List of people from the Dutch Golden Age
The Dutch Golden Age was a period in Dutch history, roughly equivalent to the 17th century, in which Dutch trade, science and art were top ranking in the world until Tulip Mania in 1637 and onwards.
The accompanying article about the Dutch Golden Age focuses on society, religion and culture. There are also articles about the Eighty Years' War and the Anglo-Dutch Wars. A concise broader picture is painted in History of the Netherlands.
People are listed here per category in order of year of birth.
Note: Many Dutchmen from this period had a middle name ending in szoon, which means son of. It is also commonly written as sz., for instance Rembrandt Harmensz. van Rijn.
Sciences and philosophy
- Carolus Clusius, Flemish doctor and botanist
- Jan Leeghwater, hydraulic engineer
- Willebrord Snellius, Dutch astronomer and mathematician
- Hugo Grotius, Dutch jurist and philosopher, who laid the foundations for international law
- Isaac Beeckman, Dutch philosopher
- David Gorlaeus, Dutch natural philosopher and proponent of atomism
- Jan Amos Comenius, Czech educator and writer
- René Descartes, French philosopher lived in Holland from 1628 to 1649
- Franciscus Sylvius, German-born Dutch physician
- Frans van Schooten, Dutch mathematician
- Johannes Phocylides Holwarda, Dutch natural philosopher and proponent of atomism
- John Locke, English philosopher, exiled in Holland
- Nicolas Steno, Danish Catholic bishop and scientist
- Menno van Coehoorn, Dutch military engineer
- Christiaan Huygens, Dutch mathematician, physicist and astronomer
- Jan Swammerdam, Dutch biologist and microscopist
- Frederik Ruysch, Dutch botanist and anatomist
- Regnier de Graaf, Dutch physician and anatomist
- Pierre Bayle, French philosopher and writer
- Simon Stevin , Flemish-Dutch mathematician and engineer
- Baruch de Spinoza, Dutch Jewish philosopher
- Anton van Leeuwenhoek, Dutch scientist and businessman, first microbiologist
- Nicolaes Tulp, doctor, magistrate, and mayor of Amsterdam
- Bernard Mandeville, Dutch philosopher, political economist and satirist
- Cornelis Corneliszoon, inventor of the wind-powered sawmill
- Govert Bidloo, physician, anatomist and author who wrote the anatomical atlas Anatomia Humani Corporis
- Frederik de Wit, engraver, cartographer and publisher
- Petrus Plancius, Dutch astronomer and cartographer
- Jodocus Hondius, Flemish-Dutch cartographer
- Willem Blaeu, Dutch cartographer
- Joan Blaeu, Dutch cartographer, Willem Blaeu's son
Religion
- Jacobus Arminius, Dutch theologian, served from 1603 as professor in theology at the University of Leiden
- Gerardus Vossius, Dutch theologian and humanist
- Gisbertus Voetius, Dutch theologian, served from 1634 as professor in theology at the University of Utrecht. Noted opponent of Cartesianism.
Painting
- Frans Hals, portraits, schutterstukken, regent groups, genre pieces
- Hendrick Avercamp, landscapes with snow
- Hendrick Terbruggen, historical and biblical paintings
- Willem Claeszoon Heda, still lifes
- Jan van Goyen, landscapes
- Pieter Jansz Saenredam, church interiors, cityscapes
- Salomon van Ruysdael, landscapes
- Adriaen Brouwer, genre pieces
- Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn, historical and biblical paintings, portraits, schutterstukken, regent groups, genre pieces
- Jan Lievens, historical and biblical paintings, portraits
- Adriaen van Ostade, genre scenes of peasant life
- Willem van de Velde, the elder, seascapes
- Bartholomeus van der Helst, portraits, schutterstukken, regent groups
- Jan Both, Italian landscapes
- Govert Flinck, historical and biblical paintings, portraits, schutterstukken
- Ferdinand Bol, historical and biblical paintings
- Emanuel de Witte, church interiors
- Gerard Terborch, portraits, genre pieces
- Philips Wouwermans, landscapes
- Albert Cuyp, Italian and Dutch landscapes
- Carel Fabritius, historical and biblical paintings, genre pieces
- Paulus Potter, animals in landscapes
- Jan Steen, genre pieces
- Jacob Isaakszoon van Ruisdael
- Gabriel Metsu, genre pieces
- Pieter de Hooch, genre pieces
- Johannes Vermeer, cityscapes, genre pieces
- Nicolaes Maes, portraits, genre pieces
- Meindert Hobbema, landscapes
Less famous painters from this period were:
- Cornelis Ketel, portraits, schutterstukken
- Hendrik Goltzius, landscapes
- Abraham Bloemaert, historical and biblical paintings, landscapes
- Michiel Janszoon van Miereveld, portraits
- Johannes Anthoniszoon van Ravesteyn, portraits
- Ambrosius Bosschaert, flowers
- Floris Claeszoon van Dijck, still lifes
- Roelant Savery, landscapes
- Cornelis van der Voort, portraits, schuttersstukken
- Jan Pynas, historical and biblical paintings
- Pieter Pieterszoon Lastman, historical and biblical paintings
- Jan Porcellis, sea sights
- Cornelis van Poelenburgh, Italian landscapes
- Hercules Seghers, landscapes
- Gerhard van Honthorst, historical and biblical paintings, genre pieces
- Dirck van Baburen, genre pieces
- Cornelis Hendrickszoon Vroom, sea sights
- Esayas van der Velde, landscapes
- Dirck Hals, genre pieces
- Willem Pieterszoon Buytewech, landscapes, genre pieces
- Cornelis Corneliszoon van Haarlem, portraits, historical and biblical paintings
- Balthasar van der Ast, flowers
- Pieter de Molijn, landscapes
- Thomas de Keyser, portraits, schutterstukken
- Johannes Corneliszoon Verspronck, portraits
- Pieter Claesz, still lifes
- Bartholomeus Breenbergh, Italian landscapes
- Pieter Franszoon de Grebber, historical and biblical paintings
- Gerrit Hoeckgeest, church interiors
- Simon de Vlieger, sea sights
- Aert van der Neer, sea sights
- Christiaen van Couwenbergh, historical and biblical paintings
- Jan Davidszoon de Heem, still lifes
- Judith Leyster, genre pieces
- Jan Asselyn, Italian landscapes
- David Teniers the Younger, genre pieces
- Jan Miense Molenaer, genre pieces
- Pieter de Ringh, still lifes
- Caesar van Everdingen, historical and biblical paintings
- Willem Kalf, still lifes
- Philips Koninck, landscapes
- Otto Marseus van Schrieck, flowers
- Nicolaes Pieterszoon Berchem, Italian landscapes
- Abraham van Beyeren, still lifes
- Jan Baptist Weenix, Italian landscapes
- Gerbrand van den Eeckhout
- Karel Dujardin, Italian landscapes
- Adam Pynacker, Italian landscapes
- Jan van de Cappelle, seascapes
- Job Adriaenszoon Berckheyde, church interiors
- Willem Drost, historical and biblical paintings
- Frederik de Moucheron, Italian landscapes
- Jan de Baen, portraits
- Willem van de Velde the younger, sea sights
- Frans van Mieris sr., genre pieces
- Adriaen van de Velde, landscapes
- Gerrit Adriaenszoon Berckheyde, cityscapes
- Jan van der Heyden, cityscapes
- Caspar Netscher, portraits
- Gerard de Lairesse, historical and biblical paintings
- Aert de Gelder, historical and biblical paintings
- Jan van Huysum, flowers
- Hendrik Martenszoon Sorgh
- Abraham Danielsz Hondius , dogs, hunting scenes and landscapes
Architecture
- Lieven de Key, master builder of Harlem; still used a fair amount of ornamentation, built De Waag, front of the Town Hall, De Vleeshal, New Church tower, all of which are in Harlem
- Hendrick de Keyser, preferred a style that was much more sober than his contemporary Lieven de Key, built the Zuiderkerk, the Westerkerk and the Exchange in Amsterdam, Town Hall of Delft, several canal houses in Amsterdam
- Jacob van Campen, embraced classicism fully and served as an example for many colleagues, built the Mauritshuis in The Hague, the Dam Palace in Amsterdam, which was originally the town hall, now a royal palace
- Hans Vredeman de Vries, architect in Antwerp, used a lot of ornamentation
- Arent van 's-Gravenzande, built De Lakenhal and the Marekerk, both in Leiden, and the Oostkerk in Middelburg
- Philip Vingboons, built many canal houses in Amsterdam in classicistic style
- Pieter Post, built Huis ten Bosch in The Hague
- Adriaen Dortsman, built the Lutheran Church in Amsterdam
- Elias Bouman, built the Portuguese-Israelitic Synagogue in Amsterdam
- Maurits Post, built Slot Amerongen
Literature
- Joost van den Vondel, poet and playwright, who wrote more than 30 plays, many of those based on biblical stories. After The Gijsbrecht his best known drama is Lucifer. He translated many French, Italian, Latin and Greek works. A recurring theme is man's inner conflicts, on the one hand rebellious, on the other hand pledging obedience to God.
- Gerbrand Adriaensz. Bredero, poet and dramatist, his most famous comedy, De Spaanse Brabander, describes the seamy side of life in Amsterdam
- Pieter Corneliszoon Hooft, historian, poet and dramatist, who wrote Nederlandsche Historiën, which was never completed, but highly valued. His poetry was of high standard as well. He introduced French and Italian lyricism into Dutch poetry.
- Jacob Cats, poet, famous for his moralistic writings. Houwelijck and Trouringh are two major volumes to educate the Dutch about these serious affairs. Indeed, his all too serious tone, lacking humour and esprit, made him a lesser writer than the three named above, and sometimes the object of mockery. His Kinderen zijn hinderen is still a Dutch saying, often followed by the remark that Cats probably had forgotten that he had been a child himself.
- Roemer Visscher, writer of epigrams and emblemata
- Karel van Mander, wrote the Schilderboeck, a book about painting, and also several biographies about painters
- Justus de Harduyn, poet from the southern Low Countries
- Samuel Coster, good friend of Bredero, founder of the First Dutch Academy in 1617
- Jacob Revius, poet but worked also on the new bible translation known as the Statenbijbel that appeared in 1637 and is still in use today in some Protestant circles
- Thomas Asseleyn, writer of comedies
- Willem Godschalk van Focquenbroch, poet and playwright
- Jan Luyken
Sculpture
- Hendrick de Keyser, also an architect. He created the Mausoleum for William of Orange in the Nieuwe Kerk in Delft. All ruling descendants of Willem of Orange and their kin have been interred here to this date. De Keyser also created the statue of Erasmus in Rotterdam
- Artus I Quellinus, Artus II Quellinus and Rombout Verhulst. All originating from the southern Netherlands, they were the most prominent sculptors in the Northern Netherlands. Among their greatest works is the decoration of the Amsterdam city hall, now known as the Royal Palace of Amsterdam.
Music
- Jan P. Sweelinck, composer and organ player, major force in the development of 17th century organ music
- Constantijn Huygens, more famous as a poet, member of the famous chamber of rhetoric De Muiderkring, composed some 800 pieces, most of which got lost, promoted use of the organ during church services
- Gerbrand Adriaenszoon Bredero, songwriter
- Adrianus Valerius, songwriter
- Jan Jacob van Eyck, composer
- Cornelis Schuyt, composer
- Joan Albert Ban, composer
- Cornelis Padbrué, composer
- Joan Schenk, composer
- Karel Hacquart, composer
- François and Pierre Hemony, famous carillon builders
Exploration
- Olivier van Noort, first Dutchman to circumnavigate the world
- Adriaen Block, the first European to enter Long Island Sound and the Connecticut River and determine that Manhattan and Long Island are islands
- Willem Schouten, Dutch explorer, who was first to sail the Cape Horn route to the Pacific Ocean
- Jacob Le Maire, Dutch Flemish explorer
- Abel Janszoon Tasman, the first European to discover New Zealand, Tasmania and Fiji
- Willem Barentsz, explorer of the Arctic
- Cornelis de Houtman, explorer of the East Indies
- Frederick de Houtman, Dutch explorer, elder brother of Cornelis de Houtman
- Willem Janszoon, Dutch navigator and colonial governor, the first European known to have seen the coast of Australia
- Cornelis Nay, explorer of the Arctic
- Henry Hudson, Englishman who sailed to the Arctic for the Dutch East India Company
Colonization
- Kiliaen van Rensselaer, co-founder of the Dutch West India Company and first patroon of Rensselaerswyck
- Jan Pieterszoon Coen, Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies
- Peter Stuyvesant, colonial governor of the New Netherland colony
- Jan van Riebeeck, commander of the Cape Colony and founder of Cape Town
Business
- Isaac Le Maire, largest shareholder in the VOC
- Louis De Geer, Walloon/Dutch merchant, considered the father of Swedish industry
- Pieter de la Court, Dutch economist and businessman
- Joseph de la Vega, Amsterdam's Jewish merchant
Politics
- Maurice of Nassau, Prince of Orange, stadtholder
- Frederik Hendrik, Prince of Orange, stadtholder
- Willem III van Oranje, King-Stadtholder
- Johan van Oldenbarnevelt, statesman who played an important role in the Dutch struggle for independence from Spain
- Jan de Witt, statesman who played an important role in the Dutch Golden Age
- Cornelis de Graeff, Amsterdam regent who played an important role in the Dutch Golden Age
- Andries de Graeff, Amsterdam regent who ruled the city after the death of his brother Cornelis
- Nicolaes Witsen, Dutch statesman who was mayor of Amsterdam thirteen times, between 1682-1706
Military
- Maarten Tromp, admiral
- Cornelis Tromp, admiral, commander-in-chief of the Dutch and Danish navies
- Michiel de Ruyter, admiral in the Anglo-Dutch Wars
- Cornelis Jol, admiral and privateer
- Cornelius Cruys, Dutch Vice Admiral of the Imperial Russian Navy and the first commander of the Russian Baltic Fleet