Review by Choice Review
This collection of essays is both a summation of the current state of research on Brussels in a two-decade period and a blueprint for further investigation. It presents the city and region of Brussels, with comparison to the well-studied contexts of Antwerp, the Dutch Republic, France, and Europe in general. The relevant data concern population, art collecting, commerce, and some professions. The Hapsburg court cultivated the arts, especially theater and music. Luxury cloth production for tapestry and garments thrived. Shifts in fashion for clothing and interior decoration are well documented here, indicating how quickly taste affects consumption of luxury goods. The dominance of French fashion, from the late 17th century onward, affected household furnishings that tended toward ornate wall coverings with few paintings; this led to there being fewer collectors of paintings in later decades and consequently lower production. Evidently, more Dutch-language literature and theater was shared among the north and south Netherlands than was generally recognized. Brussels surely deserves more attention, especially in light of recent research indicating that political borders often were commercially porous, and that much more cultural exchange occurred than previously thought. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates and above. A. Golahny Lycoming College
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
