When I viewed this painting, The Astronomer, at the Louvre in Paris, I was surprised at how small it was, only 19 3/8″ x 17 3/4″ (50 x 45 cm). For some reason, I always assumed Vermeer’s paintings were as large as his iconically-large reputation.
This painting captures the mood of the Baroque era with its incredible detail and rich subject matter by incorporating paintings on the wall, rich clothing, and books on the desk. Vermeer has brought in these props to show the subject is a man of wealth.
The magic of so many of Vermeer’s paintings is the light coming from the only window, leading the viewer’s eye straight to the subject, as the scene is set in an otherwise dark room.
What I find so interesting about the subject matter is a learned man is shown examining the known world in the 1600’s on a round surface — a globe — instead of a flat one. Even in ancient times, sailors knew the earth was round, and Columbus set sail on his journey counting on this fact. But exactly HOW the earth looked, with its oceans and land masses, was still open for a lot of discovery. How fascinating must that have been for men of science at that time in the dawning of a new era of scientific thought!
As was common in the Baroque era, Vermeer did not paint this as a portrait, per se. He portrayed an educated man pursuing his profession as an astronomer. With a book open on his desk, he reaches for the globe, perhaps realizing mankind just made some great discovery. Some art historians believe the painting was either of or inspired by Anton van Leeuwenhoek, who was a contemporary of Vermeer. Leeuwenhoek invented the microscope, and also was a master at astronomy and navigation. Vermeer’s painting reflects this Renaissance man’s zeal for science.
This masterpiece of the Baroque era so ably captures man’s fascination with the complexities of world around us. It is true of then and it is true of now. It is proof that current events make for good art.
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Hi Sarah !
Which is your favorite artist ?
Which are your favorite paintings ?
Could you tell us more about your vision of the great artists’ paintings ?
I really like this post about Veermeer’ painting and I am looking forward to continuing !
Alexander,
Thanks for writing. You asked who is my favorite artist and which are my favorite paintings. Goodness! I’ve seen so many wonderful paintings by great artists it’s almost impossible to choose.
Since I love portraiture I guess if I had to choose my favorite artist it would be John Singer Sargent and my favorite painting would be one of his:
Portrait of Édouard and Marie-Louise Pailleron. At 60” x 70” it is a large one and I happened to see it in person when a Sargent exhibit was touring through Norfolk, VA.
To see it in a photograph is rather disappointing, because his brushwork isn’t really visible and the subtle coloration is lost. I must have stood there transfixed for 20 or 30 minutes staring at every detail and trying to memorize every seemingly careless swipe of his brush. But there was nothing careless about his application of paint, and that’s what made him a master. He is still considered the greatest portrait painter for so many reasons.
My vision of what makes artists’ paintings great is one I’m still trying to understand myself. There are so many styles — from photo realism to abstract expressionism. There are great works in every genre (and not so great works, too). But I would say for me the artist has to know how to arrange all the elements into a composition that catches the viewer’s attention and holds them there (not an easy task) But even if you can paint really well, if the composition isn’t interesting, it’s not worth painting. But if there’s a pleasing composition, then I would say the brushwork is the next component that is required. This goes for any genre.
Another great contemporary artist is Richard Schmidt. There are so many great artist but he’s a good start.
I’m glad you liked the post about Vermeer. His paintings are always a joy to look at. He was an excellent draftsman and he delights the viewer with his lush interiors and wonderful lighting.
Regards,
Sarah