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National YA prize-winning author Shoup has created a fictional portrait of the 17th-century world of the great Dutch artist Vermeer as seen through the eyes of his daughter, Carelina. Family relationships, daily life, and the artistic talents and aspirations of a young girl in the male-dominated art world make this beautifully told tale fascinating for young people. Fans of the nationally bestselling Girl with a Pearl Earring will enjoy this spirited and inspiring tale. ... Read more

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Vermeer of Delft, one of the sublime Dutch artists of the seventeenth century, was locally respected but his reputation did not spread beyond his native Delft. In 1866, some two hundred years after Vermeer’s death, at the age of only 42, the French writer Théophile Thoré published two series of articles which belatedly brought the artist to the world’s attention, and rescued him from obscurity. In this illuminating study, Christopher Wright proposes a deeper interpretation of his early life and work finding that, before producing his now renowned paintings, Vermeer copied, and even altered, the Dutch and Italian Masters to suit local tastes. This book is a major contribution to the understanding and appreciation of Vermeer as it illustrates, often with details, all his known work. Particular emphasis is given to the major masterpieces such as his View of Delft and the Head of a Girl with a Pearl Earring, which has become one of the old master icons of modern times. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Daft
Christopher Wright is notable today because he was, in 1976, the year this volume first appeared, one of the few expert commentators to list the fugitive Lady at the Virginals as an authentic Vermeer. Although most art historians for much of the first half of the twentieth century had also placed this work in Vermeer's canon, few did so after the infamous Han van Meegeren Vermeer forgeries were brought to light after 1948; the painting seemed too sodden for Vermeer's atmospheric conjuries. But after considerable forensis analysis, and a marvelous cleaning and restoration, the painting has recently been authenticated as an autograph Vermeer, seemingly validating Wright's artistic sensibility. However, the weightof Wright's scholarship in this second edition suggests that sensibility remains generally far off the mark.

Wright's Vermeer is rife with too many bad reproductions, casually sloppy errors, and outright loopy attributions. The book merits two stars because of a good cover portrayal of The Girl with a Pearl Earring, a helpful Catalog of Vermeer Paintings, which lists the provenance, literature, and exhibition history of each work, and a brief commentary about and a so-so reproduction of A Lady at the Virginals, the first contemporary book on Vermeer to do so. Otherwise, there is little to applaud and much to condemn.

Take, for example, Wright's off the wall suggestion that Vermeer actually painted over an original Hendrich ter Brugghen work, Athenais Banished by Her Husband, in order, early in his career, to pass the painting off as his own. Moreover, based upon the the risky premise that a painting called St. Praxedis was by Vermeer, Wrightblithely but ridiculously maintains that two other religiously-themed works, Christ Healing the Blind Man and The Magdelene at the Foot of the Cross, belong to Vermeer. No matter that new (in 1999) information about Vermeer's early work, Diana and her Companions, has essentially disqualified St. Praxedis from being attributed to Vermeer. No matter virtually no stylistic links exist between Vermeer's other early work, Christ in the House of Mary and Martha, one of only two paintings with an expressly religious theme in Vermeer's oeuvre, and the paintings cited by Wright. It is as if Wright needed to confirm his thesis that the young Vermeer was a devote of Italianate art and artistic influences, while also infused with religious ferver--and manufactured evidence in support of this thesis. No other serious Vermeer scholar has ever published such errant nonsense.

Then consider just a few of the author's many outright gaffes. He states that, although Vermeer was born in 1632, the artist registered as a painter in the Delft Guild at the age of twenty-three in 1653; in actuality, Vermeer had just turned twenty-one. Wright also describes the beautiful curtain draped over the foreground of Vermeer's signature works, The Art of Painting, as appearing "only in his last pictures." In fact, Vermeer used the device very dramatically in one of his early paintings, Girl Reading a Letter by an Open Window, which Wright himself took pains to point out.

Those who want genuinely responsible scholarship about Johannes Vermeer should consult Walter Liedtke's magisterial 200l Vermeer and the Delft School; Arthur Wheelock's 1995 Vermeer and the Art of Painting; and John Michael Montias' formidable Vermeer and His Milieu. For those who want more information about the St. Praxedis misattribution, read Liedtke's A View of Delft: Vermeer and His Contemporaries. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

Johannes Vermeer, Painter of Light
Although Johannes Vermeer (1632-1675) was among the most gifted of the Dutch Baroque artists, his (relatively small) output has until recently been ignored by most art critics.Vermeer could depict the way light penetrates a window and find the visual equivalent of total silence; a typical Vermeer shows a solitary female figure perusing a letter or concentrating on a quiet task.(GIRL READING A LETTER AT AN OPEN WINDOW and THE MILKMAID are typical Vermeers; both are featured on the book cover and inside the book.)Twenty-four Vermeers are reproduced as detatchable art cards in VERMEER PAINTINGS.The great Dutchman's now-iconic GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING is included, as are an atypical, Bible-themed work (CHRIST IN THE HOUSE OF MARTHA AND MARY) and his only paintings of solitary men, THE GEOGRAPHER and THE ASTRONOMER.Another of the best-known Vermeers, VIEW OF DELFT, looks rather murky as reproduced here, but the other cards are fine and capture Vermeer's talent for capturing sunlight on canvas.Other works in VERMEER PAINTINGS include THE LITTLE STREET, WOMAN WITH A PEARL NECKLACE, THE ART OF PAINTING, THE CONCERT, THE MUSIC LESSON, THE LACEMAKER, and the two "virginals" scenes from Vermeer's last years. ... Read more

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Vermeer ’s WorldBy Irene Netta

Jan Vermeer (1632 –1675) is widely acknowledged as one of the most important painters of the 17th century. His paintings of genre scenes and landscapes are famous throughout the world for their exquisite use of light. Vermeer ’s World gives a fascinating insight into the life and works of the Dutch artist. With its reproductions of the 35 paintings known to be authentic, the book also functions as a catalogue of the artist ’s work. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Beyond the Pearl Earring.


Vermeer's work is prized for its luminosity, some which is brought into his bio by author Irene Netta. In this lushly illustrated but relatively slim volume, Netta interprets Vermeer's body of paintings against the details of his myth, his hometown, his intentions, his sources of inspiration, and the bare bones of his life, about which information has heretofore been sketchy. Vermeer's World is a valuable resource for those wishing to become more familiar with this supremely gifted maestro. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Brilliant analysis of Vermeer's work... the best yet!
This book looks at Vermeer's works in a beautiful and compelling light.He compares and contrasts Vermeer's life works and takes a look at women and their relationship with the world.Some are peacefully stong andcentered-- compared even to Madonna's and various Annunciation scenes. Other women are caught up in the world-- off balance and looking astray. He creates wonderful visuals through his words... but also includespictures of Vermeer's work with side sketches showing the use of space andconverging lines.One of the best art analysis books I've read. ... Read more

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When a book of unexplainable occurances brings Petra Andalee & Calder Pillay together, strange things start to happen: seemingly unrelated events connect, an eccentric old woman seeks their company, & an invaluable Vermeer painting disappears. Before they know it, the two find themselves at the center of an international art scandal. As Petra & Calder are drawn clue by clue into a mysterious labyrinth they must draw on their powers of intuition, their skills at problem solving, and their knowledge of Vermeer. Can they decipher a crime that has left even the FBI baffled?Amazon.com Review
In the classic tradition of E.L. Konigsburg’s From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, debut author Blue Balliett introduces readers to another pair of precocious kids on an artful quest full of patterns, puzzles, and the power of blue M&Ms.Eleven year old Petra and Calder may be in the same sixth grade class, but they barely know each other. It’s only after a near collision during a museum field trip that they discover their shared worship of art, their teacher Ms. Hussey, and the blue candy that doesn’t melt in your hands.Their burgeoning friendship is strengthened when a creative thief steals a valuable Vermeer painting en route to Chicago, their home town. When the thief leaves a trail of public clues via the newspaper, Petra and Calder decide to try and recover the painting themselves. But tracking down the Vermeer isn’t easy, as Calder and Petra try to figure out what a set of pentominos (mathematical puzzle pieces), a mysterious book about unexplainable phenomena and a suddenly very nervous Ms. Hussey have to do with a centuries old artwork.When the thief ups the ante by declaring that he or she may very well destroy the painting, the two friends know they have to make the pieces of the puzzle fit before it’s too late!

Already being heralded as The DaVinci Code for kids, Chasing Vermeer will have middle grade readers scrutinizing art books as they try to solve the mystery along with Calder and Petra. In an added bonus, artist Brett Helquist has also hidden a secret pentomino message in several of the book’s illustrations for readers to decode. An auspicious and wonderfully satisfying debut that will leave no young detective clueless. --Jennifer Hubert ... Read more

Customer Reviews (161)

Imaginative!
This is a delightful story for it's age group, and the puzzles, in addition, add to the adventure. But most of all, I am delighted that it brought attention to the "real" arts, in this case a particular work of Johannes Vermeer. I think I may have had more fun creating my lesson plans!
A few years ago I also enjoyed an adult fiction by Tracy Chevalier about the same artist and another of his famous paintings, Girl with a Pearl Earring. It was later made into a beautiful "art" film starring the very handsome and tremendously talented actor Colin Firth.
It is always a pleasure to shed light (no pun intended) on the work of a great master artist.

convoluted and non-sensical
This is one of the worst books I have ever read.Seriously.It is ostensibly a mystery, but the adolescent sleuths don't use any form of reasoning or follow any logical framework for solving the problem before them. When the author needs the kids to know something, she just tosses it at them in a dream or a "feeling."Because the characters don't actually need to do any problem solving, they end up being wooden mouthpieces for the author's convoluted, ill-thought-out plot. This book is truly awful. And the reviews comparing it to THE WESTING GAME are as far off base as they can be.

Good Book
This book was a great little read from start to finish. My daughter (12) is now reading it and she is enjoying it also - good book for young and old alike!

On "Chasing Vermeer"
I recently had the privilege of joining a first-ever teacher's book club at our school. We are called "The Lunch Bunch", and at our first meeting, each chose a children's book that had made the top 100 list of newly published books. We were to read the book and be ready to discuss it at the following meeting two weeks later.

I chose "Chasing Vermeer", by Blue Balliett. I was interested because it was a mystery about children trying to solve the case of a missing Vermeer painting. That is the simple, one sentence summary. Like all good mysteries, there are many twists, turns, and seemingly unrelated events.

After all, who would ever think to link the number twelve, frogs, pentominoes, a strange book entitled "Lo!", and an ancient, priceless work of art? I will confess I never would have dreamed it! You'll just have to read this book to discover how they all fit together...like pieces of a puzzle!

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys mysteries. As I said earlier, this is a children's book; the main characters being six-graders. But as an adult...I was certainly captivated!

Karina Harris; author of "Second Chance"

a perfect book for mystery fans
Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett is one of the best mysteries I've ever read, comparing only to the "Westing game" by Ellen Raskin.In this book a famous and invaluable Vermeer painting goes missing. Calder Pillay and Petra Andalee, drawn together by a book of mysterious events, follow coincidence after coincidence that may not be coincidences after all.

In this suspenceful book Calder and Petra work together to solve a worldwide art scandal that includes mysterious letters, pentominoes, teachers being arrested, concussions and the number twelve.

Blue Balliett has also made two sequels, the Wright three and The Calder Game.I highly reccomend The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin.I suggest you read Chasing Vermeer.You'll probably like it.

By: Lucas ... Read more

Product Description
The 35 paintings that have come down to us from the hand of Jan Vermeer (1632-1675) place him beside Rembrandt and Frans Hals as one of the great masters of the golden age of Dutch art. Most of his pictures, all of which are reproduced in this text, show women about their daily business. Vermeer records the tasks and duties of women, the imperatives of virtue under which their lives were lived, and the dreams that provided the substance of their contrasting counter-world. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Beautiful reproductions with unwanted moral interpretations
I did love the reproductions, both full and detailed, however I was quite disappointed with much of the text and the author's position that Vermeer's art is nothing more than a commentary on the lack of morality in the women he paints. The author claims that, in virtually every Vermeer painting, the subject represents a social problem - specifically women who are vain, lazy or adulterous. I wish the book had fewer interpretations of the art.

An Insightful Treasure
The pages of this remarkable little book on Vermeer are like the paintings they describe: although they are relatively few in number, the content is extraordinary.It's not just the quality of the reproductions that are superb (something I have come to expect from everything Taschen); the writing is informative and surprisingly engaging.While before reading this book I was aware that Vermeer's paintings could be divided into categories linked by common attributes, I didn't have a clue as to the underlying meanings.The author explains everything with precision while keeping the language simple.The writing style is objective and factual, with relevant historical reference.The insight I was able to gain from this book was simply astonishing and made it difficult for me to stop turning pages.I was not previously aware of Vermeer's use of the camera obscura and the presentation of how he rendered out-of-focus images has given my appreciation of his work a whole new dimension.The illustrations also bring common elements from several paintings together on the same page for comparison.This is definitely a contender for the best $10 ever spent!

Vermeer
This book is amazing. The artwork is very clear and well documented. The facts in this book also agree with other sources. An engaging read and was an amazing help in writing a paper.

Vermeer (Basic Art)
i am enjoying the book, however, I expected a bigger size book, because the photografs look better.

Thank you four your attention.

amazing reproductions and text
This little book is amazing!The author discusses each of Vermeer's known 35 paintings, bringing intelligence and insight to the artist and his works.Though not much is known about Vermeer's life, we learn a fair amountabout his techniques and the influences from which he drew.I found it extremely impressive and useful that when the author mentioned another artist or a painting that Vermeer knew, these were also pictured, so that I really learned a great deal about this fascinating artist's time as well.

All of Vermeer's paintings are shown, as are the works of other artists, and these are reproduced in color in combination with intelligent, informative notes.

Extremely well done, with beautiful color reproductions of each painting, this volume would be a bargain at double the price! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Liedtke comprehends Vermeer's intentions like none other
Liedtke's commentary on the works of Vermeer displays the deepest appreciation and a satisfying comprehension of the intent of the artist (as well as Vermeer's technique).

An excerpt from Liedtke's words comparing the Wrightsman bequest "Head of a Young Girl" (Salon 12 at the Metropolitan) - with the more famous "Girl With a Pearl Earring" (at the Mauiritshuis) illustrates Dr. Liedtke's perceptive eye:

"...The differences between the pictures are as remarkable as the similarities.

To be sure, the Mauritshuis painting is more immediately appealing, but the Wrightsman picture is equally impressive in its naturalism and perhaps more so in its suggestion of character. The less conventional physiognomy suits the thoughtful, sideward glance and the very different smile; here is no question which young woman would have posed for Martha and which for Mary had Vermeer, some years after painting these studies, undertaken to treat again the subject of Christ's visit to the house of his cousins."

Liedtke has intuitively recognized the particular charm of the Wrightsman painting: its homely grace and implicit familial love between the artist and his subject.The girl in the painting at the Met is obviously humbled and overjoyed that the artist has deemed her "beautiful enough in his eyes" to paint her picture, even as a mere study.

In my mind, Vermeer had already conceived the Mauritshuis painting as a typological portrait before he painted the Wrightsman piece.However, before he committed to creating the Mauritshuis composition, he decided to execute a study to examine the skin tones and light effects, as well as to assess the potential for expressing an iconic portrait of beauty in period dress.

I imagine that Vermeer, for the Wrightsman work, asked one of his daughters to "stand in" for the girl who later would become the Girl With a Pearl Earring.The surprising thing about the Wrightsman painting is that it is so much more satisfying emotionally (even empathic) than is the more famous and "prettier" Mauritshuis work.

The girl in the Wrightsman picture communicates a humble joy that brings tears to my eyes whenever I view it.Though I have no children, I experience the love that Vermeer had for this homely child who must have idolized her father, the master painter.

Liedtke evidently has picked up on the special quality of the Wrightsman girl, since he pays her the subtle tribute of being fit to portray the faithful and adoring Mary in the Biblical story of Jesus, Mary and Martha.I find this suggestion to be particularly apropos.

If anyone in the world understands and correctly interprets Vermeer, it is Dr. Liedtke.The Metropolitan Museum of Art has a treasure in him.Any of his books are well worth the price.

Creme de la creme
This may not be the book with which to start a Vermeer trek. But it is one to savor mid-way on the journey. And it's a fitting coda for the many books on Vermeer published since the wonderful Washington/The Hague exhibition in 1995-1996. Walter Liedtke comprensivley and colorfully provides context for Vermeer's style, technique, and themes. For all his erudition, however, Liedtke doesn't explain Vermeer's genius, which is sui generis. The combination of painterly skill, scientific observation, poetic insight, and musical/theatrical nuance all seem perfectly coordinated in this Delft Master. That Vermeer made rather extensive use of the camera obscura to inform his work is without doubt (see Philip Steadman's Vermeer's Camera), although Liedtke continues even now to insist he did not. Nonetheless, as Liedtke exhaustively details, Vermeer could not have been Vermeer without the cultural milieu in and around The Netherlands in the seventeenth century.

The quality of the hundreds of illustrations included in the book, especially those which reproduce Vermeer's paintings, is extraodinary; the cover reproduction of Vermeer's Art of Painting is alone worth the price of the volume. Note particularly the pairing of The Girl with a Pearl Earring and the Study of a Young Woman (making a good case for pendant status), as well as perhaps the best reproduction ever of The Girl with a Red Hat (although it is somewhat over-sized).

Liedkte also generously provides a trove of bibliographical citations, more than enough to keep scholars busily productive well into the next generation. No serious study of Vermeer can proceed without reference to this book. Yet, it is a good read for anyone with a reasonably sophisticated knowledge of European history of that era, and will reward amatuer art historians of the Baroque period with its pinball-like associations.

Lovers of Vermeer will make this book a centerpiece in their library, returning to it again and again for information, clarification, and, most of all, aesthetic pleasure. Liedtke's opus is the next best thing to visiting the several handfuls of museums in the USA and Europe that hold Vermeer's 36 known works.

Tongue in Cheek
Bravo to Walter Liedtke for his sense of humor, see below.The fact that 17 out of 24 did not understand his subtle comments on himself, he did write most of the book, is testimony as to lack of discernment of those who read these reviews.I have heard his lecture on the exhibition and all he says is absolutely true.Actually, his comments on himself are rather modest.

A Monument to My Genius
Words cannot describe the impact this weighty volume has had on me.From the moment I held it in my trembling hands, I was hooked. The rich, carefully crafted prose is a delight to the eye and the imagination.Its author is undoubtedly a man of breath-taking vision who has reconstructed the 17th-century past with unique skills of research and analysis.His character shines through in every page and the reader cannot help but conjure up in his or her mind a dazzling image of a dark tall handsome curator with beautifully slick and greased black hair, a whiff of moustache, and sparkling gold-rimmed glasses.Every inch a man of learning.I could go on - and I will.

Magnificent
This is a catalogue published in conjunction with the exhibition "Vermeerand the Delft School" held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, from March 8 to May 27, 2001 and The National Gallery, London, from June 20 to September 16, 2001. It is written by Walter Liedtke, Curator in the Department of European Paintings at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York with contributions from eight other art curators and historians. This is a hefty book reflecting this monumental ehibition which includes 15 of the 35 known works attributed to Johannes Vermeer (1632-1675) who spent his entire life in Delft. Other prominent 17th Century artists include Pieter de Hooch, Gerard Houckgeest and one of my favorites, Carel Fabritius, who was killed in a munitions explosion in 1654 at the age of 32. The catalogue is 640 pages containing 526 illustrations with 225 colorplates. The quality of the colorplates is good.The history of Delft and the development of "The Delft School" is thoroughly researched. In addition to the artists mentioned there are many beautiful paintings by artists who are relatively unknown. This is a catalogue where the interested reader will spend the rest of his life perusing. There is much to be mined here.The exhibition is worth a journey. ... Read more

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A wonderful collection of poetry inspired by Vermeer’s famous portraits.

Although the paintings of Jan Vermeer continue to be celebrated, very little is known about the painter himself—and still less about the women he painted. Who were they? What were their lives like? What thoughts, dreams, and desires might they yield up if we take the time to truly look at them?

In this elegant volume Marilyn Chandler McEntyre asks these very questions, and she teases out intriguing possibilities in twenty poems arranged side by side with color reproductions of the paintings that inspired them. McEntyre has chosen eighteen of Vermeer’s famous women—including The Lacemaker, The Milkmaid, Girl with a Pearl Earring, and The Girl with a Red Hat—to wonder about.

Rich with imagined detail, these poems each invite the reader to take a closer look at Vermeer’s portraits, to celebrate not only Vermeer’s artistry but also the significance of the women themselves. McEntyre thoughtfully imagines the personal lives of these women and attempts to capture what Vermeer himself saw in them—a contemplative exercise that illuminates the presence of grace in the ordinary moments of life.

A wonderful blend of art and poetry, this volume offers a unique aesthetic experience for personal reflection. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A magical light caught by brush and pen.....
DO read this book, and buy copies for gifts! The beauty of Vermeer's paintings as reproduced and explored here can cause a heartquake. This book is ALL beauty: light and shadow, personalities revealed, meditation illuminated.

Will you find 'your' favorite painting, or discover a new one? "In Quiet Light" draws the reader into a communion of like minds similar to that experienced in Quaker meeting. The author, Marilyn Chandler McEntyre, imagines lives lonelier than mine has been; yet there is suggested serenity and self-control, with a hint of subterfuge, in the women described by paints and words.

If I could share a book with a dozen friends, "In Quiet Light" would be my choice this year.

Wow!
This coupling of poetry with painting is as natural as putting words to music. The inner light of the subjects' humanity becomes as palpable as the soft light that fills Vermeer's paintings. Wonderful! ... Read more

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Elegant ladies in satin robes, maids wearing starched bonnets, and pensive scholars immersed in study--we might think we know a great deal about life and culture in Holland's Golden Age. Yet, the ordered world of the Dutch burghers shown in Senses and Sins is inconsistent with our perceptions of the past. The lady of the house drinks wine in the middle of the day, lap dogs copulate on spotless marble floors, and a rough-hewn farmer grimaces in disgust. This book presents the diverse themes and meanings of the school of painting that is so inadequately described as "genre," and, through works by various masters, this potentionally vague style achieves a much stronger definition.

Features works by Adriaen Brouwer, Adriaen van Ostade, Gerrit Dou, Gerard ter Borch, Jan Steen, Pieter de Hooch, Gabriel Metsu, Frans van Mieris, and Johannes VermeerEdited by Jeroen Giltaij.

Essays byAlexandra Gaba-van Dongen and Peter Hecht.Clothbound, 9 x 11.5 in./256 pgs / 110 color and 150 b&w. ... Read more

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Set against the dramatic backdrop of the "golden age" of Dutch culture, the story of one of the world's most beloved -- and most elusive -- painters.

In the seventeenth century, industry and commerce thrived in the Dutch city of Delft, as did art and culture. In 1653, the twenty-one-year-old son of an innkeeper, the artist Jan Vermeer, registered as a master painter with the city's Guild. Vermeer married well, had many children, and enjoyed a respectable local reputation as a painter until his death in 1675. But it was not until the mid-nineteenth century that his genius was widely appreciated. Today, Vermeer's thirty-five paintings are regarded as masterpieces.

In Vermeer, Anthony Bailey presents a compelling portrait of Vermeer's life and character, long lost in history. Bailey re-creates the atmosphere of the times, introduces Vermeer's contemporaries, and portrays his domestic life in vibrant detail. Drawing on period documents and his own intense curiosity, Bailey sheds light on the science and artistry behind the glorious, almost mystical, paintings. Meticulously researched and elegantly written, Vermeer will stand as the classic work on Vermeer for years to come. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Vermeer: A View of Delft
This book was really helpfull to me as I wrote a paper on Vermeer. And its a great read!

Johannes Vermeer and the Town of Delft
This book is the story of Johannes Vermeer, an ordinary family man, from the small but artistically vibrant Dutch town of Delft, who much after his death, and even with only 35 paintings surviving him, became recognized as one of the world's most brilliant painters.

It is as much a story about the rich and artistically vibrant environment of Delft, Netherlands, and how it ultimately enriched and contributed to Western civilization as it is a biography of this ordinary man, his family life, and his 35 paintings.

Written in a dense but cleanly, relaxed and even flowing rhythmic prose, the story is as engrossing as it is seemingly unlikely. The author's clear, precise and vivid writing brings fully to life both the paintings and the fertile artistic milieu and imagination extant in Vermeer's environment. It is a solitary work of prodigious research and effort, and thus is a rich and lasting contribution to a man, a culture and an era that brought so much cultural richness to Western civilization.

Vemeer's paintings have been described by one of his contemporaries as: "having the reality of dreams ... in settings where words have no sounds and thoughts no forms." Johannes Vermeer, a family man with eleven children, was fortunate enough to have arrived on the scene at a time of great artistic efflorescence in Europe: the great flowering of European art and literature; during a time when paintings were nothing less than the preferred medium of exchange, like ordinary currency. His "Still Lifes" and his anonymity still haunt the artistic world. How could his works have been overlooked for so long?

This is an immensely enjoyable, relaxed, unhurried ride back in time to the small town of Delft, so alive with artistic fervor and activity. Five Stars

Excellent Non-Biography
Anthony Bailey's somewhat misleadingly titled Vermeer not-quite-biography is meticulously researched, lovingly detailed, and suffused with a powerful affection and appreciation for both Vermeer's painting and Dutch history. It is only ever less than fascinating when dealing with the old master himself.

So little is known of Vermeer as to leave his biographers only slightly better off than those of Shakespeare, imagining that this document indicated this mood, this painting signifies that political opinion...such supposition is not terribly interesting to the lay reader.

But in his detailed recreation of 17th century Delft and his lush and delicate descriptions of the major canvases, Bailey makes up for the limitations of his subject. This period of Dutch history is so rich it seems almost a shame to spend so much of the text on a figure about whom so little is known, and Bailey recounts it beautifully.

An excellent book, then, unless one really wants a biography of Vermeer.

Gentle and Serene
Anthony Bailey is the ideal author to write about Vermeer:like his subject's paintings his prose is quiet,calm,introspective,and serene. He illuminates Vermeer and his work,but as in the paintings discussed the light is gentle, and golden,never harsh-like a good poet,Bailey leaves plenty of room for the reader to reflect on his/her reality as he describes his subject.

It's wonderful to think of Vermeer painting his silence-drenched,calm and mysterious images amid the noise and tumult of his house filled with eleven children.Perhaps his paintings were a world of perfect order and quiet that he could retreat to when his messy and noisy surroundings became overwhelming. I also liked Bailey's point that perhaps Vermeer painted so few images because almost all of his best work had sunlight streaming through a window,and the Dutch climate doesn't offer too many sunny days to paint from!

The book opened with a bit more 15th and 16th century Dutch history than I would have cared for,but hold tight,once he switches his focus to Vermeer's paintings the book takes flight, and you will never look at the paintings in the same way again. The black and white reproductions don't do the paintings justice however - I'd recommend having a book of color reproductions of the paintings (there are only 37 known Vermeers!) next to you as Bailey gently helps you see these familiar images in wonderfully new ways.

THE MASTERY OF DELFT -- THE MASTERY OF ANTHONY BAILEY
I'm certainly no expert on the non-fiction genre and definitely no expert on art history but I do know a well-researched and enjoyable piece of work when I come across it.I came in the backdoor on this one having become fascinated by Vermeer after reading Tracy Chevalier's Girl With A Pearl Earring.I followed that one up with Susan Vreeland's Girl In Hyacinth Blue and then came across Anthony Bailey's book.What a wonderful way to continue my journey into this author's own portrait of this master painter and what a surprise to find that it contains black and white and some color pictures of Vermeer's paintings as well.

While very little is known about Vermeer's life, through the genius of Bailey, you come away from this book feeling you know the man.What we do know is that he lived in the mid 17th century, was a Reformed Protestant until he married the Catholic Catharina Bolnes and fathered 11 children as well as 35 masterpieces.At a time when painters were in abundance in Delft and industry was striving, the picture of Vermeer is still that of a struggling artist trying to feed and clothe a large family.It is a wonder, Bailey points out, that amidst all the noise and commotion that must have gone on in his house and the financial problems that must have weighed heavily on his shoulders, that he was still able to paint such masterpieces that put the beholder at ease merely by their stillness.Vermeer was never an "all-inclusive artist" notes Bailey and none of his paintings incorporate a single flower.He favored the use of the "local colours" of yellow, white and blue.Bailey also notes that he was "fond of rendering the effects of sunlight and sometimes succeeded to the point of complete illusion."

The author mentions the trademarks found in Vermeer's paintings -- the white wine jug, the map on the wall, the bowl of fruit on a carpeted table, finials in the form of a lion's head at the back of the chair and, my personal favorite, the black and white floor tiles that helped the artist establish perspective.He also explains Vermeer's possible use of the camera obscura to focus his view.There were so many interesting things presented by the author, one of which was the different way Vermeer signed his name.Bailey shows five different signatures all playing around with the V and M in Vermeer's name.Another thing I found engrossing was how Vermeer put things into his paintings and then painted them out.We can only see this now because of modern X-ray and infrared equipment.

I could go on and on about all I learned after reading this book but some of the more interesting parts occur after Vermeer's death and have to do with Hitler's possession of some of these masterpieces as well as Van Meegeren's forgeries of Vermeer's works in the 1900's.Of the 35 known Vermeer works, one painting, The Concert, is still missing, having been stolen in 1990.

I culminated my fascination of Vermeer with a trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art this week to see the Delft/Vermeer exhibit.Having just read Bailey's book, I felt quite knowledgeable not only concerning Vermeer but all things Delft in general.Upon exiting the exhibit, I walked directly into the gift shop where Anthony Bailey's book was not only on sale but being purchased by all those around me.So not only do I congratulate this author on a work well done, but also on the best timing possible for publication that one could imagine.

I'll end this review with my favorite lines from the book -- those that sum up Vermeer's life in the eyes of Anthony Bailey."He remains in some respects, the missing man in some of his own paintings:the person who has just left the room, or who is expected at any moment.He is impatient to be found, to be seen, but while he waits, he paints stillness."

Anthony Bailey has made Johannes Vermeer come alive for me with interesting stories, things that might have been and a wonderfully descriptive Delft region by which Vermeer was obviously inspired.To me he is no longer lost, but found on the pages written by Bailey. ... Read more

Product Description
Les achats comprennent une adhésion à l'essai gratuite au club de livres de l'éditeur, dans lequel vous pouvez choisir parmi plus d'un million d'ouvrages, sans frais. Le livre consiste d'articles Wikipedia sur : Johannes Vermeer, Antoni Van Leeuwenhoek, Michaëlla Krajicek, Hugo Grotius, Leonard Bramer, Frédéric-Henri D'orange-Nassau, Ferrie Bodde, Michiel Jansz. Van Mierevelt, Philippe-Charles Schmerling, Arantxa Rus, Tinus Osendarp, Martin Van Marum, Sander Kleinenberg, Wiebe Bijker, Evert Van Aelst, Hendrick Van Hulst, Dennis Van Winden, Joop Van Nellen, Simon Vroemen, Hans Galjé, Alexander Pechtold, Floris Claesz Van Dijck, Pieter Van Ruijven. Non illustré. Mises à jour gratuites en ligne. Extrait : Johannes ou Jan Vermeer (baptisé à Delft, le 31 octobre 1632 - enterré dans cette même ville, le 15 décembre 1675) est un peintre baroque néerlandais (Provinces-Unies) parmi les plus célèbres du siècle d'or. Il réalisa surtout, dans un style raffiné, des peintures de genre, principalement des intérieurs montrant des scènes de la vie domestique. La carrière de Vermeer fut relativement courte et son œuvre de faible ampleur : en vingt ans, il n'a guère peint plus de quarante-cinq tableaux dont quelques-uns ont disparu : aujourd'hui, seuls trente-cinq lui sont attribués avec certitude, et deux font encore l'objet de discussions. Dans la cité hollandaise rattachée à la Maison d'Orange et qui bénéficiait encore d'un statut privilégié, il semble que Vermeer ait acquis une réputation d'artiste novateur, mais il est fort possible que sa notoriété dépassât peu le territoire provincial de Delft. Il travaillait lentement et avec méticulosité. Ses œuvres se distinguent par une combinaison de couleurs inimitables - des couleurs claires, et des pigments quelquefois coûteux, avec une prédilection pour l'outremer naturel et le jaune -, la maîtrise dans le traitement et l'emploi de la lumière, et un arrangement idéal, créant une illusion d'espace ...http://booksllc.net/?l=fr ... Read more