A Young Woman seated at a Virginal A Young Woman seated at a Virginal - Photomicrograph (1 of 4)

Johannes Vermeer2012/2012

The National Gallery, London
London, United Kingdom

Photomicrograph from Johannes Vermeer's 'A Young Woman seated at a Virginal', showing tiny dashes of colour on the back of the chair. Vermeer used these to reproduce the effects of light playing over the textured surface.

Details

Title: A Young Woman seated at a Virginal A Young Woman seated at a Virginal - Photomicrograph (1 of 4)
Creator: Johannes Vermeer, The National Gallery Conservation Department
Date Created: 2012/2012
Physical Dimensions: 51.5 x 45.5 cm
Type: Photomicrograph
Medium: Oil on canvas
School: Dutch
More Info: Explore the National GalleryÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s paintings online, If you would like to learn more about Vermeer and his materials or would like to find out more about the work of the scientific department, please visit the National Gallery website, where many of the topics mentioned here are explored in greater depth.
Inventory number: NG2568
Artist Dates: 1632 - 1675
Artist Biography: Johannes Vermeer is one of the great Dutch masters, though only about 35 paintings by him are known. Born in Delft in 1632, he may have been a pupil of local history painter Leonaert Bramer. Work and influence Vermeer's earliest works of the 1650s include religious and mythological subjects as well as genre scenes. They are influenced by Caravaggio's followers in Utrecht, such as Hendrik ter Brugghen. Vermeer may have gained an interest in optical phenomena and the effects of the Camera Obscura from Carel Fabritius, who was active in Delft between 1650 and 1654. Life and legacy Vermeer was a Catholic and married in 1653, the year he became a master in the Delft painters' guild. He produced relatively few paintings and may have worked on each one over an extended period of time. VermeerÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s work inspired even international collectors to visit his studio. Nonetheless, by 1672 he was in financial trouble; he died insolvent in 1675, leaving his wife and many children destitute. Style and symbolism His mature domestic genre pieces have a characteristic pearly light. The eye is drawn into the picture by the careful placing of objects and a clearly defined architectural space. Figures pursue tranquil occupations, and the symbolic meaning of the scene is sometimes revealed through a painting within the painting.
Acquisition Credit: Salting Bequest, 1910