Jan Vermeer

Yesterday, I posted a painting by Dutch painter Jan Vermeer entitled "The Art of Painting." Vermeer lived in Delft, Netherlands from his birth in 1632 to his death in 1675. At the time, he was a relatively unknown painter. Not much is known about Vermeer, even today. He married and had several chilren; some biographies even estimate as many as 14 births with 10 children surviving to adulthood. Vermeer lived with his family in his mother-in-law's home and spent his days painting. He was also a merchant of paintings.

Vermeer's art is characterized by use of high-quality pigments and extcruciating detail. I love the way he uses light and shadow in his paintings, particularly the earlier works. He is so precise with the details of his works, it is no wonder that he often only produced three paintings a year.

Here are a few more of his works, for your viewing pleasure....

The Kitchen Maid (1658)

The Girl with the Pearl Earring (1665-1666)

The Geographer (1668-1669)