Description
Book SynopsisUsing a historical analysis of Vermeer's method of production and a close reading of his art, this book explores the originality of Vermeer in the context of 17th-century Dutch painting. It suggests that his confrontation with painting represented a very personal effort to define a new pictorial practice within the classical tradition of his art.
Trade Review"Vermeer has always proved an elusive artist, yet he has also held a special fascination... [This book] makes considerable headway in outlining the reasons... Arasse ... brings both a nicely calibrated visual sensitivity and a thoughtful analytical bent to the pictures themselves [and] lay[s] out what he considers to have been a painting program by Vermeer."--Larry Silver, American Historical Review "The most important work to date on Vermeer's theory of painting and his oeuvre. Burnished by the excellent translation by Terry Grabar, this study presents a thoughtful assessment of Vermeer's personal interpretation of the nature of art."--Linda K. Varkonda, Sixteenth Century Journal "This intense, impassioned book reflects the ways in which we continue to be enthralled by the magic of Vermeer's light and deft touch."--Virginia Quarterly Review
Table of ContentsList of IllustrationsCh. 1"The Mysterious Vermeer"3Ch. 2The Professional Context9Vermeer's Reputation9Vermeer and Money13Vermeer and Painting15Ch. 3The-Picture-within-the-Picture22False Citations23The Suspension of Meaning26The Mirror of Art33Ch. 4The Art of Painting40A Personal Allegory41The Painter's Double Horizon44"Nova Descriptio"48A Painter's Position54Ch. 5The Place Within59Surface Space59The Figure and Its Locus63Precision and Blur69Ch. 6Vermeer's Religion76Appendix 1: "The Mysterious Vermeer"87Appendix 2: About the Girl in a Red Hat99Notes103Bibliography127Index133
