ABSTRACT
It has long been recognized that there were several artistic centres in the Dutch Republic. 1 Although a wide range of paintings in terms of price and genre could be purchased in most towns, several locations developed their own specializations. 2 These were not necessarily unique nor related to the character of the town itself, but in certain towns, specific types of paintings were produced in such quantity and quality that the two became closely associated. Haarlem acquired a reputation for landscape painters, Utrecht for Italianate works, and, around the middle of the seventeenth century, Delft for urban interior and exterior perspectives, while Leiden became known for the style of fijnschilders. Sometimes, though, these specializations formed around key figures and were relatively short-lived as was the case with for example Middelburg’s flower paintings or Utrecht’s fish still lifes, and even the famous Delft school.
