Oct. 31 - Vermeer

Jan Vermeer, one of the greatest Dutch masters, is responsible for some of the most iconic imagery in the history of art, such as The Girl with a Pearl Earring (ca.1665), The Milkmaid (ca. 1660) and The Art of Painting (1665-1668). His artworks are a rarity, with only around 36 known paintings attributed to him. Much of Vermeer’s life remains a mystery, which makes him and his paintings all the more captivating and intriguing.

"Girl at Open Window Reading Letter"  1669

Painters in the small but rich and Protestant territory of the

Netherlands no longer painted saints and kings and mythological

scenes, but they painted what their clients, wealthy businessmen,

wanted to see and show in their homes.  Paintings became smaller,

focused on the middle class, and artists painted each

expensive item in the homes with great care, for their owners.

"Girl in Blue Reading Letter"

Jan Vermeer was born Oct. 31, 1632 in Delft.   He lived and worked in Delft all his life.  His father was a weaver, who was also registered as an art dealer in the Delft Saint Luke’s Guild in 1631. Very little is known about Vermeer’s early education and why he decided to pursue a career as a painter, but in December 1653 he was registered as a master painter in the Saint Luke’s Guild. In the same year, he also married Catharina Bolnes. His mother in-law, Maria Thins, possessed a moderate collection of paintings by the Utrecht Caravaggisti, painters that were profoundly influenced by the art of Caravaggio. This influence was a factor in the development of Vermeer’s early style in biblical and mythological paintings.

"The Milkmaid"

"Girl with Pitcher by Window"

In the latter part of the 1650s, Vermeer gradually switched to genre painting, that depicted intimate scenes of domestic life. His most famous paintings were interior scenes of young women engaged in reading and writing, playing musical instruments and doing domestic work. In Young Woman with a Water Pitcher (ca. 1662-1665), Vermeer demonstrated his mastery of light and texture. In the quiet scene, Vermeer expressed the beauty and harmony found in everyday objects and activities.

"The Music Lesson"

Notice the leaded windows, the inlaid tile floor, he harpsichord, 

the rich tapestry on the table, the paintings on the wall, the beautiful

jug and tray.  All of these were signs of the wealth and taste of

the owner of his home.

"The Art of Painting"

Vermeer worked slowly and with great care, and frequently used very expensive pigmens. He is particularly renowned for his masterly treatment and use of light in his work.  "Almost all his paintings," Hans Koningsberger wrote, "are apparently set in two smallish rooms in his house in Delft; they show the same furniture and decorations in various arrangements and they often portray the same people, mostly women."  The  maps which appear on the walls in many of the

paintings show where Dutch ships and merchants sailed to buy products and make

their fortunes.  They are signs of wealth and success.

"The Little Street"   1661

"View of Delft"   1660

 By the 1660s, Vermeer was an established artist, and he was selected to serve as one of the heads of the Saint Luke’s Guild in 1662-1663. During his career, the artist showed interest in camera obscura, an optical tool that could project imagery on a flat surface. Some have argued that this interest extended into his method of painting, and that he used the device to plan the arrangements of his compositions.

"Couple at a Table"

"Girl with Red Hat"

"Lady with Wineglass"

In 1671-1672, Vermeer was once again selected to serve as head of the Delft Saint Luke’s Guild. Despite being well respected within Delft’s artistic community, Vermeer fell into financial peril towards the end of his life. He died in 1675 in Delft, leaving his wife and children with enormous debt. Because he only garnered moderate success and encountered unfortunate circumstances at the end of his life, Vermeer was largely forgotten by history.

"Lady with Wineglass"

"Lady with Balance"

 However, this all changed in the 19th century, mostly due to the work of French art critic, Théophile Thoré-Bürger. Thoré-Bürger’s efforts to identify Vermeer’s paintings, and the admiration he expressed for Vermeer in his writings piqued the interest of the broader public.

"The Lacemaker"

"The Procuress"

Vermeer's reputation increased greatly during the latter half of the 20th century, a period during which the number of paintings ascribed to him shrank greatly. This is partly because he has been one of the most widely forged artists, and many forgeries have now been identified. No drawings or preparatory paintings are known.  He is now acknowledged as one of the greatest painters of the Dutch Golden  Age.

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