This thesis illuminates how Dutch painter, Jacques de Gheyn II, establishes a romanticised perception of the sea through the presence of exotic seashells in the painting Neptune, Amphitrite, and...Show moreThis thesis illuminates how Dutch painter, Jacques de Gheyn II, establishes a romanticised perception of the sea through the presence of exotic seashells in the painting Neptune, Amphitrite, and Cupid with a Nautilus Shell (1610). Through researching the notions of the sublime in art and the materialistic matter of shell representation in the seventeenth century, I argued how these concepts intersected to cultivate an idealised perception of the maritime world. This approach revealed new findings on how the era’s underlying xenophilia contributed to the flourishing trade connections in the Netherlands and consequently led to the depiction of exotic items in artworks. Literature from scholars Anna K. Grasskamp, Emily Brady, and Paul Arthur, who focus on the sublime and material agency, have supported my analysis of the multi-faceted positions of romanticised views and cultural obsession of years past. My research showed that, although there is no direct presence of water in Neptune and Amphitrite, the romanticised perception of the sea is still achieved through seashells which carry various connotations to convey this.Show less
