Around 1600 a number of Dutch cities became large enough to make specialization economically viable and guilds devoted exclusively to the production of painted furniture were founded in the largest... Show moreAround 1600 a number of Dutch cities became large enough to make specialization economically viable and guilds devoted exclusively to the production of painted furniture were founded in the largest cities, Amsterdam first of all. In these guilds, the craftsmen were called witwerkers, referring to their use of softwood, also known as white wood at the time. From 1650 onwards witwerkers guilds were founded in an ever-growing number of cities, first in the Noord- and Zuid-Holland provinces, and finally, in the 18th century, throughout the whole western part of The Netherlands.Based on extensive archival research, including notary inventories and guild regulations and through a close analysis of hundreds of surviving pieces, Hans Piena has made a detailed study of the development of the production and use of painted softwood furniture in the Netherlands. The late 19th and early 20th century perception of painted furniture as having ancient folk origins is shown to be a myth, and numerous fakes are identified and the time and place of their production made clear. Show less
