Untitled Document

Introduction

Vermeer’s work captivates viewers with his use of light, perspective and color. He is now world renowned and known as one of the forefront artist of 17th century Netherlands. However, the paintings of Vermeer are shrouded in almost as much mystery as the man who created them. Johannes Vermeer, born in 1632, was the first son of Reynier Jansz and Digna Baltens. It is believed that Vermeer never left his hometown of Delft, located in the providence of Southern Holland. Vermeer’s father was a lower-middle class weaver and art dealer. It is unclear where Vermeer picked up his interest and talent of artistic techniques, but it has been suggested that his father’s career may have been a major influenced. Vermeer married the Catholic woman, Catherina Bolnes, despite his Protestant family. This was an unusual match not only because of their religious beliefs, but also the Bolnes much higher social status. Vermeer remained significantly low-key during his life as an artist. He served as head of Saint Luke’s Guild for two years, but had no major commissions, or was well known outside of Holland. Johannes Vermeer died in 1675 at the age of forty-two, leaving behind his wife, eleven children, and a large amount of debts. It took nearly two hundred years for Vermeer’s paintings to be recognized by the artistic community as masterpieces. Known as the “Sphinx of Delft”, Vermeer left little information about his personal life as well as his ideas behind his remarkable paintings (Koningsberger 9).
Vermeer lived during the Dutch Golden Age. Trade, science, and art flourished through the Netherlands. Religious tolerance brought refugees from all over Europe. With this mixture of ideas, traditions, and religions converging in this one area, there was a shift in the style of painting. Dutch artists moved from strictly religious paintings and commissions to genre paintings. Vermeer and other artist, such as de Hooch and Steen, began illustrating the scenes of middle and upper-middle class life. Vermeer began to paint indoor settings, emphasizing light and perspective. Most of Vermeer’s talent is seen in his heightened awareness of light and how he used it to his advantage. Vermeer’s true genius is perceived in his use of perspective. He visually sets his paintings up in unusual and stunning ways.