Woman Holding a Balance
Image courtesy of
The National Gallery of Art, U.S.A
Education:
He may have been a pupil of
Carek Fabri, but it is certain that Fabri had a profound influence on
Vermeer's artwork.
Life/Lifestyle:
Jan Vermeer was
the second child of Reynier Janszoon Vos and Digna Baltens.
Vermeer’s father was an art dealer, and his father’s relations with
artists introduced Jan to painting. In 1653 he was admitted to the guild of
Saint Luke of Delft as a master painter, and served for four terms on its
board of governors. He was the Dean of the Guild in 1663 and 1770. He made his
living as an art dealer rather than a painter.
He
married Catherine Bolnes on April 20, 1653.
His family, consisting of eleven children, lived in poverty and debt.
He worked very slowly, and painted small pieces. Throughout his life, he
painted less than forty pieces, most of which consisted of sunlit domestic
interiors with one or two figures. He
painted very little for the public, but was hired by patrons who liked his
style.
Vermeer
died in 1675, leaving a large debt to the baker, which his wife tried to pay
off. He didn't receive recognition for his work until three centuries later.
He was buried on December 15 of that yeaer in the family grave at Oude
Kerk, Delft.
Style/Significance:
Typically, his quiet, still
scenes, usually of a woman by a window, is that of someone doing something,
but he has a way of pausing these images to create timeless paintings.
He experimented with light, putting the source behind or beside the
subjects, instead of from the front. The
softness of this light also contributes to the tranquility of his paintings.
He was one of the few of that time who painted peasants and daily human
activity instead of the accepted religious and mythological subjects.
Famous Pieces:
The Milkmaid
The Astronomer
Woman with a Water Jug
Woman Holding a Balance
