Craftsmanship in the seventeenth century was far more than a set of regulations or technical skills—it was a vital part of social, economic, and cultural life.
To explore this multifaceted subject, a conference on craft and craftsmanship was co-organized by the coordinator team Julie De Groot (Antwerp), Bert De Munck (Antwerp), Nina Geerdink (Utrecht), Maarten Prak (Utrecht), Marlise Rijks (Ghent).

Artisans were literate and educated and thus possessed 'human capital'. They saw themselves as the backbone of the city, and they had good reasons to do so: their organizations, especially guilds and militias, shaped urban society. Their skill or 'const' was highly valued, even outside their own ranks. Books of practical 'craft' knowledge were published on a previously unprecedented scale, and their knowledge penetrated the scholarly world, even into universities. The culture of the seventeenth century was largely shaped by or in relation to this social milieu.

The conference was about every conceivable aspect of craft, artisans and craftsmanship. What exactly is craftsmanship in the seventeenth century, apart from regulations and rules? How was craftsmanship reflected upon in the seventeenth-century Netherlands? How were artisans trained? Did they prefer to follow in their parents' footsteps? What did their world view look like? In what way did religion shape the lives of artisans? What traces did crafts leave in the literary, artistic or musical production of their time? What role did craft knowledge and skills play in the world of scholarship or in the changing natural sciences? How did the inclusive idea of 'const' as a skill change in the increasingly separate domains of art and craft? What role did women play in the craft milieu, and what role did craft play for women in different classes? And what can be said about organizations of craftspeople, such as guilds?

Program