From the artist's life
Vermeer likely used a camera obscura: tiny circles of confusion — out-of-focus highlights — appear in his paintings exactly as a lens would render them.
Source: Wikipedia / WikimediaBaroque
Johannes Vermeer
Johannes Vermeer (1632–1675) of Delft painted fewer than 40 known works, mostly silent domestic interiors lit by a cool, pearly daylight. Forgotten for two centuries, he now ranks beside Rembrandt as a giant of the Dutch Golden Age.
Rediscovered in the 19th century, Vermeer became the painter of light and stillness; Girl with a Pearl Earring is now one of the most famous faces in art.
- Left fewer than 40 paintings and died poor, leaving his wife with eleven children and heavy debts.
- Mastered light like no one else — his interiors glow with cool daylight from a single window.
- Used costly natural ultramarine lavishly, even for objects in shadow, a near-reckless luxury.
Key works
Where to start
Complete list of key works
Works with a dedicated ArtAtlas page are highlighted in gold.
- Girl with a Pearl EarringOn ArtAtlas
- The Art of PaintingOn ArtAtlas
- The MilkmaidOn ArtAtlas
- View of DelftListed for reference
- The AstronomerListed for reference
- The GeographerListed for reference
- The ProcuressListed for reference
- Christ in the House of Martha and MaryListed for reference
- A Girl AsleepListed for reference
- Diana and her NymphsListed for reference
c. 1665
Girl with a Pearl Earring
Girl with a Pearl Earring is an oil painting by Dutch Golden Age painter Johannes Vermeer, dated c. 1665. Going by various names over the centuries, it acquired its present title towards the end of the 20th century.
1667
The Art of Painting
The Art of Painting, also known as The Allegory of Painting, or Painter in his Studio, is a 17th-century oil on canvas painting by Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer. It is owned by the Austrian Republic and is on display in the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna.
1660
The Milkmaid
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Quick answers to what people most often search about this artist.
When did Johannes Vermeer live?
Johannes Vermeer was born in Delft in 1632 and died in 1675. He was little known in his lifetime and left fewer than 40 known paintings.
What is Vermeer's most famous painting?
His most celebrated work is Girl with a Pearl Earring, often called the 'Mona Lisa of the North' for her enigmatic gaze.
Why is Vermeer called a master of light?
He painted quiet domestic scenes bathed in cool, pearly light from a single window — an effect still admired for its precision and calm.
Did Vermeer really use a camera obscura?
Scholars consider it likely: his paintings contain soft circles of blurred light — 'circles of confusion' typically produced by a lens rather than the naked eye.