Although it was the era in which, for the very first time, writings on (religious) art were published in the Netherlands (both in Latin and the vernacular), the Iconoclastic era (1566-1585) has rarely drawn the attention of art historians. Yet, interesting theories on (religious) art that might have been more influential than we have thus far recognized were developed in this fascinating era of Reformation, early Counter-Reformation and Revolt. In this course we will investigate how and why the wide-spread images debates emerging shortly before and just after the Iconoclasm of 1566 must be considered an important catalyst for the emergence of Baroque art and art theory in the Netherlands – the art of Peter Paul Rubens especially.