Vermeer's Secret

Painting with Light

Q: How did Vermeer create realistic photographic-like images before the camera was even invented?

Girl Reading a Letter at an Open Window - 1658

A: Mirrors

This question has been discussed again and again. There seems to be a consensus that he used a little mirror at a 45-degree angle called a comparator mirror. The following videos talk about this technique.

This is quite an unexpected rabbit hole that even led the famous Vegas magicians Penn and Teller to produce a video (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim%27s_Vermeer) about this painting technique.

There is a new camera on kickstarter, which does the same thing. See: https://www.thisiscolossal.com/2023/06/neolucida-plus

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Vermeer Collage by Google Images

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Midjourney Prompt: A painting of a bichon shitzu puppy wearing an earring, by Johannes Vermeer, portrait contest winner, high resolution, detailed textures, realism, pastel colors, oil painting, intricate details, fine brushstrokes, warm lighting, golden hue, classic renaissance style, vivid colors, calm atmosphere

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Bonus: 12 Things You Didn't Know About Vermeer

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Pairs nicely with:

The Camera, Van Gogh and "The Starry Night"

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More links:

https://www.sonyclassics.com/timsvermeer/

https://artsandculture.google.com/theme/discover-the-work-of-the-dutch-golden-age-painters/dgISuPe2Fz5CIw?hl=en

https://www.easy-oil-painting-techniques.org/how-to-use-a-comparator-mirror.html

https://joshgans.medium.com/10-reasons-to-doubt-tims-vermeer-c183bb3ce7a2

https://www.artble.com/artists/johannes_vermeer

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