In 17th-century Northern Europe, new subject matter in art emerged: landscapes, still lifes, and genre scenes competed with the standard religious and classical themes. We will concentrate first on Rubens, Rembrandt, and Vermeer, contrasting their work with Le Brun’s for Versailles. The course will conclude with an examination of St. Paul’s Cathedral in London, designed by Christopher Wren and bringing Baroque architectural styles of Italy to the north.