Nevertheless...

In spite of the warfare and confusion, the Spanish Netherlands experienced a resurgence of economic and intellectual growth in the early 17th century. The linen industry soon recovered from the Spanish reconquest and even surpassed its former levels of production. Flemish painting flourished under Peter Paul Rubens, Anthony van Dyck, and others. The major cities of Ghent and Bruges grew rapidly. Agriculture advanced through the digging of canals and the introduction of new crops and harvesting methods. Overeall, prosperity continued into the mid-17th century.

For example, this piece by Rubens.