They bring together 28 Vermeer paintings in a single exhibition at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam

They bring together 28 Vermeer paintings in a single exhibition at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam

Amsterdam. Most of the works of the 17th century Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer, 28 paintings that he himself did not get to see together, will be exhibited from Friday at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, an unprecedented event.

The author of world famous works such as the milkmaid y The girl of the pearl He painted around 35 pictures and little is known of his short life (1632-1675).

The museum has managed to bring together more than three quarters of his work, making the exhibition the largest retrospective ever devoted to the Dutch Golden Age painter.

Never in history have 28 Vermeer paintings been collectedTaco Dibbits, general director of the Rijksmuseum, told Afp during a previous visit. Not even he himself saw so many togetherhe assured.

Famous for their luminosity, the 28 paintings, on loan from museums and collections around the world, will glow on the dark walls of the Rijksmuseum galleries during the exhibition from February 10 to June 4.

It is a very happy reunionsays Dibbits, whose museum has already sold a record 200,000 tickets.

Part of the fascination with Vermeer stems from the mystery surrounding the painter, nicknamed the Delft sphinx.

The artist was born into a family of Calvinist merchants and converted to Catholicism after his marriage to a wealthy woman with whom he had 11 children. However, little is known of his life. Compared to other masters of the Dutch Golden Age, such as Rembrandt, his work remained in the shadows for a long time, until it was rediscovered in the 19th century.

Marvelous

Vermeer’s rise to stardom coincided with the 1999 publication of Tracy Chevalier’s historical novel The girl of the pearlwhich was based on the painting donated for the exhibition by the Mauritshuis museum in The Hague.

▲ Detail of the works The girl of the pearl y Woman with a pearl necklaceby Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer, during a preview for media representatives for the largest retrospective –that not even he himself saw so many together–, dedicated to the artist of the Dutch Golden Age.Ap’s photo

The book was also made into a 2003 Hollywood movie starring Scarlett Johan-sson and Colin Firth.

wonderful, it’s wonderfulChevalier told Afp after seeing the exhibition.

I am very happy that people can see these paintings together and get an idea of ​​what Vermeer was like.said.

Most of her works portray women whom presented in his best light, literally and figurativelyobserves the writer.

The artist painted women in domestic settings, reading, writing a love letter, or playing a musical instrument.

According to Chevalier, who especially likes the lacemakera highly delicate work on loan from the Louvre, the artist was able to show what it is to be a woman.

The authenticity of one of the exhibited works (The girl with the flute) is in doubt. According to the gallery that donated it, the National Gallery of Art in Washington, the painting was painted in all probability by a collaborator of Vermeer’s workshop.

The Rijksmuseum, however, claims to have reached a different conclusion. I think it is very important for science and for the knowledge of Vermeer to have these debates.says Dibbits.

The general director of the Rijksmuseum believes that one of Vermeer’s attractions is that he creates silent worlds so realistic that the viewer feels lost in them.

We live in such a busy worldobserva Dibbits, and then we stand in front of Vermeer and time stops.