The 17th century is a Golden Age, a century of unprecedented blossoming in Dutch art and culture. Rembrandt uses innovative techniques: Vermeer captures life in silent tableaus. The everyday is portrayed: still lifes with cheeses and flowers, dune landscapes and mills and of course the citizens themselves. Trade flourishes and supplies the Netherlands with goods from all over the world. Including more than 150 highlights from the Rijksmuseum's collection, this publication paints a picture of the glory of the Golden Age.