A Moral Compass: Seventeenth and Eighteenth-century Painting in the Netherlands

Painting in the Netherlands during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries offers a compelling visual record of the tastes and values of a prosperous society mindful of its obligation to personal and public standards. This richly illustrated volume examines twenty-six paintings by master artists from this Golden Age of Dutch art and features essays by leading scholars who explore the various interpretations of these works within the context of their culture.

A Moral Compass, published in conjunction with an exhibition organized by the Grand Rapids Art Museum, includes individual descriptive entries on each work and artist by Henry Luttikhuizen, guest curator, an introduction by Peter Sutton and essays by Arthur Wheelock, Jr., Lawrence Goedde, and Mariet Westermann. These distinguished curators and art historians provide their insights on the artistic achievement of the Netherlands during an extraordinary period of maritime dominance, material affluence, and moral purpose.