Vermeer's Maps

Marcel Proust praised View of Delft by Johannes Vermeer as "the most beautiful painting in the world." Maps were important in the Netherlands in the 17th century, and Vermeer depicted them in nine of his paintings, including Officer and Laughing Girl and The Art of Painting. Rozemarijn Landsman's book is the most comprehensive study of the artist's depiction of wall maps to date, drawing on rare surviving examples and other primary sources.

Format: Hardback
Length: 128 pages
Publication date: 31 August 2022
Publisher: Distributed Art Publishers

Marcel Proust's declaration of Johannes Vermeer's View of Delft (1632-75) as "the most beautiful painting in the world" has captivated viewers since its rediscovery in the 19th century. Maps, a fusion of art and science, played a significant role in the Netherlands during the 17th century, particularly in Vermeer's work. Of the approximately 34 paintings attributed to the Delft-based artist, nine depict wall maps and other cartographic objects, including the Officer and Laughing Girl and his masterpiece, The Art of Painting. In this book, author Rozemarijn Landsman explores this intriguing aspect of Vermeer's work, providing rare surviving examples of the maps and other primary sources. Through her incisive text, Landsman greatly enriches and expands our understanding of the art and life of the "Sphinx of Delft."

Dimension: 248 x 184 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781636810249