The Muiderkring (Muiden Circle) was the name given to a group of figures in the

art Art is a diverse range of cultural activity centered around ''works'' utilizing creative or imaginative talents, which are expected to evoke a worthwhile experience, generally through an expression of emotional power, conceptual ideas, tec ...

s and

science Science is a systematic discipline that builds and organises knowledge in the form of testable hypotheses and predictions about the universe. Modern science is typically divided into twoor threemajor branches: the natural sciences, which stu ...

s who regularly met at the

castle A castle is a type of fortification, fortified structure built during the Middle Ages predominantly by the nobility or royalty and by Military order (monastic society), military orders. Scholars usually consider a ''castle'' to be the private ...

Muiden Muiden () is a city and former municipality in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. It lies at the mouth of the Vecht (Utrecht), Vecht and is in an area called the Vechtstreek. Since 2016, Muiden has been part of the new municipality ...

near

Amsterdam Amsterdam ( , ; ; ) is the capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, largest city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It has a population of 933,680 in June 2024 within the city proper, 1,457,018 in the City Re ...

during the first half of the 17th century, or the Golden Age of the Dutch Republic. The central figure of the Muiderkring was the poet

Pieter Corneliszoon Hooft Pieter Corneliszoon Hooft (; 16 March 158121 May 1647) - Knight in the Order of Saint Michael - was a Dutch historian, poet and playwright who lived during the Dutch Golden Age in literature. Life Pieter Corneliszoon Hooft, often abbreviated ...

;

Constantijn Huygens Sir Constantijn Huygens, Lord of Zuilichem ( , , ; 4 September 159628 March 1687), was a Dutch Golden Age poet and composer. He was also secretary to two Princes of Orange: Frederick Henry and William II, and the father of the scientist C ...

, Dirck Sweelinck,

Vondel Joost van den Vondel (; 17 November 1587 – 5 February 1679) was a Dutch playwright, poet, literary translator and writer. He is generally regarded as the greatest writer in the Dutch-language literature, Dutch language as well as an important f ...

, Bredero and the poet sisters Anna Visscher and Maria Tesselschade Visscher were also considered part of the group.Paul Zumthor ''Daily Life in Rembrandt's Holland'' 1994 p218 "Hooft once wrote Maria a long letter consisting entirely of mythological allusions, just to inform her that she had left her slippers at his house. But the Muiden circle was something more than a mere symbol of literary preciosity,.." Some music connected with the circle was recorded by the

Utrecht Utrecht ( ; ; ) is the List of cities in the Netherlands by province, fourth-largest city of the Netherlands, as well as the capital and the most populous city of the Provinces of the Netherlands, province of Utrecht (province), Utrecht. The ...

ensemble Camerata Trajectina in 1994.

References

Culture of the Netherlands Dutch artist groups and collectives Gooise Meren Art of the Dutch Golden Age {{Europe-culture-stub