With only 35 known creations, Johannes Vermeer's work has inspired a New York Times bestseller and a film starring Scarlett Johansson, and has reached record numbers of visitors to art institutions around the world. Discover the mastery of one of the most important and inspiring careers in the history of art, in whose realism and mystery light, textures and an atmosphere of unrevealed secrets shimmer.

Master of the Dutch Golden Age

The unerring eye of Johannes Vermeer

Despite having only 35 known canvases, the work of Johannes Vermeer (1632-1675) is considered one of the most important and inspirational in the history of art. His paintings have been the basis for a New York Times bestseller and a film starring Scarlett Johansson, and have brought record numbers of visitors to art institutions from Amsterdam to Washington.
Vermeer depicts everyday activities, which can range from writing a letter to playing music to making preparations in the kitchen. His scenes are astonishing for their meticulous attention to detail, the majestic planes of light and Vermeer's extraordinary ability to create narrative conundrums. In such beloved paintings as Lady to the Virgin, Woman in Yellow Writing a Letter and, most famously of all, The Girl with the Pearl Earring, Vermeer evokes not only the effects of substance and texture, but also the many stories and secrets that lie beneath the surface.
With key works and succinct, accessible texts, this essential introduction explores Vermeer's leading role in art history and his unique ability to transform oil paint into human scenes bursting with life.

About the author

Norbert Schneider (1945-2019) was professor emeritus of art history at the University of Karlsruhe, Germany. His works focused on medieval and early modern art (and the history of painting genres), as well as on the methodology of art studies and the history of philosophy. His extensive bibliography includes Still Life and Vermeer, both published by TASCHEN.

Publisher: Taschen