Final answer:
Dutch cleanliness in 17th-century still life paintings is reflective of the cultural value on orderliness and tidiness, symbolized by meticulous depictions of everyday objects.
Step-by-step explanation:
The notions of Dutch cleanliness in 17th-century still life paintings often alluded to the pride they took in cleanliness and orderliness, both symbolically and practically.
Dutch still life paintings, like those of Pieter Claesz, carefully depicted objects with great detail and realism, showcasing the appearance of cleanliness through well-ordered and meticulously rendered items. The cleanliness is also embodied in the moralistic vanitas theme, reminding viewers of the fleeting nature of life and thereby urging them to lead an orderly and virtuous existence.
From a broader cultural perspective, the cleanliness depicted in Dutch paintings was reflective of the actual cleanliness the Dutch strived for in their homes and public spaces.
This obsession with cleanliness was further heightened by the scientific understanding of germs as outlined by experiments, for instance, those of Pasteur. Good hygiene had become both a survival strategy and a symbol of bourgeois status, separating the classes not just by wealth, but by the perceived purity of their environments.
Furthermore, paintings from this period such as Jacob van Ruisdael's View of Ootmarsum depicted everyday Dutch life with symbols of industry and virtue, like windmills and church steeples, indicating the importance of hard work and cleanliness in the context of God's order.
Genre paintings of the Dutch also often showcased scenes of daily living, which would include tidiness and cleanliness as integral parts of the living spaces, further reinforcing the value placed on these traits in Dutch culture.