BBC WORLD NEWS Middle East

The High Art of the Low Countries: Boom and Bust

Factual: Arts, Culture & the Media

The High Art of the Low Countries

13/09/2014 GMT

Boom and Bust

BBC World News - The High Art of the Low Countries, Boom and Bust

How a period of economic boom led to the Dutch golden age of the 17th century.

Andrew Graham-Dixon examines how a period of economic boom driven by a burgeoning and secular middle class led to the Dutch golden age of the 17th century.

Andrew Graham-Dixon looks at how the seemingly peaceful countries of Holland and Belgium - famous for their tulips and windmills, mussels and chips - were in fact forged in a crucible of conflict and division. He examines how a period of economic boom driven for the first time by a burgeoning and secular middle class led to the Dutch golden age of the 17th century, creating not only the concept of oil painting itself, but the master painters Rembrandt and Vermeer combining art and commerce together as we would recognise it today.

BBC World News

BBC  World News

Exploring how history has influenced the Low Countries' art, architecture and culture.

Series in which Andrew Graham-Dixon tours the Low Countries, exploring how history has influenced the area's art, architecture and culture.

BBC WORLD NEWS North America

The BBC's international 24-hour news and information channel, as seen by viewers in Africa.

Accessibility links

Programme Index

The High Art of the Low Countries

Boom and Bust

Genres

Series

BBC WORLD NEWS Middle East

About BBC World News