With the Titian exhibit still going on, there is less room available for displaying all the other paintings of the KHM. Visitors are still able to look at a significant number of them, carefully chosen by curators. Passing one of Vermeer’s famous paintings, I stopped. Contrary to its previous display, it was hung together with a smaller painting to the left of it.
Looking at the two paintings, I stood next to an upholstered sofa, where a young man was sitting, focusing on the Vermeer painting. As I wanted to photograph it, I turned to him, saying: “Sorry to be in your way, but I’d like to photograph the Vermeer painting”. He smiled at me, asking:” Do you like it?”
“Well, it is not my all-time favorite”, I replied, but explained to him what I thought was so outstanding in this painting.
“I consider the lines and the quality of light to be amazing”. His answer simply was: “Never thought about that”.
He followed by saying: “I just analyze what the man in the Vermeer picture is painting.” Which I had never paid attention to. He then pointed out to me an interesting detail about the background in the painting, a map of the Netherlands. Something which I had never noticed as well.
A good reminder of the broad interpretation of art.
Jacobus Vrel: Woman at the Window
Vermeer: The Art of Painting
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