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Johannes Vermeer

Type Figure Region Dutch Republic Time 1632–1675 Also known as Vermeer

Dutch Golden Age painter known for interior light, quiet compositions, and poetic views of everyday scenes; rediscovered after the 19th century.

Timeline

  1. 1632–1653Delft · South HollandBorn in Delft to a father who dealt in silk and artworks. Joined the Guild of Saint Luke in Delft in 1653, the same year he married Catharina Bolnes, and thereafter lived in Delft almost all his life.
  2. 1657–1663Delft · South HollandWorked slowly, leaving about 35 surviving paintings. During this period he completed The Little Street, The Milkmaid, Woman Reading a Letter, and others, using window light, blue-and-yellow palettes, and geometric composition to create tranquil interior atmospheres.
  3. 1664–1675Delft · South HollandCompleted masterpieces such as The Geographer, The Astronomer, and Girl with a Pearl Earring in the 1660s. After the Franco-Dutch War of 1672 the art market shrank and his debts grew; he died in Delft on December 15, 1675, at only 43.

Sources