The transmission of moral messages in Golden Age Dutch art is a core claim of the ‘iconographic’ faction of scholars of Dutch realist art. Jeroen Dekker writes: 17th century Dutch genre painting played a major role in the promotion of the pursuit of family and educational virtues. Packing moralistic messages in fine paintings was considered as a very effective moralistic communication policy in a culture in which sending such moralising messages was very popular.... Read more
