Johannes Vermeer, The Milkmaid, c. 1660. Rijksmuseum.
In February 2023 the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam is staging what is being billed as the ‘largest’ exhibition of Johannes Vermeer’s work ever. From a career which barely spanned two decades, only around 35 paintings survive, but most of them are to be included; notably The Girl with the Pearl Earring, which the Mauritshuis previously said would never leave The Hague, and works from the Frick in New York who are lending their paintings for the first time.
This study evening with well known art history lecturer Dr Richard Stemp, provides a virtual ‘tour’ of the exhibition, to discuss the paintings in all their mysterious and compelling complexity, and to place them in the context of Vermeer’s life and times.
Study evening - includes two lectures, Q&A and a short break. Tickets £20
Lecture One:
Our course begins in the artist’s home town of Delft, where, at the same time as the Rijksmuseum’s Vermeer, the Prinsenhof Museum is to hold a parallel exhibition which promises to show a clear picture of the artistic, intellectual, and social climate of Delft in the 17th century. We start by exploring this display to learn about the remarkable features of the city’s cultural life which enabled Vermeer to become the great artist we know, as well as discovering some of his unexpected early works on show in Amsterdam.
Lecture Two:
We continue with a thorough exploration of the Rijksmuseum’s Vermeer exhibition, seeking out the clues in the instruments, works of art and other aspects of interior decoration he depicts, in order to come to a fuller understanding of the varied implied meanings of the master’s enigmatic paintings – that very enigma being central to their compelling charm.
Proceeds from our ticket sales benefit museums, galleries and other arts-based organisations and projects.
This is an online event hosted on Zoom which can be watched live, or on-demand for three weeks afterwards. You will receive your link to access the event in your email confirmation and the on-demand link after the event ends.