Vermeer: Faith in Painting

Description

Using a historical analysis of Vermeer's method of production and a close reading of his art, this book explores the originality of Vermeer in the context of 17th-century Dutch painting. It suggests that his confrontation with painting represented a very personal effort to define a new pictorial practice within the classical tradition of his art.

Daniel Arrase is Director of Studies of Art History and Theory at the Ecole des Haute Etudes in Paris. Among his works is The Guillotine and the Terror.

"Vermeer has always proved an elusive artist, yet he has also held a special fascination... [This book] makes considerable headway in outlining the reasons... Arasse ... brings both a nicely calibrated visual sensitivity and a thoughtful analytical bent to the pictures themselves lay[s] out what he considers to have been a painting program by Vermeer."--Larry Silver, American Historical Review "The most important work to date on Vermeer's theory of painting and his oeuvre. Burnished by the excellent translation by Terry Grabar, this study presents a thoughtful assessment of Vermeer's personal interpretation of the nature of art."--Linda K. Varkonda, Sixteenth Century Journal "This intense, impassioned book reflects the ways in which we continue to be enthralled by the magic of Vermeer's light and deft touch."--Virginia Quarterly Review