List of people from the Dutch Golden Age

The Dutch Golden Age was a period in Dutch history, roughly equivalent to the 17th century, in which Dutch trade, science and art were top ranking in the world.

The accompanying article about the Dutch Golden Age focusses on society, religion and culture. There is also an article about the Eighty Years War, the Dutch Revolt against Spain. A concise broader picture is painted in History of the Netherlands.

People are listed here per category in order of year of birth.

Note: Many Dutchmen from this period had a middle name ending on szoon, which means son of. It is also commonly written as sz., for instance Rembrandt Harmensz. van Rijn.

Contents

1 Science 2 Painting 3 Architecture 4 Literature 5 Sculpture 6 Music 7 Exploration 8 Politics 9 Military

Science

• Simon Stevin (1548-1620) hydraulic engineer and mathematician
• Jan Leeghwater (1575-1650) hydraulic engineer
• Hugo Grotius (1583-1645) laid the foundations for international law
• René Descartes French philosopher lived in Leiden from 1628 till 1649.
• Christiaan Huygens (1629-1695) was a famous mathematician, physicist and astronomer
• Baruch de Spinoza (1632-1677) philosopher
• Anton van Leeuwenhoek who invented or greatly improved the microscope (opinions differ) and was the first to methodically study microscopic life, thus laying the foundations for the field of cell biology.

Painting

The most famous Dutch painters of the 17th century were

• Willem Drost, (1630-1680), historical and biblical paintings
• Frans Hals (ca. 1583-1666) portraits, schutterstukken, regent groups, genre pieces (inns, figures)
• Pieter Pieterszoon Lastman (1583-1633) historical and biblical paintings
• Jan van Goyen (1596-1656) landscapes
• Pieter Saenredam (1597-1665) church interiors, cityscapes
• Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (1606-1669) historical and biblical paintings, portraits, schutterstukken, regent groups, genre pieces (figures)
• Jan Lievens (1607-1674) historical and biblical paintings, portraits
• Adriaen van Ostade (1610-1684) genre pieces (inns)
• Gerdard Dou (1613-1675) genre pieces (inns)
• Govert Flinck (1615-1660) historical and biblical paintings, portraits, schutterstukken
• Ferdinand Bol (1616-1680) historical and biblical paintings
• Albert Cuyp (1620-1691) Italian and Dutch landscapes
• Carel Fabritius (1622-1654) historical and biblical paintings, genre pieces (figures)
• Paulus Potter (1625-1654) landscapes
• Jan Steen (1626-1679) genre pieces (inns, family scenes)
• Pieter de Hooch (1629-1683) genre pieces (family scenes)
• Johannes Vermeer (1632-1675) cityscapes, genre pieces (family scenes)
• Nicolaes Maes (1634-1693) portraits, genre pieces (family scenes, figures)

Less famous painters from this period were

• Cornelis Ketel (1548-1616) portraits, schutterstukken
• Hendrik Goltzius (1558-1617) landscapes
• Abraham Bloemaert (1564-1651) historical and biblical paintings, landscapes
• Michiel Janszoon van Miereveld (1567-1641) portraits
• Johannes Anthoniszoon van Ravesteyn (ca. 1570-1657) portraits
• Ambrosius Bosschaert (1573-1621) flowers
• Floris Claeszoon van Dijck (1575-1651) still lifes
• Roelant Savery (1576-1639) landscapes
• Jan Pynas (ca. 1580-1633) historical and biblical paintings
• Johannes Porcellis (1584-1632) sea sights
• Hendrick Averkamp (1585-1634)
• Cornelis van Poelenburgh (1586-1667) Italian landscapes
• Hendrick Terbruggen (1588-1629) historical and biblical paintings
• Hercules Pieterszoon Seghers (ca. 1589-1638) landscapes
• Gerhard van Honthorst (1590-1656) historical and biblical paintings, genre pieces (family scenes, figures)
• Dirck van Baburen (ca.1590-1624) genre pieces (figures)
• Cornelis Hendrickszoon Vroom (ca. 1591-1661) sea sights
• Esayas van der Velde (ca. 1591-1630) landscapes
• Dirck Hals (1591-1656) genre pieces (family scenes, figures)
• Willem Pieterszoon Buytewech (ca. 1591-1624) landscapes, genre pieces (figures)
• Balthasar van der Ast (ca.1593-1657) flowers
• Willem Claeszoon Heda (1594-1680) still lifes
• Pieter de Molijn (1595-1661) landscapes
• Thomas de Keyser (ca. 1596-1667) portraits, schutterstukken
• Johannes Corneliszoon Verspronck (1597-1662) portraits
• Pieter Claes (ca.1597-1660) still lifes
• Bartholomeus Breenbergh (1599-1657) Italian landscapes
• Pieter Franszoon de Grebber (ca. 1600-1652) historical and biblical paintings
• Gerrit Hoeckgeest (ca. 1600-1661) church interiors
• Salomon van Ruysdael (ca. 1600-1670) landscapes
• Simon de Vlieger (1601-1653) sea sights
• Aert van der Neer (1603-1677) sea sights
• Christiaen van Couwenbergh (1604-1667) historical and biblical paintings
• Adriaen Brouwer (ca. 1605-1638) genre pieces (inns)
• Jan Davidszoon de Heem (1606-ca.1683) still lifes
• Judith Leyster (1609-1660) genre pieces (figures)
• Jan Asselyn (1610-1652) Italian landscapes
• David Tenier jr. (1610-1690) genre pieces (inns)
• Jan Miense Molenaer (ca.1610-1668) genre pieces (family scenes)
• Willem van de Velde sr. (ca. 1611-1693) sea sights
• Bartholomeus van der Helst (1613-1670) portraits, schutterstukken, regent groups
• Jan Both (1615-1652) Italian landscapes
• Caesar van Everdingen (1617-1678) historical and biblical paintings
• Emanuel de Witte (ca. 1617-1692) church interiors
• Gerard Terborch (1617-1681) portraits, genre pieces (family scenes)
• Philips Wouwermans (1619-1668) landscapes
• Willem Kalf (1619-1693) still lifes
• Philips Koninck (1619-1688) landscapes
• Otto Marseus van Schrieck (ca.1619-1678) flowers
• Nicolaes Pieterszoon Berchem (1620-1683 Italian landscapes)
• Abraham van Beyeren (ca.1620-1690) still lifes
• Jan Baptist Weenix (1621-1663) Italian landscapes
• Gerbrand van den Eeckhout (1621-1674)
• Karel Dujardin (1622-1678) Italian landscapes
• Adam Pynacker (1622-1673) Italian landscapes
• Johannes van de Capelle (1626-1679) sea sights
• Jacob Isaakszoon van Ruysdael (ca. 1628-1682)
• Gabriël Metsu (1629-1667) genre pieces (family scenes)
• Job Adriaenszoon Berckheyde (1630-1693) church interiors
• Frederik de Moucheron (1633-1686) Italian landscapes
• Willem van de Velde jr. (1633-1707) sea sights
• Frans van Mieris sr. (1635-1681) genre pieces (family scenes, figures)
• Adriaan van der Velde (1636-1672) landscapes
• Gerrit Adriaenszoon Berckheyde (1636-1698) cityscapes
• Jan van der Heyde (1637-1712) cityscapes
• Meindert Hobbema (1638-1709) landscapes
• Caspar Netscher (1639-1684) portraits
• Gerard de Lairesse (1641-1711) historical and biblical paintings
• Aert de Gelder (1645-1727) historical and biblical paintings
• Jan van Huysum (1682-1749) flowers

Architecture

The most famous Dutch architects of the 17th century were

• Lieven de Key (1560-1627), master builder of Haarlem. He still used a fair amount of ornamentation, built De Waag (1598), front of the Town Hall (1597), De Vleeshal (1602-1603), New Church tower (1613), all of which are in Haarlem
• Hendrick de Keyser (1565-1621). He preferred a style that was much sober than his contemporary Lieven de Key, built the Zuiderkerk (1606-1614), the Westerkerk (1620-1638) and the Exchange (1608-1611) in Amsterdam, Town Hall of Delft (1619), several canal houses in Amsterdam (see also section sculpture)
• Jacob van Campen (1595-1657). He embraced classicism fully and served as an example for many colleagues, built the Mauritshuis in The Hague (1635), the Dam Palace in Amsterdam (1648-1655), which was originally the town hall, now a royal palace,

Less famous architects from this period were

• Hans Vredeman de Vries (1527-1606), architect in Antwerp, used a lot of ornamentation
• Arent van 's-Gravenzande (..-1662), built De Lakenhal (1639) and the Marekerk (1638-1640), both in Leiden, and the Oostkerk (1646) in Middelburg
• Philip Vingboons (1607-1678), built many canal houses in Amsterdam in classicistic style
• Pieter Post (1608-1669), built Huis ten Bosch in The Hague (1645-)
• Adriaen Dortsman (1625-1682), built the Lutherian Church in Amsterdam
• Elias Bouman (1636-1686), built the Portuguese-Israelitic Synagogue in Amsterdam (1671/1675)
• Maurits Post (1645-1677), built Slot Amerongen (1676)

Literature

The most famous Dutch men of letters of the 17th century were

• Joost van den Vondel (1587-1679), poet and playwright, who wrote more than 30 plays, many of those based on biblical stories. After The Gijsbrecht (see above) his best known drama is Lucifer (1654). He translated many French, Italian, Latin and Greek works. A recurring theme is man's inner conflicts, on the one hand rebellious, on the other hand pledging obedience to God.
• Gerbrand Adriaensz. Bredero (1585-1618), poet (sonnets) and dramatist (comedies), his most famous comedy, De Spaanse Brabander (English: The Spanish Brabanter), describes the seamy side of life in Amsterdam
• Pieter Corneliszoon Hooft (1581-1647), historian, poet and dramatist, who wrote Nederlandsche Historiën (English: Dutch History), which was never completed, but highly valued. His poetry was of high standard as well. He introduced French and Italian lyricism into Dutch poetry.
• Jacob Cats (1577-1660), poet, famous for his moralistic writings. Houwelijck and Trouringh (English:Marriage and Wedding ring) are two major volumes to educate the Dutch about these serious affairs. Indeed his all too serious tone, lacking humour and esprit, made him a lesser writer than the three named above, and sometimes the object of mockery. His Kinderen zijn hinderen (English: Children are a nuisance) is still a Dutch saying, often followed by the remark that Cats probably had forgotten that he had been a child himself.

Less famous literary men from this period were

• Roemer Visscher (1547-1620), writer of epigrams and emblemata
• Karel van Mander (1548-1606), who wrote the Schilderboeck, a book about painting, and also several biografies about painters
• Justus de Harduyn (1582-1636), poet from the southern Low Countries
• Jacob Revius (1586-1658), poet but worked also on the new bible translation known as the Statenbijbel that appeared in 1637 and is still in use today in some protestant circles
• Thomas Asseleyn (1620-1701), writer of comedies
• Willem Godschalk van Focquenbroch (1640-1670), poet and playwright
• Jan Luyken (1649-1712)

Sculpture

Dutch sculptors of the 17th century were

• Hendrick de Keyser (1565-1621). De Keyser was also an architect (see above). He created the Mausoleum for William of Orange in the Nieuwe Kerk (English: New Church) in Delft (1614). All ruling descendants of Willem of Orange and their kin have been interred here to this date. De Keyser also created the statue of Erasmus in Rotterdam (1618)
• Artus Quellinus de Oude (1609-1668), Artus Quellinues de Jonge (his nephew) (1625-1700) and Rombout Verhulst (1625-1696), all sculpturists from the southern Low Countries, were most prominent among the sculpturists that decorated the townhall, now known as Dam Palace (1648-1655).

Music

The most famous Dutch composers of the 17th century were

• Jan P. Sweelinck (1562-1621) composer and organ player, major force in the development of 17th century organ music
• Constantijn Huygens (1596-1687) more famous as a poet, member of the famous chamber of rhetoric De Muiderkring, composed some 800 pieces, most of which got lost, promoted use of the organ during church services

Less famous composers/musicians from this period were

• Gerbrand Adriaenszoon Bredero, song writer
• Adrianus Valerius (1570-1625), song writer
• Jan Jacob van Eyck (1590-1657), composer
• Cornelis Schuyt (1557-1616), composer
• Joan Albert Ban (1597-1644), composer
• Cornelis Padrué (1592-1670), composer
• Joan Schenk (1656-1612+), composer
• Karel Hacquart (ca 1640-ca 1730), composer
• François (1609-1667) and Pierre (1619-1680) Hemony (brothers); famous carillon builders

Exploration

• Adriaen Block (fl. 1610-1624)
• Abel Janszoon Tasman, (1603 - 1659)

Politics

Johan van Oldenbarnevelt (September 14, 1547–May 13, 1619) was a Dutch statesman, who played an important role in the Dutch struggle for independence from Spain.

Military

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