Vermeer (Basic Art)

Vermeer (Basic Art)

<strong>Surfaces and secrets: A spellbinding realism and intrigue</strong><br /><br />Though numbering just 35 known works, the oeuvre of <strong>Johannes Vermeer</strong> (1632—1675) is hailed as <strong>one of the most important and inspiring portfolios in art history</strong>. His paintings have prompted a <em>New York Times</em> bestseller, a film starring Scarlett Johansson, and record visitor numbers at art institutions from Amsterdam to Washington.<br /><br />Vermeer’s subjects focus on daily domestic activities, from letter writing to music playing to preparations in the kitchen. The scenes astound with their <strong>meticulous detail, majestic planes of light</strong>, and with Vermeer’s extraordinary ability to draw out <strong>narrative intrigues</strong>. In such beloved paintings as <em>Lady Standing at a Virginal</em>, <em>A Lady Writing a Letter with Her Maid</em> and, most famously, the enigmatic, wide-eyed, and enchanting <em><strong>Girl with a Pearl Earring</strong></em>, Vermeer evokes not only the effects of substance and texture, but also the many stories and secrets that reside beneath the surface.<br /><br />Featuring all Vermeer’s known works and succinct, accessible texts, this essential introduction explores Vermeer’s leading place in art history and his unique ability to transform oil paint into a living, breathing scene of human life.<br /><br /><strong>About the series:</strong><br />Each book in TASCHEN’s Basic Art series features:<ul> <li> a detailed chronological summary of the life and oeuvre of the artist, covering his or her cultural and historical importance <li> a concise biography <li> approximately 100 illustrations with explanatory captions</ul>