Glossary
Apothecary - An apothecary is someone who creates and sells drugs and compounds, often for a medicinal purpose. Apothecaries are the olden day equivalent of pharmacists and chemists, making useful concoctions to sell to the people of a city. Apothecaries, and by extension the application of the chemical process, dates all the way to ancient Babylon in 2600 BC. Since then, between the 15th and 18th centuries, the apothecary became a skilled practitioner of a marketable skill. They even had their own measuring system that needed to be learned by any aspiring apothecary and could, at special request, take part in assassination by preparing poisons for select clients. The apothecary was responsible for experimentation and finding out new compounds and mixtures that could make anyone’s life easier, much like modern day pharmacists. Furthermore, they could act in place of medical specialists such as surgeons and midwives, provided they had skill in those areas. Apothecaries were not completely tethered to medicine though, as they could make many different kinds of products, given their background in chemistry. One notable utility of an apothecary was to create and mix paints for the artists; experimenting with different types of paint like tempera, oil, watercolor, etc. was how an artist could pioneer different methods of painting and create masterpieces. Also learning what kind of chemicals could make a certain color through chemical process was an invaluable skill for any artist yearning for the perfect color for the piece he so desperately wanted to finish. [Nikhil Patel]
Camera obscura
The camera obscura was the ancestor of the modern day camera that helped develop the field of optics. The earliest historical mention of the principles of the camera obscura was some time around 5th century BC. Towards the end of the 10th century, the scientist Alhazen created the first demonstration of the principle behind the camera obscura by projecting an entire image from outside to a screen inside. Up until the 16th century, the camera obscura was typically seen as a closed room with shuttered windows and a small hole in a blind or door, hence the name camera obscura meaning dark chamber. An aspect of the camera obscura that prevented it from becoming a tool for artists was that most of the images from the camera obscura were so dim that the only clearly visible object would be the sun. This remained true till the 16th century when convex lenses were added to the camera obscura. Then towards the end of the 17th century, Johann Zahn introduced the concept of using different lenses to change the views of the camera obscura so that it could be used for landscape paintings and portraits just by changing the lens. During the 17th century, it was speculated that Dutch artists used the camera obscura to paint images due to the impressive detail in their works. Then around the 18th century, portable versions of the camera obscura became more easily available for public use. [Gerard Willingham]
(Works Cited: Steadman, Philip. "Vermeer and the Camera Obscura." BBC News. BBC, 17 Feb. 2011. Web. 23 July 2013.)
The camera obscura was the ancestor of the modern day camera that helped develop the field of optics. The earliest historical mention of the principles of the camera obscura was some time around 5th century BC. Towards the end of the 10th century, the scientist Alhazen created the first demonstration of the principle behind the camera obscura by projecting an entire image from outside to a screen inside. Up until the 16th century, the camera obscura was typically seen as a closed room with shuttered windows and a small hole in a blind or door, hence the name camera obscura meaning dark chamber. An aspect of the camera obscura that prevented it from becoming a tool for artists was that most of the images from the camera obscura were so dim that the only clearly visible object would be the sun. This remained true till the 16th century when convex lenses were added to the camera obscura. Then towards the end of the 17th century, Johann Zahn introduced the concept of using different lenses to change the views of the camera obscura so that it could be used for landscape paintings and portraits just by changing the lens. During the 17th century, it was speculated that Dutch artists used the camera obscura to paint images due to the impressive detail in their works. Then around the 18th century, portable versions of the camera obscura became more easily available for public use. [Gerard Willingham]
(Works Cited: Steadman, Philip. "Vermeer and the Camera Obscura." BBC News. BBC, 17 Feb. 2011. Web. 23 July 2013.)
Camera Obscura: A camera obscura is an optical device that takes an image of its surroundings and projects it onto a screen. The word “camera” is a Latin word for “chamber” and obscura is Latin for “dark”; putting these together makes “darkened room.” There were two main types of camera obscuras that were present in the 17th century: large chamber cameras and small box cameras. The larger room cameras were more common and used by many artists such as Canaletto and Sir Joshua Reynolds to paint landscapes in great detail. The smaller cameras were not as common in the 17th century as they were produced in mass much later. These cameras were more commonly used for indoor scenes and were used by the likes of Johannes Vermeer. Cameras like these were used as tools by the artists in order to keep the natural light in the painting; the artist not using a camera would have to be present somewhere in the room, invariably affecting the light in some way. The use of this device caused turmoil in the art community, as art was transitioning from traditional human interaction with the canvas to a new way of painting involving tools and aids to help create a masterpiece. There were some purists in the art community that were drastically against the use. [Nikhil Patel]
(Work Cited: Steadman, Philip. Vermeer and the Camera Obscura. BBC. 15 Jul 2013.)
(Work Cited: Steadman, Philip. Vermeer and the Camera Obscura. BBC. 15 Jul 2013.)
Candle
The term candle in this context of this passage is not the literal candle, but a metaphor for how one's religion can alter their perception of certain artwork. The metaphor is used by Vermeer when confronting Griet after a series of questions she poses after pondering over something curious her mother told her. At the church the previous day, Griet’s mother says “There is something dangerous about your description of his paintings” (Chevalier 137). Her mother despises the imposed value and meaning of the paintings done by Vermeer by attaching religious meanings to them.
Vermeer says that “A painting in a church is like a candle in a dark room – we use it to see better.” (Chevalier 139). He uses this metaphor for a candle after denying that his painting was strictly Catholic or Protestant. This metaphor helps describe the interpretation process of an individual observing a painting. Their religion, whether it is Protestant or Catholic, will strongly influence what they see and what meaning they derive from the scene. Many artists exploit this phenomenon by tying in ambiguity to their work to elicit various responses by the audience.
He does confirm that difference exists between Catholic and Protestant attitudes toward painting, but explains that the difference is not as Griet seems to believe it to be. The Catholics may have devoted a more spiritual and explicit meaning to paintings, but by displaying everyday subjects in their works, he claims that Protestants also celebrate God’s creations in their work.
This passage also shows the naivety of Griet, she believes that Vermeer’s work would look similar to paintings found in a Catholic church, albeit she admits that she has never been inside of one. (John Taylor)
The term candle in this context of this passage is not the literal candle, but a metaphor for how one's religion can alter their perception of certain artwork. The metaphor is used by Vermeer when confronting Griet after a series of questions she poses after pondering over something curious her mother told her. At the church the previous day, Griet’s mother says “There is something dangerous about your description of his paintings” (Chevalier 137). Her mother despises the imposed value and meaning of the paintings done by Vermeer by attaching religious meanings to them.
Vermeer says that “A painting in a church is like a candle in a dark room – we use it to see better.” (Chevalier 139). He uses this metaphor for a candle after denying that his painting was strictly Catholic or Protestant. This metaphor helps describe the interpretation process of an individual observing a painting. Their religion, whether it is Protestant or Catholic, will strongly influence what they see and what meaning they derive from the scene. Many artists exploit this phenomenon by tying in ambiguity to their work to elicit various responses by the audience.
He does confirm that difference exists between Catholic and Protestant attitudes toward painting, but explains that the difference is not as Griet seems to believe it to be. The Catholics may have devoted a more spiritual and explicit meaning to paintings, but by displaying everyday subjects in their works, he claims that Protestants also celebrate God’s creations in their work.
This passage also shows the naivety of Griet, she believes that Vermeer’s work would look similar to paintings found in a Catholic church, albeit she admits that she has never been inside of one. (John Taylor)
Catharina
Catharina Bolnes is the daughter of Maria Thins, a wealthy individual who came from a patrician family in Gouda, and also a devout Catholic. As the marriage between her Maria Thins and Reynier Bolnes moved along, he became increasingly abusive towards her and her siblings, which may have had a lasting effect on Catharina. The couple later divorced, and Catharina moved with her mother to a quiet Catholic area. The wedding between her and Vermeer took place in a nearby village, Schipluiden, and they moved in with Maria Thins afterwards. Catharina gave birth to 15 children, 11 of which survive. Maria has been shown to have a positive relationship with Vermeer, shown by having a child named Maria, and when Vermeer died, Maria referring to him as the “sainted Vermeer.” Despite the novel and the film, Catharina and Vermeer seemed to have a good relationship. Many scholars question whether Vermeer actually painted Catharina during their marriage. Arguably, he did not because pregnant women were not aesthetically pleasing for the time, however, some viewers seen similarities in Girl Reading a Letter by an Open Window, Woman in Blue Reading a Letter, and Woman Holding a Balance. This is due to the woman having the same facial characteristics, and being seemingly pregnant. Catharina died in Delft during a visit to her daughter Maria Vermeer and Johannes Cramer at their house the Blue Hand on Verwersdijk in 1687, after newly appointing a guardian for her children. By then she had still five children under 25 who were still unmarried.
[Jordan Garth]
Works Cited
Kalden, Kees. "Fifteen Children Born to Johannes Vermeer and Catharina Bolnes." N.p., Dec. 2002. Web. 23 July 2013.
Janson, Johnathan. "Catharina E Johannes: Did Vermeer Ever Paint His Wife Catharina?"Catharina E Johannes: Did Vermeer Ever Paint His Wife Catharina? n.d. Web. 23 July 2013.
Catharina Bolnes is the daughter of Maria Thins, a wealthy individual who came from a patrician family in Gouda, and also a devout Catholic. As the marriage between her Maria Thins and Reynier Bolnes moved along, he became increasingly abusive towards her and her siblings, which may have had a lasting effect on Catharina. The couple later divorced, and Catharina moved with her mother to a quiet Catholic area. The wedding between her and Vermeer took place in a nearby village, Schipluiden, and they moved in with Maria Thins afterwards. Catharina gave birth to 15 children, 11 of which survive. Maria has been shown to have a positive relationship with Vermeer, shown by having a child named Maria, and when Vermeer died, Maria referring to him as the “sainted Vermeer.” Despite the novel and the film, Catharina and Vermeer seemed to have a good relationship. Many scholars question whether Vermeer actually painted Catharina during their marriage. Arguably, he did not because pregnant women were not aesthetically pleasing for the time, however, some viewers seen similarities in Girl Reading a Letter by an Open Window, Woman in Blue Reading a Letter, and Woman Holding a Balance. This is due to the woman having the same facial characteristics, and being seemingly pregnant. Catharina died in Delft during a visit to her daughter Maria Vermeer and Johannes Cramer at their house the Blue Hand on Verwersdijk in 1687, after newly appointing a guardian for her children. By then she had still five children under 25 who were still unmarried.
[Jordan Garth]
Works Cited
Kalden, Kees. "Fifteen Children Born to Johannes Vermeer and Catharina Bolnes." N.p., Dec. 2002. Web. 23 July 2013.
Janson, Johnathan. "Catharina E Johannes: Did Vermeer Ever Paint His Wife Catharina?"Catharina E Johannes: Did Vermeer Ever Paint His Wife Catharina? n.d. Web. 23 July 2013.
Catholic imagery
A main subject in artwork that incites conflict between Catholics and Protestants is the Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ. The Virgin Mary is of much greater importance to the Catholics than to the Protestants. Because Catholics and Protestants interpret the Bible differently for a select few topics, the importance of Mary is disputed between the two groups. Mary is mentioned simply as the mother of Jesus Christ in the bible; little else is mentioned about her. All of the ideas surrounding Mary’s importance to the Catholics were interpreted from these passages and not explicitly stated in the Bible.
The question of which figure acts as the supreme mediator between God and mankind is a large differing point between the two denominations. Protestants believe that Jesus Christ is the answer, while Catholics believe that Mary is.
This difference is soon realized by Griet not long after she enters Vermeer’s household for the first time and observes a painting depicting Jesus on the cross surrounded by Mary, Magdalene, and St. John. She says that she was never comfortable in that room. When viewing the largest painting in a room of two men wrestling, because Griet did not recognize it from a story in the Bible, she instinctively wonders whether it was a Catholic subject. This lies in accordance with what her Protestant upbringing most likely told her about the Catholic way of interpreting and extrapolating the Bible.
Similarly when talking about a painting of the Virgin Mary and one of the three kings worshiping the Christ Child, she “gazed at both uneasily.” (Chevalier 19). The presence of a painting of the Virgin Mary overlooking her bed in the cellar deeply disturbs her sleep. (John Taylor)
Ronneberg, Terje. "What is the difference between Catholics and Protestants?." truth.info. N.p.. Web. 24 Jul 2013.
A main subject in artwork that incites conflict between Catholics and Protestants is the Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ. The Virgin Mary is of much greater importance to the Catholics than to the Protestants. Because Catholics and Protestants interpret the Bible differently for a select few topics, the importance of Mary is disputed between the two groups. Mary is mentioned simply as the mother of Jesus Christ in the bible; little else is mentioned about her. All of the ideas surrounding Mary’s importance to the Catholics were interpreted from these passages and not explicitly stated in the Bible.
The question of which figure acts as the supreme mediator between God and mankind is a large differing point between the two denominations. Protestants believe that Jesus Christ is the answer, while Catholics believe that Mary is.
This difference is soon realized by Griet not long after she enters Vermeer’s household for the first time and observes a painting depicting Jesus on the cross surrounded by Mary, Magdalene, and St. John. She says that she was never comfortable in that room. When viewing the largest painting in a room of two men wrestling, because Griet did not recognize it from a story in the Bible, she instinctively wonders whether it was a Catholic subject. This lies in accordance with what her Protestant upbringing most likely told her about the Catholic way of interpreting and extrapolating the Bible.
Similarly when talking about a painting of the Virgin Mary and one of the three kings worshiping the Christ Child, she “gazed at both uneasily.” (Chevalier 19). The presence of a painting of the Virgin Mary overlooking her bed in the cellar deeply disturbs her sleep. (John Taylor)
Ronneberg, Terje. "What is the difference between Catholics and Protestants?." truth.info. N.p.. Web. 24 Jul 2013.
Chiaroscuro
Chiaroscuro is a style of art focused on the contrast of light and dark. In Italian, chiaroscuro literally means ‘light-dark’. The origin of Chiaroscuro can date back to Roman time. The technique was originally from traditions in illuminated manuscripts, which is defined as "pen on prepared paper, heightened with white body color" now. It was identified as a unique technique since Renaissance. The term early broadened in meaning to cover all strong contrasts in illumination between light and dark areas in picture, which is now the primary meaning. Nowadays, the term can be used not only in painting but also in cinema and photos. In paintings the description refers to clear tonal contrasts which are often used to suggest the volume and modeling of the subjects depicted. For most artists in dutch painting, they started with white canvas and painted the figure then finished with adding shades with light and dark. However, Vermeer was different. Use ‘girl with a pearl earring’ as an example, he started with black canvas, then he added a girl with an earring and then he added light to her face and clothes only. In reality she would of been sitting by candlelight, lamplight or twilight and there would be more ambient light, but Vermeer omits that extra softlight and thus was able to create, in the 1600's, the type of effect we can achieve today through modern controlled lighting. Vermeer mastered the technique and used it to create innovative new effects. [Minshuo Li]
(Work Cited: “Chiaroscuro - adding light to darkness (Dutch painters) “ Historum. Historum. 5 Oct. 2010. Web. 20 July 2013)
Chiaroscuro is a style of art focused on the contrast of light and dark. In Italian, chiaroscuro literally means ‘light-dark’. The origin of Chiaroscuro can date back to Roman time. The technique was originally from traditions in illuminated manuscripts, which is defined as "pen on prepared paper, heightened with white body color" now. It was identified as a unique technique since Renaissance. The term early broadened in meaning to cover all strong contrasts in illumination between light and dark areas in picture, which is now the primary meaning. Nowadays, the term can be used not only in painting but also in cinema and photos. In paintings the description refers to clear tonal contrasts which are often used to suggest the volume and modeling of the subjects depicted. For most artists in dutch painting, they started with white canvas and painted the figure then finished with adding shades with light and dark. However, Vermeer was different. Use ‘girl with a pearl earring’ as an example, he started with black canvas, then he added a girl with an earring and then he added light to her face and clothes only. In reality she would of been sitting by candlelight, lamplight or twilight and there would be more ambient light, but Vermeer omits that extra softlight and thus was able to create, in the 1600's, the type of effect we can achieve today through modern controlled lighting. Vermeer mastered the technique and used it to create innovative new effects. [Minshuo Li]
(Work Cited: “Chiaroscuro - adding light to darkness (Dutch painters) “ Historum. Historum. 5 Oct. 2010. Web. 20 July 2013)
Class Divide
In the Dutch culture of the time, the class divide between the Protestant and Catholic Christian denomination was very severe. The Dutch Fundamentalist Protestants, believing in the Bible is absolute truth, personal salvation by accepting Christ as Savior, the personal, premillennial imminent return of Christ, an evangelical desire to reach out and save and convert others, and acceptance of most traditional Protestant beliefs such as the Trinity, the Virgin birth, and the existence of angels and devils. Their liberal counterparts, the Catholics trended towards emphasizing concerns about nature and operation of the world more than salvation which led to progressive reform, acceptance of secular change and science as probably worthwhile and at least not as anti-religious, and having little faith in the literal message of the Bible and particularly in Biblical miracles which are seen as either questionable or metaphorical in nature[Smith]. With the Protestants at the time being “uniformly middle-class” the tension between the Christian denominations would often times be apparent [Liedtke]. The class divide seen between Protestants and Catholics in the Netherlands at this time was one of the master and the servant. The Catholics spent money on extravagant paintings and art, while the Protestants lived simple lives without many secular luxuries.
In the Dutch culture of the time, the class divide between the Protestant and Catholic Christian denomination was very severe. The Dutch Fundamentalist Protestants, believing in the Bible is absolute truth, personal salvation by accepting Christ as Savior, the personal, premillennial imminent return of Christ, an evangelical desire to reach out and save and convert others, and acceptance of most traditional Protestant beliefs such as the Trinity, the Virgin birth, and the existence of angels and devils. Their liberal counterparts, the Catholics trended towards emphasizing concerns about nature and operation of the world more than salvation which led to progressive reform, acceptance of secular change and science as probably worthwhile and at least not as anti-religious, and having little faith in the literal message of the Bible and particularly in Biblical miracles which are seen as either questionable or metaphorical in nature[Smith]. With the Protestants at the time being “uniformly middle-class” the tension between the Christian denominations would often times be apparent [Liedtke]. The class divide seen between Protestants and Catholics in the Netherlands at this time was one of the master and the servant. The Catholics spent money on extravagant paintings and art, while the Protestants lived simple lives without many secular luxuries.
Cornelia
The most cunning and devious of Johannes’s and Catharina’s children, Cornelia meets Griet when she is six years old and is the second youngest of the five children Catharina had at the time. From the time they meet, Griet can tell that Cornelia will be a handful, and she favors her mother the most in personality. The first moment of tension Griet and Cornelia share is when Griet asks Cornelia to either help her carry the pots of water from the canal or leave the water’s edge to rejoin her sisters. Instead of being respectful, Cornelia laughs in Griet’s face, to which Griet responds with a slap on Cornelia’s face. This moment kicks off the story-long rivalry between the two, as Griet had not become accustomed to her place in the family as a maid yet and Cornelia took this as a challenge from then on out to crush Griet any way she could. Her first attack occurs after Griet slaps her, and she throws the other pot out into the canal that Griet was using the carry water to the house. Conditions only worsen between them and it becomes commonplace for Cornelia to “conveniently” slip into the way of Griet as she is trying to gracefully complete tasks for the family. Cornelia even plays a part of Frans’s and Griet’s foreshadowing separation by mischievously going through Griet’s things in her cellar room and breaking the tile her father had painted of her and her brother. Cornelia also tries to frame Griet for stealing one of Catharina’s combs by stealing Griet’s grandmother’s comb her mother gave her and replacing it with Catharina’s for the family to find. This is particularly important because the painter Vermeer ends up believing Griet about his daughter and Cornelia’s plan backfires, making her even more determined to take Griet out. It is also ultimately Cornelia who leads her mother up the stairs of the house to the studio to reveal to her the painting of Griet in Catharina’s pearl earrings that Vermeer, Griet, Maria Thins, and van Ruijven have been hiding from her. [Lauren Morgan]
The most cunning and devious of Johannes’s and Catharina’s children, Cornelia meets Griet when she is six years old and is the second youngest of the five children Catharina had at the time. From the time they meet, Griet can tell that Cornelia will be a handful, and she favors her mother the most in personality. The first moment of tension Griet and Cornelia share is when Griet asks Cornelia to either help her carry the pots of water from the canal or leave the water’s edge to rejoin her sisters. Instead of being respectful, Cornelia laughs in Griet’s face, to which Griet responds with a slap on Cornelia’s face. This moment kicks off the story-long rivalry between the two, as Griet had not become accustomed to her place in the family as a maid yet and Cornelia took this as a challenge from then on out to crush Griet any way she could. Her first attack occurs after Griet slaps her, and she throws the other pot out into the canal that Griet was using the carry water to the house. Conditions only worsen between them and it becomes commonplace for Cornelia to “conveniently” slip into the way of Griet as she is trying to gracefully complete tasks for the family. Cornelia even plays a part of Frans’s and Griet’s foreshadowing separation by mischievously going through Griet’s things in her cellar room and breaking the tile her father had painted of her and her brother. Cornelia also tries to frame Griet for stealing one of Catharina’s combs by stealing Griet’s grandmother’s comb her mother gave her and replacing it with Catharina’s for the family to find. This is particularly important because the painter Vermeer ends up believing Griet about his daughter and Cornelia’s plan backfires, making her even more determined to take Griet out. It is also ultimately Cornelia who leads her mother up the stairs of the house to the studio to reveal to her the painting of Griet in Catharina’s pearl earrings that Vermeer, Griet, Maria Thins, and van Ruijven have been hiding from her. [Lauren Morgan]
Crucifix
In the earlier days of Christianity, crucifixes were only used by the Catholics. Two common uses were a tiny one that you would hang in your home or a crucifix necklace. Normal custom is to have crucifix be blessed by a priest. Protestants considered using crucifix or other christian related paintings with idolizing Jesus, Mary and other saints. Crucifix was the torture tool used to bring death to Jesus. However, it symbolizes redemption of mankind which was gifted by Jesus. To the untrained eye, seeing a crucifix at homes would go unnoticed hence hiding your faith in Catholicism while letting other fellow worshipers know. Though only catholics would have had crucifixes either in the house or ware it as a necklace, in present days, most all domination of Christians around the globe. However, use of crucifix tend to be looked down upon from other religions. In the book, Girl With A Pearl Earring, the word crucifix is used to describe a room, Crucifixion room. The room gives a environment setup where the main character, Griet, deals with her troubles with acceptance and understanding of catholicism. It the earlier section, she has difficulty even sleeping in a room with a crucifix. She ends up having to cover it up to go to sleep soundly. Later on Griets seeks "protection" from the conflict of Vermeer and his wife by wanting to be isolated in the Crucifixion room. (Ky Lee)
In the earlier days of Christianity, crucifixes were only used by the Catholics. Two common uses were a tiny one that you would hang in your home or a crucifix necklace. Normal custom is to have crucifix be blessed by a priest. Protestants considered using crucifix or other christian related paintings with idolizing Jesus, Mary and other saints. Crucifix was the torture tool used to bring death to Jesus. However, it symbolizes redemption of mankind which was gifted by Jesus. To the untrained eye, seeing a crucifix at homes would go unnoticed hence hiding your faith in Catholicism while letting other fellow worshipers know. Though only catholics would have had crucifixes either in the house or ware it as a necklace, in present days, most all domination of Christians around the globe. However, use of crucifix tend to be looked down upon from other religions. In the book, Girl With A Pearl Earring, the word crucifix is used to describe a room, Crucifixion room. The room gives a environment setup where the main character, Griet, deals with her troubles with acceptance and understanding of catholicism. It the earlier section, she has difficulty even sleeping in a room with a crucifix. She ends up having to cover it up to go to sleep soundly. Later on Griets seeks "protection" from the conflict of Vermeer and his wife by wanting to be isolated in the Crucifixion room. (Ky Lee)
Delft, a birthplace of Johannes Vermeer, was a very characteristic little town of Holland during the seventeenth century. Named after Old Delft (delft -- river, stream), the town used its canals to carry most of the traffic by means of ships and boats. During the Dutch Golden Age, when Holland began to flourish in the late sixteenth century, Delft also shared the new prosperity. Many factories manufacturing Dutch Porcelain had opened. The “Delftware” was already sent to other European Countries early in the seventeenth century, however it acquired its general fame only later in the century, and thus Vermeer himself never knew the “Delft-Blue” in its best period. During the second half of the seventeenth century, as Amsterdam and Rotterdam took most of the nation’s trade, the town gradually went into a decline. However, this resulted in preservation of the architectural heritage of the old Delft. Using the Plan of Delft published in 1648 by Willem Blaue, one could still walk around the Delft today and experience it as if it was during the Vermeer’s day. [Artur Satayev]
Listed below are ten points of interest related to Vermeer’s life:
Listed below are ten points of interest related to Vermeer’s life:
- Mechelen – Vermeer’s father’s inn where the painter was born and raised
- St. Luke’s Guild – the guild of Delft’s artisans and artists
- The Little Street – the presumed location of Vermeer’s Little Street
- Maria Thins’ House – Vermeer’s mother-in-law’s house and where Vermeer lived after Mechelen
- Stadthuis – Delft City Hall
- Jesuit Church – Vermeer’s mother-in-law’s house and Vermeer’s residence
- Oude Kerk – Delft’s oldest parish church founded about 1246 and Vermeer’s burial place
- Nieuwe Kerk – the second parish church of Delft founded in 1496
- Flying Fox – Vermeer’s birthplace and his father’s inn
- View of Delft by Fabritius – the point from which Fabritius painted his own View of Delft
False Colors
False colors refer to a combination of painting techniques used by painters to achieve a wider spectrum of colors out of more basic colors. The first of the concepts presumably used by Vermeer is subtractive color. Subtractive color is the subset of color mixing that creates new colors by removing certain wavelengths of light leaving others. An example of this would be mixing red paint and yellow paint to achieve a darker, browner color. Expert use of this form of color mixing allowed Vermeer to create a wide range of vibrant, saturated colors. He is also noted for the generous use of blues and yellows in many of his paintings - two of the three primary colors for subtractive pigment combining. Another technique used is underpainting, where a (usually) monochromatic base was used with the intent of altering the color of later painting. It was common for painters in the 17th century to utilize underpainting, but with shades of gray, brown, or a combination of both. These "dead colors" could potentially serve multiple purposes: to decrease the cost of a painting, speeding up the painting process, or simply for aesthetic and thematic purposes. A third concept of Vermeer's false colors is explicitly mentioned as Griet observes him painting. The color of every object in our world is influenced by the colors of adjacent objects. This observation was first brought up by Leonardo da Vinci and likely inspired Vermeer to introduce the concept to his paintings. This concept is very true in reality as the image hitting our eyes are primarily reflected light. This "glow" of a well-lit object can influence the perceived color of nearby objects that may not be as radiant. [Matthew Chan]
(Works Cited: B. Broos, A. Blankert, J. Wadum, A.K. Wheelock Jr. (1995) Johannes Vermeer, Waanders Publishers, Zwolle)
False colors refer to a combination of painting techniques used by painters to achieve a wider spectrum of colors out of more basic colors. The first of the concepts presumably used by Vermeer is subtractive color. Subtractive color is the subset of color mixing that creates new colors by removing certain wavelengths of light leaving others. An example of this would be mixing red paint and yellow paint to achieve a darker, browner color. Expert use of this form of color mixing allowed Vermeer to create a wide range of vibrant, saturated colors. He is also noted for the generous use of blues and yellows in many of his paintings - two of the three primary colors for subtractive pigment combining. Another technique used is underpainting, where a (usually) monochromatic base was used with the intent of altering the color of later painting. It was common for painters in the 17th century to utilize underpainting, but with shades of gray, brown, or a combination of both. These "dead colors" could potentially serve multiple purposes: to decrease the cost of a painting, speeding up the painting process, or simply for aesthetic and thematic purposes. A third concept of Vermeer's false colors is explicitly mentioned as Griet observes him painting. The color of every object in our world is influenced by the colors of adjacent objects. This observation was first brought up by Leonardo da Vinci and likely inspired Vermeer to introduce the concept to his paintings. This concept is very true in reality as the image hitting our eyes are primarily reflected light. This "glow" of a well-lit object can influence the perceived color of nearby objects that may not be as radiant. [Matthew Chan]
(Works Cited: B. Broos, A. Blankert, J. Wadum, A.K. Wheelock Jr. (1995) Johannes Vermeer, Waanders Publishers, Zwolle)
False color (painting process)
False coloring is one of the major techniques that Vermeer used in order to create vivid paintings. It is also known as the under-painting or dead-coloring technique in the field of art. After drawing the outline sketch, then this important stage of coloring begins. Generally, artists directly paint the colors (true colors) that they observe from the object. When drawing the cloud, they would just simply choose white color to paint. However, Vermeer made us realize that cloud is not truly white. In fact, there are glimpse of other colors such as yellowish color from the sunlight, bluish color from the sky or grayish color from the moonlight. In other words, not a single object can be painted in one true color. By incorporating glimpse of other colors, the paintings can be depicted more realistically. Therefore, Vermeer initially uses a monochrome color to distinguish the effect of light. Monochrome version of painting helps establish the volume to the forms, and distributes lights and darks in order to create effect of illumination. By setting the general tone of the painting with a dead color, Vermeer then uses the true colors to complete his drawing, which is also known as the ‘Glazing’ process. Due to its success, many other artists such as Rembrant, Rubens and Da Vinci also utilize dead-coloring technique. Nowadays, under-painting technique is hard to find in modern artists’ paintings due to commercially pre-prepared canvas with wide and full range of colors. Nevertheless, during the era of 17th century, it was widely admired as an evolution of painting technique. [Jung Hun Kim]
(Work Cited : "Dead Coloring" or Underpainting." Vermeer's Painting Technique : Drawing. N.p.,n.d. Web. 23 July 2013.)
False coloring is one of the major techniques that Vermeer used in order to create vivid paintings. It is also known as the under-painting or dead-coloring technique in the field of art. After drawing the outline sketch, then this important stage of coloring begins. Generally, artists directly paint the colors (true colors) that they observe from the object. When drawing the cloud, they would just simply choose white color to paint. However, Vermeer made us realize that cloud is not truly white. In fact, there are glimpse of other colors such as yellowish color from the sunlight, bluish color from the sky or grayish color from the moonlight. In other words, not a single object can be painted in one true color. By incorporating glimpse of other colors, the paintings can be depicted more realistically. Therefore, Vermeer initially uses a monochrome color to distinguish the effect of light. Monochrome version of painting helps establish the volume to the forms, and distributes lights and darks in order to create effect of illumination. By setting the general tone of the painting with a dead color, Vermeer then uses the true colors to complete his drawing, which is also known as the ‘Glazing’ process. Due to its success, many other artists such as Rembrant, Rubens and Da Vinci also utilize dead-coloring technique. Nowadays, under-painting technique is hard to find in modern artists’ paintings due to commercially pre-prepared canvas with wide and full range of colors. Nevertheless, during the era of 17th century, it was widely admired as an evolution of painting technique. [Jung Hun Kim]
(Work Cited : "Dead Coloring" or Underpainting." Vermeer's Painting Technique : Drawing. N.p.,n.d. Web. 23 July 2013.)
Glazing
Glazing is the counterpart for the under-painting process. When under-painting is to set the basic tone for the painting, glazing is simply a process in which the true colors are painted over the monochromatic version of paintings. From this process many of new colors were also discovered such as the vermilion, ultramarine and indigo. Because the artists in the past had a very limited range of colors, glazing helped produce more variety especially the brilliant colors. With these bright colors, artists such as Vermeer were able to depict the illuminating technique more effectively. However, this process of mixing colors is fairly different from simply adding two colors together. By painting over a dried dead-color, glazing creates a unique shine through, also known as the ‘stained glass’ effect that is impossible to obtain from direct mixture of colors. Moreover, the opaque or semi-opaque effect of oil paints contributed greatly to accomplish glazing process. Without a doubt, this shining effect help establish more realistic painting. For example, when observing the painting ‘girl with a pearl earring’, the glimmering pearl and maid’s eyes create a vivid outlook. However, glazing process had an inevitable drawback. Due to its complexity, artists frequently encounter problems determining the thickness of glaze-paint layer. It depends heavily on the amount of glaze-paint that even a slight error in the thickness can destroy the entire effect. When many failed to achieve this effect, Vermeer was an expert at utilizing the beauty of glazing technique. Among all the techniques that he used, the synergy effect of glazing and under-painting successfully operated as the essential cornerstone for his paintings. [Jung Hun Kim]
(Work Cited : "Glazing." Vermeer's Painting Technique:. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 July 2013.)
Glazing is the counterpart for the under-painting process. When under-painting is to set the basic tone for the painting, glazing is simply a process in which the true colors are painted over the monochromatic version of paintings. From this process many of new colors were also discovered such as the vermilion, ultramarine and indigo. Because the artists in the past had a very limited range of colors, glazing helped produce more variety especially the brilliant colors. With these bright colors, artists such as Vermeer were able to depict the illuminating technique more effectively. However, this process of mixing colors is fairly different from simply adding two colors together. By painting over a dried dead-color, glazing creates a unique shine through, also known as the ‘stained glass’ effect that is impossible to obtain from direct mixture of colors. Moreover, the opaque or semi-opaque effect of oil paints contributed greatly to accomplish glazing process. Without a doubt, this shining effect help establish more realistic painting. For example, when observing the painting ‘girl with a pearl earring’, the glimmering pearl and maid’s eyes create a vivid outlook. However, glazing process had an inevitable drawback. Due to its complexity, artists frequently encounter problems determining the thickness of glaze-paint layer. It depends heavily on the amount of glaze-paint that even a slight error in the thickness can destroy the entire effect. When many failed to achieve this effect, Vermeer was an expert at utilizing the beauty of glazing technique. Among all the techniques that he used, the synergy effect of glazing and under-painting successfully operated as the essential cornerstone for his paintings. [Jung Hun Kim]
(Work Cited : "Glazing." Vermeer's Painting Technique:. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 July 2013.)
Guild of St. Luke
The Guild of St. Luke the Evangelist was a common organization among cities in the 17th century for painters, potters, sculptors, wood carvers, and the like. The authority of the Guild varied from city to city but mainly dealt with the regulation of trade and commerce along with the protection of their members. The Guild governed which painters were allowed to sell art within the town so that the trade was not flooded with too many duplicates and foreign works. Each member had to pay an admission fee in order to receive the benefits and protection in the trade of pieces of art. The Guild of St. Luke required a certain number of years as an apprentice before an artist could join the Guild then sign and sell their own work. Following guild rules, only members were allowed to sell their products in Delft. Unregistered painters were sons or apprentices of guild members and therefore never sold their own works, but rather worked on the paintings of their masters. As the Dutch painting culture grew, guilds were in tension with foreign works of art. The trade between cities became more difficult to regulate and in the late seventeenth century the Guild of St. Luke began to break into more specialized guilds to focus on the market regulation of each trade. (Kyle Quick)
Works Cited:
Montias, John Michael. "The Guild of St. Luke in 17th-Century Delft and the Economic Status of Artists and Artisans." Simiolus: Netherlands Quarterly for the History of Art 9.2 (1977): 93–105. Print. 17 July 2013.
Janson, Jonathan. “The Saint Luke’s Guild of Delft.” Essential Vermeer. Essential Vermeer 2012. Web. 17 July 2013.
The Guild of St. Luke the Evangelist was a common organization among cities in the 17th century for painters, potters, sculptors, wood carvers, and the like. The authority of the Guild varied from city to city but mainly dealt with the regulation of trade and commerce along with the protection of their members. The Guild governed which painters were allowed to sell art within the town so that the trade was not flooded with too many duplicates and foreign works. Each member had to pay an admission fee in order to receive the benefits and protection in the trade of pieces of art. The Guild of St. Luke required a certain number of years as an apprentice before an artist could join the Guild then sign and sell their own work. Following guild rules, only members were allowed to sell their products in Delft. Unregistered painters were sons or apprentices of guild members and therefore never sold their own works, but rather worked on the paintings of their masters. As the Dutch painting culture grew, guilds were in tension with foreign works of art. The trade between cities became more difficult to regulate and in the late seventeenth century the Guild of St. Luke began to break into more specialized guilds to focus on the market regulation of each trade. (Kyle Quick)
Works Cited:
Montias, John Michael. "The Guild of St. Luke in 17th-Century Delft and the Economic Status of Artists and Artisans." Simiolus: Netherlands Quarterly for the History of Art 9.2 (1977): 93–105. Print. 17 July 2013.
Janson, Jonathan. “The Saint Luke’s Guild of Delft.” Essential Vermeer. Essential Vermeer 2012. Web. 17 July 2013.
Guild of St. Luke
Most of Vermeer's depiction in the novel is focused on Vermeer as a painter, which is understandable since that's who he is for the most part. Beyond the limit of the book's storytelling bound by first-person perspective, Vermeer was much more than a painter. The most interesting aspect of his life can be discovered through the exploration of Vermeer as headman of the Guild of St. Luke. Vermeer was admitted to this guild at the age of 21 on December 29, 1653. The image on the left shows the record of his name on the register of the guild. The Guild of St. Luke was known as a local community for artists and artisans. By paying an entrance fee of 6 guilders, the artists could have exclusive rights to sell paintings in Delft where paintings were not imported from outside sources. It is conjectured that when Vermeer was appointed headmaster of the guild, it was also when many artists were leaving town for Amsterdam and Hague. Experience at the guild was quite valuable to Vermeer since he completed years of apprenticeship there and transformed into an artist. The apprenticeship at the guild usually lasted four to six years. One of the vital skills learned during training was hand-grinding the paint colors in demand for the day. There were also many elaborate painting techniques passed on from the master to the apprentice.
[Alex Rhim]
Works Cited: Janson, Jonathan. "The Saint Luke's Guild of Delft." The Delft Guild of St. Luke. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 July 2013.
Most of Vermeer's depiction in the novel is focused on Vermeer as a painter, which is understandable since that's who he is for the most part. Beyond the limit of the book's storytelling bound by first-person perspective, Vermeer was much more than a painter. The most interesting aspect of his life can be discovered through the exploration of Vermeer as headman of the Guild of St. Luke. Vermeer was admitted to this guild at the age of 21 on December 29, 1653. The image on the left shows the record of his name on the register of the guild. The Guild of St. Luke was known as a local community for artists and artisans. By paying an entrance fee of 6 guilders, the artists could have exclusive rights to sell paintings in Delft where paintings were not imported from outside sources. It is conjectured that when Vermeer was appointed headmaster of the guild, it was also when many artists were leaving town for Amsterdam and Hague. Experience at the guild was quite valuable to Vermeer since he completed years of apprenticeship there and transformed into an artist. The apprenticeship at the guild usually lasted four to six years. One of the vital skills learned during training was hand-grinding the paint colors in demand for the day. There were also many elaborate painting techniques passed on from the master to the apprentice.
[Alex Rhim]
Works Cited: Janson, Jonathan. "The Saint Luke's Guild of Delft." The Delft Guild of St. Luke. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 July 2013.
Highlights
Highlights are those parts of a painting that are strongly illuminated. It could also be an area of the lightest tone. For instance, sometimes artists while painting on a white paper, leave the spot unpainted to create a white highlight. This gives it a contrasting effect in relation to the surrounding painted colors. In a painting of a person’s face, a typical example of a highlight can be seen by observing the light that falls their face. The illuminated part is the “highlight”, while the rest of the face is in the shadow. Intuitively, to create a highlight on a face, there must be a complementary shadow, therefore it is important that the light source is at an angle to the face and not directly in front of it. Highlights are difficult to paint not only because they are bright but also because they act like tiny mirrors and seem to sit on a different plane than the physical surface of the object. It is advisable to artists to close each eye in turn or to move one’s head to see the highlight move. To capture a highlight, one should keep one’s head very still and one eye closed to mark their shape and position; otherwise, one is essentially seeing double, which is why it can feel frustrating to pin down the elusive highlight. [Shivam Patel]
(Work Cited : Vermeer, Johannes. Girl with the red hat. 1665 1667. Painting. National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C.. Web. 23 Jul 2013.)
Highlights are those parts of a painting that are strongly illuminated. It could also be an area of the lightest tone. For instance, sometimes artists while painting on a white paper, leave the spot unpainted to create a white highlight. This gives it a contrasting effect in relation to the surrounding painted colors. In a painting of a person’s face, a typical example of a highlight can be seen by observing the light that falls their face. The illuminated part is the “highlight”, while the rest of the face is in the shadow. Intuitively, to create a highlight on a face, there must be a complementary shadow, therefore it is important that the light source is at an angle to the face and not directly in front of it. Highlights are difficult to paint not only because they are bright but also because they act like tiny mirrors and seem to sit on a different plane than the physical surface of the object. It is advisable to artists to close each eye in turn or to move one’s head to see the highlight move. To capture a highlight, one should keep one’s head very still and one eye closed to mark their shape and position; otherwise, one is essentially seeing double, which is why it can feel frustrating to pin down the elusive highlight. [Shivam Patel]
(Work Cited : Vermeer, Johannes. Girl with the red hat. 1665 1667. Painting. National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C.. Web. 23 Jul 2013.)
Jewelry
Jewelry refers to any ornaments for personal adornment, as necklaces or cuff links, including those of base metals, glass, plastic. Jewelry was originally functional items such as symbolism or protection but gradually evolved into decorative items. It was one of the methods women used to decorate themselves in 17th century. In most of the Dutch paintings where women are used for model, presumably rich class women, it is observable that they are wearing various kinds of jewelry such as earring, bracelets, necklace, rings and etc. Jewelry was frequently used to highlight women’s beauty. It also represented somewhat wealthy people. Among the jewelry, pearl was an expensive jewelry that only upper class women can afford, that a maid like Griet could not afford. Griet wearing this particular jewelry is significant in that it is hard to see maids wearing jewelry in the Dutch paintings. Most of the paintings that portrayed maids do not portray jewelry on them. Rather, they tend to cover their head and try not to expose their faces. People who saw this painting would have not helped but wonder how a maid like her is wearing a pearl earring. In this book, jewelry, specifically pearl earring, plays major role as a symbolism and representation of Dutch Golden Age culture. (Jung Ha Lee).
Work Cited: Chevailer, Kim. "Girl With a Pearl Earring - a Novel by Tracy Chevalier." Girl With a Pearl Earring - a Novel by Tracy Chevalier. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 July 2013. <http://www.tchevalier.com/gwape/index.html>.
Jewelry refers to any ornaments for personal adornment, as necklaces or cuff links, including those of base metals, glass, plastic. Jewelry was originally functional items such as symbolism or protection but gradually evolved into decorative items. It was one of the methods women used to decorate themselves in 17th century. In most of the Dutch paintings where women are used for model, presumably rich class women, it is observable that they are wearing various kinds of jewelry such as earring, bracelets, necklace, rings and etc. Jewelry was frequently used to highlight women’s beauty. It also represented somewhat wealthy people. Among the jewelry, pearl was an expensive jewelry that only upper class women can afford, that a maid like Griet could not afford. Griet wearing this particular jewelry is significant in that it is hard to see maids wearing jewelry in the Dutch paintings. Most of the paintings that portrayed maids do not portray jewelry on them. Rather, they tend to cover their head and try not to expose their faces. People who saw this painting would have not helped but wonder how a maid like her is wearing a pearl earring. In this book, jewelry, specifically pearl earring, plays major role as a symbolism and representation of Dutch Golden Age culture. (Jung Ha Lee).
Work Cited: Chevailer, Kim. "Girl With a Pearl Earring - a Novel by Tracy Chevalier." Girl With a Pearl Earring - a Novel by Tracy Chevalier. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 July 2013. <http://www.tchevalier.com/gwape/index.html>.
Johannes Vermeer
After reading the book, one might ask who Johannes Vermeer really was. Was the depiction of him in the book the most accurate account of the renowned painter? Although there are some accurate details that match up with known facts about him, many details are left out in the book. Born in Delft in 1632, Vermeer is one of the most admired Dutch artists today but his fame came late at the end of nineteenth century. This was primarily because initially his paintings were not seen by many and there only as few as about forty-five. Like the book, Pieter van Ruijven was his local collector. Vermeer was captivated by behavior of light, which was in line with the artistic movement that emphasized direct observations. Change of focus and sudden recession are some optical effects that Vermeer took special interest in. He painted mainly women for they invoke close study and sympathy. Often times, there were symbolism present and revealed through painting within a painting. Objects are carefully placed with the domestic subject and a clearly defined architectural space is noticeable in his paintings. He was the headmaster of the Guild of St. Luke where he learned the essential skills of an artist. He converted to Catholicism when he married the daughter of a divorced, wealthy Catholic. Vermeer died early at the age of forty-three, leaving eleven children with his wife. The image on the left shows what he might have looked like since in the painting, The Procuress, a man looks out from the edge of the scene. Often times in Dutch painting, this man is the artist himself.
[Alex Rhim]
Works Cited: Liedtke, Walter. "Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History." Johannes Vermeer (1632–1675). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, n.d. Web. 26 July 2013.
"Johannes Vermeer." The National Gallery, London: Western European Painting 1250–1900. The National Gallery, n.d. Web. 26 July 2013.
"About Vermeer." Gir With a Pearl Earring. Tracy Chevalier, n.d. Web. 26 July 2013.
After reading the book, one might ask who Johannes Vermeer really was. Was the depiction of him in the book the most accurate account of the renowned painter? Although there are some accurate details that match up with known facts about him, many details are left out in the book. Born in Delft in 1632, Vermeer is one of the most admired Dutch artists today but his fame came late at the end of nineteenth century. This was primarily because initially his paintings were not seen by many and there only as few as about forty-five. Like the book, Pieter van Ruijven was his local collector. Vermeer was captivated by behavior of light, which was in line with the artistic movement that emphasized direct observations. Change of focus and sudden recession are some optical effects that Vermeer took special interest in. He painted mainly women for they invoke close study and sympathy. Often times, there were symbolism present and revealed through painting within a painting. Objects are carefully placed with the domestic subject and a clearly defined architectural space is noticeable in his paintings. He was the headmaster of the Guild of St. Luke where he learned the essential skills of an artist. He converted to Catholicism when he married the daughter of a divorced, wealthy Catholic. Vermeer died early at the age of forty-three, leaving eleven children with his wife. The image on the left shows what he might have looked like since in the painting, The Procuress, a man looks out from the edge of the scene. Often times in Dutch painting, this man is the artist himself.
[Alex Rhim]
Works Cited: Liedtke, Walter. "Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History." Johannes Vermeer (1632–1675). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, n.d. Web. 26 July 2013.
"Johannes Vermeer." The National Gallery, London: Western European Painting 1250–1900. The National Gallery, n.d. Web. 26 July 2013.
"About Vermeer." Gir With a Pearl Earring. Tracy Chevalier, n.d. Web. 26 July 2013.
Landscape (painting process)
The word landscape was originally only used to refer to works of art that we would recognize today as landscape paintings. The term coming from the Dutch word “landschap” which is roughly translated to meaning a patch of ground. During the time of the 17th century, the term landscape was mostly used when referring to a landscape painting and therefore in written work from that time, landscapes should always be interpreted as landscape paintings. It took a few decades for the art term to become used as a term for the actual view of natural scenery. Landscape painting is traditionally referred to as the depiction in art of natural scenery typically on the surface of the Earth. The earliest landscapes found historically are the frescos painted by the ancient Greeks around 1500 BCE but landscape painting still did not catch on in the West until the Renaissance era. In China however, landscape became an established genre of art by the 4th century. There, landscape painting was very high on the hierarchical genre of art early on. Landscapes would even have poems written about them by later owners. However, it was in Renaissance Italy that Western artists first began to devote entire works to landscapes rather than just include them as backgrounds. They would paint scenes that resembled scenes described in classical literature and religious subject matter and later on, people would come to appreciate landscapes more. [Gerard Willingham]
(Works Cited: "Landscape Painting (1500-present)." Visual-arts-cork.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 July 2013.)
The word landscape was originally only used to refer to works of art that we would recognize today as landscape paintings. The term coming from the Dutch word “landschap” which is roughly translated to meaning a patch of ground. During the time of the 17th century, the term landscape was mostly used when referring to a landscape painting and therefore in written work from that time, landscapes should always be interpreted as landscape paintings. It took a few decades for the art term to become used as a term for the actual view of natural scenery. Landscape painting is traditionally referred to as the depiction in art of natural scenery typically on the surface of the Earth. The earliest landscapes found historically are the frescos painted by the ancient Greeks around 1500 BCE but landscape painting still did not catch on in the West until the Renaissance era. In China however, landscape became an established genre of art by the 4th century. There, landscape painting was very high on the hierarchical genre of art early on. Landscapes would even have poems written about them by later owners. However, it was in Renaissance Italy that Western artists first began to devote entire works to landscapes rather than just include them as backgrounds. They would paint scenes that resembled scenes described in classical literature and religious subject matter and later on, people would come to appreciate landscapes more. [Gerard Willingham]
(Works Cited: "Landscape Painting (1500-present)." Visual-arts-cork.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 July 2013.)
Landschap(Landscape)
The English word landscape originated from the Netherlands’ word Landschap due to the incredible artistic weight the culture placed on depicting the natural world through paintings. Up until the latter half of the 1600’s the Dutch did not have a term for a landscape painting, and they would simply describe them per the painting’s subject- for instance a winter landscape would be referred to as “winter nature scene”. Landschap was eventually adopted as common naming practice. The Dutch were idealistic in their depictions of nature, often substituting the actual for a more serene situation or softer light. For instance the sky and sunlight are always prominent aspects of Dutch landscapes, always shown in soft, warm texture. This tendency to depict the ideal also occurs in Dutch still lifes, and art historians believe these space and texture illusions exist as “a reminder that life is fleeting and that God is good, but his judgment is stern” (National Gallery of Art). As in the above painting, many Dutch landscapes were liberal stylizing the lighting in the scene. Large swathes of light were positioned against shaded forefronts to indicate a dream state inside gardens or buildings, and soft dawn light would be used to give scenes a cheery hopeful sense. Dutch depictions of sea ports and local scenery also show Holland’s pride for their nation and culture. Seascapes are filled with busy ships, and shops and taverns busy with merry goers. (Richard Burroughs)
Work Cited: "National Gallery of Art." Dutch Landscapes and Seascapes of the 1600s. National Gallery of Art, n.d. Web. 21 July 2013. <www.nga.gov>.
The English word landscape originated from the Netherlands’ word Landschap due to the incredible artistic weight the culture placed on depicting the natural world through paintings. Up until the latter half of the 1600’s the Dutch did not have a term for a landscape painting, and they would simply describe them per the painting’s subject- for instance a winter landscape would be referred to as “winter nature scene”. Landschap was eventually adopted as common naming practice. The Dutch were idealistic in their depictions of nature, often substituting the actual for a more serene situation or softer light. For instance the sky and sunlight are always prominent aspects of Dutch landscapes, always shown in soft, warm texture. This tendency to depict the ideal also occurs in Dutch still lifes, and art historians believe these space and texture illusions exist as “a reminder that life is fleeting and that God is good, but his judgment is stern” (National Gallery of Art). As in the above painting, many Dutch landscapes were liberal stylizing the lighting in the scene. Large swathes of light were positioned against shaded forefronts to indicate a dream state inside gardens or buildings, and soft dawn light would be used to give scenes a cheery hopeful sense. Dutch depictions of sea ports and local scenery also show Holland’s pride for their nation and culture. Seascapes are filled with busy ships, and shops and taverns busy with merry goers. (Richard Burroughs)
Work Cited: "National Gallery of Art." Dutch Landscapes and Seascapes of the 1600s. National Gallery of Art, n.d. Web. 21 July 2013. <www.nga.gov>.
Lens
According to Merriam Webster Online, a lens is a piece of transparent material (mostly made by glass) that has one or two curved surfaces. A lens is used either singly or combined in an optical instrument for forming an image by focusing rays of light. While lenses have been studied and documented since ancient civilizations, manufacturing capability for precision lenses became available in the 17th Century due to popularity of telescopes and microscopes, as well as the increasing demand for eye-sight correction instruments.
Anton van Leeuwenhoek in the story was one of the most famous and skillful scientists during the Dutch Golden Age. He was the first one to systematically study microbiology using the lenses that he grinded with extreme precision.
What role did lenses play in the camera obscura?
Development of optical science and manufacturing techniques also benefitted artists by improving performance of the camera obscura. Before the adoption of lenses, the camera obscura technique used pin holes for imaging. The smaller the hole, the sharper but dimmer the image due to limited light transmission and thus devices suffered from the compromise between brightness and resolution. Lenses made it possible to have larger apertures to increase brightness while still having converging lights to create sharp images. Besides better image quality, light converging lenses also have magnifying capabilities. By adjusting location of the lens with reference to the observer or by using a set of lenses, the magnifying ratio can be adjusted to provide better a better view.
According to Merriam Webster Online, a lens is a piece of transparent material (mostly made by glass) that has one or two curved surfaces. A lens is used either singly or combined in an optical instrument for forming an image by focusing rays of light. While lenses have been studied and documented since ancient civilizations, manufacturing capability for precision lenses became available in the 17th Century due to popularity of telescopes and microscopes, as well as the increasing demand for eye-sight correction instruments.
Anton van Leeuwenhoek in the story was one of the most famous and skillful scientists during the Dutch Golden Age. He was the first one to systematically study microbiology using the lenses that he grinded with extreme precision.
What role did lenses play in the camera obscura?
Development of optical science and manufacturing techniques also benefitted artists by improving performance of the camera obscura. Before the adoption of lenses, the camera obscura technique used pin holes for imaging. The smaller the hole, the sharper but dimmer the image due to limited light transmission and thus devices suffered from the compromise between brightness and resolution. Lenses made it possible to have larger apertures to increase brightness while still having converging lights to create sharp images. Besides better image quality, light converging lenses also have magnifying capabilities. By adjusting location of the lens with reference to the observer or by using a set of lenses, the magnifying ratio can be adjusted to provide better a better view.
Linseed oil
Linseed oil is a type of oil made from pressed seeds of the flax plants. Therefore, it is also commonly known as flax seed oil, and is pale yellow in colour. The introduction of linseed oil was a significant advance in the technology of oil painting. It should only be used in its cold-pressed form, as heat extracted oils are not as permanent.The oil in oil paints serves four functions. A detailed description of these for applications is given below.
(Works Cited: Bill Brown. "Why is linseed oil used as a drying oil in paint?." eHow.com. Demand Media, Inc.. 19 July 2013.)
Linseed oil is a type of oil made from pressed seeds of the flax plants. Therefore, it is also commonly known as flax seed oil, and is pale yellow in colour. The introduction of linseed oil was a significant advance in the technology of oil painting. It should only be used in its cold-pressed form, as heat extracted oils are not as permanent.The oil in oil paints serves four functions. A detailed description of these for applications is given below.
- Linseed oil mixed with dry pigment creates a smooth and soft paint mixture that you can apply in many different ways. Right out of the tube, you can make beautiful, thick impasto. If you mix it with a solvent such as mineral spirits, you can thin it to a wash consistency.
- It binds or holds the pigments in place after it dries. This is the meaning of a drying oil. The oil does not evaporate over time, but undergoes a complex chemical change, transforming into a flexible and permanent material that fixes the pigments in the paint into place.
- In addition to fixing the pigments in the paint, it will also adhere to the surface on which it is applied. It will stick to canvas or panel immediately, and as it dries it creates a glue-like bond that will hold for centuries.
- When the oil dries, it helps create the luminous and jewel-like colors that oil paint is prized for. The pigment itself, beginning as a dry powder, needs the oil's richness to bring out its tone.
(Works Cited: Bill Brown. "Why is linseed oil used as a drying oil in paint?." eHow.com. Demand Media, Inc.. 19 July 2013.)
Linseed oil
an oil made from the pressed seeds of the flax plant. While flaxseed oil is made from the same seeds as linseed oil, each oil is treated differently. Linseed oil is heated, subjected to chemical treatment, is not safe to consume, and has a number of uses, ranging from finishing furniture to oil painting. After treatment, linseed oil tends to have a very dark amber color with a distinctively sharp smell. In oil painting, linseed oil is used as a drying oil, which means that it is capable of polymerizing to form a solid. As a result of its polymer-forming properties, it is often used as a pigment binder in oil paints. In addition, painters use linseed oil as a carrier oil for paint since it generates a rich glow and allows for the author to vary the thickness of the paint from very dense and clumpy to thin. Linseed oil is available in varieties of paint mediums, such as cold pressed, alkali refined, sun bleached, sun thickened, and polymerized, which makes the oil paints more fluid, transparent, and glossy. Rags soaked with linseed oil stored in a pile are considered a fire hazard because they provided a large surface area for oxidation of the oil, which oxidizes quickly. Since oxidation of linseed oil is an exothermic reaction, heat is dissipated to the environment and then absorbed by the rag. When the temperature increases and become hot enough, the rags may spontaneously combust. [Jimmy Nguyen]
(Work Cited: Jones, Frank. "Alkyd Resins." Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry. Ypsilanti: 2003.)
an oil made from the pressed seeds of the flax plant. While flaxseed oil is made from the same seeds as linseed oil, each oil is treated differently. Linseed oil is heated, subjected to chemical treatment, is not safe to consume, and has a number of uses, ranging from finishing furniture to oil painting. After treatment, linseed oil tends to have a very dark amber color with a distinctively sharp smell. In oil painting, linseed oil is used as a drying oil, which means that it is capable of polymerizing to form a solid. As a result of its polymer-forming properties, it is often used as a pigment binder in oil paints. In addition, painters use linseed oil as a carrier oil for paint since it generates a rich glow and allows for the author to vary the thickness of the paint from very dense and clumpy to thin. Linseed oil is available in varieties of paint mediums, such as cold pressed, alkali refined, sun bleached, sun thickened, and polymerized, which makes the oil paints more fluid, transparent, and glossy. Rags soaked with linseed oil stored in a pile are considered a fire hazard because they provided a large surface area for oxidation of the oil, which oxidizes quickly. Since oxidation of linseed oil is an exothermic reaction, heat is dissipated to the environment and then absorbed by the rag. When the temperature increases and become hot enough, the rags may spontaneously combust. [Jimmy Nguyen]
(Work Cited: Jones, Frank. "Alkyd Resins." Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry. Ypsilanti: 2003.)
Madder - also known as rose madder, is a paint made from the pigment Madder Lake, a traditional lake pigment, extracted from the plant Rubia tinctorum, a small herbaceous plant native to Asia and Southern Europe. Ruberythic acid is the natural coloring matter of madder and contains the organic dyes: alizarin (1,2 – dihyroxyanthraquinone) and purpurin (1,2,4 - trihydroxyanthraquinone). To produce the pigment, the madder plant is first uprooted from the ground and left to dry in fields in small piles. The roots are then placed in larger piles for two to three days and then are dried in warm air drying houses. Once dried, the roots are crushed and separated from the bark through the process of sifting. The roots are finally crushed with stones and sifted to a fine powder. While some madder can be used immediately after, other madder such as Dutch and Alsatian madder must remain in barrels for one or two years and ferment before being used for dyeing. As a paint, madder takes the color of a moderately dull violet red pigment in tints and medium solutions and darkens to an impermanent, dull magenta red. Although madder has frequently appeared on the palettes of painters in the past, the similar color often seen on more current paintings is a synthetic replacement known as alizarin crimson permanent and is chemically derived from compounds like quinacridone. [Jimmy Nguyen]
(Work Cited: "Magenta." Handprint : magenta watercolors. Bruce MacEvoy, 01 Aug 2005. Web. 22 Jul 2013.)
(Work Cited: "Magenta." Handprint : magenta watercolors. Bruce MacEvoy, 01 Aug 2005. Web. 22 Jul 2013.)
Map
In the 17th century, the Dutch, known to be keen mapmakers, began to trade with the Far East. As the century wore on, they gained an increasingly dominant position in world trade. In 1585, cartographer Lucas Wagenaef published Mariner’s Mirror, two volumes of sailing directions and charts, which was immediately translated, copied and printed all over Europe. From then until almost 100 years later, Dutch map making was the finest in Europe. Vermeer drew many paintings depicting globes or maps such as The Astronomer, Woman with a Water Jug, The Geographer, and Officer with a Laughing Girl.
“As I brought the robe over my head the image, as he called it, became clearer and clearer – the table, the chairs…the back wall with the map hanging on it, …”
“Now there was one easily seen – the map hanging on the wall behind the woman had been removed from both the painting and the scene itself.”
[Eunsun Choi]
In the 17th century, the Dutch, known to be keen mapmakers, began to trade with the Far East. As the century wore on, they gained an increasingly dominant position in world trade. In 1585, cartographer Lucas Wagenaef published Mariner’s Mirror, two volumes of sailing directions and charts, which was immediately translated, copied and printed all over Europe. From then until almost 100 years later, Dutch map making was the finest in Europe. Vermeer drew many paintings depicting globes or maps such as The Astronomer, Woman with a Water Jug, The Geographer, and Officer with a Laughing Girl.
“As I brought the robe over my head the image, as he called it, became clearer and clearer – the table, the chairs…the back wall with the map hanging on it, …”
“Now there was one easily seen – the map hanging on the wall behind the woman had been removed from both the painting and the scene itself.”
[Eunsun Choi]
Maria Thins
Catharine Vermeer's mother, or Johannes Vermeer's mother-in-law. Maria is the benefactor of the Vermeer's lavish lifestyle and allows Johannes, Catharine, and ultimately their 15 children to live in her house (see left) she previously lived in alone after losing her husband some years before. She allows Griet to assist Vermeer in the book because she believes it will make Vermeer work faster and thus earn more income for the growing family. Maria is the mistress of the maid, Tanneke, that Griet first meets when she arrives at the Vermeer household. Maria is one of the first in the family to catch on to Griet’s secret work for Vermeer’s paintings, however supports it in hopes of it speeding up his painting process, but she is also ultimately loyal to her daughter when she reveals them later in the story. Maria has a peculiar relationship with Griet because although she still speaks sternly to her as a maid, Maria still treats Griet with a sense of respect and even protection. Once again playing on a fine line regarding her loyalty to her daughter, Maria is ultimately the character that assists Griet in obtaining Catherina’s pearl earrings for her painting and then returning to the jewelry box once Vermeer was done. It is accepted that Maria Thins actually existed in the Vermeer family and was not a fictional character invented by Chevalier for her book. Historic records confirm that the Vermeer family moved into Maria Thins's house in the late 1650s on Oude Langendijk. [Lauren Morgan]
(Works Cited: Steadman, Philip. "Vermeer's Camera. Uncovering the Truth behind the Masterpieces." http://www.vermeerscamera.co.uk/home.htm. 21 July 2013. Image provided by www.essentialvermeer.com)
Catharine Vermeer's mother, or Johannes Vermeer's mother-in-law. Maria is the benefactor of the Vermeer's lavish lifestyle and allows Johannes, Catharine, and ultimately their 15 children to live in her house (see left) she previously lived in alone after losing her husband some years before. She allows Griet to assist Vermeer in the book because she believes it will make Vermeer work faster and thus earn more income for the growing family. Maria is the mistress of the maid, Tanneke, that Griet first meets when she arrives at the Vermeer household. Maria is one of the first in the family to catch on to Griet’s secret work for Vermeer’s paintings, however supports it in hopes of it speeding up his painting process, but she is also ultimately loyal to her daughter when she reveals them later in the story. Maria has a peculiar relationship with Griet because although she still speaks sternly to her as a maid, Maria still treats Griet with a sense of respect and even protection. Once again playing on a fine line regarding her loyalty to her daughter, Maria is ultimately the character that assists Griet in obtaining Catherina’s pearl earrings for her painting and then returning to the jewelry box once Vermeer was done. It is accepted that Maria Thins actually existed in the Vermeer family and was not a fictional character invented by Chevalier for her book. Historic records confirm that the Vermeer family moved into Maria Thins's house in the late 1650s on Oude Langendijk. [Lauren Morgan]
(Works Cited: Steadman, Philip. "Vermeer's Camera. Uncovering the Truth behind the Masterpieces." http://www.vermeerscamera.co.uk/home.htm. 21 July 2013. Image provided by www.essentialvermeer.com)
Market Square
Delft’s Market Square is the central hub for all the exchange in the city. Even though there were than more than twenty thousand people living in Delft in the 17th century, there were only about four or five main street .The merchants resorted to the use of canals. Canals were big enough for a few boats to run along the market square transporting goods to the merchants. The New Church can be seen at the end of the square, a key protestant church, and signifies the location of the square in Delft. Vermeer’s “View of Delft” shows the New Church rising above surrounding buildings and large ships docked outside the city, while smaller boats pass under the stone bridge spanning the canals.
The Dutch Golden Age brought the market square to life it had never seen before. Since Delft was one of the main ports of the Dutch East Indian Company, Delft experienced an economic boom resulted from goods coming all the way from East Asia. The market square was full of merchants, who were separated by stalls. Paintings from this time period depicted a lively space where goods from all over the world are being traded. The Market Square is not only a place for the exchange of goods, but also a place for the exchange of ideas and culture. Delft’s Market Square also acts as a news station where gossips and currents events were exchanged during transactions. As merchants and artisans accumulate wealth, arts from other neighboring countries became common in Dutch’s culture. [Sataporn Worasilpchai]
Work Cited: "Vermeer's Delft Today." Vermeer's Delft Today. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 July 2013. <http://www.essentialvermeer.com/delft/delft_today/delft_today_start.html>.
Delft’s Market Square is the central hub for all the exchange in the city. Even though there were than more than twenty thousand people living in Delft in the 17th century, there were only about four or five main street .The merchants resorted to the use of canals. Canals were big enough for a few boats to run along the market square transporting goods to the merchants. The New Church can be seen at the end of the square, a key protestant church, and signifies the location of the square in Delft. Vermeer’s “View of Delft” shows the New Church rising above surrounding buildings and large ships docked outside the city, while smaller boats pass under the stone bridge spanning the canals.
The Dutch Golden Age brought the market square to life it had never seen before. Since Delft was one of the main ports of the Dutch East Indian Company, Delft experienced an economic boom resulted from goods coming all the way from East Asia. The market square was full of merchants, who were separated by stalls. Paintings from this time period depicted a lively space where goods from all over the world are being traded. The Market Square is not only a place for the exchange of goods, but also a place for the exchange of ideas and culture. Delft’s Market Square also acts as a news station where gossips and currents events were exchanged during transactions. As merchants and artisans accumulate wealth, arts from other neighboring countries became common in Dutch’s culture. [Sataporn Worasilpchai]
Work Cited: "Vermeer's Delft Today." Vermeer's Delft Today. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 July 2013. <http://www.essentialvermeer.com/delft/delft_today/delft_today_start.html>.
Massicot
Massicot, also known as “giallorino” in the Middle Ages, is a yellow, earthy, secondary mineral consisting of white monoxide of lead, PbO. When heated slowly, it forms a warm yellow colored cement impervious to water when mixed with linseed oil. It can be made as a drier, known as a lead drier, when mixed with linseed at high temperature. Massicot has characteristic Raman bands at 276 and 142 cm-1. It occurs as soft yellow earthy masses in association with lead ore deposits world-wide. In the book, Vermeer and Griet used massicot with a muller and other grinding tools to make their own paints. During the Dutch golden age period, making paints by grinding natural minerals was common, with massicot, bone, and madder being general materials used for paints.
“I came to love grinding the things he brought from the apothecary – bones, white lead, madder, massicot – to see how bright and pure I could get the colors.”
[Eunsun Choi]
Massicot, also known as “giallorino” in the Middle Ages, is a yellow, earthy, secondary mineral consisting of white monoxide of lead, PbO. When heated slowly, it forms a warm yellow colored cement impervious to water when mixed with linseed oil. It can be made as a drier, known as a lead drier, when mixed with linseed at high temperature. Massicot has characteristic Raman bands at 276 and 142 cm-1. It occurs as soft yellow earthy masses in association with lead ore deposits world-wide. In the book, Vermeer and Griet used massicot with a muller and other grinding tools to make their own paints. During the Dutch golden age period, making paints by grinding natural minerals was common, with massicot, bone, and madder being general materials used for paints.
“I came to love grinding the things he brought from the apothecary – bones, white lead, madder, massicot – to see how bright and pure I could get the colors.”
[Eunsun Choi]
Milky Glass
Milky glass is an opaque or typically white translucent glass. The first milky glass was made in the 16th Century and has since become available in mass production. Compared to clear glass, the translucency of the milky glass can be manipulated by adjusting the quantity of the opaque doping particles inside, making it a perfect material for the camera obscura screen.
Prior to the use of milky glass, tracing paper was used as the screen which receives light from one side and let users see the image on the other side. However, light transmission is poor if the tracing paper is thick while if made thin, the tracing paper is too fragile. As a superior alternative, milky glass has comparable translucency but significantly better mechanical durability.
Can the screen be opaque like a projector screen?
The image will then only be seen on the same side where it is projected. In this case, light will be blocked by the user’s head if the user wishes to take a close look at the details of the image. The blocking of light is problematic especially in dark rooms where one must look closely.
Does there have to be a screen?
Yes. Just like projectors, camera obscura images cannot be viewed directly. According to physics laws, light travels as a beam and people only see things because light beams enter their eyes. Unless the lens focuses light exactly into the user’s eyes, only one single point in the room, the user will not see the image. To avoid such inconvenience, a screen is inserted between the lens and the eyes. Light entering the milky glass is deflected by the micro-particles and scatters into all direction so that people from any angle can see the image.
Milky glass is an opaque or typically white translucent glass. The first milky glass was made in the 16th Century and has since become available in mass production. Compared to clear glass, the translucency of the milky glass can be manipulated by adjusting the quantity of the opaque doping particles inside, making it a perfect material for the camera obscura screen.
Prior to the use of milky glass, tracing paper was used as the screen which receives light from one side and let users see the image on the other side. However, light transmission is poor if the tracing paper is thick while if made thin, the tracing paper is too fragile. As a superior alternative, milky glass has comparable translucency but significantly better mechanical durability.
Can the screen be opaque like a projector screen?
The image will then only be seen on the same side where it is projected. In this case, light will be blocked by the user’s head if the user wishes to take a close look at the details of the image. The blocking of light is problematic especially in dark rooms where one must look closely.
Does there have to be a screen?
Yes. Just like projectors, camera obscura images cannot be viewed directly. According to physics laws, light travels as a beam and people only see things because light beams enter their eyes. Unless the lens focuses light exactly into the user’s eyes, only one single point in the room, the user will not see the image. To avoid such inconvenience, a screen is inserted between the lens and the eyes. Light entering the milky glass is deflected by the micro-particles and scatters into all direction so that people from any angle can see the image.
New Church
In Dutch, the New Church is known as Nieuwe kerk. A prominent Protestant church and the burial place of the Princes of Orange in Delft, Netherlands that was completed in 1496. The church tower is the second highest in the Netherlands, and it was formally known as the church of St. Ursula. Notable features include its tower, bell chimes, and its allegorical monument to William the Silent, the main leader of the Dutch revolt against the Spanish that started the Eighty Years’ War. In the market place outside the church stands the statue of Hugo Grotius, who laid the foundations of international law based on natural law. It contains a royal crypt, with eleven people buried in the old vault and thirty-five buried in the new vault. Most recently, in 2004 Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands was buried in the New Crypt. The private royal family crypt is not available to the public. In the novel “Girl with a Pearl Earring,” the New Church is visible from Griet’s new living quarter at the Vermeer’s home. One time, Griet enters the New Church while her master and mistress are away at mass; however, she soon rushes out because she feels like an outsider in a foreign land. (Katherine Pham)
Marx, Daniel. “Interior of the Nieuwe Kerk, Delft, with the Tomb of William the Silent.” Web Gallery of Art. Web. 22 July 2013.
In Dutch, the New Church is known as Nieuwe kerk. A prominent Protestant church and the burial place of the Princes of Orange in Delft, Netherlands that was completed in 1496. The church tower is the second highest in the Netherlands, and it was formally known as the church of St. Ursula. Notable features include its tower, bell chimes, and its allegorical monument to William the Silent, the main leader of the Dutch revolt against the Spanish that started the Eighty Years’ War. In the market place outside the church stands the statue of Hugo Grotius, who laid the foundations of international law based on natural law. It contains a royal crypt, with eleven people buried in the old vault and thirty-five buried in the new vault. Most recently, in 2004 Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands was buried in the New Crypt. The private royal family crypt is not available to the public. In the novel “Girl with a Pearl Earring,” the New Church is visible from Griet’s new living quarter at the Vermeer’s home. One time, Griet enters the New Church while her master and mistress are away at mass; however, she soon rushes out because she feels like an outsider in a foreign land. (Katherine Pham)
Marx, Daniel. “Interior of the Nieuwe Kerk, Delft, with the Tomb of William the Silent.” Web Gallery of Art. Web. 22 July 2013.
Ocher
Ochers are widely used pigments that vary in colorations of yellows, oranges, and reds. Vermeer specifically used red ochers to tone the complex patterns of grounds and bricks in his paintings. First, a layer of red paint that is composed of red ocher is applied and once it dries, a fine brush is used to paint the strips in various shades. For example, in Vermeer’s painting of Little Street, red ocher was applied in the gray toned clouds. Red ocher was mixed with white to produce a gray effect that results in a neutral, lively tone of the cloud color. Vermeer also used yellow ocher in his paintings to portray objects of similar local color. Because of his use of yellow ocher, Vermeer’s flesh tones seem dull when compared to other paintings in his times. Some of the pigments used in the Girl with a Pearl Earring include yellow, red and brown ocher. The yellow ocher is used in the girl’s scarf and natural flesh. The red ocher is found in all the natural shades of the painting and the brown ocher is found in the underpainting. [Addie Neuman]
"RED OCHER." Red Ochre in the Painting of Vermeer. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 July 2013.
Ochers are widely used pigments that vary in colorations of yellows, oranges, and reds. Vermeer specifically used red ochers to tone the complex patterns of grounds and bricks in his paintings. First, a layer of red paint that is composed of red ocher is applied and once it dries, a fine brush is used to paint the strips in various shades. For example, in Vermeer’s painting of Little Street, red ocher was applied in the gray toned clouds. Red ocher was mixed with white to produce a gray effect that results in a neutral, lively tone of the cloud color. Vermeer also used yellow ocher in his paintings to portray objects of similar local color. Because of his use of yellow ocher, Vermeer’s flesh tones seem dull when compared to other paintings in his times. Some of the pigments used in the Girl with a Pearl Earring include yellow, red and brown ocher. The yellow ocher is used in the girl’s scarf and natural flesh. The red ocher is found in all the natural shades of the painting and the brown ocher is found in the underpainting. [Addie Neuman]
"RED OCHER." Red Ochre in the Painting of Vermeer. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 July 2013.
Oil on Canvas
Oil on canvas was the primary medium which Johannes Vermeer used in his paintings. The technique is relatively straightforward, applying a premixed solution of pigment and drying oil to canvas. The complexity, however, comes about from the variation in different oils, grain size of pigment, and the inclusion of other materials, such as resin, to alter the properties of the mixture. A notable oil on canvas principle that Vermeer was implied to have utilized in the book is "fat over lean." This painting principle refers to the ordering of layers of paint such that mixtures with a higher oil to pigment ratio should be painted over lower ratio paint. By layering in such a way, the higher oil content on the surface provides flexibility to the paint, thus increasing overall paint stability. Another important part of oil on canvas is the relatively longer drying time when compared to other mediums. Unlike most water-based paints which dry by evaporation, oil paints usually dry via a complex oxidation process. As such, 17th century painting materials available to Vermeer may have taken weeks to try, possibly contributing to his agonizingly slow pace of painting. Though creating stable, balanced paints and applying it skillfully was an exceedingly difficult process in Vermeer’s time, recent advances in chemistry have made this painting process much easier. Today, paints have more vibrant colors, more consistent drying times and chemicals exist to modify the paints as needed. [Matthew Chan]
(Works Cited: Pyle, David, Emma Pearce, and Winsor & Newton, eds. The Oil Color Book. Wealdstone: Winsor & Newton, 2001. Web. 21 July 2013.)
Oil on canvas was the primary medium which Johannes Vermeer used in his paintings. The technique is relatively straightforward, applying a premixed solution of pigment and drying oil to canvas. The complexity, however, comes about from the variation in different oils, grain size of pigment, and the inclusion of other materials, such as resin, to alter the properties of the mixture. A notable oil on canvas principle that Vermeer was implied to have utilized in the book is "fat over lean." This painting principle refers to the ordering of layers of paint such that mixtures with a higher oil to pigment ratio should be painted over lower ratio paint. By layering in such a way, the higher oil content on the surface provides flexibility to the paint, thus increasing overall paint stability. Another important part of oil on canvas is the relatively longer drying time when compared to other mediums. Unlike most water-based paints which dry by evaporation, oil paints usually dry via a complex oxidation process. As such, 17th century painting materials available to Vermeer may have taken weeks to try, possibly contributing to his agonizingly slow pace of painting. Though creating stable, balanced paints and applying it skillfully was an exceedingly difficult process in Vermeer’s time, recent advances in chemistry have made this painting process much easier. Today, paints have more vibrant colors, more consistent drying times and chemicals exist to modify the paints as needed. [Matthew Chan]
(Works Cited: Pyle, David, Emma Pearce, and Winsor & Newton, eds. The Oil Color Book. Wealdstone: Winsor & Newton, 2001. Web. 21 July 2013.)
Papist
a derogatory term, dating back to the early 16th century, showing hostility or opposition to the Roman Catholic Church. Term stems from Middle French word papiste, which extends from the Church Latin papa. This term was at first used primarily by English Protestants to display their contempt for Roman Catholic practices and beliefs. Generally Anti-Catholic attitudes that were brought about during the English Reformation, the events in which the Church of England severed ties with the Pope and Roman Catholic Church. The rise of common law, increased circulation of the bible, and diffusion of ideas from scholars led to the increased use of the word, as the Catholic Church fell out of favor. The term later evolved to indicate a person who was loyal to and served the pope, and supported papal authority over that of all other Christians. A notable example of this term in use would be in Jonathan Swift’s A Modest Proposal, a satirical work where he proposes to have Irish children sold to wealthy English landlords. More recently, in the 1928 American presidential election, democratic candidate Al Smith (a product of the Tammany Hall machine) was accused of being a papist. This politically charged word is still used today. (Katherine Pham)
“Papist.” Dictionary. Web. 22 July 2013.
a derogatory term, dating back to the early 16th century, showing hostility or opposition to the Roman Catholic Church. Term stems from Middle French word papiste, which extends from the Church Latin papa. This term was at first used primarily by English Protestants to display their contempt for Roman Catholic practices and beliefs. Generally Anti-Catholic attitudes that were brought about during the English Reformation, the events in which the Church of England severed ties with the Pope and Roman Catholic Church. The rise of common law, increased circulation of the bible, and diffusion of ideas from scholars led to the increased use of the word, as the Catholic Church fell out of favor. The term later evolved to indicate a person who was loyal to and served the pope, and supported papal authority over that of all other Christians. A notable example of this term in use would be in Jonathan Swift’s A Modest Proposal, a satirical work where he proposes to have Irish children sold to wealthy English landlords. More recently, in the 1928 American presidential election, democratic candidate Al Smith (a product of the Tammany Hall machine) was accused of being a papist. This politically charged word is still used today. (Katherine Pham)
“Papist.” Dictionary. Web. 22 July 2013.
Papists' Corner
During the 17th century, in Vermeer’s time, only a quarter of the population of Delft was Catholic. Most of these Catholics lived in a part of the town next to the new church called Papists’ Corner or, “Papenhoek”. Most of the residents in this part of town were relatively wealthy and prosperous. As such, Papists’ Corner was less of a ghetto but instead was used as a place for Catholics to come together and act faithfully in a group. During the 17th century in the Netherlands, Catholics were not completely liberated as a group and thus couldn’t act completely freely. They were not publicly oppressed, however. The Vermeer painting, “A View of Delft” shows the Jesuit church in the early 18th century. From left to right would be the Jesuit school, a house, the church where two people can be seen standing, and seen partially on the edge of the drawing, the Thins' house, or possibly one just to the right of it, beyond the edge of the drawing (Janson). Papists’ Corner included a “hidden” church within one of its 15 houses along with a Jesuit school that was also considered a secret. (Devin Roach)
During the 17th century, in Vermeer’s time, only a quarter of the population of Delft was Catholic. Most of these Catholics lived in a part of the town next to the new church called Papists’ Corner or, “Papenhoek”. Most of the residents in this part of town were relatively wealthy and prosperous. As such, Papists’ Corner was less of a ghetto but instead was used as a place for Catholics to come together and act faithfully in a group. During the 17th century in the Netherlands, Catholics were not completely liberated as a group and thus couldn’t act completely freely. They were not publicly oppressed, however. The Vermeer painting, “A View of Delft” shows the Jesuit church in the early 18th century. From left to right would be the Jesuit school, a house, the church where two people can be seen standing, and seen partially on the edge of the drawing, the Thins' house, or possibly one just to the right of it, beyond the edge of the drawing (Janson). Papists’ Corner included a “hidden” church within one of its 15 houses along with a Jesuit school that was also considered a secret. (Devin Roach)
Paternity cap
A paternity cap is a cap worn by young fathers from the time when their baby was born to the moment when the newborn could be baptized.
At the time, urban Europe in general had been experiencing an increase in infant mortality rate. However, there is a strong evidence that the lives of small children, vulnerable to sickness and plague, were still held dear rather than cheap by the Dutch (Schama, 521). The culture was not conditioned by morbidity; instead, the birth of a new child was a great occasion that called for joy and celebration. An intimate family feast, with mandatory attendance by other family members, was how families, from peasants to riches, welcomed a new child. Yet the birth of a child was not only the inside world event; for the outside world the front doors of the house were decorated with special emblem, kraam kloppertje, made of paper and lace signifying the sex, and special cakes, kindermaalstuk, honoring the birth of a new family members were served to guests. Moreover, the posting of kloppertje, along with the father’s donning the paternity cap, announced a period when the household would be exempt from certain taxes and duties (Gysius).
The picture on the left, Emblemata X, portraits a father in his paternity cap walking the child in the night and crooning lullabies, while his wife gets needed sleep. This scene, so familiar to modern households, was received with extraordinary shock to the early seventeenth-century audience. Stereotypical expectations at the time - “patriarchal” family being governed by stern, remote and dynastically fixated fathers, while family harmony was made from maternal affection alone (Schama, 541). The picture therefore appears to be unreal, as the wife is given time by her man to rest, as the man helps her in her chores. However, the donning of the paternity cap was a sign of the father’s pleasure in his offspring; it marked the importance and honor that was given to new fatherhood regardless of whether or not this man already had other children. [Artur Satayev]
works cited:
de Brune, Jan. "Emblemata of zinne-werck", 1624. Leiden University Department of Dutch Language & Literature, Web, July 2013.
Schama, Simon. "The Embarrassment of Riches: An Interpretation of Dutch Culture in the Golden Age" University of California Press. Print. 1988
A paternity cap is a cap worn by young fathers from the time when their baby was born to the moment when the newborn could be baptized.
At the time, urban Europe in general had been experiencing an increase in infant mortality rate. However, there is a strong evidence that the lives of small children, vulnerable to sickness and plague, were still held dear rather than cheap by the Dutch (Schama, 521). The culture was not conditioned by morbidity; instead, the birth of a new child was a great occasion that called for joy and celebration. An intimate family feast, with mandatory attendance by other family members, was how families, from peasants to riches, welcomed a new child. Yet the birth of a child was not only the inside world event; for the outside world the front doors of the house were decorated with special emblem, kraam kloppertje, made of paper and lace signifying the sex, and special cakes, kindermaalstuk, honoring the birth of a new family members were served to guests. Moreover, the posting of kloppertje, along with the father’s donning the paternity cap, announced a period when the household would be exempt from certain taxes and duties (Gysius).
The picture on the left, Emblemata X, portraits a father in his paternity cap walking the child in the night and crooning lullabies, while his wife gets needed sleep. This scene, so familiar to modern households, was received with extraordinary shock to the early seventeenth-century audience. Stereotypical expectations at the time - “patriarchal” family being governed by stern, remote and dynastically fixated fathers, while family harmony was made from maternal affection alone (Schama, 541). The picture therefore appears to be unreal, as the wife is given time by her man to rest, as the man helps her in her chores. However, the donning of the paternity cap was a sign of the father’s pleasure in his offspring; it marked the importance and honor that was given to new fatherhood regardless of whether or not this man already had other children. [Artur Satayev]
works cited:
de Brune, Jan. "Emblemata of zinne-werck", 1624. Leiden University Department of Dutch Language & Literature, Web, July 2013.
Schama, Simon. "The Embarrassment of Riches: An Interpretation of Dutch Culture in the Golden Age" University of California Press. Print. 1988
Pearl
Pearls are naturally composed of calcium carbonate and conchiolin made inside of a living shelled mollusk. Natural pearls are high in value because they are extremely rare to find. Pearls can be found in numerous areas around the globe and is valued highly in the vein of same reasons. Non natural pearls haven't been available since the early 1900s, so all pearls during Dutch Golden Age are natural pearls. Pearls are also one of the highest valued items in the Christian New Testament scriptures. This can be evident by how pearl is used as an analog to Kingdom of Heaven in Matthew 13: 45-46. "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly (fine) pearls: Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it." Pearl is also referenced in Revelation 21:21 that each gate in the New Jerusalem is made up of a single pearl. Pearl also used in other religious scriptures as well. Use of the pearl in the painting of Girl with a Pearl Earring lets the audience know that the girl in the painting is a highly valued person or related to one. Though the pearl earring in the painting is unnaturally big and is considered that Vermeer may have used a different material for reference and painted in the earring out of his imagination. (Ky Lee)
Pearls are naturally composed of calcium carbonate and conchiolin made inside of a living shelled mollusk. Natural pearls are high in value because they are extremely rare to find. Pearls can be found in numerous areas around the globe and is valued highly in the vein of same reasons. Non natural pearls haven't been available since the early 1900s, so all pearls during Dutch Golden Age are natural pearls. Pearls are also one of the highest valued items in the Christian New Testament scriptures. This can be evident by how pearl is used as an analog to Kingdom of Heaven in Matthew 13: 45-46. "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly (fine) pearls: Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it." Pearl is also referenced in Revelation 21:21 that each gate in the New Jerusalem is made up of a single pearl. Pearl also used in other religious scriptures as well. Use of the pearl in the painting of Girl with a Pearl Earring lets the audience know that the girl in the painting is a highly valued person or related to one. Though the pearl earring in the painting is unnaturally big and is considered that Vermeer may have used a different material for reference and painted in the earring out of his imagination. (Ky Lee)
The Plague
The Black Plague, also known as Black Death, bubonic, septicemic, and pneumonic plague, swept through Europe starting in the 14th century. Rough estimates of the total people killed by the plague range from 75 to 200 million people. The mortality rate for individuals infected was close to 80 percent. At the time no one knew exactly how the plague was communicated. Beliefs that tobacco smokers were spared was common along with direct contact with a person with the disease would result in contracting the disease. As the disease spread across countries, towns would quarantine infected areas in an attempt to control the spread. In reality, the disease was spread by fleas and rodents. These hosts would carry the plague and either infects a human through biting the flesh or contaminating the food. Once the symptoms of the plague began to occur, death would soon follow about four days later. Even though the major wave of the Plague ended by middle of the 15th century, resurgences of the disease continued to haunt many cities and towns of Europe. London had an outbreak in 1665 killing over 100,000 people, accounting for over 15% of the population. Paris constantly battled outbreaks cutting the city’s population in half. Amsterdam had multiple outbreaks for over a century, each time wiping out a tenth of the population. (Kyle Quick)
Works Cited:
“Delft in Johannes Vermeer’s Time.” Essential Vermeer. Essential Vermeer 2012. Web. 17 July 2013.
“The Black Death, 1348.” EyeWitness to History. EyeWitness to History 2001. Web. 20 July 2013.
Alchin, Linda. “The Black Death: Bubonic Plague during the Elizabethan Era.” William Shakespeare: The Complete Works. William-Shakespeare 2005. Web. 20 July 2013.
The Black Plague, also known as Black Death, bubonic, septicemic, and pneumonic plague, swept through Europe starting in the 14th century. Rough estimates of the total people killed by the plague range from 75 to 200 million people. The mortality rate for individuals infected was close to 80 percent. At the time no one knew exactly how the plague was communicated. Beliefs that tobacco smokers were spared was common along with direct contact with a person with the disease would result in contracting the disease. As the disease spread across countries, towns would quarantine infected areas in an attempt to control the spread. In reality, the disease was spread by fleas and rodents. These hosts would carry the plague and either infects a human through biting the flesh or contaminating the food. Once the symptoms of the plague began to occur, death would soon follow about four days later. Even though the major wave of the Plague ended by middle of the 15th century, resurgences of the disease continued to haunt many cities and towns of Europe. London had an outbreak in 1665 killing over 100,000 people, accounting for over 15% of the population. Paris constantly battled outbreaks cutting the city’s population in half. Amsterdam had multiple outbreaks for over a century, each time wiping out a tenth of the population. (Kyle Quick)
Works Cited:
“Delft in Johannes Vermeer’s Time.” Essential Vermeer. Essential Vermeer 2012. Web. 17 July 2013.
“The Black Death, 1348.” EyeWitness to History. EyeWitness to History 2001. Web. 20 July 2013.
Alchin, Linda. “The Black Death: Bubonic Plague during the Elizabethan Era.” William Shakespeare: The Complete Works. William-Shakespeare 2005. Web. 20 July 2013.
Point of Brightness
Vermeer used camera obscura that narrows the range of brightness in nature. The tones of dark and light are not evident in Vermeer’s paintings but they represent different light conditions. Vermeer put thought in introducing different points of light and brightness in his paintings because the human eye easily adapts to different lighting conditions. In the book “A Girl with a Pearl Earring”, Vermeer states that he is unsatisfied with his painting. Griet looks at it and says that it is lacking a point of brightness in the pearl earring- something that will catch the eye. Vermeer used the camera obscura’s effect when painting the perfectly spherical highlight of the earring in the final version of the painting. There is also a dim highlight to the right of the eye on the right hand side of the painting. [Addie Neuman]
"Vermeer and The Camera Obscura." Vermeer and the Camera Obscura, Part Three. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 July 2013.
Vermeer used camera obscura that narrows the range of brightness in nature. The tones of dark and light are not evident in Vermeer’s paintings but they represent different light conditions. Vermeer put thought in introducing different points of light and brightness in his paintings because the human eye easily adapts to different lighting conditions. In the book “A Girl with a Pearl Earring”, Vermeer states that he is unsatisfied with his painting. Griet looks at it and says that it is lacking a point of brightness in the pearl earring- something that will catch the eye. Vermeer used the camera obscura’s effect when painting the perfectly spherical highlight of the earring in the final version of the painting. There is also a dim highlight to the right of the eye on the right hand side of the painting. [Addie Neuman]
"Vermeer and The Camera Obscura." Vermeer and the Camera Obscura, Part Three. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 July 2013.
Protestant
Classified as a major division of Christianity. It can be classified as any of several church denominations denying the universal authority of the Pope and affirming the Reformation principles of justification by faith alone, the priesthood of all believers, and the primacy of the Bible as the only source of revealed truth. This division of Christianity brands itself as a Christian not of a Catholic or Eastern Church. The Dutch Protestantism during this time period reflected the beliefs of The Fundamentalist division of Protestantism. The primary characteristics of Dutch Protestantism in this time period reflect the inerrancy of the Bible, personal salvation by accepting Christ as Savior, the personal, premillennial imminent return of Christ, an evangelical desire to reach out and save and convert others, and an acceptance of most traditional Protestant beliefs such as the Trinity, the Virgin birth, and the existence of angels and devils [Smith]. Movement started by a German priest named Martin Luther. The Protestant Reformation came about as an attempt to reform the Catholic Church who, Luther thought, was heading down the path of secular desires. Luther wrote his Ninety-Five Theses on the sale of indulgences in 1517, which set the base for his new branch of Christianity. (JP Tiernan)
Smith, Tom W. "Classifying Protestant Denominations." Review of Religious Research 31. 225-45. Print.
Classified as a major division of Christianity. It can be classified as any of several church denominations denying the universal authority of the Pope and affirming the Reformation principles of justification by faith alone, the priesthood of all believers, and the primacy of the Bible as the only source of revealed truth. This division of Christianity brands itself as a Christian not of a Catholic or Eastern Church. The Dutch Protestantism during this time period reflected the beliefs of The Fundamentalist division of Protestantism. The primary characteristics of Dutch Protestantism in this time period reflect the inerrancy of the Bible, personal salvation by accepting Christ as Savior, the personal, premillennial imminent return of Christ, an evangelical desire to reach out and save and convert others, and an acceptance of most traditional Protestant beliefs such as the Trinity, the Virgin birth, and the existence of angels and devils [Smith]. Movement started by a German priest named Martin Luther. The Protestant Reformation came about as an attempt to reform the Catholic Church who, Luther thought, was heading down the path of secular desires. Luther wrote his Ninety-Five Theses on the sale of indulgences in 1517, which set the base for his new branch of Christianity. (JP Tiernan)
Smith, Tom W. "Classifying Protestant Denominations." Review of Religious Research 31. 225-45. Print.
The Red Dress
The Red dress was worn by one of van Ruijven’s maid in Vermeer, “Girl with the Wine Glass.” The Red Dress belongs to van Ruijven’s wife, but van Ruijven insisted that the maid wears it in the painting. The painting depicts the maid and van Ruijven together. During the painting process van Ruijven had wine in the painting, so the maid would have to drink wine with him. By the time Vermeer finished the painting, the maid was carrying van Ruijven’s child. Vermeer’s painting of the maid and van Ruijven became a scandal that was the talk around town. The color red can also be interpreted as adultery. Similar interpretation of the color red can be derived from the book, “Scarlet Letter” by Nathan Hawthorn. Scarlet Letter was based on the 17th century Puritan, where a young Hester Prynne was punished for adultery by wearing the red letter “A” on her dress. Even though these two occurrences happened on different continents and in two different cultures, the similarly between two events converge on a singular theme of adultery. Red represents a kind of evil that men are attracted to; it commands attention especially if worn by a beautiful woman. Red is the color of love and passion, but it is also the color of war due to its natural tendency for violence. Red likes to fight with other colors; it doesn't blend in with the crowd. It stands out like a sore thumb. Red is always calling attention to itself, like the devil’s bait. [Sataphorn Worasilpchai]
Work Cited: Hanson, Brington K. "Coloring the Narrative: Color Symbolism in Seventeenth-Century Dutch Painting." (2008).Web. 24 July 2013.http://drum.lib.umd.edu/bitstream/1903/9790/1/Hanson_umd_0117N_10789.pdf
The Red dress was worn by one of van Ruijven’s maid in Vermeer, “Girl with the Wine Glass.” The Red Dress belongs to van Ruijven’s wife, but van Ruijven insisted that the maid wears it in the painting. The painting depicts the maid and van Ruijven together. During the painting process van Ruijven had wine in the painting, so the maid would have to drink wine with him. By the time Vermeer finished the painting, the maid was carrying van Ruijven’s child. Vermeer’s painting of the maid and van Ruijven became a scandal that was the talk around town. The color red can also be interpreted as adultery. Similar interpretation of the color red can be derived from the book, “Scarlet Letter” by Nathan Hawthorn. Scarlet Letter was based on the 17th century Puritan, where a young Hester Prynne was punished for adultery by wearing the red letter “A” on her dress. Even though these two occurrences happened on different continents and in two different cultures, the similarly between two events converge on a singular theme of adultery. Red represents a kind of evil that men are attracted to; it commands attention especially if worn by a beautiful woman. Red is the color of love and passion, but it is also the color of war due to its natural tendency for violence. Red likes to fight with other colors; it doesn't blend in with the crowd. It stands out like a sore thumb. Red is always calling attention to itself, like the devil’s bait. [Sataphorn Worasilpchai]
Work Cited: Hanson, Brington K. "Coloring the Narrative: Color Symbolism in Seventeenth-Century Dutch Painting." (2008).Web. 24 July 2013.http://drum.lib.umd.edu/bitstream/1903/9790/1/Hanson_umd_0117N_10789.pdf
Roemer Glass(Römer or Rummer)
Like tulipomania, the Roemer glass is never directly referenced in Tracy Chevalier’s novel. However, she talks about wine glasses multiple times in the text, which would most likely be a Roemer glass. The Roemer received its name as a tribute for the wine from Rome that would fill the glasses. The predecessors to the Roemer glass were simply glasses that held wine and had no stems. Later, the Roemer’s look would change its look according to the region that was created in. This is where the stem was created and the ornate patterns were added and sometimes a gold lip for the very expensive. Such features were a display of sophistication and wealth, therefore they, like the tulip, was very popular to be included in still life paintings. For instance, in Vermeer’s “The Procuress”, a woman is depicted holding a Roemer. In addition to the glass itself, a lot can be said about how it is being held. The proper way to hold a Roemer is by the bottom part of the newly created stem, which helps accentuate this feature considering any glass can be held by the cup. Another implication of refinement that a Roemer held was what it literally held, that is, the drink of choice. Beer was fairly plentiful and cheap while Roemer glasses usually held wine, which is a sign of refined taste. (Matthew Segars)
Work Cited: "The History of Roemer Wine Glasses." History of Roemer Wine Glasses. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 July 2013. <http://www.deutscheshaus.cc/html/newsletters/romer_wine_glasses.html>.
Like tulipomania, the Roemer glass is never directly referenced in Tracy Chevalier’s novel. However, she talks about wine glasses multiple times in the text, which would most likely be a Roemer glass. The Roemer received its name as a tribute for the wine from Rome that would fill the glasses. The predecessors to the Roemer glass were simply glasses that held wine and had no stems. Later, the Roemer’s look would change its look according to the region that was created in. This is where the stem was created and the ornate patterns were added and sometimes a gold lip for the very expensive. Such features were a display of sophistication and wealth, therefore they, like the tulip, was very popular to be included in still life paintings. For instance, in Vermeer’s “The Procuress”, a woman is depicted holding a Roemer. In addition to the glass itself, a lot can be said about how it is being held. The proper way to hold a Roemer is by the bottom part of the newly created stem, which helps accentuate this feature considering any glass can be held by the cup. Another implication of refinement that a Roemer held was what it literally held, that is, the drink of choice. Beer was fairly plentiful and cheap while Roemer glasses usually held wine, which is a sign of refined taste. (Matthew Segars)
Work Cited: "The History of Roemer Wine Glasses." History of Roemer Wine Glasses. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 July 2013. <http://www.deutscheshaus.cc/html/newsletters/romer_wine_glasses.html>.
Saints/Virgin Mary
The Virgin Mary and other saints are consistently referenced throughout “Girl with a Pearl Earring” with a strong symbolic connotation. In a certain exchange between Vermeer and Griet, the Virgin Mary is used as a good example of what Protestants expect to see in artwork and what Catholics expect to see in artwork. Griet states, “I do not see the Virgin Mary, that is certain” (pg. 63, Vermeer). Vermeer, however, is stressing that Catholics may wish to see Saints such as the Virgin Mary within the walls of their churches while others, such as Protestants might wish to see yet another pathway to the same God. Protestants during the 17th century, particularly Dutch Protestants, kept the honoring of the Virgin Mary and saints to a minimum. They believed in sola scriptura which is the belief that all that is needed for salvation is contained in the Bible. It is not directly stated in the Bible that one should honor the Saints with paintings and statues. During the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century, Martin Luther posted a list of 95 complaints against the Roman Catholic Church, sparking a schism between those that “protested” the church and the Catholics. In Martin Luther’s 95 complaints, he details that the use of sculptures for Saints and the Virgin Mary was a form of Polytheism, or the belief in multiple holy figures or multiple Gods. For this reason, Saints and the Virgin Mary demonstrated a vast difference between Protestants and Catholics, something Griet was very new to. (Devin Roach )
The Virgin Mary and other saints are consistently referenced throughout “Girl with a Pearl Earring” with a strong symbolic connotation. In a certain exchange between Vermeer and Griet, the Virgin Mary is used as a good example of what Protestants expect to see in artwork and what Catholics expect to see in artwork. Griet states, “I do not see the Virgin Mary, that is certain” (pg. 63, Vermeer). Vermeer, however, is stressing that Catholics may wish to see Saints such as the Virgin Mary within the walls of their churches while others, such as Protestants might wish to see yet another pathway to the same God. Protestants during the 17th century, particularly Dutch Protestants, kept the honoring of the Virgin Mary and saints to a minimum. They believed in sola scriptura which is the belief that all that is needed for salvation is contained in the Bible. It is not directly stated in the Bible that one should honor the Saints with paintings and statues. During the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century, Martin Luther posted a list of 95 complaints against the Roman Catholic Church, sparking a schism between those that “protested” the church and the Catholics. In Martin Luther’s 95 complaints, he details that the use of sculptures for Saints and the Virgin Mary was a form of Polytheism, or the belief in multiple holy figures or multiple Gods. For this reason, Saints and the Virgin Mary demonstrated a vast difference between Protestants and Catholics, something Griet was very new to. (Devin Roach )
Tile painting
Tile painting is a term for painting on tiles. It has a long history. The technique is based on clay manipulating methods. Clay is fired at a high temperature at about 800-1000° Celsius to form the shape. The discovery of lead-glaze, many centuries ago, has been very important. Objects covered with lead-glaze are fired a second time and in the process the lead-glaze melts and hardens into a thin layer of transparent and glasslike material. Tile painting is mainly about lead-glaze. Painters change the lead-glaze used to get different colors and shapes. In the book, we are mainly focused on dutch tiles. After gradual development, painted tiles began to show a character which is more genuinely Dutch even if still polychrome. The ornamental pattern of the tile is gradually disappearing. Each tile gets its main motif, such as a portrait, a soldier or an animal, in a circle or a square. Later we see all kinds of fruit and flowers appearing on the tiles. Dutch tiles were affected by porcelain from China. About the year 1602 the first blue Chinese porcelain came to Holland as a result of the trade with China. With the imitation of the blue China imported from China, blue tiles made their appearance. New style was soon formed. A characteristic feature is also that blue/white decorations of the corners of each tile, make a new pattern when four tiles are put together. The craftsmen who painted the tiles were general not accomplished artists and often used prints from famous artists as an example. [Minshuo Li]
(Work Cited: “History of the Dutch Tile”. Nederlands Tegelmuseum. Web. 24 July 2013)
Tile painting is a term for painting on tiles. It has a long history. The technique is based on clay manipulating methods. Clay is fired at a high temperature at about 800-1000° Celsius to form the shape. The discovery of lead-glaze, many centuries ago, has been very important. Objects covered with lead-glaze are fired a second time and in the process the lead-glaze melts and hardens into a thin layer of transparent and glasslike material. Tile painting is mainly about lead-glaze. Painters change the lead-glaze used to get different colors and shapes. In the book, we are mainly focused on dutch tiles. After gradual development, painted tiles began to show a character which is more genuinely Dutch even if still polychrome. The ornamental pattern of the tile is gradually disappearing. Each tile gets its main motif, such as a portrait, a soldier or an animal, in a circle or a square. Later we see all kinds of fruit and flowers appearing on the tiles. Dutch tiles were affected by porcelain from China. About the year 1602 the first blue Chinese porcelain came to Holland as a result of the trade with China. With the imitation of the blue China imported from China, blue tiles made their appearance. New style was soon formed. A characteristic feature is also that blue/white decorations of the corners of each tile, make a new pattern when four tiles are put together. The craftsmen who painted the tiles were general not accomplished artists and often used prints from famous artists as an example. [Minshuo Li]
(Work Cited: “History of the Dutch Tile”. Nederlands Tegelmuseum. Web. 24 July 2013)
Tulipomania
This work is never directly referenced in the text, but was implied through Vermeer’s use of flowers in his studio. To understand the term, it can be broken up into to parts tulip- and –mania where tulip obviously references a spefic type of flower while mania means an excessive enthusiasm. So more specifically, tulipomania is the people of Holland’s obsession with the Tulip flower. Its beauty is not the only factor that popularized this flower but its accessibility too. The Tulip is originate in Turkey which is a good 2,000 miles away which is a 36 hours away by car, but would take about a month for traders to travel. So, to be able to afford such a plant would be a sign of great wealth especially since flowers are not a necessity. With Holland’s booming trade economy a rising middle class could afford more luxuries and, as expected, one of those luxuries are flowers. Because of the fame that these flowers gained among the affluent, many artists wanted to paint the tulip in still-lifes considering the new wealthy middle class were the ones to buy the pieces of work. The reason for that it cost so much was that there was a very low supply, which was quickly remedied with many merchants heading to Turkey to trade. The price drop occurred when people realized that the quality of the tulip did not match the amount of florins being charged for it. And so, after just a few years, tulips’ values dropped the market turned into what looked similar to the housing market in the US in 2009. (Matthew Segars)
Work Cited: "THE TULIPOMANIA." Tulipmania and Investing. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 July 2013. <http://www.thetulipomania.com/>.
This work is never directly referenced in the text, but was implied through Vermeer’s use of flowers in his studio. To understand the term, it can be broken up into to parts tulip- and –mania where tulip obviously references a spefic type of flower while mania means an excessive enthusiasm. So more specifically, tulipomania is the people of Holland’s obsession with the Tulip flower. Its beauty is not the only factor that popularized this flower but its accessibility too. The Tulip is originate in Turkey which is a good 2,000 miles away which is a 36 hours away by car, but would take about a month for traders to travel. So, to be able to afford such a plant would be a sign of great wealth especially since flowers are not a necessity. With Holland’s booming trade economy a rising middle class could afford more luxuries and, as expected, one of those luxuries are flowers. Because of the fame that these flowers gained among the affluent, many artists wanted to paint the tulip in still-lifes considering the new wealthy middle class were the ones to buy the pieces of work. The reason for that it cost so much was that there was a very low supply, which was quickly remedied with many merchants heading to Turkey to trade. The price drop occurred when people realized that the quality of the tulip did not match the amount of florins being charged for it. And so, after just a few years, tulips’ values dropped the market turned into what looked similar to the housing market in the US in 2009. (Matthew Segars)
Work Cited: "THE TULIPOMANIA." Tulipmania and Investing. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 July 2013. <http://www.thetulipomania.com/>.
Van Ruijven
Pieter Claesz. van Ruijven was born in December 1624, known to be 8 years older than Vermeer. Pieter van Ruijven was likely to be a patron for Vermeer who bequeathed several of his paintings to his daughter. Though it is not certain that he had any trade or profession, van Ruijven is the only known collector of Vermeer’s paintings. Like his farther, his only municipal job was to be the master of the Camer van Charitate. What links Van Ruijven to Vermeer's patronage are the twenty-one paintings part of the 1696 auction of Jacob Dissius estate. Outside of his relations with Vermeer, van Ruijven married Maria de Knuijt in 1653, only to have a daughter, Magdalena, in 1655. His wife, Maria de Knuijt, was part of the mainstream Dutch Reformed Church, however, his family adhered to the Remonstrants minority. This sector was barred from a political career within Delft. The first contract between van Ruijven and Vermeer is known to have happened to 1657, where van Ruijven lent Vermeer and Catharina 200 guilders. It is speculated that this loan was to purchase one or more paintings. The sale of Girl Asleep at a Table, The Officer and the Laughing Girl, The Little Street, and the Women Reading a Letter, sold in the auction of Dissius’ paintings in 1696, were most definitely previously owned by van Ruijven, presumably to have helped repay the loan in 1657. Van Ruijven’s patronage also had a negative side, in which the concentration of Vermeer’s paintings in a single collection restricted the possible scope of his contacts. (Jordan Garth)
Works Cited:
Chevalier, Tracy. "About Vermeer." Girl With a Pearl Earring. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 July 2013.
Kalden, Kees. "Pieter Claesz Van Ruijven." Johannes Vermeer & 17th Century Life in Delft. N.p., 16 Feb. 2001. Web. 23 July 2013.
Montias, John Michael. "Vermeer's Clients And Patrons." Art Bulletin 69.1 (1987): 68. Advanced Placement Source. Web. 23 July 2013.
Pieter Claesz. van Ruijven was born in December 1624, known to be 8 years older than Vermeer. Pieter van Ruijven was likely to be a patron for Vermeer who bequeathed several of his paintings to his daughter. Though it is not certain that he had any trade or profession, van Ruijven is the only known collector of Vermeer’s paintings. Like his farther, his only municipal job was to be the master of the Camer van Charitate. What links Van Ruijven to Vermeer's patronage are the twenty-one paintings part of the 1696 auction of Jacob Dissius estate. Outside of his relations with Vermeer, van Ruijven married Maria de Knuijt in 1653, only to have a daughter, Magdalena, in 1655. His wife, Maria de Knuijt, was part of the mainstream Dutch Reformed Church, however, his family adhered to the Remonstrants minority. This sector was barred from a political career within Delft. The first contract between van Ruijven and Vermeer is known to have happened to 1657, where van Ruijven lent Vermeer and Catharina 200 guilders. It is speculated that this loan was to purchase one or more paintings. The sale of Girl Asleep at a Table, The Officer and the Laughing Girl, The Little Street, and the Women Reading a Letter, sold in the auction of Dissius’ paintings in 1696, were most definitely previously owned by van Ruijven, presumably to have helped repay the loan in 1657. Van Ruijven’s patronage also had a negative side, in which the concentration of Vermeer’s paintings in a single collection restricted the possible scope of his contacts. (Jordan Garth)
Works Cited:
Chevalier, Tracy. "About Vermeer." Girl With a Pearl Earring. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 July 2013.
Kalden, Kees. "Pieter Claesz Van Ruijven." Johannes Vermeer & 17th Century Life in Delft. N.p., 16 Feb. 2001. Web. 23 July 2013.
Montias, John Michael. "Vermeer's Clients And Patrons." Art Bulletin 69.1 (1987): 68. Advanced Placement Source. Web. 23 July 2013.
Virtuous
Virtuous means conforming to moral and ethical principles. In the book, this word would be used to refer to the upper class women, including Cathrina. Most of Vermeer’s paintings used in this book are the paintings of women referred to as maids. Dutch paintings can be classified into two categories; upper class and lower class drawings. Upper class paintings are mostly portraits of nicely dressed men or women or a child while lower class drawings contain representations of still life, landscape, religion, and groups of people. In most of the portraits, models are creating or surrounded by virtuous atmosphere. And there is no painting where the models, particularly women, are drawn with their mouth opened. ‘Virtuous’ can describe a contradicting aspect of Girl with a pearl earring; a portrait of a maid wearing pearl earring, but with her mouth opened. It is obvious that this girl appears to be a maid but she is creating somewhat virtuous and elegant atmosphere. When Vermeer tries to use Griet as a model, he wants her to dress up in Cathrina’s dress and jewelry while Griet is reluctant to wear them. Her reluctance and fear of Cathrina finding out about this fact implies that upper and lower class women dressed differently. Also, Vermeer requests her to leave her mouth opened during the painting. Feeling surprised and embarrassed, she thinks to herself how virtuous women would not leave her mouth opened during painting(pg.198). Her thoughts and feelings imply how differently women were treated even on drawings depending on their class. (Jung Ha Lee)
Work Cited: "Johannes Vermeer’s Influence and Inspiration." Web log post. Johannes Vermeers Influence and Inspiration. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 July 2013. <http://vermeer0708.wordpress.com/girl-with-a-pearl-earring-the-novel/>.
Virtuous means conforming to moral and ethical principles. In the book, this word would be used to refer to the upper class women, including Cathrina. Most of Vermeer’s paintings used in this book are the paintings of women referred to as maids. Dutch paintings can be classified into two categories; upper class and lower class drawings. Upper class paintings are mostly portraits of nicely dressed men or women or a child while lower class drawings contain representations of still life, landscape, religion, and groups of people. In most of the portraits, models are creating or surrounded by virtuous atmosphere. And there is no painting where the models, particularly women, are drawn with their mouth opened. ‘Virtuous’ can describe a contradicting aspect of Girl with a pearl earring; a portrait of a maid wearing pearl earring, but with her mouth opened. It is obvious that this girl appears to be a maid but she is creating somewhat virtuous and elegant atmosphere. When Vermeer tries to use Griet as a model, he wants her to dress up in Cathrina’s dress and jewelry while Griet is reluctant to wear them. Her reluctance and fear of Cathrina finding out about this fact implies that upper and lower class women dressed differently. Also, Vermeer requests her to leave her mouth opened during the painting. Feeling surprised and embarrassed, she thinks to herself how virtuous women would not leave her mouth opened during painting(pg.198). Her thoughts and feelings imply how differently women were treated even on drawings depending on their class. (Jung Ha Lee)
Work Cited: "Johannes Vermeer’s Influence and Inspiration." Web log post. Johannes Vermeers Influence and Inspiration. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 July 2013. <http://vermeer0708.wordpress.com/girl-with-a-pearl-earring-the-novel/>.
Visual Skills
The Dutch method of map making married a traditional map, quantifiable usable data, with an artistic approach and presentation. Vermeer’s Art of Painting depicts this relationship by his placement of two females on his wall covering map- one holds surveying equipment and the other a paint brush and color palette. Some art historians argue that art was placed in Dutch map making to make up for the lack of precise measurements and actual cartography, while others believe it was simple style choice in “a time when maps were considered a kind of picture and when pictures challenged texts as a central way of understanding the world” (Alpers 54). While the Dutch did lack (along with the rest of the world) proper surveying technique and equipment, they held an intrinsic ability for landscape planning and site work. This arose from the nature of land in the Netherlands- high water tables, rivers, and poor soil required an innate ability to understand the land and control it to build proper infrastructure and foundations. Site work and city planning came as second nature to the Dutch, and as such the important aspects for natural protection and trading of the time: topography, water egress, and trade routes, were well documented in cartography, even if they weren’t perfectly to scale. (Richard Burroughs)
Work Cited: Oers, Ron V. "The Natural Landscape and the Foundation of Dutch Colonial Cities."Landscape as Guiding Element in the Design and Planning of Dutch Colonial Settlements (1600-1800). N.p.: n.p., n.d. N. pag. Projets De Paysage. Projets De Paysage. Web. 22 July 2013. <www.projetsdepaysage.fr>.
The Dutch method of map making married a traditional map, quantifiable usable data, with an artistic approach and presentation. Vermeer’s Art of Painting depicts this relationship by his placement of two females on his wall covering map- one holds surveying equipment and the other a paint brush and color palette. Some art historians argue that art was placed in Dutch map making to make up for the lack of precise measurements and actual cartography, while others believe it was simple style choice in “a time when maps were considered a kind of picture and when pictures challenged texts as a central way of understanding the world” (Alpers 54). While the Dutch did lack (along with the rest of the world) proper surveying technique and equipment, they held an intrinsic ability for landscape planning and site work. This arose from the nature of land in the Netherlands- high water tables, rivers, and poor soil required an innate ability to understand the land and control it to build proper infrastructure and foundations. Site work and city planning came as second nature to the Dutch, and as such the important aspects for natural protection and trading of the time: topography, water egress, and trade routes, were well documented in cartography, even if they weren’t perfectly to scale. (Richard Burroughs)
Work Cited: Oers, Ron V. "The Natural Landscape and the Foundation of Dutch Colonial Cities."Landscape as Guiding Element in the Design and Planning of Dutch Colonial Settlements (1600-1800). N.p.: n.p., n.d. N. pag. Projets De Paysage. Projets De Paysage. Web. 22 July 2013. <www.projetsdepaysage.fr>.