Johannes Vermeer: Master of Delft and Golden Age Light

This entry details the life and career of Johannes Vermeer, a master painter from the Dutch Golden Age renowned for his meticulous domestic interiors and expert use of light. Despite being a respected artist and art dealer in Delft, he faced severe financial struggles and died in debt, leaving behind a relatively small body of work. For nearly two centuries, his legacy was largely forgotten until a 19th-century rediscovery elevated him to global fame. Modern scholarship examines his technique and materials, including theories that he may have used optical devices like the camera obscura. Today, Vermeer is celebrated as a cultural icon, and his surviving paintings are subjects of major international exhibitions and popular media.