The Golden Age of Interior Painting. How everyday scenes gained artistic value

From the Renaissance (15-16 centuries), which became the starting point for the "Golden Age" of the 17th century, the genre of interior painting began to develop. It was then that interior elements not only appeared on the artists' canvases, but were given a special place. After all, every detail is important and everything depicted works for the character of the painting.

In the 17th century, interior painting became especially popular in the Netherlands, when the painting of everyday life and cityscapes began to develop against the backdrop of bourgeois prosperity. The wealth of the middle class was growing, and thus they had the means not only to build houses and buy basic necessities, but also to decorate their homes with new furniture and paintings.

Soon, the Netherlands became a center of art and culture. Wealthy patrons and collectors appeared who supported artists and promoted the development of painting. Intellectual and artistic centers were formed around the artists, stimulating their creativity.

One of the artists whose works significantly influenced the development of the genre of interior painting was Jan Vermeer, a Dutch artist, representative of the Delft School and master of domestic painting. He became famous for his ability to reproduce the details of interiors in detail on his paintings. Think of such well-known works as "Girl with a Pearl Earring" or "Girl Reading a Letter by an Open Window". These paintings not only impressed with their skill, but also reflected real interiors of the 17th century.

In addition to Vermeer, a significant contribution to the development of interior painting was made by Pieter de Hooch, another representative of the Delft School, who depicted everyday life in Dutch homes. Gerrit Dou is also known for his miniature interior scenes, and he skillfully reproduced the details of furniture and objects on canvas.

Another representative of domestic painting, Pieter Janssens, became known for his interior paintings depicting offices and libraries with a variety of details. Emmanuel de Witte created atmospheric interior scenes on domestic and religious subjects during the Golden Age.

Reflecting the diversity, taste, and social structure of that era, interior painting eventually became an important part of world art culture. The paintings of these artists did not just capture the architectural beauty and everyday life of the 17th century Netherlands. Their work greatly increased the value of interior painting as such. Paintings that initially captured everyday scenes of life and everyday life acquired artistic value, and accordingly, genre connoisseurs began to appear, the driving force behind the development of art.