1700-1800

The eighteenth century is the most international, most European century in Dutch (art) history. This book, with 100 of the most beautiful and surprising objects from the Rijksmuseum's collection of eighteenth-century art and history, demonstrates this beautifully – even if only by the iconic picture of a Dutch girl at breakfast painted in 1756 by Swiss artist Jean-Etienne Liotard. Many other paintings, sculptures, pieces of furniture, silver and golden showpieces and other works of art were made in the Republic by artists from elsewhere. In this book they are placed beside some highlights from leading art centres: Paris, Rome, but also Neuwied, where Abraham and David Roentgen made Europe’s most beautiful furniture.

The varied selection of works of art shows the richness and splendour of eighteenth-century Europe, with a central place for the art and history of the Netherlands.

Reinier Baarsen is a senior curator at the Rijksmuseum and extraordinary professor of Applied Arts until 1800 at Leiden University.