Johannes Vermeer: The Complete Works, by Karl Schütz - book review

In his lifetime, however, the fame of Johannes Vermeer barely extended beyond his native Delft

Vermeer - the complete works (Gemäldegalerie, SMB )

His works have prompted a best-selling novel, a film starring Scarlett Johansson, record visitor numbers at art institutions from Amsterdam to Washington, and special crowd-control measures at the Mauritshuis, in The Hague, where thousands flock to catch a glimpse of the enigmatic, wide-eyed, and enchanting Girl with a Pearl Earring, also known as the “Dutch Mona Lisa”.

In his lifetime, however, the fame of Johannes Vermeer barely extended beyond his native Delft. After his death, his name was largely forgotten. It was not until the mid 19th century that Vermeer returned to the attention of the international art world, which suddenly looked upon his narrative minutiae, meticulous textural detail, and majestic planes of light, and spotted a genius.

This book brings together the complete catalogue of Vermeer’s work. From letter writing, to music playing, to preparations in the kitchen, it allows Vermeer’s restrained, but richly evocative, repertoire of domestic actions to unfold in a format which includes three fold-out spreads.

Some of the finest 17th- and 18th-century Dutch paintings in the Royal Collection, including Vermeer’s The Music Lesson, are brought together in a new exhibition which opens next week at the Queen’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace. It runs until 14 February 2016.

Johannes Vermeer: The Complete Works, by Karl Schütz, Taschen £99.99