DOI issue:
Nr. 1-4
DOI article:Brusewicz, Lech: On the perception of paintings in 17th century Holland
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.18898#0021
collectorship of paintings, prints and drawings, not to mention the popularity of book illustra-
tions, seem to suggest quite the opposite. In addition to Calvin's attitude towards paintings
discussed above, this contradiction can be solved by means of an excerpt from Leerzaam Huisraad
(1711) by Jan Luyken, a poet and artist at once: „A painting gives only an apparent image
of tbings that really exist... That is why one must feel contempt for paintings to be able to
understand tbe real. Thanks to it, one reaches the real treasure..."64.
In 17th century Holland, the sensual pretence and imitativeness of a painting as compared
with naturę, which in itself is vanity, sinful temptation and an apparent image of the actual
reality, were the basie premises of the denial of the value of paintings. It seems that this denial
referred only to those of their ąualities and subjects that caused tlic grecd of the eycs (begeerte
der ogen). Hence it applied on the one hand to pictures with too realistic, little instructive or
indecent subject matter, and on the other, to impressive painting techniąue and its striking
effect on the senses thanks to the glamour of its colourful illusion, which could overshadow the
real message of paintings. Criticifm was levellcd literally at painting rather than image making.
In this context, one could wonder if it was not without effect on the monochromaticism and
compositional purism of Dutch painting of the second qnarter of the 17th century.
III. THE FALLACY OF ART FREED FROM THE INFLUENCE OF RELIGION
Even Erasmus had held that,sińce the arts of sculpturc and painting were once counted
among the liberał arts, this silent poetry can at times have a stronger effect on human emo-
tions than a man, even an eloquent one, could ever achieve by words"65. A similar convietion as
to the potentially great impact that pictures can have on man also prevailed in 17th century
Holland. Particularly with painting, this impact could be quite serious, whether good or bad.
According to A. van de Venne, portrait painting for instance could help man sue for a woman's
hand but also was the cause of desire. An excerpt from his Zeeusche Mey-clacht, with marginal
notes saying that „the art of painting is mute" and that „art causcs desire", reads: ,, I see,
it is true, my dear owing to artistic tricks, and ąlthough speech is missing nevcrtheless I ara
content, my eye has will and wish, desirous is the eye, covetous is the man..."66. J. Cats also
had their indecent impact in mind when he spoke against the lewd religious and mythological re-
presentations, such as Loth with his daughters or Leda. At the same time he was absolutely
earnest when he recommended „placing or hanging beautiful pictures and paintings before the
eyes of pregnant women". The benefit of these endeavour was illustratcd by a story of a couple
notorious for their ugliness, known in antiquity and quoted by Cats. The couple had a particu-
larly pretty child because its mother often looked at a beautiful child's portrait during her
pregnancy !6'. In his Groot Schilderboeck, G. Lairesse elaborated on the diverse functions of
paintings. He even formulated a detailed programmes for displaying diffcrent typcs of pictures
according to the didactic and persuasive power of the images depicted68. His conclusions, though
published only in 1707, were largely based on earlier practice and literary and artistic tradition,
64. Quoted aftcr G. Brom, op. cit., p. 261.
65. Quoted after E. Panofsky, op. cit., p. 211.
66. A. van de Venne, Zeeusche Mey-clacht, op. cit., p. 59:
lek sie ('t is waer) mijn licf, door constelicke strekcn,
Maer evenwel de spraeck die salder aen gebreken,
Nochtans ic ben genoucht, mijn oog heeft wił en wens,
Bcgeerich is de oog, verhmgend is de mens.
67. Cf. J. Cats, Houwelijck^ op. cit., p. 18 ff., which also contains an illustration of this story and tbe following comment:
,,Daer gaet de cloecke geest met vaste rcden wijsen /Wat datter uyt oock kan inde sinnen rijsen En hoc cen diep ge-
pcys, door onbekende macbt/. Het ingcnomen beelt kan prenten inde dracbt...".
68. Cf. D. P. Snoep Gerard Lairesse ais plafond en kamerschilder", Bullclin ran het Rijksmuseum, XVIII, 1970, p. 159 ff.
15
tions, seem to suggest quite the opposite. In addition to Calvin's attitude towards paintings
discussed above, this contradiction can be solved by means of an excerpt from Leerzaam Huisraad
(1711) by Jan Luyken, a poet and artist at once: „A painting gives only an apparent image
of tbings that really exist... That is why one must feel contempt for paintings to be able to
understand tbe real. Thanks to it, one reaches the real treasure..."64.
In 17th century Holland, the sensual pretence and imitativeness of a painting as compared
with naturę, which in itself is vanity, sinful temptation and an apparent image of the actual
reality, were the basie premises of the denial of the value of paintings. It seems that this denial
referred only to those of their ąualities and subjects that caused tlic grecd of the eycs (begeerte
der ogen). Hence it applied on the one hand to pictures with too realistic, little instructive or
indecent subject matter, and on the other, to impressive painting techniąue and its striking
effect on the senses thanks to the glamour of its colourful illusion, which could overshadow the
real message of paintings. Criticifm was levellcd literally at painting rather than image making.
In this context, one could wonder if it was not without effect on the monochromaticism and
compositional purism of Dutch painting of the second qnarter of the 17th century.
III. THE FALLACY OF ART FREED FROM THE INFLUENCE OF RELIGION
Even Erasmus had held that,sińce the arts of sculpturc and painting were once counted
among the liberał arts, this silent poetry can at times have a stronger effect on human emo-
tions than a man, even an eloquent one, could ever achieve by words"65. A similar convietion as
to the potentially great impact that pictures can have on man also prevailed in 17th century
Holland. Particularly with painting, this impact could be quite serious, whether good or bad.
According to A. van de Venne, portrait painting for instance could help man sue for a woman's
hand but also was the cause of desire. An excerpt from his Zeeusche Mey-clacht, with marginal
notes saying that „the art of painting is mute" and that „art causcs desire", reads: ,, I see,
it is true, my dear owing to artistic tricks, and ąlthough speech is missing nevcrtheless I ara
content, my eye has will and wish, desirous is the eye, covetous is the man..."66. J. Cats also
had their indecent impact in mind when he spoke against the lewd religious and mythological re-
presentations, such as Loth with his daughters or Leda. At the same time he was absolutely
earnest when he recommended „placing or hanging beautiful pictures and paintings before the
eyes of pregnant women". The benefit of these endeavour was illustratcd by a story of a couple
notorious for their ugliness, known in antiquity and quoted by Cats. The couple had a particu-
larly pretty child because its mother often looked at a beautiful child's portrait during her
pregnancy !6'. In his Groot Schilderboeck, G. Lairesse elaborated on the diverse functions of
paintings. He even formulated a detailed programmes for displaying diffcrent typcs of pictures
according to the didactic and persuasive power of the images depicted68. His conclusions, though
published only in 1707, were largely based on earlier practice and literary and artistic tradition,
64. Quoted aftcr G. Brom, op. cit., p. 261.
65. Quoted after E. Panofsky, op. cit., p. 211.
66. A. van de Venne, Zeeusche Mey-clacht, op. cit., p. 59:
lek sie ('t is waer) mijn licf, door constelicke strekcn,
Maer evenwel de spraeck die salder aen gebreken,
Nochtans ic ben genoucht, mijn oog heeft wił en wens,
Bcgeerich is de oog, verhmgend is de mens.
67. Cf. J. Cats, Houwelijck^ op. cit., p. 18 ff., which also contains an illustration of this story and tbe following comment:
,,Daer gaet de cloecke geest met vaste rcden wijsen /Wat datter uyt oock kan inde sinnen rijsen En hoc cen diep ge-
pcys, door onbekende macbt/. Het ingcnomen beelt kan prenten inde dracbt...".
68. Cf. D. P. Snoep Gerard Lairesse ais plafond en kamerschilder", Bullclin ran het Rijksmuseum, XVIII, 1970, p. 159 ff.
15