Room: A36 in person, and online
From the Dutch Republic’s very beginnings, its dependency on Polish grain and wood was a commonly known fact. Countless Dutch merchants migrated to the Polish port of GdaĆsk (Danzig) and its surroundings. In addition, the Dutch rebellion against Spain led religious refugees from the Low Countries to settle in Prussia and other parts of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, which during the sixteenth century was known for its religious tolerance. On the other hand, the seventeenth century saw the arrival of numerous Polish protestants in the Northern Netherlands. From circa the year 1600, moreover, hosts of Polish-Lithuanian noblemen traveled to the Low Countries, for example to gain military experience, study at one or more of the renowned universities, or simply to enjoy the wonders of “the marketplace of the world”. All of these historic contacts shaped a number of ‘images’ or stereotypes, which the Dutch and Poles had of one another. By studying Dutch, Polish and Neo-Latin texts, such as travel accounts, poems, letters and pamphlets, as well as visual sources like maps, paintings and engravings, Paul Hulsenboom aims to answer the following question: how and why did the Poles and Dutch perceive each other during the long seventeenth century? How did literary exchange further or change these mutual perceptions during the 'long' seventeenth century?
After studying Classics as an undergraduate, Paul Hulsenboom received his doctorate in October 2023 from the Department of Modern Languages and Culture at Radboud University, Nijmegen, where he is a lecturer and researcher in the fields of cultural and literary exchange, as well as diplomacy. His PhD project concerned the development of Dutch perceptions of the Poland, and Polish perceptions of the Dutch Republic during the seventeenth century. His sources ranged from travel accounts, letters and poems written in Dutch, Polish or Neo-Latin, to visual material such as maps and frontispieces. HIs publications include Heretical Heroes and Savage Saviours. The Dutch and Poles in each other’s imaginations during the long seventeenth century (Alblasserdam: Ridderprint 2023) and several aricles listed on his website: https://paulhulsenboom.com/publications/
- Speaker
- Dr Paul Hulsenboom
- Hosted by
- CEMS
- Venue
- Taylor A36