Wealthy nations and the fine arts: one seems to engender the other.
Holland was a rich nation because of Dutch expertise in sailing, import and export, banking and manufacturing. They made lace goods and woolen goods for the Euro market. They imported spices from their colonies, which included Indonesia and part of India.
Rembrandt became a painter because wealthy men paid high sums for paintings created with sumptuousness and verisimilitude. Capable artists in Amsterdam could command high fees.
Amsterdam is on the Amstel River and the Nord Zee, a splendid trading territory.
Nearby, the Dutch city of Rotterdam is at the mouth of Western Europe's greatest river, the Rhine.
Neighbors to the Nederlands are Belgium and Germany, aka Deutschland ("Deutschland uber alles").
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