Dutch Seventeenth Century “High-life” Genre Paintings: The Motif of Porcelain and Its Diverging Themes
| dc.contributor.advisor | Ho, Angela | |
| dc.contributor.author | Baker, Adriana E | |
| dc.creator | Baker, Adriana E | |
| dc.date | 2020-12-03 | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2021-09-22T14:25:26Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2021-09-22T14:25:26Z | |
| dc.description.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. | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://hdl.handle.net/1920/12044 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.subject | Porcelain | |
| dc.subject | VOC | |
| dc.subject | Dutch 17th Century | |
| dc.subject | Collecting habits | |
| dc.subject | "High-Life" genre painting | |
| dc.subject | Domesticity | |
| dc.title | Dutch Seventeenth Century “High-life” Genre Paintings: The Motif of Porcelain and Its Diverging Themes | |
| dc.type | Thesis | |
| thesis.degree.discipline | Art History | |
| thesis.degree.grantor | George Mason University | |
| thesis.degree.level | Master's | |
| thesis.degree.name | Master of Arts in Art History |