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Of all artistic periods the Dutch renaissance is our forte. This period of the arts, characteristic by freedom of expression, was inspired by the nature around us. The artist from the North, with the Italian Masters as their example, developed a unique style highly appreciated both then and now. There is a strong demand for art from this period but, alas, demand far outstrips supply. Dutch Renaissance furniture The actual meaning of "Renaissance" is "Revival". Here we refer to the classic art form inspired by the Greeks and Romans, a form that was already in Italy after the Gothic period in the Middle ages. The Italian renaissance developed differently to that in the Northern countries of Europe. This was mainly due to the fact that they had the classic examples near by and that their temperament and character is different to ours. The Renaissance art in the Netherlands should be seen as an influence over our national art form. In the Netherlands, in approximately 1520, the renaissance began to influence the style of painting, followed by buildings and sculpture. Later, around 1550, furniture followed. It should be noticed that the renaissance arrived a lot earlier in the South of the Netherlands, due to the influence of the Spanish governor who had his residence here.