When we think of young men rebelling against a boring, restrictive society, we tend to think of recent years—the rock-and-roll era, for example. But young men have always had a desire and tendency to subvert the status quo. Sex, Drugs and Rock 'n' Roll in the Dutch Golden Age is a fascinating volume that presents an engaging overview of what it was like to be young and male in the Dutch Golden Age. Here, well-known cohorts of Rembrandt are examined for the ways in which they expressed themselves by defying conservative values and norms. Young men of this era practiced shockingly—or seemingly—modern modes of rebellion: letting their hair grow long, wearing colorful clothing, drinking excessively, challenging city guards, being promiscuous, smoking, and singing lewd songs.
Cogently argued, this book paints a compelling portrait of the youth culture of the Dutch Golden Age, at a time when the rising popularity of print made dissemination of new cultural ideas possible, while rising incomes and liberal attitudes created a generation of men behaving badly.
