Dutch paintings of the seventeenth century--the Golden Age of Rembrandt van Rijn, Frans Hals, and Johannes Vermeer--have been eagerly collected in America over the past two centuries. From its founding purchase in 1871 of many Dutch landscapes, portraits, still lifes, and scenes of everyday life, the Metropolitan Museum now houses the finest and most comprehensive collection of Dutch pictures in the western hemisphere.   This monumental publication, wherein the Museum’s 229 Dutch paintings dating from 1600 to 1800 are catalogued for the first time, celebrates an extraordinary collection. Included are a full discussion of each picture and complete records of its scholarly literature, exhibition history, and provenance. Every work is reproduced in color and comparative illustrations enrich the presentation. A biography of each artist and a comprehensive bibliography reflect the latest research.