Closer to Vermeer: New Research on the Painter and His Art

Closer to Vermeer takes the landmark 2023 Rijksmuseum exhibition as its starting point and offers a new perspective on the world of Johannes Vermeer, an artist who continues to captivate more than 350 years after his death. This richly illustrated volume brings together the most recent art-historical and technical research by leading international specialists.

The catalog reveals new insights into Vermeer’s creative process, his working methods, and his remarkable use of materials and light. Essays explore themes such as the role of optical devices, the presence of maps, pearls, and porcelain in his interiors, and the significance of his patrons and the material culture of seventeenth-century Delft. Researchers employ the latest imaging technologies and archival discoveries to deepen our understanding of how Vermeer’s small yet extraordinary body of work was created and how its reception has evolved over time.

At once scholarly and accessible, Closer to Vermeer presents an intimate view of one of the most enigmatic painters of the Dutch Golden Age. It is both a vital resource for specialists and an essential art book for anyone who admires Vermeer’s luminous, timeless paintings.