THE JOLLY TOPER _Frans Hals_ 54 From a photograph by Franz Hanfstaengl. PORTRAIT OF NICOLAES VAN DER MEER _Frans Hals_ 59 REUNION OF THE OFFICERS OF ST. ANDREW _Frans Hals_ 67 THE SYNDICS OF THE CLOTH GUILD _Rembrandt_ 78 From a photograph by Franz Hanfstaengl. SORTIE OF THE BANNING COCK COMPANY _Rembrandt_ 81 From a photograph by Franz Hanfstaengl. PORTRAIT OF ELIZABETH BAS _Rembrandt_ 87 From a photograph by Franz Hanfstaengl. PORTRAIT OF HENDRICKJE STOFFELS _Rembrandt_ 90 THE SUPPER AT EMMAUS _Rembrandt_ 96 From a photograph by Braun, Clément & Cie. PEASANTS ROUND A HEARTH _Adriaen van Ostade_ 110 From a photograph by Franz Hanfstaengl. OLD WOMAN SPINNING _Nicolaes Maes_ 114 OLD WOMAN IN MEDITATION _Gabriel Metsu_ 116 From a photograph by Franz Hanfstaengl. LADY AT THE CLAVICHORD _Caspar Netscher_ 125 THE DESPATCH _Gerard Terborch_ 127 From a photograph by Franz Hanfstaengl. OFFICER WRITING A LETTER _Gerard Terborch_ 129 GIRL AT THE WINDOW _Johannes (Jan) Vermeer_ 132 HEAD OF A GIRL _Johannes (Jan) Vermeer_ 135 THE COOK _Johannes (Jan) Vermeer_ 138 THE ARTIST IN HIS STUDIO _Johannes (Jan) Vermeer_ 141 From a photograph by Franz Hanfstaengl. THE INN _Jan Steen_ 144 PORTRAIT OF PAUL POTTER _Bartholomeus van der Helst_ 163 From a photograph by Franz Hanfstaengl. FAMILY OF ADMIRAL PIETER PIETERSZ _Thomas de Keyser_ 166 From a photograph by Franz Hanfstaengl. THE YOUNG BULL _Paul Potter_ 179 THE AVENUE, MIDDELHARNIS, HOLLAND _Meindert Hobbema_ 190 VIEW OF HAARLEM _Jacob van Ruisdael_ 193 From a photograph by Franz Hanfstaengl. OAK-WOOD _Jacob van Ruisdael_ 194 THE MILL NEAR WYK-BY-DUURSTEDE _Jacob van Ruisdael_ 199 From a photograph by Franz Hanfstaengl. THE JEWISH CEMETERY _Jacob van Ruisdael_ 200 THE STORY OF DUTCH PAINTING CHAPTER I THE END OF THE OLD On the 25th of October, 1555, Charles V abdicated the imperial crown, ceding Spain and the Netherlands to his favorite son, Philip II. The event proved to be the prologue of a drama, which in its immediate aspects involved the decay of Spain and the growth of Holland, but in its wider significance was to be the beginning of a new era.