The Public and the Private in the
Age of Vermeer
The art of Johannes Vermeer fascinates viewers
as much today as it did in seventeenth-century Delft. Through
a mastery of composition and harmonious colors Vermeer appears
to capture the moments, or even the 
moments between
moments, of everyday life in the quiet corner of a Dutch home
in his native city of Delft.Whether pausing to allow scales to
balance or idly tuning a lute or pondering the measure of a map,Vermeer's
figures seem possessed of and lost in thoughts far deeper and
profound than their simple activities might otherwise indicate.
Indeed while viewing Vermeer's paintings one frequently considers
the most fundamental emotions and concerns of human existence.
Vermeer's ability to suggest universal features of humanity in
his serene images of daily existence is one of the most fascinating
aspects of this artist and accounts for the endless appeal of
his art.
Five years ago, I organized an Exhibition of
Vermeer's paintings in
Washington
and the Hague. This historic exhibition brought together 22 of
the artist's finest works for a large and admiring public. Given
that these works are rarely lent from their institutions only
underscored the significance of this event. So naturally I was
surprised when Mr. Hata of Hata Stichting approached me two years
ago with the idea of organizing a show that would feature some
of Vermeer's finest works. However, together we have organized
a remarkable exhibition,The Public and the Private in the
Age of Vermeer, which features five of the artist's finest
paintings, including his enchanting Girl with a Pearl Earring
from Mauritshuis.
This exhibition, part of the year-long festivities
commemorating the 400th anniversary
of the arrival of the first Dutch ship on the shore of Japan,
celebrates Vermeer and his age by exploring in his paintings
and those of his greatest contemporaries the public and private
nature of Dutch society. Drawn from some of the finest collections
in Europe and the United States, the exhibition features not
only works by Vermeer but those of Gerard Terborch, Pieter de
Hooch, Gabriel Metsu, Emanuel de Witte, Hendrick van Vliet, and
Willem van Aelst.
Like his colleagues, Vermeer exhibits in his
paintings an interest in the proper conduct of life, of harmonious
relationships with God and with others. however, it is a tribute
to Vermeer's singular genius that the beautiful, serene poetry
of his artistic vision, whether it be of a woman testing her
balance or of a young maiden turning to meet our gaze, speaks
to us as forcefully today as it did in his lifetime.
On this aniversary year, I invite you all to
be immersed in the miraculous art of Johannes Vermeer.
Arthur K.Wheelock Jr.
Hata Stichting
Foundation