Johannes Vermeer was one of the most celebrated painters of the Dutch Golden Age, renowned for his exquisite use of light and color in his domestic scenes of middle-class life. His paintings, such as Girl with a Pearl Earring, Woman Holding a Balance, and The Milkmaid, are among the most beloved and revered images in the history of art. However, despite his fame and influence, very little is known about his life and death. How did Johannes Vermeer die, and what were the circumstances that led to his demise?
Early Life and Career
Vermeer was born in Delft in 1632, the son of a silk weaver and art dealer. He was baptized in the Nieuwe Kerk (New Church), where he would later be buried. He married Catharina Bolnes, a Catholic woman from a wealthy family, in 1653. They had 15 children, four of whom died before baptism. Vermeer converted to Catholicism and lived with his wife and mother-in-law in a spacious house near the Oude Langendijk (Old Long Dyke), a canal that ran through the center of Delft.
Vermeer began his artistic career by painting large-scale biblical and mythological scenes, such as Christ in the House of Martha and Mary and Diana and her Companions. He later focused on smaller genre paintings that depicted everyday life in interior settings, often featuring women engaged in domestic tasks or leisure activities. He also painted cityscapes, such as View of Delft and The Little Street, and allegorical scenes, such as The Art of Painting and Allegory of Faith. He was influenced by other Dutch painters, such as Pieter de Hooch, Gerard ter Borch, and Carel Fabritius, as well as by Italian artists, such as Caravaggio and Leonardo da Vinci.
Vermeer was a member of the Saint Luke’s Guild, a professional association of painters, sculptors, and glassmakers in Delft. He served as its head twice, in 1662 and 1670. He was also active as an art dealer, buying and selling paintings by other artists. However, he produced relatively few paintings himself, only about 36 of which have survived. He worked slowly and with great care, using expensive pigments and refined techniques to create his luminous effects. He was recognized as a talented painter in his hometown and in The Hague, where he had some patrons and connections. However, he was not widely known or appreciated outside his region during his lifetime.
Financial Troubles and Illness
Vermeer’s life and career were affected by the political and economic turmoil that plagued the Dutch Republic in the second half of the 17th century. The country was involved in several wars with France, England, and other European powers, which disrupted trade and commerce. Delft suffered from several disasters, such as the explosion of a gunpowder storehouse in 1654 that killed hundreds of people and damaged many buildings; the outbreak of the plague in 1655 that claimed thousands of lives; and several fires that destroyed parts of the city.
Vermeer’s income as an artist and art dealer depended on the demand for paintings by wealthy customers who could afford to buy them. However, as the wars drained the resources of the state and its citizens, the art market declined significantly. Vermeer’s family also faced financial difficulties due to their large size and lavish lifestyle. They had to borrow money from relatives and friends to pay their debts and taxes.
In 1672, a year known as the Rampjaar (Disaster Year) in Dutch history, France invaded the Dutch Republic and occupied several provinces. The Dutch economy collapsed, leading to social unrest and political chaos. Many people lost their jobs, businesses, and properties. Vermeer’s patronage dried up completely, leaving him without any income or prospects.
According to his wife’s testimony after his death , Vermeer fell ill in late 1675 due to stress caused by his financial troubles. He suffered from a “frenzy”, which could mean a mental breakdown or a physical ailment . He died after a short illness on December 15th , at the age of 43. He was buried in an unmarked grave in the Nieuwe Kerk on December 22nd .
Legacy and Rediscovery
Vermeer left behind a widow with 11 children who struggled to survive after his death. His wife had to sell some of his paintings to pay off their creditors . She also tried to keep some of his artworks from being seized by her mother-in-law, who claimed ownership over them . She eventually obtained a certificate from the court that declared her husband’s paintings to be her property .
Vermeer’s reputation as a painter faded after his death. He was barely mentioned in the main source book on 17th-century Dutch painting, written by Arnold Houbraken and published in 1718 . He was thus omitted from subsequent surveys of Dutch art for nearly two centuries. His paintings were often attributed to other artists, such as Pieter de Hooch, Gabriel Metsu, or Frans van Mieris .
Vermeer was rediscovered in the 19th century by two art historians, Gustav Friedrich Waagen and Théophile Thoré-Bürger, who recognized his distinctive style and attributed 66 paintings to him . However, only 34 paintings are universally accepted as his today . Since then, Vermeer’s fame and popularity have grown enormously. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest painters of all time, and his works are highly sought after by collectors and museums. His paintings have also inspired many writers, filmmakers, and artists, who have explored his life and art in various forms of fiction and nonfiction.
