The Milkmaid by Vermeer, and all its Secret Knowledge
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 11 ก.พ. 2023
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This is the Story of one of the masterpieces by Johannes Vermeer. We now know it as The Milkmaid, even though she is obviously a kitchenmaid.
It is such a deceptively simple picture that nevertheless tells us all kinds of stories.
Also, in this video, I touch upon the way Vermeer used perspective and perhaps even a Camera Obscura. And that brings us to the Secret Knowledge, mentioned in the title, but also in the title of the book and documentaries by David Hockney.
I also mentioned this video in there: • Love, Lust and Longing...
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I like what you said about use of camera obscura not being cheating. People always use the best tools they can.
To me Vermeer is like the first photographer and Rembrandt like the first filmmaker. One extremely static and the other dynamic and full of movement and 'in addition to that artificial' light sources.
May I offer an observation I made while painting a copy of this Vermeer?
Look closely at the wall that is seen between the top edge of the pitcher and the bottom edge of her right forearm.
That is called " negative space".
I am focusing on the value of the paint in this small, crescent shaped area.
By 'value' I mean the relative lightness or darkness of the pigment used.
It appears to me that Vermeer altered the value of the background in this negative space. It is lighter than it should be.
It is lighter than the rest of the wall around it.
I think this was an intentional choice on Vermeer's part.
If the wall in this small space were as dark as the rest of the wall in the general area, we would lose the important contrast between the wall, the arm and the pitcher.
It has always been a pet peeve of mine, that people generally and erroneously refer to this painting as The Milk Maid.
On the strength of Huydecoper's clarification of this subject, I have subscribed !!!
Prima. Informatief!
Dank!
WONDERFUL as always Carel!! I will never forget the moment I first walked into the room with the Vermeers in that museum back in the 80s and gasped out loud … I didn’t know anything back then, no idea who Vermeer was, but his works absolutely took my breath away !! Am very much looking forward to seeing them again one day, but next time with you!!
That would be so cool! Can't wait
I initially though I was going to hate both you and the video, but quite to the contrary you did a great picture full justice and gave us a fascinating and interesting talk.
Thank you, 25 minutes well spent.
Great musicians have always used the latest technology and nobody ever questions their talent.
good point!
Thank you for this informative talk. 👏👏👏
Really well done. This is one of your best, and the painting has always been one of my favorite Vermeers. Pointing out the details of the distressed plaster wall behind her gives us real insight into Vermeer's mind. He took a lot of time with seemingly meaningless details, but, cumulatively, they have great meaning, and tell us something about life and art. The fine stream of milk shows her great care, too.
By coincidence, in the original catalogue of the first ever sale of Vermeer's work that established his canon, this painting was listed with the description "extremely well done"
Thanks ❣️
As usual a wonderful exposition. 👍
Who would have thought there is so much to learn and discover in this painting. I've never heard of the camera obscura usage in art, it really amazes me how creative these artists were in such a time!
Such a peaceful, intimate and fragile painting. I love it!
Very good. Tim’s Vermeer is another documentary with information to consider.
What a fantastic painter
I thought you added some clever image (which flashed up for a fraction of a second) to punctuate your point about elevating simple tasks to art. In this case I have found an artefact of the production and editing process, a simple task: making an animated subscribe and bell icon button. Now through my obsession with meticulous observation and the overwhelming joy I felt upon seeing this frame, I would have to say that this too has been elevated to art.
I hope you take this as the light hearted comment it is, rather than criticism. I always enjoy your videos and leave having learned something. Take care and thank you for the chuckles 😉
Thanks! I tried to do something new, which as it turns out is harder when you are an idiot. But thanks for pointing it out. I have no idea how to remove it, but I can get it right next time (I hope)
I had a chuckle, I have done these things before, it's not as easy as many make it seem! I have really enjoyed the Vermeer series you have been doing. I have learned so much. As an Australian, I doubt I will be in the Netherlands any time soon (the exchange rate and flights to Europe are horrendously expensive) but if I ever do I shall endeavour to seek you out for an art tour. I feel like having a knowledge guide would really elevate the experience.
So don't sell yourself short, you're not an idiot, just learning a new skill :) good luck, and I am sure with time you will get it perfect. I think that you perfected it in one of the more recent videos, so there you go.
Take care and I look forward to whatever you have for us next.
10 feb - 4 june a wonderful Vermeer exposition will take place in the Rijksmuseum!
Yes! I am going tomorrow!
Your channel is such a wonderful place of calm and education... Thank you for keeping up the excellent work. We really appreciate it!
excellent as usual, Carel, but we still lthink that the Vermeer exhibition currently in the Rjiksmusuem will be simply too crowded (200.000 tickets sold already) and it's not like the Bosch exhibition years ago - thanks, Pete
I visited the exhibition twice. I found the crowds quite manageable. I think the Rijks did a good job in that respect.
Wow- that was fascinating. Thanks so much. I am now a fan!
I have this vintage print. So did my grandfather. My grandfather was dutch. Love this art. ♥
I have just found your channel. Brilliant and so wonderful to watch. Thank you!
He painted 'happiness', with the clear understanding that that is how life is meant to be.
Vermeer is one of my favorite painters, and The Milkmaid is my favorite work of his. When first I saw it I was struck by the utter peace and calm reflected in this painting. Thank you for the insights into the details and meaning in the painting. Count me a new subscriber!
Hi,I been looking and reading about the painter .
I really would like to talk to someone, about ,The Milk Maid Painting.
I just saw this painting at the Rijksmuseum and your explanations are just so satisfying and edifying .. thank you
Art is a competition (as you go on the describe), it is a competition for commissions and money and sales (you poi t out how artists would be secretive about their methods to retain their competitive advantage. Nevertheless, I agree that there is no such thing as cheating at art. If using a camera obscura is cheating at art, the certainly using a camera would also be cheating (and yet we consider great photographers 'artists'.
Matthias Rozemond heeft een mooi boek ( Het melkmeisje) over Vermeer en dit schilderij geschreven. Het is historische fictie.
I heard that you may give a tour for the Mart. We are coming May 24th to Amsterdam. Will you be there and are you available for a guided tour?
sure! head over to my facebook or instagram pages and dm me!
Or, maybe the woman in the View of Delft is the same woman as depicted in The Milkmaid.
So first you said there is no cheating in art, then you said that artists are secretive about methods to not reveal it to their competitors..?