Johannes Vermeer

Considered one of the greatest masters of 17th-century Dutch painting, Johannes Vermeer (1632–1675) has left little evidence (only 37 paintings are identified as being by his hand). Is it due to its slowness of execution? his meticulousness? Incredibly precise, his paintings with daring and subtle lighting feature characters in their daily lives, focused on their task: playing music, reading a letter, carrying out needlework ... The mystery that emerges from his work and the gray areas that still surround his life has earned him the nickname "Sphinx of Delft".