The Visible World

How did painters and their public speakabout art in Rembrandt's age? This bookabout the writings of the painter-poetSamuel van Hoogstraten, one ofRembrandt's pupils, examines a widevariety of themes from painting practiceand theory from the Dutch Golden Age.It addresses the contested issue of 'Dutchrealism' and its hidden symbolism, as wellas Rembrandt's concern with representingemotions in order to involve the spectator.Diverse aspects of imitation and illusioncome to the fore, such as the theo