists of the period. It is an older book, so another resource with better plates should be consulted for image comparison.

Location: 3rd Floor Oversize
Call #: ND636 .B4315
ISBN: 071481427X
Contains Bibliography: N/A

Blankert, A. (1999). Dutch classicism in seventeenth-century painting. Rotterdam: NAi.

This is a catalog of an exhibition put together by Dr. Albert Blankert, one of the world’s preeminent Vermeer scholars. Of special interest to researchers will be the emphasis placed on how Greek and Roman classicism influenced a particular school of Dutch painters in the 17th century. This catalog contains excellent color plates, and several scholarly essays.

Location: 3rd Floor Oversize
Call #: ND636 .B4315
ISBN: 9056621211
Contains Bibliography: N/A

Detroit Institute of Arts, & Keyes, G. S. (2004). Masters of Dutch painting: Detroit Institute of Arts. Detroit: Detroit Institute of Arts, in association with D Giles Ltd., London.

Dr. George S. Keyes is the former curator of European paintings at the Detroit Institute of Arts, Michigan. This catalog focuses on many of the lesser known Dutch artists of the 17th century. It contains quality plates and lots of textual information. It is a good survey of Dutch art in the 17th century.

Location: 3rd Floor Oversize
Call #: ND646 .D48 2004
ISBN: 9781904832041
Contains Bibliography: p. 272-284

Spicer, J. A., Orr, L. F., & Bok, M. J. (1997). Masters of light: Dutch painters in Utrecht during the golden age. Baltimore: Walters Art Gallery.

This catalog was put together by James A. Murnaghan, curator of Renaissance and Baroque art, Walters Art Museum, Baltimore, Maryland. Of particular interest to researchers will be its emphasis on the geographical area of Utrecht. It also pays close attention to the lesser known artists, avoiding the habit of many publications of focusing on Rembrandt, Vermeer and Hals.

Location: 3rd Floor Oversize
Call #: ND651.U88 S67 1997
ISBN: 0300073399
Contains Bibliography: p. 441-473

Books

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Though books often are overlooked in favor of journal articles when it comes to scholarly material, they are invaluable resources for art history. It must be remembered that before the widespread usage of digital images, and their dispensation via the World Wide Web, these books were often the only resources that allowed researchers to see reproductions of paintings. Too frequently people assume that all art history books are ‘coffee table’ art books, with all but images and no substance. Quite in contrast to this supposition, these resources combine invaluable images with scholarly research. Many of these books also contain extensive bibliographies, which for this subject area can be quite hard to track down. Some of the resources listed below offer broad surveys of the topic, and others are more specific in their scope. Any combination of these resources will provide researchers with a bounty of information on their topic.

Alpers, S. (1983). The art of describing: Dutch art in the seventeenth century. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Having been a professor at UC Berkeley, Alpers was a preeminent scholar of 17th century Dutch art. This book is concerned primarily with the ‘vision’ of Dutch artists, specifically how Dutch artists tend to describe whereas their Italian counterparts compose narratives. This book offers a unique approach, and should be consulted by all researchers of the topic.

Location: 3rd Floor Stacks
Call #: ND646 .A46 1983
ISBN: 0226015122
Contains Bibliography: N/A

Bergström, I. (1956). Dutch still-life painting in the seventeenth century. New York: T. Yoseloff.

Professor Bergström has compiled a fully comprehensive volume of still-life paintings. This subject matter is often overlooked in the larger, more general surveys of Dutch painting. It offers excellent scope and solid information.

Location: 3rd Floor Oversize
Call #: ND1390 .B42
ISBN: N/A
Contains Bibliography: p. 317-325

Haak, B., & Willems-Treeman, E. (1984). The Golden Age: Dutch painters of the seventeenth century. New York: H.N. Abrams.

Haak was a Rembrandt specialist, a founder of the Rembrandt Research Project, and director of the Amsterdam Historical Museum. His publication mixes scholarly research with easy to access information. It provides a good mixture of well-known and lesser-known Dutch painters of the era.

Location: 3rd Floor Oversize
Call #: ND646 .H3 1984
ISBN: 0810909561
Contains Bibliography: p. 512-524

Kahr, M. M. (1978). Dutch painting in the seventeenth century. New York: Harper & Row.

This work contains images and information about many of the most well-known Dutch painters of the period: Rembrandt, Vermeer, Hals, Ruisdael, etc. This resource does not provide extensive scholarly research as seen in other resources included, but is nevertheless a good starting point for research and overview.

Location: 3rd Floor Stacks
Call #: ND646 .K26 1978
ISBN: 0064335763
Contains Bibliography: p. 306-310

Liedtke, W. A. (2000). A view of Delft: Vermeer and his contemporaries. Zwolle: Waanders.

Dr. Walter Liedtke, curator of European paintings at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, focuses on four artists working in Delft during the 17th century: Vermeer, Fabritius, Houckgeest and de Hooch. Color plates accompany six essays, which are concerned with how each of these Delft painters influenced one another. It provides a unique perspective that is not attainable in a monograph or survey.

Location: 3rd Floor Oversize
Call #: ND646.5.D45 L54 2000
ISBN: 904009490X
Contains Bibliography: p. 296-313

Martin, W. (1951). Dutch painting of the great period, 1650-1697. London: Batsford.

Whereas some of the resources in this section offer specificity, this title is a good survey of Dutch art in the 17th century. Dr. Wilhelm Martin, professor of Art History at Leiden University, Netherlands, has given a good overview of Dutch painters active during the last half of the 17th century.

Location: Automated Retrieval
Call #: ND646 .M313
ISBN: N/A
Contains Bibliography: p. 77-78

Rosenberg, J., Slive, S., & Kuile, E. H. t. (1966). Dutch art and architecture, 1600 to 1800. The Pelican history of art, Z27. Baltimore: Penguin Books.

This is an older title, compiled by two Harvard University Rembrandt scholars, and as such it does not provide groundbreaking theory; rather it provides good background information and comprehensive coverage. It also pays attention to still-life and background paintings, which some surveys and monographs tend to neglect.

Location: Automated Retrieval
Call #: ND636 .R6 1966
ISBN: N/A
Contains Bibliography: p. 279-308

Slive, S., & Rosenberg, J. (1995). Dutch painting 1600-1800. Yale University Press Pelican history of art. New Haven, Conn: Yale University Press.

Both authors of this volume are professors at Harvard University, and renowned Rembrandt scholars. This resource gives a good overview of Dutch artists in the 17th and18th centuries, and as such offers some connection that other surveys which are focused solely on 17th century Dutch painting might overlook. The text is accessible and easy to follow.

Location: 3rd Floor Oversize
Call #: ND646 .S495 1995
ISBN: 0300064187
Contains Bibliography: p. 339-364

Sluijter, E. J. (2000). Seductress of sight: Studies in Dutch art of the Golden Age. Studies in Netherlandish art and cultural history, 2. Zwolle: Waanders.

This resource offers a more specific vision than many items included thus far; Sluiijter, a professor at the University of Amsterdam, has compiled a unique collection of pieces which all focus on the theme of beauty and seduction in Dutch painting of the era.

Location: 3rd Floor Stacks
Call #: N6946 .S598 2000
ISBN: 9040094438
Contains Bibliography: p. 344-356

Stechow, W. (1966). Dutch landscape painting of the seventeenth century. London: Phaidon.

Stechow, who was a professor at Oberlin University, and scholar of the Dutch Baroque, has created a wonderful survey of Dutch landscape paintings. Like still-life painting in this era, landscape painting is often overlooked in favor of portraits and narratives. This impressive volume is an invaluable resource for this genre.

Location: 3rd Floor Stacks
Call #: ND1359.3 .S73 1968
ISBN: 0714813303
Contains Bibliography: p. 223-236

Van Dyke, J. C. (1923). Rembrandt and his school; A critical study of the master and his pupils with a new assignment of their pictures. New York: C. Scribner's Sons.

This book should be consulted for research because it was one of the first publications to carefully question paintings which had previously been attributed to Remdrandt. Van Dyke, who was a professor of Art History at Rutgers University, carefully considers Rembradnt, his pupils, and their interaction.

Location: 3rd Floor Oversize
Call #: ND653.R4 V4
ISBN: N/A
Contains Bibliography: N/A

Web Resources

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The web resources listed below contain a combination of websites from academic, governmental an independent institutions. These resources are not intended for in depth academic research; rather they are resources to be utilized when needing quick information about the subject. Often times they provide the researcher with an easy overview of a complex topic, better allowing them to identify the areas which can be researched in more academic settings. One of the key components of this type of resource is the ability for websites to link to other resources. This becomes an invaluable tool when looking for information.

CODART – Dutch and Flemish Art in Museums Worldwide
http://www.codart.nl/

This website is an excellent resource for finding the location of art from the Low Countries. It is utilized by museum curators worldwide who are researching this particular area of art history. This website will of special interest to students because of its research guides and selected publication list.

National Gallery of Art – Dutch and Flemish Paintings of the 16th-17th Centuries
http://www.nga.gov/collection/gallery/dutch.shtm

This website gives an overview of the collection of Dutch and Flemish painting from the 16th-17th century in the National Gallery of Art, Washington DC. It contains a concise overview of Dutch painting from the period, as well as more in depths studies on specific topics, i.e. Vermeer.

Netherlands Institute for Art History
http://english.rkd.nl/

This is the website for the Netherlands Institute or Art History, and as such it contains many useful resources. Among these resources are a searchable database of Dutch artists from 1200-present, and many links to other websites. It is a good starting point for locating more information.

Rijksmuseum Amsterdam – Museum of Art and History
http://www.rijksmuseum.nl/?lang=en

This is the website for the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam, a major museum in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The website offers information about the collection, as well as an extensive bibliography. This website will not provide in depth information, rather it will give researchers an overview of the topic from a museum standpoint.

Web Gallery Of Art
http://www.wga.hu/

This website is an excellent resource for tracking down images of paintings. This is especially useful because many older publications on Dutch painting in the 17th century contain only black and white images. This is a great place to compare paintings for research.

Wikipedia – Dutch Golden Age Painting
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_Golden_Age_painting

Though there is much debate about the validity of Wikipedia for scholarly research, it remains a good starting point for getting a solid overview of a topic. This website should be used as a research tool for finding more specific topics. It is a good resource for locating Dutch artists of the period.