Museum to Hold Largest Showing of Vermeer's Paintings
2023-02-10
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1The national museum of the Netherlands is holding the largest show ever of paintings by Dutch artist Johannes Vermeer.
2The Rijksmuseum is in the capital, Amsterdam.
3It has placed 28 paintings on exhibit.
4It says they represent about half of the 17th century artist's body of work.
5Vermeer is known for his expertise at representing light in his paintings.
6His subject was often common household objects.
7The artist worked slowly on his paintings and died at the age of 43.
8He likely never saw so many of his own works together at one time.
9Rijksmuseum director Taco Dibbits said Vermeer had a large family and busy life as an art dealer.
10Still, he said, the painter was able to create works of quiet beauty.
11"It's this ... complete focus and tranquility in his paintings that we still love today," Dibbits said.
12The show includes some of Vermeer's most famous works, including Girl With A Pearl Earring (1664) and The Milkmaid (1659).
13Visitors can also see his two known outdoor paintings and several others of women playing instruments, reading and working.
14"We're really coming closer to Vermeer than we've ever been," said Pieter Roelofs, the Rijksmuseum's Head of Paintings and Sculpture.
15What is "striking" about Vermeer, Roelofs said, "is that in his paintings, it's mostly women who are the protagonists," meaning the main subjects.
16The expert noted that Vermeer had seven daughters.
17Roelofs said Vermeer's works are more than something a good eye and skilled hand can create.
18Recent examinations show the Milkmaid was repainted several times.
19Writer Tracy Chevalier attended an event for the show before it opened.
20She wrote the popular book Girl with a Pearl Earring, a historical fiction based on the painting.
21It later became a movie.
22Chevalier said the show presents Vermeer as a quiet and private man.
23"His paintings are so quiet and there are no children ... he must have compartmentalized his life and said 'no, no kids in the studio'."
24Museums in Germany, France, Japan, Britain, Ireland and the United States helped with the public showing, which opens on Friday and runs until June.
25I'm John Russell.
1The national museum of the Netherlands is holding the largest show ever of paintings by Dutch artist Johannes Vermeer. 2The Rijksmuseum is in the capital, Amsterdam. It has placed 28 paintings on exhibit. It says they represent about half of the 17th century artist's body of work. 3Vermeer is known for his expertise at representing light in his paintings. His subject was often common household objects. The artist worked slowly on his paintings and died at the age of 43. He likely never saw so many of his own works together at one time. 4Rijksmuseum director Taco Dibbits said Vermeer had a large family and busy life as an art dealer. Still, he said, the painter was able to create works of quiet beauty. 5"It's this ... complete focus and tranquility in his paintings that we still love today," Dibbits said. 6The show includes some of Vermeer's most famous works, including Girl With A Pearl Earring (1664) and The Milkmaid (1659). Visitors can also see his two known outdoor paintings and several others of women playing instruments, reading and working. 7"We're really coming closer to Vermeer than we've ever been," said Pieter Roelofs, the Rijksmuseum's Head of Paintings and Sculpture. 8What is "striking" about Vermeer, Roelofs said, "is that in his paintings, it's mostly women who are the protagonists," meaning the main subjects. The expert noted that Vermeer had seven daughters. 9Roelofs said Vermeer's works are more than something a good eye and skilled hand can create. Recent examinations show the Milkmaid was repainted several times. 10Writer Tracy Chevalier attended an event for the show before it opened. She wrote the popular book Girl with a Pearl Earring, a historical fiction based on the painting. It later became a movie. 11Chevalier said the show presents Vermeer as a quiet and private man. 12"His paintings are so quiet and there are no children ... he must have compartmentalized his life and said 'no, no kids in the studio'." 13Museums in Germany, France, Japan, Britain, Ireland and the United States helped with the public showing, which opens on Friday and runs until June. 14I'm John Russell. 15John Russell adapted this story for VOA Learning English from reports by Reuters and the Associated Press. 16_____________________________________________________________________ 17Words in This Story 18museum - n. a building in which interesting and valuable things (such as paintings and sculptures or scientific or historical objects) are collected and shown to the public 19focus - n. a state in which the small details of a picture or image can be clearly seen 20tranquility - n. the quality or state of being quiet and peaceful 21fiction - n. something told or written that is not fact; a made-up story 22compartmentalize - v. to separate (something) into sections or categories