NATIONAL GALLERIES OF SCOTLAND TO PRESENT 'THE YOUNG VERMEER'

THREE PAINTINGS FROM JOHANNES VERMEER'S EARLY CAREER WILL BE REUNITED FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME IN A DISPLAY AT THE NATIONAL GALLERIES OF SCOTLAND, EDINBURGH, IN DECEMBER 2010. THE YOUNG VERMEER WILL PRESENT A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO COMPARE DIRECTLY THREE WORKS AND DISCOVER MORE ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CELEBRATED ARTISTS. JOHANNES VERMEER (1632-75) IS WORLD RENOWNED FOR HIS METICULOUS PAINTINGS OF DUTCH INTERIORS, WHICH REFLECT HIS FASCINATION WITH OPTICAL EFFECTS AND SERENELY BALANCED COMPOSITIONS. HE PRODUCED FEW WORKS, OF WHICH LESS THAN 40 SURVIVE, DURING HIS CAREER IN DELFT. THE NATIONAL GALLERY OF SCOTLAND IS ONE OF ONLY 17 GALLERIES WORLDWIDE THAT HOLDS A WORK BY VERMEER IN ITS COLLECTION. WHILST HIS LATER WORK CONCENTRATES ON DOMESTIC INTERIORS, HIS EARLY PAINTINGS SEEM TO HAVE FOCUSED PRIMARILY ON TRADITIONAL SUBJECTS DERIVED FORM THE BIBLE AND CLASSICAL MYTHOLOGY. THE YOUNG VERMEER WILL SHOW THREE PAINTINGS CREATED BETWEEN 1653 AND 1656: THE NATIONAL GALLERIES OF SCOTLAND'S 'CHRIST IN THE HOUSE OF MARY AND MARTHA' (c.1654-55); 'THE PROCURESS' (1656) FROM STAATLICHE KUNSTSAMMLUGEN DRESDEN; AND 'DIANA AND HER COMPANIONS' (c.1653-54) FROM MAURITSHUIS, THE ROYAL PICTURE GALLERY IN THE HAGUE. WHILE THESE EARLY WORKS DIFFER GREATLY FROM HIS LATER PAINTINGS IN TERMS OF SUBJECT MATTER, SIZE AND STYLE THEY ALREADY SHOW VERMEER'S INTEREST IN THE DEPICTION OF COLOUR, LIGHT AND TEXTURE.