Painters and Communities in Seventeenth-Century Brussels: A Social History of Art

For many painters in seventeenth-century Brussels, it was not only their artistic talent but also the communities they were part of that determined the course of their careers. This book traces the intricate relationship between social structures and artistic production by examining the lives and works of all 353 painters who became masters in the Brussels Guild of Painters, Goldbeaters, and Stained-Glass Makers between 1599 and 1706. This innovative exploration of a social history of art seamlessly integrates quantitative digital analyses at the macro-level with micro-level qualitative case studies. This fresh approach facilitates a comparative perspective on the various environments in which painters operated, allowing for new readings of how early modern artists - both in Brussels and beyond - created their art, earned a living, and navigated the complexities of urban life. Painters and Communities in Seventeenth-Century Brussels is also the first work to provide a global overview of the Brussels Baroque, including extensive lists with biographical information on all of the city’s master painters.

Rudy Jos Beerens, PhD, is an art historian and curator at the RKD -- Netherlands Institute for Art History in The Hague.