Abstract:
This thesis explores the motif of porcelain in seventeenth century Dutch “highlife”
genre paintings. “High-life” genre paintings depict imagery inspired by the everyday
lives of the upper echelons of Dutch society. My focus is on the periods between 1648 to
1700 when a notable shift in genre paintings occurred. I will follow recent art historical
research that contends “high-life” genre images created multiple layers of associations for
their contemporary audiences. In particular, I am interested in the significance of the
inclusion of porcelain in “high-life” genre paintings as one of the components that create
intricate layers of meaning. It is notable that porcelain was a product made for domestic
use, as were the paintings that feature them. Yet porcelain as a commodity carries
associations of global trade and is thus tied to the public world of commerce. I will argue
that the inclusion of porcelain in “high-life” genre paintings creates associations to Dutch
national pride in their trade, and their worldly knowledge of the “exotic,” while adding to
the visual language of domesticity.
