Famous Vermeer of Delft

Johannes Vermeer, born in Delft in 1632, was known as one of the great Dutch masters, even though most of his paintings are not known. Between 1650 and 1654, Vermeer may have gained an interest in optical phenomena and the effects of camera obscura. He was a Catholic and married in 1653, the year he became a master in the Delft painters’ guild (Janson, 2009). One of his most famous painting was, "Girl with a Pearl Earring," the painting was an oil on an 18 ¼ X 15 ¾ inches (46 ½ X 40 cm.) canvas. It has been said to be the painting of either Vermeer’s wife, Maria de Knuijt or his daughter, Magdelena van Ruijven, but there is no evidence to prove either possibilities to who the girl is in the painting (Russell, 2009). In most of Vermeer’s paintings, his mature domestic genre pieces, like the “Girl with a Pearl Earring,” have a characteristic pearly light. The eye is drawn into the picture by the careful placing of objects and a clearly defined architectural space. Later, Johannes Vermeer died insolvent in 1675, leaving his wife and many children destitute (Johannes, 2009).

I believe that Johannes was a great artist and even is today, no matter if his art wasn't famous at the time. To me, I feel that he captures the essences of a the people he paints in his paintings and the surrounding objects, which reflect the angle and light. I'm sure he has and is an influence in art history all over the world.

Here are some of Vermeer's art pieces, which have been known to society:








Works Cited:

Janson, Jonathon. “Girl with a Pearl Earring.” Essential Vermeer.com. N.p, 19 Jun. 2009. Web. 7 Oct. 2009.

“Johannes Vermeer 1632-1675.” The National Gallery. National Gallery Company, n.d. Web. 7 Oct. 2009.

Russell, I. Jon. “Art Commentary.” Journal of Musculoskeletal Pain 17.3 (2009): 217-220. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 7 Oct. 2009.