The Dutch Golden Age was a period in the Netherlands from roughly 1588, when the Dutch Republic was born, to 1672 which was characterised by an unprecedented flowering of the arts. Despite the insecurity that came with the Eighty Years' War with Spain, the Netherlands experienced economic growth in the early seventeenth century thanks to urban developments and maritime success. The emergence of a middle class meant more demand for art, including portraits, landscapes, still lifes and especially genre scenes.
Among the most famous Dutch Golden Age masters are Johannes Vermeer, Frans Hals and Rembrandt.
