The lecture presents examples of Vermeer's work and provides insights into Dutch culture of the 17th century.
Johannes Vermeer is one of the most famous artists of all time, despite his small body of work of around 35 paintings. His rediscovery in the second half of the 19th century quickly made Vermeer world-famous. Later, even Hollywood discovered his person as a film subject. His lighting and its partly abstract design seem just as mysterious as the little that is known about his life. The radiance of his works refuses all scientific methods of investigation. Vermeer's depictions of genres and allegories inspire and fascinate in equal measure and bear witness to the influence of the Utrecht Caravagists as well as to his own capacity for innovation. In the reduction and condensation of his themes, Vermeer succeeds time and again in creating his own intimate cosmos.
