Johannes Vermeer

THE SEMINAR

This unique seminar takes you on a 90-minute journey through Vermeer’s work, during which you will discover that he and his paintings are not as enigmatic as you may have thought. The curators place Vermeer within the context of his time and offer you a deeper understanding of the key elements of his work: light, colour, perspective and optics.

Johannes Vermeer

The journey begins with Vermeer’s early work, which features religious depictions. As can be seen clearly in some of his works, Vermeer lived in a Catholic environment. Once you know that, his contemplative interior scenes suddenly take on an additional layer of meaning. You will learn about the context of 17th-century Delft, come to appreciate the stylistic choices that set Vermeer apart from his contemporaries and immerse yourself in the visual world of his paintings.

SPEAKERS

• Pieter Roelofs - Head of Fine Arts, Rijksmuseum
• Gregor Weber - emeritus Head of Fine Arts, Rijksmuseum

Both speakers are responsible for curating the Vermeer exhibition and are authors of the catalogue. Gregor Weber has also written the book Johannes Vermeer. Faith, Light and Reflection.