Write an essay that compares and contrasts two works of art that may have aided the Dutch in developing ways to manage some of the tensions of religious diversity.
The intersection of art and religion is a topic of debate in Dutch culture, as a significant part of Calvinism involves a lack of idealization for specific images of religious characters or symbols. The increased migration of Sephardic and Ashkenazic Jews in the seventeenth century complicated matters even further. Although the Jewish people came to the Netherlands fleeing persecution, antisemitism was still a common problem amongst the continent as Jewish people were often forced to suppress their religious identity. However, throughout the century, the Jews were able to find a space to practice their religion safely as citizens of the growing Dutch Republic. Through a comparison of the Interior of a Portuguese Synagogue by Emmanuel De Witte and Circumcision Ceremony in an Amsterdam Sephardic Family, this essay will discuss the merge of traditional Dutch culture and Jewish symbolism amidst the influx of Jewish people in Amsterdam. Through both works of art, the reconciliation of religious differences is clearly evident and ultimately results in Jewish people becoming true citizens of the Dutch Republic.
Save your time!
We can take care of your essay
- Proper editing and formatting
- Free revision, title page, and bibliography
- Flexible prices and money-back guarantee
Analysis
An initial example of the merging of religious diversity through Dutch art is present in the piece Interior of a Portuguese Synagogue in Amsterdam by De Witte (Figure 1). The piece shows the interior of a mass prayer taking place inside a synagogue, with the Jewish people dressed in dark clothing, whereas visitors give the impression of being potentially non-Jewish are present in the foreground. A crucial element of the work is the fact that Jewish people are depicted in a moment of prayer in the first place, as only Calvinists and Jews were allowed to pray in the public sphere at this time. De Witte expresses a certain element of religious tolerance through his piece by depicting the Sephardic Jews in an act that regular Dutch citizens would also partake in.
Another crucial feature of De Witte’s work is how he portrays the interior of the synagogue itself. The building displays remarkable similarities to Calvinist churches; white walls, clean and open windows, and wooden pews. Additionally, in the middle of the work, there stands a platform that is normally the place where the Torah would be read during ceremonies. This use of the traditional Dutch style of architecture, combined with the local Jewish presence and symbolism demonstrates a merging of these two distinct groups. Additionally, the lack of religious imagery inside the synagogue should be of note, as this follows the fear of idolatry that the Calvinists developed throughout the time period. In fact, John Calvin himself stated “nothing should be painted or engraved but objects visible to our eyes,” meaning personal interpretation and display of religious characters were strictly prohibited (Vanhaelen, Lecture 6). It was known that the synagogue in Amsterdam was a well-known and popular sight to see, and therefore many people who did not practice the Jewish faith would enter and spend time inside. The lack of specific religious imagery in the synagogue corresponds well with a crucial Dutch ideal at the time and cements the Jewish people as a part of the larger state itself, rather than outsiders or visitors.
An additional work that fosters the merging of religious differences in the Dutch Republic is seen in Circumcision Ceremony in an Amsterdam Sephardic Family by Romeyn de Hooghe (Figure 2). His work also features the Jews partaking in a significant cultural practice, however, we are able to view their faces, and catch a glimpse of the action in a more intimate manner compared to the previous image. In Jewish tradition, circumcision is supposed to take place on the eighth day of a man’s life (Nadler, 58). It is an essential part of Judaism, and its depiction through de Hooghe’s piece allows for the work to be normalized into typical Dutch society. Much like the previous illustration, the piece allows us into an intimate space for many Jewish citizens and exemplifies their presence as regular citizens in the Dutch Republic, helping to merge religious tensions at the time.
Through a depiction of the Jews in a space of prayer, as well as during one of their most important cultural acts; it is clear that the merging of religious differences can be seen in the way the Jewish people are seen as true, practicing citizens of the Dutch Republic. The way the Jews were able to carve out a space for themselves in Amsterdam is a clear anomaly in Europe at the time, and oftentimes in the present as well. The merging of these ideals through an analysis of both De Witte and de Hooghe’s works allowed for a new positive viewpoint of the Jewish people that were not present in many other European cultures (Nadler, 90). It is evident that normalizing so many Jewish values and corresponding them to traditional Dutch society, helps regular Dutch citizens understand that Jewish people engage in similar cultural practices and should be viewed as citizens in the same way.
For this essay, consider how much interest there was in visual representations of marginalized peoples (peasants, foreign peoples, criminals, slaves, Jews, people with disabilities, etc.) Focusing on two examples, write an essay that explores some of the functions of such imagery.
Dutch Peasants and The Tapuya: Representing the Cultural “Other” to Define Themselves
The majority of representations of marginalized groups both inside and outside of the Dutch Republic are often depicted to feed the superiority complex of the upper class and elite groups. Although some pieces were more civilized and accurate than others, the motif behind many paintings involved creating an ‘other,’ in order to protect the superior moral idea of what a proper Dutch citizen should be. Two images that can be attributed to this claim are Peasant Dance by Pieter Bruegel, and The Tapuya Woman by Albert Eeckhout. This essay will make a claim of how both works depict different groups that are consistently marginalized by the Dutch and portray them in a way that serves to make the rest of the Dutch empire appear virtuous and civilized. However, the painters pursue different strategies in an attempt to do this; Bruegel establishes a scene of chaos and sin, whereas Eeckhout turns to many Indigenous stereotypes.
Analysis
Peasant Dance by Pieter Bruegel depicts a group of peasants engaging in a type of dance, while others watch nearby (Figure 3). The scene is very chaotic and disorganized and is crowded with many bodies and people completing different actions. Bruegel’s illustration of the peasants as disorderly and rowdy implies their status as individuals who are less morally conscious and superior to the rest of Dutch society. Additionally, it should be noted that the piece was commissioned by members of the upper middle class; meaning the way the peasants appear in the piece is primarily from the perspective of more wealthy individuals.
A piece that focuses on similar themes to Rubens is Albert Eckhout’s depiction of The Tapuya Woman (Figure 4). “Tapuya” was the name given by the Dutch to the group of Indigenous people who lived in the coastal regions of Brazil during this time. They were known as the people at the bottom of the social and political hierarchy when the Dutch came to colonize the region. Eeckhout’s depiction of The Tapuya Woman features a view of the ‘typical’ local woman from a very colonized perspective. She appears incredibly uncivilized; wearing leaves to cover her nudity, and standing in front of a background full of seemingly untouched wildlife and land. Additionally, the use of body parts should be noted; it appears as though she is collecting severed arms and feet, further implying the commonly held view by the Dutch that the locals of the region engage in cannibalism.
Many people in the Dutch Republic held the belief that depictions such as The Tapuya Woman were providing an account of a very “authentic Brazil.” However, although there are certain elements of the piece that may not be completely false, there is no doubt that Albert Eeckhout’s portraits of the people in this region are completed through a specific Dutch perspective. In Rebecca Brienen’s piece “Cannibalizing America,” she expresses how many ethnographic works actually fail to reveal to provide any truthful information about the individuals, but rather create a “dishonest mode of representation” (Brienen, 93). In fact, she makes specific reference to Eckhout’s works and how they are often associated with imperialist attitudes (Brienen, 92).
A common theme in Dutch art during this period is allowing the upper class to identify themselves by referring to and depicting many lower-class individuals as their opposite, and creating an inherent other to ensure that the upper-class citizens are more moral and civilized. Bruegel’s piece illustrates a scene of chaos, while many individuals engage in gluttonous and morally sinful acts. Eckhout’s piece, on the other hand, is rooted in many stereotypes of uncolonized Indigenous groups and paints the Tapuya as a group that is less than the upper-class Dutch citizens who colonized the area. Both images were completed by individuals who represented a much wealthier class, and therefore had the ability to define the character of the scene in whatever way they choose. Through the negative connotations that each scene brings out, both pieces successfully define what is “the other,” in order to allow the upper-class Dutch themselves to stand out as culturally and morally superior.
Stuck on your essay?
