Vermeer

Rating:
Summary: Evocative and excellent
Review: I saw and was transformed by the Vermeer exhibit in Washington, D.C. a few years ago. I bought this book along with Girl in Hyacinth Blue. While the print edition cannot begin to reproduce the "light" of his paintings, this excellent production brought back a flood of feelings and remembrances from show.

Rating:
Summary: Evocative and excellent
Review: I saw and was transformed by the Vermeer exhibit in Washington, D.C. a few years ago. I bought this book along with Girl in Hyacinth Blue. While the print edition cannot begin to reproduce the "light" of his paintings, this excellent production brought back a flood of feelings and remembrances from show.

Rating:
Summary: Vermeer -- and Delft
Review: The best art history tells us not only about the painter and the paint, but the surrounding events of life and the world as well. Since so little is known of Vermeer himself, the city of Delft, on which this book focuses so much attention, truly becomes the central character. We cannot know Vermeer, but we can know his daily life. This is a marvelously researched if somewhat dryly presented history that should set a bench mark for the popular study of popular artists.

Rating:
Summary: All of Vermeer's paintings at an affordable price
Review: The print quality though not a perfect color match in the paintings, is better than most. I've yet to find a Veermeer book that closely matches Vermeer's vivid use of color while at the same time closely matching the original colors. It's a well made book, amazing considering the low price.
The writing is rather dry and unemotionally scholarly albeit comprehensive, and can be somewhat boring. I would rather read a more thorough analysis of what each painting was intended to say and how it was made and composed, written with less emotional detachment. At the price though, it's a pretty good book.

Rating:
Summary: All of Vermeer's paintings at an affordable price
Review: The print quality though not a perfect color match in the paintings, is better than most. I've yet to find a Veermeer book that closely matches Vermeer's vivid use of color while at the same time closely matching the original colors. It's a well made book, amazing considering the low price.
The writing is rather dry and unemotionally scholarly albeit comprehensive, and can be somewhat boring. I would rather read a more thorough analysis of what each painting was intended to say and how it was made and composed, written with less emotional detachment. At the price though, it's a pretty good book.

Rating:
Summary: Vermeer: A Visual Treat
Review: This book offers a wonderful opportunity for those Vermeer lovers who were not fortunate enough to view the National Gallery of Art exhibit in 1995. A brief but informative overview of Vermeer's life is provided, along with large format reproductions of all of his existing works. Inlcuded in each description is the location of each work, along with the dimensions of the original. While my goal is to see all the Vermeers on display, this is a great reference companion. I keep it on my coffee table and refer to it often. It's a treasure.

Rating:
Summary: Illuminating Vermeer
Review: This exceptional work showcases Vermeer's oeuvre with very high quality reproduction. Note especially the clarity of two wondrous Vermeer portraits, the Girl with the Pearl Earring and the Girl with the Red Hat; both have been recently cleaned and restored and are presented here with much of the the subtle values and luminous color characteristic of the originals. The landscapes are beautifully captured to scale: The Little Street shimmers with tincture of bricks and mortar, while The View of Delft generates a sense of lapidary majesty. The Lady Reading, the Milkmaid, the Woman in Blue, and the Woman Holding a Balance are simply splendid, as are the Astronomer and the Geographer.

Arthur Wheelocks's text incisively narrates Vermeer's threadbare story, givng historical context while providing insight about the paintings themselves. I'm not sure he should have included the controversial St. Praxedis, for many scholars have rejected its attribution to Vermeer. But his commentary as well as his methodology for dating the paintings is informed by the best scholarship, for Wheelock has been at the forefront over the last several decades in bringing Vermeer to the public at large.

Given the price, this book is a terrific value. It can be used on the coffee table and as an essentail companion when reading other volumes about Vermeer. Better still, take it with you as you visit personally all the Vermeers in the New York (the Metropolitan and the Frick) and Washington, DC( the National Gallery) museums.