I just finished reading "The Painting of Sara de Vos" by Dominic Smith and the title character was a Dutch still life painter in the 1600s. I find it so fascinating to think about how people learned and practiced their craft in such difficult times. And how much more challenging it was for women. Makes me appreciate the fact that I can stand on a barstool in my kitchen and use my camera to try to make "art" out of my family's pancake toppings.
