While in the Netherlands, I read Girl with a Pearl Earring before going to see the The Mauritshuis
Museum in The Hague which houses several Vermeer paintings. The book was a
historical fiction based on the life of the girl in the painting that the title
describes.
I am, by no means, a connoisseur of art, and this was the
first time I’d ever learned about a painter beyond the audioguides or informational
plaques supplied by museums. It was a good book and definitely drew me into the
17th century world in which Vermeer inhabited. The storyline was
pretty simple and nothing to write home about, but even though reading the book
wasn’t life changing, it did keep my attention and it was enjoyable. While not
much is actually known about the life of Vermeer beyond city archives (births,
deaths, marriage and debt), the author does a good job spinning these meager
records into a decent tale.
The best part of the book was simply the fact that upon
seeing Vermeer’s paintings in person, I knew why they were so appreciated and I could actually understand the
genius in his use of light and positioning. The book itself was good, but the
enjoyment I got out of seeing Vermeer’s paintings after reading it will forever
change the way in which I approach art museums.
No comments:
Post a Comment