ABSTRACT
The initial decades following the Dutch Revolt formed a decisive stage in the history of Dutch painting. 1 During the sixteenth century, Antwerp was the artistic hub of northwestern Europe, with the northern provinces little more than an artistic backwater. A handful of painters, most notably Lucas van Leyden, Maerten van Heemskerck, Jan van Score l, and Anthonis Mor, produced noteworthy paintings, but an exogenous shock was required to trigger something more than routine existence and eventually significant growth. The Dutch Revolt served as just such a catalyst, transforming both the demand for paintings and their supply.
