The Crisis in the Arts of the Seventeenth Century: A Crisis of Representation?

Abstract

The arts suffered no crisis in the middle of the seventeenth century, although major changes in style took place around the year 1600. However, a crisis of representation that began in natural philosophy was eventually to become more general. A contrast in tone or mood that was evident between the arts in the first and the second half of the century may be interpreted as a response to economic, social, and political crises.