Vermeer [Hardcover]

Gilles Aillaud (Author), Albert Blankert (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 4, 2007

The mystery underlying Vermeer's use of light and perspective has led to an almost cult-like appreciation of this in many ways mystifying artist. Vermeer profiles the life and works of the distinguished seventeenth-century artist, analyzes him within the context of other artists of the period, and examines how his social origins and domestic environment shaped his work.

Though he was a modestly successful painter/art dealer who was well-respected in Delft, Vermeer never gained much of a reputation outside his hometown and was forgotten almost entirely after his death. In the nineteenth century he was "rediscovered," and since the beginning of the twentieth has been considered one of the finest painters ever.

In this impressive and informative work, the artist's origins and home environment are revealed and his paintings are displayed and discussed within the context of time alongside a history of the influences and repercussions of this master's art.

This lavishly illustrated and beautifully bound edition includes reproductions of all of Vermeer's paintings, many of the works of his contemporaries, and documents relating to his life and city, Delft.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Vermeer could not have anticipated that The Girl with a Pearl Earring would make him a pop culture icon. This oversized art book paints a wide-ranging critical and historical portrait. Vermeer completed only 30-some paintings, which are beautifully reproduced in plates that celebrate every facet of these marvelous works. Other illustrations develop a rich context for the paintings, complementing three notable essays (following a brief introduction by the late French artist Aillaud). Blankert, a Vermeer expert at Utrecht University in the Netherlands, serves as eloquent docent in two essays, plus a catalogue that documents provenance to the present day. Montias, an expert in 17th-century Dutch politics and economics who died in 2005, combs the scarce records of 16th- and 17th-century Delft to conjure Vermeer's environment, drawing on primary documents—from marriage certificates to house inventories listing objects that often appear in paintings (also listed in a full appendix). Unlike many, neither Blankert nor Montias see Vermeer as a neglected genius: he did well enough in his lifetime—or would have, if he hadn't had so many children and nefarious relatives. But as they do show, the artist's star rose through the 18th century, and the scholars, updating their 1978 British edition of this work, bring the story up to the present. 164 color and 35 b&w illus. (Oct.)
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Product Details

• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: Overlook Hardcover; First edition (October 4, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1585679798
• ISBN-13: 978-1585679799
• Product Dimensions: 12.3 x 10.5 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,152,672 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Recycled Gloss, March 8, 2008

By 

Jon Boone (Oakland, MD USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Vermeer (Hardcover)

This edition is overwhelmingly a rehash of the original volume initially published in 1986, dressed up a bit with better reproductions of some of Vermeer's paintings but otherwise undistinguished. The Dutch art historian, Albert Blankert, continues to doubt the authenticity of Vermeer's Girl with a Red Hat, for wholly unpersuasive reasons, and therefore excludes this amazing painting from the main text. For better but not entirely convincing reasons, he also excludes the National Gallery's Young Girl with a Flute, a painting almost certainly done by Vermeer but likely reworked badly by another's hand, so that it lacks Vermeer's magical refinement.

This book as well does not include a reference to the most recently recognized addition to Vermeer's canon, Young Woman at the Virginals, an attribution now with a history of more than five years. Moreover, one would have appreciated a recent reproduction of Vermeer's newly cleaned and restored The Procuress, an early work that presaged the artist's rather extensive use of the camera obscura. The restoration honors Vermeer's original intentions magnificently, bringing forth a silvery light not seen previously.

For the best volume showcasing high quality reproductions of Vermeer's work, one should consult Walter Leidtke's Vermeer and the Dutch School. For a comprehensive history revealing what is known about Vermeer and his milieu, do read Michael Montias' book (and not the precis contained in this volume). For a terrific digest of Vermeer's art and history, buy Anthony Bailey's Vermeer: A View of Delft.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars essential, but not up to date, November 14, 2007

By 

Walter Methlagl (Hall in Tirol, Austria) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Vermeer (Hardcover)

The colour reproductions are partially good, but most of them do not live up to modern standards of colour management.

Also problematic seems to me that the recently sold "Young woman at the virginals" is not included. A short statement concerning this very essential matter would have been desirable, even though this volume is only a new edition of an older book (apparently not modified since 1992 or 1993).

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Caveat Emptor, March 19, 2008

By 

Pascal (Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Vermeer (Hardcover)

The content of this book is good. The reproductions are of a high standard and the views presented are balanced and sometimes stimulating.

HOWEVER,the editorial quality of this book is appalling. The references to the various illustrations are frequently inaccurate. In the "Catalogue" at the end, virtually all of the references to illustrations (figure 114 etc) are incorrect. On page 139, the text from the bottom of page 138 is repeated. The text that should appear at the bottom of page 139 (three lines probably) has disappeared entirely so that there is no continuity in the text. The same error occurs on page 146 so that again some text is repeated and some three lines of text are omitted.

Given the price of the book, one would think they could have afforded to have someone proof-read it!