Retracing Vermeer’s Legacy—A Conversation

It’s thought that only around thirty-five paintings by Johannes Vermeer survive in the entire world. Of these, five are at The Met—more than at any other museum. Explore the beloved seventeenth-century Dutch painter in a talk with Met curator Adam Eaker and writer Ruth Bernard Yeazell, author of Vermeer’s Afterlives. Vermeer’s works at The Met trace his artistic developments, from early explorations to refined mastery. Though his masterpieces are famous today, Vermeer virtually dropped out of sight after his death in 1675, remaining relatively obscure until the end of the nineteenth century. Gain insight into the rise of this extraordinary painter and the ways in which Vermeer’s captivating art has been interpreted through the centuries.