A SMALL HERITAGE, FULL OF LIGHT – Johannes Vermeer: new forms of capturing light

JOHANNES VERMEER 1/4 – Many of his works (as the portrait “Girl with a Pearl Earring”), have a luminous quality. Despite how much he is admired today, he left behind a small legacy (approximately 36 paintings have been officially attributed to him). Since his passing, his works have been hung in many museums. In his final Years, he struggled financially, and he was deeply indebted by the time of his death, in an December day.

JOHANNES VERMEER 2/4 – His father, came from a family of craftsmen in the town of Delft, and his mother had a Flemish background. Born in Delft, in an October day, he is one of the most highly regarded Dutch artists of all time. His works have been a source of inspiration for centuries. In 1653, he registered with the Delft Guild as a master painter. Many of his masterworks focus on domestic scenes, where you can see his trademarks (his fascination with light and realistic renderings of figures and objects). He used a typical technique of the time period, where the scene is painted in grays and earth tones (and left to dry before adding new colors).

JOHANNES VERMEER 3/4 – He seems to have devoted his time to his work, and never left his hometown of Delft. https://www.mauritshuis.nl/en/explore/the-collection/artworks/girl-with-a-pearl-earring-670/?gclid=CKawjv7L0tACFYYcGwodch0Kdg In his early career, he focused on producing history paintings (creating scenes from mythology and Bible. He was a realist painter, who focused on chiaroscuro (becoming a master in using this technique). The artist was an avid fan of using various glass lens, to discover new forms of capturing light. In 1653, he married Catherine.

JOHANNES VERMEER 4/4 – They had fifteen children (four died at birth, none of the surviving was known to inherit their father’s skills). They were married for 22 years, and they have lived a happy married life, until Vermeer’s untimely death. His success suffered due to the fact that he was unable to find patrons outside of Delft. His most common subjects work were middle-class women. With use of light in the paintings, he stood apart from other artists, to highlight his subjects in deeply expressive ways.

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http://meetingbenches.com/2016/12/johannes-vermeer-16321675-dutch-painter-painting-women-streets-dutch-golden-age/