To contact Kate about any of her Art History Courses please use the Contact Form at the end of the course listing.

 

Vermeer – a new perspective

 

Dates: 2nd to 23rd November (for 4 weeks)
Day and Time: Mondays 10am.
Delivery: Online Via Zoom.
Cost: £8 per session.

 

course background

 

Following the extensive exhibition on Vermeer’s career in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam in 2023, interest has blossomed about the life and career of the
mysterious painter. He fell from Art History after his early death, forgotten within a generation.BUT, this was all changed in the mid-nineteen century,
his name was re-discovered and attached to all the works which had been sold under other painter’s names for 300 years. The French art critic and connoisseur,
Theophile´ Thore´ was mostly responsible for the resurrection of Vermeer at this time, and the use of the nick-name (the sphinx of Delft).
His work is different from the Dutch genre work, so precise, detailed and enigmatic, and introvert but the light is sublime. He had a rare gift for painting
light, and the play of light, describing form through the gradations of light and shade. The understanding of the gift from the camera obscura, which had
explained the effects he was seeing, may well have assisted him but he did not necessarily use one at the time of painting.
He was active as a painter for less than 20 years, and in that time produced very few works – only 36 works still survive today.  Gerrit Dou is known to
have been very slow and lived longer that Vermeer, but even so he painted well over 200 works in that life-time. Dou was known all over Holland  during
his life-time, whereas Vermeer was only known in Delft.  The French art critic Thore´ who rescued him from obscurity was baffled as to the lack of awareness
of his wondrous skill both during his lifetime as well as the centuries in between.
We are left with no knowledge of his ideas, what was his personality, what drove him as an artist, what were his religious beliefs – all-important in his
day. What were the impacts of the terrible war that took place around him?  New Research discusses the intricate religious influences on his work.
Careful examination of his few works have shown interesting and unusual features – we have always known that he painted for the same patrons, a husband
and wife who lived nearby. This feature alone is very different procedure from most artists. Their patrons may well have specified a favourite subject
or a certain view/ portrait, once or twice, but it is unknown in the annals of art history for an entire output to be devoted to the religious influence
of those patrons, which in this occasion does seem to have been the case. It also seems to have been the unique religious outlook of the entire city of
Delft. It is important to understand that this tiny part of the European continent, had been surrounded by the most brutal warfare possible for years and
years – not called the Thirty Year War for nothing. Some of which necessarily filtered across the border, as it was a religious war between Catholic and
Protestant, lasting from 1618 – 1648, going on mostly in the German states. The only relief was the Twelve Year Truce. The Dutch Republic was forming itself,
becoming the United Provinces, which had an inspired leader – Johan van Oldenbarnevelt – who held power for 30 years, the effective prime minister. The
military commander was Prince Maurice of Nassau – a resounding success defending the Dutch borders, as they were effectively under siege. He strengthened
the existing chain of fortresses and increased the standing army from 30,000 to 48,000– which necessitated an increase in taxes, which provoked riots!
Delft was recognised as being strategically important so plans were made for placing the country’s Central Gunpowder Store in the centre of the city. The
States of Holland built their own store on the Geer Canal, thirty years later. Oh Dear!! A latent disaster.

 

Further Information

 

Kate will send out a synopsis for each week, a slide list, any additional material and after each lesson the pictures we will have studied.## Contacting Kate Phillips

 

Contacting Kate Phillips

 

Please use the contact form below to book a place on this course. Please include Vermeer in the Comments field.