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Home
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Museum of Fine Arts Boston

Swipe through this selection of 15 folios to see depictions of various segments of 17th-century Dutch society.

Adriaen Van De Venne, Watercolor (A Pikeman), 1625

A Pikeman

Part of the infantry, the pikeman’s orange sash alludes to his employment by the prince of Orange, commander of the Dutch military.

Adriaen Van De Venne, (Watercolor) The King and Queen of Bohemia, 1625

The King and Queen of Bohemia

Frederick V of Bohemia and Elizabeth Stuart ride before the stadholder Frederik Hendrik and Amalia van Solms.

Adriaen Van De Venne, (Watercolor) Lady with a Songbook and Gentleman with a Lute, 1625

A Lady and a Gentleman

This richly dressed couple makes music, symbolic of their harmonious relationship and good breeding.

Adriaen Van De Venne, (Watercolor) Two Women Playing Battledore and Shuttlecock, 1625

Two Women at play

Battledore and shuttlecock, similar to badminton, was a popular courtly pastime at The Hague.

Adriaen Van De Venne, (Watercolor) A Game of Pell-Mell, 1625

A Game of Pell-Mell

Frederick V prepares to strike a ball while two boys (perhaps two of the king’s sons) and Frederik Hendrik look on. 

Adriaen Van De Venne, (Watercolor) Three Doctors, of Law, Theology, and Medicine, 1625

Three Doctors, of Law, Theology, and Medicine

Three academically trained professionals—a lawyer, minister, and physician—are identified by their distinctive clothing. 

Adriaen Van De Venne, (Watercolor) Three Women and a Child, 1625

Three Women and a Child

Lacemaking and embroidery afforded women the opportunity to work from home while still maintaining their household.

Adriaen Van De Venne, (Watercolor) A Merchant and his Wife, 1625

A Merchant and his Wife

Merchants, like the one seen gesturing to his goods and purse here, generated much of the Republic’s wealth.

Adriaen Van De Venne, (Watercolor) A Herring Buss, 1625

A Herring Buss

The recently developed herring buss enabled fishermen to preserve fish on board, which maximized profits by reducing returns to port.

Adriaen Van De Venne, (Watercolor) A Milkmaid, 1625

A Milkmaid

Milk, an important commodity at home and abroad, was chiefly made into butter and cheese, while buttermilk was used in linen bleaching.

Adriaen Van De Venne, (Watercolor) A Passenger Ferry under Tow, 1625

A Passenger Ferry under Tow

People of differing backgrounds met and interacted with one another in the cramped quarters of passenger barges.

Adriaen Van De Venne, (Watercolor) A Wind-powered Water Pump, 1625

A Wind-powered Water Pump

Wind and the ubiquitous water in the Netherlands provided ample energy sources for construction and industry.

Adriaen Van De Venne, (Watercolor) An Old Peasant Couple Dancing, 1625

An Old Peasant Couple Dancing

Dancing peasants were a fixture of the kermis, an annual fair held in towns throughout the Netherlands.

Adriaen Van De Venne, (Watercolor) Three Fishwives, 1625

Three Fishwives

Most fishmongers were women, often the wives or daughters of fishermen.

Adriaen Van De Venne, (Watercolor) A Peasant Pushing a Woman on a Sledge, 1625

A Peasant Pushing a Woman on a Sledge

During winter, rich and poor alike enjoyed skating and sledding on the ice. 

Enjoy your visit to "Class Distinctions: Dutch Painting in the Age of Rembrandt and Vermeer" on view through January 18, 2016.

Swipe through this selection of 15 folios to see depictions of various segments of 17th-century Dutch society.

Adriaen Van De Venne, Watercolor (A Pikeman), 1625

A Pikeman

Part of the infantry, the pikeman’s orange sash alludes to his employment by the prince of Orange, commander of the Dutch military.

Adriaen Van De Venne, (Watercolor) The King and Queen of Bohemia, 1625

The King and Queen of Bohemia

Frederick V of Bohemia and Elizabeth Stuart ride before the stadholder Frederik Hendrik and Amalia van Solms.

Adriaen Van De Venne, (Watercolor) Lady with a Songbook and Gentleman with a Lute, 1625

A Lady and a Gentleman

This richly dressed couple makes music, symbolic of their harmonious relationship and good breeding.

Adriaen Van De Venne, (Watercolor) Two Women Playing Battledore and Shuttlecock, 1625

Two Women at play

Battledore and shuttlecock, similar to badminton, was a popular courtly pastime at The Hague.

Adriaen Van De Venne, (Watercolor) A Game of Pell-Mell, 1625

A Game of Pell-Mell

Frederick V prepares to strike a ball while two boys (perhaps two of the king’s sons) and Frederik Hendrik look on. 

Adriaen Van De Venne, (Watercolor) Three Doctors, of Law, Theology, and Medicine, 1625

Three Doctors, of Law, Theology, and Medicine

Three academically trained professionals—a lawyer, minister, and physician—are identified by their distinctive clothing. 

Adriaen Van De Venne, (Watercolor) Three Women and a Child, 1625

Three Women and a Child

Lacemaking and embroidery afforded women the opportunity to work from home while still maintaining their household.

Adriaen Van De Venne, (Watercolor) A Merchant and his Wife, 1625

A Merchant and his Wife

Merchants, like the one seen gesturing to his goods and purse here, generated much of the Republic’s wealth.

Adriaen Van De Venne, (Watercolor) A Herring Buss, 1625

A Herring Buss

The recently developed herring buss enabled fishermen to preserve fish on board, which maximized profits by reducing returns to port.

Adriaen Van De Venne, (Watercolor) A Milkmaid, 1625

A Milkmaid

Milk, an important commodity at home and abroad, was chiefly made into butter and cheese, while buttermilk was used in linen bleaching.

Adriaen Van De Venne, (Watercolor) A Passenger Ferry under Tow, 1625

A Passenger Ferry under Tow

People of differing backgrounds met and interacted with one another in the cramped quarters of passenger barges.

Adriaen Van De Venne, (Watercolor) A Wind-powered Water Pump, 1625

A Wind-powered Water Pump

Wind and the ubiquitous water in the Netherlands provided ample energy sources for construction and industry.

Adriaen Van De Venne, (Watercolor) An Old Peasant Couple Dancing, 1625

An Old Peasant Couple Dancing

Dancing peasants were a fixture of the kermis, an annual fair held in towns throughout the Netherlands.

Adriaen Van De Venne, (Watercolor) Three Fishwives, 1625

Three Fishwives

Most fishmongers were women, often the wives or daughters of fishermen.

Adriaen Van De Venne, (Watercolor) A Peasant Pushing a Woman on a Sledge, 1625

A Peasant Pushing a Woman on a Sledge

During winter, rich and poor alike enjoyed skating and sledding on the ice. 

Enjoy your visit to "Class Distinctions: Dutch Painting in the Age of Rembrandt and Vermeer" on view through January 18, 2016.

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