This spectacular slipcased two-volume set is the first in a series of four catalogues that will showcase the holdings of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, which owns the world's largest and most representative collection of paintings from the Dutch Golden Age. Focusing on 445 works by such masters as Hendrick Avercamp, Balthasar van der Ast, Hendrick ter Brugghen, and Esaias van de Velde, "Volume I" presents the work of some 100 painters who together provide a comprehensive overview of the dawn of 17th-century Dutch art. An up-to-date biography is provided for each artist as is the complete known provenance for each painting. The paintings have been fully researched and described, and all are reproduced in full color. An appendix of photographed signatures is also included. For every admirer of the Dutch masters, this set is both a treasure trove of information and a delight to the eye.