Vermeer

In a ranking of the most popular artists all over the world, Vermeer would certainly occupy a prominent place. In his lifetime, however, the fame of Johannes Vermeer (1632-1675) barely extended beyond his native Delft and a small circle of patrons. After his death, his name was largely forgotten. It was not until the mid-19th century that Vermeer came to the attention of the art world. All his work, carried out in the third quarter of the 17th century, is linked to the emergence of the new bourgeois class, which became its main audience, and, at the same time, the subject of many of his paintings; an evocative repertoire of everyday actions, from the reading of letters to listening to music playing or the kitchen tasks. This book brings together the complete catalogue of Vermeer's work - just 35 canvases - which are thematically collected and analysed individually.