Dutch still life artists in Germany in the 17th century. Cultural interaction.

This article is a study of the interaction of German and Dutch art in a genre unique to the Republic of the United Provinces of the 17th century – still life. The author examines the paintings of Dutch and Flemish still life masters and studies their contribution to German art, as well as the influence of the work of German artists on the evolution and transformation of still life in the Northern Netherlands of the 17th century. Particular attention is paid to the development trends of various directions of Dutch still life painting in interaction with German art. For the first time the key masters of the genre who worked there are highlighted. The methodology is based on the formal-stylistic method used to analyze still lifes of certain types and on the comparative stylistic analysis. Specific still lifes are analyzed, attention is paid to the socio-historical context that influenced the peculiarities of interaction between artists of the two countries and their artworks. The main conclusions of the study are about the great influence of the work of Dutch still life masters on the formation of the genre in Germany. A major role was played by the personal art preferences of the Great Elector Frederick William I and the artworks of the Dutch artists he invited to work at the court. Moreover, there were no individual genre trends that arose independently in Germany. Compositional features, style and even color choices – all this was dictated by the strong influence of the work of the Dutch masters. It is especially important that German art had virtually no influence on the development of Dutch still life; this genre received unprecedented development in the Northern and Southern Netherlands, largely under the influence of socio-cultural, political and economic processes occurring in two countries.

Dutch still life, German still life, baroque, XVIIth century painting, Dutch pronkstilleven, trompe-l'œil, flower still life, hunting trophies still life, realism painting, Flemish still life