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Johannes Vermeer, a Dutch painter who captured scenes from domestic middle-class life, is considered one of the greatest painters of the Dutch Golden Age. How did the artist behind ‘Girl with a Pearl Earring’ change the course of European art with his enigmatic and voyeuristic style? Join art historian and author of the new book ‘Vermeer: A life lost and found’ for this live UnHerd Academy masterclass.
I’m reading Andrew Graham-Dixon’s book on Vermeer at the moment. Can’t put it down. I’ve always loved Vermeer’s painting, eg Girl reading a Letter at an Open Window. My most memorable encounter was in Vienna where I unexpectedly encountered Vermeer’s The Art of Painting, not knowing it was in the gallery I was exploring. I’d long admired the painting from photographic prints in books but to find myself suddenly in front of it was a revelation.
Fantastic – great presentation and I’m off to buy the book – so it all worked out : )
Magnificent – thank you.
My great grandmother was a Mennonite who was sent to school in Holland. Her class made a ‘sunburst’ embroidery which I have inherited and which I always found meditative and now I know why.
Thankyou Mr A Graham-Dixon for your revelatory presentation.
His art historical work on Vermeer was superb. His reading of C17th Dutch history not so good. If it had not been for the resistance of Dutch Calvinists there would have been no Dutch Golden Age of painting no Rembrandt and no Vermeer, instead we would have had a Dutch equivilant of C17th Spanish painting, dreary formulaic religious works.
No doubt having the correct views on anti-semitism (good), colonialism (bad) and pacifism (good) shoe-horned into art history has been an essential lubricant to his career.
Politics so very downstream from culture once more. Bravo Unherd for getting this.