The young Vermeer

About this book

Summary: When Vermeer began painting around the age of 21, he focused primarily on traditional subjects derived from the Bible and classical mythology. Not only do these early works differ greatly from his later paintings in terms of subject matter, they also differ in style. The exhibition unites three paintings from the beginning of Vermeer's artistic career: the Mauritshuis' Diana and her nymphs of c. 1653-1654, is joined by Christ in the house of Martha and Mary (c. 1655) from the National Gallery of Scotland in Edinburgh, and The Procuress (1656) from the Staatliche Kunstsammlungenin Dresden. These three paintings have recently been restored. Within this context, the differences between Johannes Vermeer's early and late work also emerge clearly. The young Vermeer is organised in collaboration with the Gemäldegalerie Dresden and the National Gallery of Scotland, Edinburgh. Exhibition: Mauritshuis, The Hague; April-August 2010.