The Market Revolution

The Reformation's destruction of church patronage forced a fundamental change in how artists earned their living. Instead of working on commission for wealthy patrons, Dutch painters began producing works for the open market — painting pictures they hoped anonymous buyers would purchase.

This shift transformed everything about art. Paintings became smaller and cheaper to appeal to middle-class households rather than aristocratic collectors. Artists specialized in particular subjects — one painter focused exclusively on winter fields, another on kitchen scenes, a third on flower arrangements — creating personal brands that buyers recognized.