Girl with a Pearl Earring, A View of Delft and Women Reading a Letter are world famous paintings but little is known about the enigmatic Dutch artist Johannes Vermeer who created them. He left only 34-37 attributed paintings and died penniless at the age of 43 years. Acclaimed art historian, Andrew Graham-Dixon reveals new archival material to give a completely different understanding of this master painter. His research challenges ideas of the artist as an isolated genius and shows him as a man deeply embedded in the radical, intellectual and political life of his age. Vermeer’s friendships, his ties to a radical underground movement and the women who shaped his private life and career cast a new light on the artist, the man and his work.
