Johannes Vermeer: A Man of Mystery
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Johannes Vermeer was born 1632, in the south Holland province of Delft, to Reynier and Digna Vermeer. His father, Reynier, a silk weaver, was also registered as a master art dealer with the Saint Luke’s Guild in Delft. It is the consensus among historians, that Johannes’ exposure to art through Reynier’s dealership, possibly sparked his interest in becoming a painter.
The exact path of his artistic training is vague and based, solely, upon speculation. It is thought that, due to his father’s death while Johannes was still a teen, his funds and, consequently, his options for apprenticeship, were limited. This has led many to believe that any artistic training or influence he may have acquired, would have been sought within Delft. One such suggestion for this training, falls upon a close family friend of the Vermeer family, Leonard Bramer. The importance of light in Bramer’s work can be seen in many of his pieces, such as The Adoration of the Magi, 1628-1630 (below). Perhaps, this aspect of light in Bramer’s work, shaped what would become Vermeer’s signature style.
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| The Adoration of the Magi, Leonard Bramer (1628-1630) |
Not only is his training a source of debate, but the very aspect of his work, for which he is known, comes into question, as well—his mastery of light. Many have marveled at his attention to detail and his ability to set the mood for each piece, with the skilled use of light. Artists have many tools in their arsenals; but, it is suspected that Vermeer had a special box, which gave him an advantage in his chosen style.
The camera obscura, a tool found useful by several of the great masters, came into its own in the early 1600s, when the ability to manufacture lenses of a higher quality made the box more useful. What was the camera obscura? It was a box, with a lens on one end, which the user would point at the subject. As light filtered through the lens, it would bring the image inside the box, where it would reflect on a mirror back. This mirror, which was set at a 45 degree angle, would then cast the image on the bottom surface of the box. If it sounds like a camera, that’s because it was, actually, the precursor to the camera.
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| Camera Obscura (Image from Essential Vermeer) |
For artists like Vermeer, the camera obscura would allow them to place, either, paper or a canvas inside of the box and trace the image, which was reflected. It helped them to accurately capture proper perspective and likeness of their subject. He is suspected of using the box in such works as The Lacemaker (1669-1671).
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| The Lacemaker, Johannes Vermeer (1669-1671) |
Is it cheating? Obviously, there may have been those who considered it be so, as some artists were secretive about their use of the device. Some of the artists, who were thought to have used the tool, were the very ones considered as Vermeer’s artistic inspirations. I have found, in my own art growth, if you truly want to emulate another artist’s work, it is necessary to follow their process exactly. Think of it as the missing ingredient in grandmother’s secret recipe. Of course, this is all speculation and definitely wouldn’t be admitted into a court of law. Without any records being left behind, it is difficult to say where the truth lies.
Today, we are left with around 35 pieces of his magnificent work. In his own day, he was not well known outside of Delft. It wasn’t until the 1800s, when his work was rediscovered by German art historian, Gustav Waagen, that he would find his place in the ranks of the greatest Dutch painters. While we may not, definitively, know who, if anyone, trained Vermeer, or if he used the camera obscura to create some of his most loved pieces, we are certain of one indisputable fact—Johannes Vermeer was the “Master of Light”.
For more information or to start your own investigation, please follow my research links below:
“And if a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.”
Mark 3:25
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