I recently contributed to my university’s Dutch student-run publication, so here is an article focusing on the Dutch Golden Age as depicted in the paintings of Vermeer.

From the 16th century onward, the religious world began to experience profound upheavals with the advent of the Reformation. This period saw the rise of sceptical and even atheistic ideas, as reflected in the writings of thinkers like Rabelais and Descartes. At the same time, maritime discoveries expanded the understanding of the Earth as a unified whole. Meanwhile, post-Copernican astronomy introduced the concept of Earth as just one component within a vast cosmic system. This new spirit of exploration and discovery opened up not only human potential but also significant commercial opportunities.

This was also when the Netherlands became the leading manufacturer and supplier of globes, which were considered luxurious and highly coveted items. With advancements in geography, the perception of space began to shift, now being viewed on a more human scale. As a result, geography became a fundamental part of the imaginative process in shaping national identities: geographers both created and, in a way, shaped how the world was envisioned.

Knowledge was primarily communicated through visual means: maps, globes, and similar tools. The trade in maps and atlases thrived, and private collections grew across the courts of Europe. The first known astronomical telescope appeared in 1608. That same year, in the Netherlands, an optician introduced a telescope for military use, enabling the observation of seas and the detection of enemy attacks. Galileo later adapted this technology to observe the sky, documenting his findings in The Starry Messenger in 1610. These scientific advancements required the development of often costly instruments.

At the University of Leiden, the first chemistry laboratory was established in 1669, and by 1674, experimental chemistry was part of the curriculum. In 1632, also in Leiden, the first university observatory was built. Scientific expeditions were being planned, with the exploration of land and sea driven by both colonial ambitions and economic interests.

The period of the Reformation also attracted numerous talents in the Netherlands, and between 1620 and 1700, Amsterdam’s population grew from 100,000 to 200,000 inhabitants. Nearly 50% of the Dutch population was urban. Various social classes mingled, and the bourgeoisie invested in and contributed to economic development. The growth of maritime trade, religious tolerance, and scientific curiosity contributed to the establishment of a climate of prosperity and serenity, conducive to the artistic and cultural flourishing of the Golden Age. Although Johannes Vermeer was known in his lifetime, he was long neglected and was only rediscovered in the 19th century. Indeed, only about thirty paintings have been identified as being by him, and no drawings or sketches are known.

Johannes Vermeer was born in 1632 in the city of Delft. His father, a merchant and art dealer, introduced him to the world of painters and their work from an early age. Although few records have survived, it appears that Vermeer began his apprenticeship around 1640. He later joined the Guild of Saint Luke and simultaneously took over his father’s art dealership, a profession he maintained throughout his life to support his large family. In fact, Vermeer converted to Catholicism to marry a young woman of good standing, and together they had no fewer than 15 children.

Johannes Vermeer is often regarded as “the painter of tranquility.” He dedicated his life to painting genre scenes that captured everyday life, and he produced only two cityscapes around 1660. Unlike his contemporaries, such as Rembrandt, Vermeer shied away from the spectacular and grandiose, choosing instead to focus on smaller, more intimate formats. He primarily catered to local demand, never traveling, and served a clientele of wealthy bourgeois patrons. His largest painting is a biblical scene titled Christ in the House of Martha and Mary.

However, the tastes and interests of Vermeer’s patrons were quite different from those of the aristocrats and clerics of Catholic Europe. Vermeer frequently depicted female figures, as seen in Girl with a Pearl Earring (1665), The Lacemaker (1669-71), and Girl Reading a Letter at an Open Window (1657). His work often features recurring motifs such as musical instruments, letters, and everyday objects. He excelled at painting interiors where daylight streams in through a window, gently illuminating a select few objects and accessories. This creates the impression of a quiet moment, frozen in a beam of light. The meticulous arrangement of his compositions, his pursuit of perfect perspective, and the precision of his reflections all suggest that he may have used a “camera obscura,” or darkroom, to achieve these effects.

Like Chardin a century later, Vermeer captured the tranquility of daily life without seeking to tell a specific story. His characters are deeply engrossed in their activities, with minimal interaction with the viewer. Vermeer provides no identifying details about his subjects, leaving the focus on the mood of the scene. His works evoke a sense of intimacy, contemplation, silence, and calm.

Vermeer painted materials with extraordinary sensitivity: the softness of velvet curtains, the delicate draping of a turban, the textured tiles of a roof, or the gentle flow of milk from a jug. He avoided dramatic effects and grand gestures. Instead, his thick, fluid paint and the soft yet vivid colors served to explore his subjects until their very essence was revealed. Light defines the volume in his work, but always with a touch of subtlety.

Let’s now turn our attention to two particularly unique paintings by Johannes Vermeer: The Astronomer and The Geographer. These works stand out in Vermeer’s oeuvre as they depict male subjects absorbed in study, a theme that is quite rare in Vermeer’s body of work.

The Astronomer presents a scholar in his study, with the room softly illuminated by a window with small panes situated at the far left of the painting. The scene is furnished with a table, a cabinet, books, and various measuring instruments. The astronomer, dressed in a flowing blue robe, reaches out with his right hand to touch a globe. This globe is a celestial model created by Jodocus Hondius in 1600, which Vermeer has meticulously reproduced. On the table, we see an astrolabe, a compass, and a book. A painting featuring three circular forms hangs on the cabinet, adding to the scholarly atmosphere of the scene

The Geographer depicts a man standing behind a table, holding a compass and gazing thoughtfully out the window. Before him, a marine map, meticulously painted on parchment, is spread out across the table, while two more maps are rolled up behind him. A marine map of Europe is prominently displayed on the wall. On the cabinet nearby, there is a terrestrial globe, also created by Hondius. The precise details and careful selection of these scientific instruments suggest that Vermeer had a deep understanding of the subjects he was portraying, reflecting the intellectual atmosphere of the time.