The Hidden Revolution of Colored Grounds: An Introduction

This essay introduces the topic of this special issue: how the use of colored grounds influenced the production and visual qualities of seventeenth-century Netherlandish painting. The adoption of colored grounds in the Netherlands coincides with marked stylistic developments toward an emphasis on tonality and chiaroscuro. It culminates in, for example, the work of Rubens and Rembrandt and also makes possible a unique way of landscape painting. This important but understudied topic is addressed from complementary angles, providing insight into larger developments, the roles of the various actors of artistic production, and the role of colored grounds within artistic oeuvres. In addition, this special issue nuances—and at times refutes—existing theories on the routes by which colored grounds reached the Netherlands. Finally, it attends to the various methods of inquiry that support research into the nature and meaning of colored grounds for art historical investigation.