Vermeer's Camera: Uncovering the Truth Behind the Masterpieces - Tapa dura

"Vivid and impressive.... An experience that is closer to how we absorb the painter's intense, spooky, and perfectionistic work.... It's only in Steadman's presentation that I felt I came close to Vermeer himself."--Sanford Schwartz, The New York Review of Books "Vivid and impressive.... An experience that is closer to how we absorb the painter's intense, spooky, and perfectionistic work.... It's only in Steadman's presentation that I felt I came close to Vermeer himself."--Sanford Schwartz, The New York Review of Books "Vivid and impressive.... An experience that is closer to how we absorb the painter's intense, spooky, and perfectionistic work.... It's only in Steadman's presentation that I felt I came close to Vermeer himself."--Sanford Schwartz, The New York Review of Books "Vivid and impressive.... An experience that is closer to how we absorb the painter's intense, spooky, and perfectionistic work.... It's only in Steadman's presentation that I felt I came close to Vermeer himself."--Sanford Schwartz, The New York Review of Books

Over 100 years of speculation and controversy surround claims that the great 17th-century Dutch artist, Johannes Vermeer, used the camera obscura to create some of the most famous images in Western art. This intellectual detective story starts by exploring Vermeer's possible knowledge of 17th-century optical science, and outlines the history of this early version of the photographic camera, which projected an accurate image for artists to trace. However, it is Steadman's meticulous reconstruction of the artist's studio, complete with a camera obscura, which provides exciting new evidence to support the view that Vermeer did indeed use the camera. These findings do not challenge Vermeer's genius but show how, like many artists, he experimented with new technology to develop his style and choice of subject matter. The combination of detailed research and a wide range of contemporary illustrations offers a fascinating glimpse into a time of great scientific and cultural innovation and achievement in Europe.