Innovative exploration of the Brussels Baroque and the social dimensions of art production. For many painters in seventeenth-century Brussels, it was not only their artistic talent but also the communities they were part of that determined the course of their careers. This book traces the intricate relationship between social structures and artistic production by examining the lives and works of all 353 painters who became masters in the Brussels Guild of Painters, Goldbeaters, and Stained-Glass Makers between 1599 and 1706. This innovative exploration of a social history of art seamlessly integrates quantitative digital analyses at the macro-level with micro-level qualitative case studies. This fresh approach facilitates a comparative perspective on the various environments in which painters operated, allowing for new readings of how early modern artists – both in Brussels and beyond – created their art, earned a living, and navigated the complexities of urban life. Painters and Communities in Seventeenth-Century Brussels is also the first work to provide a global overview of the Brussels Baroque, including extensive lists with biographical information on all of the city’s master painters. In seventeenth-century Brussels, the careers of painters were shaped not only by their artistic talents but also by the communities to which they belonged. This book explores the intricate relationship between the social structures and artistic production of the 353 painters who became masters in the Brussels Guild of Painters, Goldbeaters, and Stained-Glass Makers between 1599 and 1706. This innovative study combines quantitative digital analysis with detailed qualitative case studies, offering a novel approach to the social history of art. By examining the various communities in which these artists operated, this book provides new insights into how early modern painters — both in Brussels and beyond — created their art, earned a living, and navigated the complexities of urban life. 'Painters and Communities in Seventeenth-Century Brussels' also presents the first overview of the Brussels Baroque, with extensive biographical lists of the city’s master painters. LIST OF FIGURES LIST OF TABLES ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS INTRODUCTION PART I THE THREE PLACES OF LIVING CHAPTER 1. THE FIRST PLACE: THE FAMILY AND KINSHIP PATTERNS OF BRUSSELS’ PAINTERS 1.1 The Early Modern Family of Painters in Art History 1.2 Brussels in the Seventeenth Century 1.3 Marriage Patterns and Independent Households 1.4 Occupational Continuity 1.5 Spiritual Kinship: Godparents and Marriage Witnesses 1.6 Conclusion CHAPTER 2. THE SECOND PLACE: BRUSSELS’ PAINTERS AND THE LOCAL GUILD OF PAINTERS, GOLDBEATERS, AND STAINED-GLASS MAKERS 2.1 A Social Approach to the History of Guilds in the Southern Netherlands 2.2 The Brussels Guild of Painters, Goldbeaters, and Stained-Glass Makers During the Seventeenth Century 2.3 The Guild’s Conditions of Membership and Increasing Openness to Outsiders 2.4 Social Mobility Within the Guild 2.5 Occupational Ties and Information Flows 2.6 Conclusion CHAPTER 3. THE THIRD PLACE: THE SOCIAL LIFE OF BRUSSELS’ PAINTERS BEYOND HOME AND WORK 3.1 The ‘Third Place’ in the Early Modern Southern Netherlands 3.2 Public Houses 3.3 Chambers of Rhetoric 3.4 Confraternities 3.5 Parishes and Neighbourhoods 3.6 Conclusion PART II THE THREE PLACES OF PAINTING CHAPTER 4. PAINTING FOR THE COURT: A FAMILY OF PAINTERS AT THE START OF THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY 4.1 Brussels’ Painters and the Archdukes’ Patronage 4.2 The Noveliers Family of Painters 4.3 The Noveliers Family’s Privileged Position at the Court 4.4 The Noveliers Family’s Activities Outside the Court 4.5 Conclusion CHAPTER 5. PAINTING FOR THE MARKET: THE SONIAN FOREST DEPICTED AROUND THE MID-SEVENTEENTH CENTURY 5.1 The Sonian Forest Painters in Art-Historical Literature 5.2 The Growing Demand for Native Landscapes 5.3 The Sonian Forest Painters’ Network 5.4 Collaborations 5.5 Conclusion CHAPTER 6. PAINTING FOR THE TAPESTRY INDUSTRY: THE CO-PRODUCTION OF TAPESTRY CARTOONS AT THE END OF THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY 6.1 The Increasing Interest in Brussels’ Tapestry Designers and Cartoon Painters 6.2 Adapting to a Changing Taste 6.3 Designing and Painting Tapestry Cartoons 6.4 The Importance of Spatial Proximity 6.5 Conclusion GENERAL CONCLUSION APPENDICES NOTES SOURCES AND BIBLIOGRAPHY