Synopses & Reviews
In 1653, the artist Johannes Vermeer, the twenty-one-year-old son of an innkeeper, registered as a master painter with the city's Guild. He went on to enjoy a respectable local reputation as a painter until his death in 1675; it was not until the mid-nineteenth century, however, that his genius was widely appreciated. Today, Vermeer's thirty-five paintings are regarded as masterpieces.
In Vermeer, Anthony Bailey presents an intriguing portrait of Vermeer's life and character, long lost in history. Bailey re-creates the atmosphere of the times, introduces Vermeer's colleagues, portrays his domestic life in vibrant detail; he also sheds light on the science and artistry behind the glorious, almost mystical, paintings. Meticulously researched and elegantly written, Vermeer will stand as the classic work on Vermeer for years to come.
Review
"A model biography . . . a pleasure to read."—Sanford Schwartz, T
he New York Review of Books"Supple . . . Connecting sparse dots, Bailey works up a highly plausible account of the master's life and career."—Peter Schjeldahl, The New Yorker
"Richly imagined."—Susan Vreeland, The Christian Science Monitor
The story of one of the world's most beloved yet elusive painters, hailed as "a lovely and succinct introduction to the painter's work...a narrative that is as evocative as it is enthralling" --Michiko Kakutani, The New York Times
Synopsis
Vermeer's 35 paintings are regarded as masterpieces. In this work, Anthony Bailey presents an intriguing portrait of Vermeer's life and character, long lost in history. Bailey re-creates the atmosphere of the times, introduces Vermeer's colleagues, and portrays his domestic life in vibrant detail; he also sheds light on the science and artistry behind the glorious, almost mystical, paintings. 8-page color insert.
About the Author
Anthony Bailey was a writer for
The New Yorker for thirty-five years and has been called "one of the best descriptive writers of his generation" (John Russell,
The New York Times). His twenty-one books include the novel
Major André, two acclaimed memoirs, two books on Rembrandt, and most recently,
Standing in the Sun, a biography of J. M. W. Turner. He lives in Greenwich, England.