The study looked at painters in 17th- and 18th-century Dutch art, focusing on the distinction between artist painters and coarse painters. While artist painters are well-known, coarse painters were also involved in creating painted decorations. Research showed that some complex decorations were actually made by coarse painters alone, challenging the idea that only artist painters did this type of work. For example, a chamber in Almelo from 1778 was found to have all its painted work done by a coarse painter.