The Cambridge Companion to the Dutch Golden Age

Description

During the seventeenth century, the Dutch Republic was transformed into a leading political power in Europe, with global trading interests. It nurtured some of the period's greatest luminaries, including Rembrandt, Vermeer, Descartes and Spinoza. Long celebrated for its religious tolerance, artistic innovation and economic modernity, the United Provinces of the Netherlands also became known for their involvement with slavery and military repression in Asia, Africa, and the Americas. This Companion provides a compelling overview of the best scholarship on this much debated era, written by a wide range of experts in the field. Unique in its balanced treatment of global, political, socio-economic, literary, artistic, religious, and intellectual history, its nineteen chapters offer an indispensable guide for anyone interested in the world of the Dutch Golden Age.

Helmer J. Helmers is Assistant Professor in Early Modern Dutch Literature and Culture at the Universiteit van Amsterdam. His previous publications include The Royalist Republic: Literature, Politics, and Religion in the Anglo-Dutch Public Sphere, 1639-1660 (Cambridge, 2015). Geert H. Janssen is Professor of Early Modern History at the Universiteit van Amsterdam. He is the author of The Dutch Revolt and Catholic Exile in Reformation Europe (Cambridge, 2014) and Princely Power in the Dutch Republic: Patronage and William Frederick of Nassau, 1613-64 (2008).

'We should be grateful to the editors for having compiled a companion to the Dutch Golden Age, which attracts so much interest from the anglophone world, since there is no good modern survey in English ... The lineup of collaborators, from big names to young scholars, and the range of subjects are impressive.' Jan Bloemendal, Renaissance Quarterly 'This is the best introduction to the Dutch Golden Age available in any language today. Lively and accessible, it is also wide-ranging and authoritative, drawing on the latest research to offer a host of fresh perspectives. This combination of qualities is perfect for students and general readers alike.' Benjamin J. Kaplan, University College London 'The Cambridge Companion to the Dutch Golden Age ... give[s] much matter both to instruct and to delight the reader, and ... fill gaps in what is available to scholars or interested readers more comfortable in English or French than in Dutch.' Paul Arblaster, Early Modern Low Countries