Dutch Seventeenth Century “High-life” Genre Paintings: The Motif of Porcelain and Its Diverging Themes
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Baker, Adriana E
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Abstract
This thesis explores the motif of porcelain in seventeenth century Dutch “highlife” genre paintings. “High-life” genre paintings depict imagery inspired by the everyday lives of the upper echelons of Dutch society. My focus is on the periods between 1648 to 1700 when a notable shift in genre paintings occurred. I will follow recent art historical research that contends “high-life” genre images created multiple layers of associations for their contemporary audiences. In particular, I am interested in the significance of the inclusion of porcelain in “high-life” genre paintings as one of the components that create intricate layers of meaning. It is notable that porcelain was a product made for domestic use, as were the paintings that feature them. Yet porcelain as a commodity carries associations of global trade and is thus tied to the public world of commerce. I will argue that the inclusion of porcelain in “high-life” genre paintings creates associations to Dutch national pride in their trade, and their worldly knowledge of the “exotic,” while adding to the visual language of domesticity.
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Porcelain, VOC, Dutch 17th Century, Collecting habits, "High-Life" genre painting, Domesticity