The 17th-century in the Netherlands is known as the Golden Age of Dutch art, and the art produced during that period is among the most popular in history. During this time, the Dutch Republic reached unprecedented power. Banking and the first truly global trade routes generated staggering levels of new wealth that, coupled with political and religious freedom, created a vibrant atmosphere in which the arts flourished. Celebrated portraitists Hals and Rembrandt painted haunting images of the country"s new civic leaders and wealthy patrons. Genre painter Vermeer conjured unforgettable scenes of daily life, while Cuyp, de Witte, and Heda captured the Dutch countryside and its prosperous new cities and created intricate, richly symbolic still lifes. This sumptuous book features these and other Golden Age greats, along with a selection of fine Delft pottery, glassware, and silver that attests to the luxurious refinement of the era.