Dutch Treat

Andrea here, I recently saw a very entertaining article in the New York Times on a reality show—not something that would usually catch my fancy. But in this case it was about art, and an artist who fascinates me, so I took a closer read.

 In celebration of a mega-blockbuster exhibit currently on view at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam (alas, currently sold out, but more slots may become available) Dutch TV decided to create a challenge for both amateur and professional artists to “reinvent” some of the lost works of the famous painter. The judges are Vermeer experts the Rijksmuseum and the Mauritshuis, in The Hague. The results are absolutely delightful—you can view them here on the station’s website. Isn’t it fun to see such creativity in bloom?

Johannes Vermeer captivates so many people, not only because of his extraordinary talent, but also because so few of his paintings have survived. The current exhibit showcases 25 of the the 35 painting that are known to exist. Records show that 6 more existed but have since been lost to us.
 
For those of you not familiar with his work, he is one of the giants of 17th century Dutch art despite how few of his paintings still exist. His meticulous depiction of domestic life of the middle class—a milkmaid in the kitchen, a a woman reading a letter, a man at work in his study—epitomize the careful attention to tiny details that characterize the prevalent style in Holland at the time. But even in an era when technical proficiency abounded, his level of nuance and detail demanded great patience and precision
 
Vermeer was known for his use of expensive pigments—especially ultramarine, which is made from lapis lazuli, and vermilion, which is made from cinnabar—and his masterful depiction of light. The choice of pigments is important. He did a lot of underpainting, using the expensive pigments to create a base. Layering the final color on top of the underpainting created a unique effect, adding subtle depth and richness of color.
 
More intriguing is the belief held by many experts in the art world that Vermeer used optical devices, including camera obscura, camera lucida and curved mirrors—in creating his remarkable images. David Hockney, the legendary contemporary artist, became fascinated by this idea because of the perspective and the quality of light in Vermeer’s paintings.
 
Hockney published Secret Knowledge: Rediscovering the Lost Techniques of the Old Masters in 2001, in which he discussed his theories and presented his reasoning. He points out that optical aids help reduce a three dimension view to a two dimensional view as it projects the images captures onto a flat surface (ie. a piece of canvas or paper.) For him, it explains why Vermeer could capture the effect of light so well.
 
Hockney’s theory has gained a large following—for those of you interested in understanding more about the concept, I highly recommend a delightful documentary film called Tim’s Vermeer (available for rent on Amazon Prime) in which inventor Tim Jenison (a self-proclaimed non-painter) builds his own optical aids and sets out to replicate Vermeer’s techniques. It’s absolutely fascinating in so many ways as it explores ‘how we see’!
 
One very interesting observation was made when Jenison interviewed neurobiologist Colin Blakemore, who pointed out that “human vision cannot process information about the absolute brightness of a scene.” Which is why the use of optics would explain how Vermeer could distinguish certain shades of light.
 
Another titillating fact is that while no optical devices were listed an mong Vermeer’s possession after his death, the artist was good friends with the famous lens maker Antonie van Leeuwenhoek.
 
Vermeer was well-known in his own country during his lifetime, but his fame didn’t spread beyond its borders. He was often in financial difficulties—he had 15 children, 11 of whom survived past the first few months of birth—and plagued with debt. Some art historians speculate that he may have taken a number of mundane commissions in order  survive, and that explains why there are so few of his masterpieces.
 
I would love to go to Amsterdam to see the extraordinary exhibit of so many Vermeers in one place. Are you familiar with Vermeer’s art? Would you like to try your hand at creating a work of art that captures his domestic world? Be sure to check out what the reality show contestants came up with—it’s very inspiring!)

Comments

[Kareni]

Andrea, I'm not a television watcher, but I would happily watch that Dutch TV program.

My parents were Dutch, and I've been to the Netherlands a few times. In 1978, I visited the Rijksmuseum with my Oma. I looked at the art while she sat in the cafe with a coffee. I remember being staggered at the size of The Night Watch by Rembrandt.

I looked at the museum link but couldn't find the 'Vermeer' reinventions. Do you have a direct link?

[John Jackson]

A friend of mine, Abbie Vandevere, is one of the judges on that program!

https://www.facebook.com/abbie.vandivere

She has just spent 3 years working on "Girl with a Pearl Earring" doind deep-x-ray examination of the painting. I was also able to put her in direct contact with Tracy Chevalier!!

[Mary M.]

I loved Tim's Vermeer, which I saw on a large screen, maybe in a movie theater?, years ago. I was fascinated by the combination of art, history, and science involved, plus the mystery aspects and Tim's no-cost-spared efforts to personally duplicate one of the Vermeer paintings using the devices mentioned above—he built a room that duplicated Vermeer's scene, including the light sources, the decor, and even the fabrics and other textures. I'm not generally drawn to art, but get me immersed in the story behind the artwork and I'm truly here for it. If I could, I'd hop on a plane in a minute to see this exhibition. Thank you for the peek, Andrea.

[Andrea Penrose]

Oh, so sorry! Have added the link to the blog, but here it is, too. Click where you see "online in English!)

https://www.maxvandaag.nl/de-nieuwe-vermeer/masterclasses-vermeer/publieksmuseum-de-nieuwe-vermeer/

What a fun memoriy to have with your Oma!

[Andrea Penrose]

How fabulous, John! Thanks for sharing. It's a brilliant idea for a reality show. (One that actually really encourages thoughtful creativity!)

[Andrea Penrose]

Isn't it fascinating to think about how artists actually see and create their work. Ifound the film utterly engaging.

I would LOVE to go to Amsterdam and see the exhibit. But sounds like tickets are not to be had!

[Annette N]

If I created anything for anyone to see, it would not be declared art. And I do not want to consider that I could make people nauseous.

Thanks for the post, it does sound like a terrific program....and it shows there are people with talent out there.

[Karin]

I love Vermeer, and I have seen some of his paintings in the Netherlands, many years ago, and elsewhere. I bought a small reproduction of the Girl with a Pearl Earring when I was at the Mauritshuis, and I still have it after more than 45 years. I would love to see that many of them in one place!

[Andrea Penrose]

Annette, I think you might surprise yourself. There are so many ways to be creative, especu ially when you think outside the box. Take a look at some of the entries. They are really fun and unexpected. Like being made out of vegetables!

[Andrea Penrose]

Oh, so would I! The Frick in NYC has two wonderful Vermeers, and I occasionally stop in to see them. He's an amazing artist.

[Yvonne S]

The masterclasses which are the exposition of the reality composition are on YouTube. You can search for De Nieuwe Vermeer. The classes themselves are fascinating. The curator from the Rijksmuseum discusses what we know, of the work of Vermeer an$ what we know about the 6 missing Vermeers from a 17th century auction cataogue. Then Abbie Vadervere describes what she has learned about Vermeer’s techniques. The first three classes are about works described in the auction catalogue, the 4th is about “the Concert” which was stolen from Boston’s Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in the 1990s and never recovered. This one is also different because there are photographs of the work. The two professional artists are tasked with creating works that could be mistaken for Vermeer, and the remaining participants are asked to interpret the described painting in their particular medium, the series concludes March 16.

[Quantum]

Recently while driving through scenic countryside I was fascinated by the interplay of light with lake water, sky and plants. I think that many artists have tried to capture these effects (thinking of Turner as an example) and it is something that I admire in Vermeer and would want to experiment with if I had any artistic talent. Though capturing these effects with photography is more in my line!

Thanks for an interesting discussion!