Vermeer in Detail

*Girl with a Pearl Earring. The Lacemaker, The Milkmaid:* the paintings of Dutch master Johannes Vermeer (1632-1675) are among the most famous and beloved-and closely examined-in the history of art. But how did he achieve such photographic precision? Reflective lenses? A *camera obscura?* Uncanny visual acuity? Many theories have been proposed, but his ability to conjure up such astonishingly beautiful detail is still debated by scholars. *Vermeer in Detail* showcases this brilliance through an accessible and engaging survey of the artist's most treasured paintings, each presented in full and in numerous close-up details. Vermeer scholar Gary Schwartz offers fresh insights into the individual works and the artist's life-about which very little is known. But one fact is clear: His paintings are truly exceptional.