Why do so many people love the art of Johannes Vermeer?

It is the title of my latest video on YouTube (see the link in my bio). In the video, I share what I believe are the three main reasons for Vermeer's appeal to many:

1) His works invite us to ask questions about the characters and situations depicted.

2) His works show an exceptional harmony and balance.

3) He incorporated light like no one before.

The works shown here are from left to right: The Milkmaid, Girl with a Pearl Earring, Lady Standing at a Virginal, A Woman Holding a Balance, The Geographer, The Little Street, Woman with a Pearl Necklace, and Woman with a Water Jug.

The video will give you a more detailed explanation, illustrated by many of his works, of Vermeer's magic. And if you believe there are other factors contributing to his popularity, please share them with us in the comments below the YouTube video or below.

 Why do so many people love the art of Johannes Vermeer? It

Will o the Wisp (1888) was painted by the Czech artist Lev Lerch (1856-1892).

Will o’ the wisp is a popular concept in folklore, and it refers to a beautiful ghost light that travelers see during the night. It is often seen near swamps or marshes, and across the folk stories it is referred with a variety of names. It is usually a bright, flickering lamp that serves as a guide to the people seeing it. But it turns out that this light provides false hope as it doesn’t really exist…

Or does this light exist? In this work by Lerch, he poses the source of this mysterious light. It is a nymph-like figure floating above a wetland. She is not really holding the light, instead the light is floating above her hands in the air. So, perhaps we should be hopeful when we see this light next time ;-)

 There is always hope. Will o the Wisp (1888) was painted by

Twilight: Interior (c. 1909) was painted by the British artist George Clausen (1852-1944).

The work is also known as Reading by Lamplight, and this seems to be a more descriptive title for this atmospheric scene. It shows the artist’s sitting room at St John’s Wood, London. It is the large window that determines the shape of the painting, but it is subtle incorporation of light that creates the atmosphere.

Clausen usually painted scenes of peasants and landscapes, but more than that, he had a great interest in capturing light in his works, something that he shared with the Impressionists. And while this interior scene may not be his most representative work, the care with which he incorporated the light is typical for Clausen.

 Would you like to swap places with her? Twilight: Interior

Just look at the way this artist captured the light.

After Modeling (1880) was painted by the Finnish artist Adolf von Becker (1831–1909).

It shows an artist’s studio. It seems that the painter has finished his work for the day. We can see his canvas on the right, and based on the title, we can guess that the little girl was the model for the painting. And now that the work is over, the artist takes the time to dress her properly before going back home. And while we don’t know the relation between the two, the artist treats her with care and respect.

Just as interesting (at least to me) is the way Von Becker has incorporated the light in this painting. He has used the light coming from the window in the background to subtly highlight the essential parts of both the young girl and the artist. And the gradations of light and shadow throughout are executed with great precision.

 Just look at the way this artist captured the light. After

The Abduction of Europa by Rembrandt in the Getty Museum shows how Zeus disguises himself as a beautiful white bull and seduces Europa to go for a ride with him. Zeus holds his tail high to indicate that he is happy with the success of his trick.

 The Abduction of Europa by Rembrandt in the Getty Museum

The way Gerrit van Honthorst painted these nightly scenes earned him the nickname Gerard of the Nights.

Adoration of the Christ Child (c. 1620) is an example of his extreme light contrasts.

The scene takes place in the night, and at first it may seem logical than the moon is out providing us a glimpse at what is going on. But looking at the light a bit better, it seem that Baby Jesus is the light source, a symbolic reference to Jesus as the light of the world.

Admiring Baby Jesus are his mother, the Virgin Mary, Joseph, and two angels.

 The way Gerrit van Honthorst painted these nightly scenes

Venice is one of the most inspiring places for painters.

Venice by Moonlight (1869) was painted by the Norwegian Sophus Jacobsen.

And while he wasn't familiar with Impressionism when he painted this, I'm sure the Impressionists would have appreciated it. Jacobsen was primarily active in Dusseldorf, Germany where he studied with Hans Gude. But he did travel through Europe for inspiration. And the light, landscape, and architecture certainly inspired, as it did to many artists over time.

And while in France, the beginnings of Impressionism were developed in the 1860s, Jacobsen was not familiar with this grassroots movement yet. But if you compare this work to some of the views of Venice painted by Claude Monet 40 years later, you can already see some of the Impressionist touches and ideas in this work.

 Venice is one of the most inspiring places for painters

Some like the sunlight, others the moonlight.

The full moon after a heavy downpour was the perfect circumstance for John Atkinson Grimshaw (1836-1893) to capture the magical views that the night can provide.

 Some like the sunlight, others the moonlight. The full moon

Sometimes the shadow is better than the light.

Shadows (1887) shows a woman doing a simple daily chore. It was painted by the American Impressionist Charles Courtney Curran (1861-1942).

 Sometimes the shadow is better than the light. Shadows

Young Woman with a Water Pitcher by Vermeer is a masterclass on how to paint light and shadows in different gradations!

This was also the first Vermeer painting to come to the United States in 1887.

 Young Woman with a Water Pitcher by Vermeer is a

Twilight, Venice is a spectacularly colorful impression on the San Giorgio Maggiore church.

It is part of a series of paintings in which Monet depicted "The Floating City" under different atmospheric conditions.

 Twilight, Venice is a spectacularly colorful impression on

And it feels like a Johannes Vermeer painting without people in it.

Interior with a Mirror (c. 1907) is one of many calming and mysterious interior scenes by Vilhelm Hammershøi (1864-1916).

Sometimes, it helps when artists leave out certain elements (like people in this case) to completely focus on capturing the remaining elements (light and composition in this case). And if you follow this argument one step further, you get to Modern, Abstract Art. People like Piet Mondrian would leave out all the light and solely focus on the composition and colors of their works.

Later today, I will release a video about one of the works by Johannes Vermeer, which provides a nice comparison to this work.

 It's a symphony of light and shapes. And it feels like a

Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun's Self Portrait in a Straw Hat was directly inspired by Rubens' Portrait of Susanna Lunden. Le Brun was deeply impressed by Rubens' incorporation of both daylight and sunlight.

 Vigée Le Brun or Rubens? Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun's Self

Sunlight in the Blue Room (1891) by Anna Archer (1859-1935), a very innovative female artist from Denmark who was associated with the Skagen painters.

The full title of this work is Sunlight in the Blue Room: Helga Ancher Knitting in Grandmother's Parlour. It shows the daughter of the artist knitting in the room of her grandmother. But the real beauty is found in the many shades of blue she incorporated, which create a very peaceful atmosphere.

As the girl is painted from the back and appears quite static, the attention of the viewer quickly shifts to the sunlight which is playing which creates many shades of blue.

The work of Archer was more innovative than that of her male colleagues, as she shifted the focus from capturing reality to painting colors and more abstract forms, something that really got popular among Modern artists in the beginning of the 20th century.

 Fifty shades of blue. Sunlight in the Blue Room (1891) by

The Valpinçon Bather is one of the early works by Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres launching a long and very successful career.

The Seated woman seems to float in the air and the colors and light are extremely harmonious making it into a very satisfying image.

 The Valpinçon Bather is one of the early works by

Cardiff Docks (1894) is wonderful combination of industrialization, light, and smokestacks.

The capital of Wales is painted by the American artist Lionel Walden and on display in the capital of France...

OK, he did live in each of those countries, so it is probably not that surprising.

 Cardiff Docks (1894) is wonderful combination of

When it's dusk, the "fireflies" come out...

Les Lucioles (the fireflies) was painted in 1896 by the French Academic artist Henri-Camille Danger.

It shows a forest at dusk filled with nymphs who we can identify by the radiating light around their heads. Every circle of light that you can see throughout the forest represents another nymph. They are organized in small groups and are holding hands, talking with each other, and other silly things that nymphs do when we are asleep and they are active in the forest.

Henri-Camille Danger (1857-1939) is one of the very many French Academic artists active around the turn of the 20th century. They actively submitted works to the Paris Salon, but many of those skilled artists have largely been forgotten now as they are just so many of them. But sometimes you come across a stunning artwork by some of them, and I certainly found this painting an outstanding work of art and imagination.

 When it's dusk, the "fireflies" come out... Les Lucioles

Caravaggio used dramatic illumination (Tenebrism) to create wildly dramatic scenes.

Saint Jerome Writing in Malta is a great example of this revolutionary style.

 Caravaggio used dramatic illumination (Tenebrism) to create

At the Opera (c. 1900) by Georges Clairin (1843-1919) shows how the dancers are having a break in the middle of the opera.

During the interval, they are taking the time to chat with each other and the opera visitors, possibly important patrons like the two elderly gentlemen we see on the bottom right.

And while the theme of this painting is not so spectacular, it is the way that Clairin captured the colors in this dimly-lit opera house that makes this work stand out. The dancers stand out from the audience by their radiating tutus. They are clearly depicted as the shining stars of the show. And if you look carefully, you can see that the rest of their outfit consists of some shades of pink and purple. But it is their tutus that soak up all the attention and light, something that would also provide a beautiful effect when they are dancing on the stage.

 Beautiful contrasts. At the Opera (c. 1900) by Georges

The first visitors of Jesus after his birth.

Adoration of the Shepherds (1622) was painted by Gerrit van Honthorst.

The shepherds in the fields near Bethlehem were the first to hear about the birth of Jesus. An angel visited them and told them the news. And they were also the first to visit Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus.

And Jesus is the source of light in this painting, a symbolic reference to the words in the Gospel of John mentioning Jesus as the light of the world.

Van Honthorst (1592-1656) was a successful Dutch Baroque artist inspired by the strong color contrasts that Caravaggio introduced. He made the contrasts of Caravaggio even more extreme and colorful, and painted this when he was at the height of his career.

 The first visitors of Jesus after his birth. Adoration of

View of Toledo is the only true landscape painting by El Greco.

The spectacular contrasts in the sky and the luminosity of the green hills remind me of a landscape after heavy rain and thunderstorms.

It is on view in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

 View of Toledo is the only true landscape painting by El

Pissarro painted the Boulevard Montmartre in Paris at 14 different times and weather conditions.

Here it is night and wet outside, leading to wonderful light effects.

 Pissarro painted the Boulevard Montmartre in Paris at 14

Do you love the works of Johannes Vermeer or have you never understood why his works are so popular?

If you spend 90 seconds of your time watching my latest video (see the link in my bio), I will try to explain the brilliance of one of his works.

Woman Holding a Balance (c. 1664) is on display in the National Gallery of Art.

 Do you love the works of Johannes Vermeer or have you never

The Grand Canal at Moonlight shows the magic of Venice before the abundance of artificial gaslights.

It was painted by Friedrich Paul Nerly (1842-1919) who loved to painted city- and seascapes.

 The Grand Canal at Moonlight shows the magic of Venice

The light effects in A Boy Blowing on a Firebrand (1621-1622) are spectacular. Just look at the sparks emanating from the glowing ember.

It was painted by Gerrit van Honthorst, who earned the fitting nickname Gerrit of the Nights, because of this type of paintings.

 The light effects in A Boy Blowing on a Firebrand

Monet finished about 250 paintings on water lilies that are on display all over the world. His main challenges included capturing the reflection of light on the water and the areas under the water.

This work is on display in the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston.

 Monet finished about 250 paintings on water lilies that are

The swirling fabrics and light are spectacular.

Love's Messengers was painted by Édouard Bisson (1856-1945) in the Academic Style, also known as L'art Pompier (Fireman's Art), referring to the fireman-style helmets that Jacques-Louis David included in his works.

 The swirling fabrics and light are spectacular. Love's

A beautiful symphony of light and shadow!

Borrowed Plumes by George Harcourt (1868-1947) shows a young model dressed in a borrowed robe. It seems that he captures her unexpectedly as the girl emerges from the shadows. A simple scene captured from an aerial view. And a wonderful display of light and shadow.

Harcourt was a Scottish painter who combined various influences in his style. Most notably here are the Impressionist influences in capturing the light. But unlike the more famous French Impressionists, Harcourt applied some of these ideas to portraits instead of outdoors scenes.

 A beautiful symphony of light and shadow! Borrowed Plumes

Renoir was a master in depicting joy! Dance at Le Moulin de la Galette in the Musée d'Orsay perfectly illustrates the happiness of an open air dance.

It is part of the Amuze audio tour of the Musée d'Orsay.

 Renoir was a master in depicting joy! Dance at Le Moulin de

For Peter Paul Rubens, this Old Woman and Boy with Candles was just a practice piece that he was not interested in selling.

He used it to teach his many students how Caravaggio incorporated light in his works.

Rubens did not follow the style of Caravaggio much as he had his own artistic ideas. But he did learn the styles of all important Italian artists during the time that he spent 8 years in Italy.

 For Peter Paul Rubens, this Old Woman and Boy with Candles

An intriguing impression of the Paris nightlife.

Paris Opera by Night (1891) was painted by the Polish artist Aleksander Gierymski (1850-1901).

In the fall of 1890, Gierminsky got a commission from the wealthy Polish land owner Ignacy Korwin-Milewski (1846-1926) to paint the Paris Opera House. It was a wonderful opportunity for Gierminsky as his works incorporated elements similar to the Impressionist style, even though he had never visited Paris (the epicenter of Impressionism) before.

In Paris, he got a lot of inspiration from the famous Impressionists, and he combined their techniques with his own Realist style, focusing on incorporating the contrasts between light and dark. In this intriguing painting, he concentrates on capturing the diffuse light effects in the Paris evening.

It creates a wonderful impression of Parisian nightlife, and he deliberately ignores finishing the painting in detail to maximize the Impressionist effects. It is as if we take a quick glance at the opera square without focusing on any person or building in particular.

 An intriguing impression of the Paris nightlife. Paris

Rembrandt never traveled abroad, but the stark contrasts between light and dark in Belshazzar's Feast certainly show some influences of Caravaggio.

He picked those ideas up from his many colleagues that did travel to Italy.