Vermeer: Master of Light (COMPLETE Documentary) [No Ads]

A fantastic 2001 documentary, with a huge chunk exploring Vermeer's compositional methods and techniques. Narrated by Meryl Streep
My rebuttal to Tim's Vermeer:
It's obvious that Vermeer played around with a camera obscura, but the more likely explanation is that he became so familiar with its optical distortion that he 'became' a camera obscura (he adopted its way of seeing as his aesthetic). The placement of his pointillist highlights on the bread in the Milkmaid (for example) is like a how a camera obscura would place highlights on a highly reflective object, but NEVER a loaf of bread. He placed them there because he was creating it in his imagination to look how shinier objects would look through a camera obscura, because he consciously enjoyed the effect of it and created it thus.
If Vermeer were dependent on a bulky optical device he would never have painted the View of Delft -- a massive outdoor landscape scene that was certainly created at home. It was generally impossible before the advent of tubed paint to work alla prima outside, and if the camera obscura were a trade secret he would have never have risked using it in public. Vermeer worked it up (along with the 'Little Street') from drawings and returned to the studio to make it.
Vermeer painted all of his interiors in the same room of his small house in Delft, yet the windows, the floor, the walls etc. always look different. Why? Because he was creating them in his head to look like a camera obscura, but not slavishly with a camera obscura.
Finally, X rays of Vermeer's paintings show that he reworked the placement of things over and over -- meaning he was building from imagination, not directly from an optical device.

[@4sstg]

This is the best of you tube. For someone old and in failing health to be able to see a documentary like this without ads, is a real gift.Going to museums around the world was once a great joy for me. I will never be able to do that again. Seeing a program of this visual quality is a feast for me. Vermeer has always lifted me from the weary darkness of bad news, boredom and despair. I shall return to this on long dark winterdays when light is scarce in new england. This is why great art is a necessity to so many.

[@charlesdavis7087]

Dear Marilyn; Something you said touch me in a very special way. It comes from an old hymn that Charles Ives set to music in a most extraordinary way. As a musician and nurse of some fifty years, I can still hear "From Greenland's Icy Mountains to bright New England's shore." And like grandfather use to say, "Not every day is a rainy day." Blessings in the Season of Lights.

[@zutdtv6158]

Y’all is hella old YEYEE

[@homersmith43]

Isn't New England a stunning part of your country especially in the autumn and winter?

[@anonymousforever]

@@zutdtv6158 as you will be old too one day, unless you die young. Think about it. You only have those two choices.

[@artisticwhistleblower1756]

God bless you

[@gerryjames9720]

I just want to ask for forgiveness. I have so often looked on artsy types with disdain, but now I am in awe with how much I never saw. I am in awe of how much others see in what I thought was just a “purty pitcher”. I never realized the magnificence of this thing that painters do, how God bestowed such a transcendent gift on some humans. And the gift He gave to others to perceive all of this. Thank You, thank you, thank you. I only wish I had the time and resources to avail myself of the expertise of such people, to lift me out of my ignorance. And it frightens me to think of how much I have missed in the artists whose work I admire. Thank you, I have much now to think about.

[@renzo6490]

What you think is a “god bestowed gift” is nothing less than many years of hard work and practice .

[@jameswalker5470]

@@renzo6490 Sometimes... and sometimes it is God's gift.

[@bluesque9687]

​@@renzo6490 No. You are wrong. An artist is born. Not made. There are a lot of students and apprentices that put in a lot of time and effort into their regular practice... and some are master technicians! yet there are only a few masterpieces of art-- Vermeer, Rembrandt, DaVinci, Raphael,... Turner, Monet.... or Beethoven, Chopin, Mozart, Debussy.... (BTW there are stars like in our celebrity world who have got something offbeat or an edge with which they make themselves more prominent, but thats not what i am suggesting-- i am not suggesting some oddity; rather, a well-rounded inspired genius....).... you got to have an eye, or an ear, or a heart (or at the very least not be a super optimistic idiot, that unreasonable optimisim!!) to recognize the distinctions in bliss! ...Artists are born, not made.

[@brainstream851]

Each of his paintings: A whole universe!

[@donnabrowne5307]

This is one of the best answers to the question posed in the film: "What makes a Vermeer a Vermeer?". Bravo.

[@juanitamasian9414]

I am drawn to Vermeer. His Girl with the Pearl came to my attention in particular not knowing who the painter was. From then on, I seek books on Vermeer. It is his use of light that fascinates me. I can truly say he is the Master of Light!

[@richardbernido6977]

Everytimes I was suffering depression and stressed I listen and watch this documentary for Vermeer's enigmatic,poetic paintings I've feel free and peace inside thank you for this documentary Godbless us

[@rickgarza2979]

FANTASTIC. Love that you don't interrupt the lecture with the stupidity of commercials. Thanks

[@gailbolton4891]

Thank you to everyone involved in making this documentary. It was an enormous pleasure to view. I don't really care if Vermeer used any kind of lens or not. I just feel happy looking at his paintings because they are so beautiful.

[@rjwh67220]

You put into words what I couldn’t quite grasp. Vermeer’s works make me happy. And that’s what art is about for me.

[@arpadzigisfari5819]

Even if he used a camera obscura, he still had to design the scenes before painting them. The film points out where Vermeer chose to not paint the leg of the easel, for example, because it would only have cluttered the composition of the painting. He altered the positions of people. He chose the light he wanted in the painting just as a photographer does. As a matter of fact, you can see Vermeer as a precursor to a photographer. As the film points out, Vermeer gave all his women a quiet dignity regardless of their station in life. He turned very ordinary scenes into something contemplative and personal. None of this can be achieved only by technology.

[@drowningin]

And I'm not seeing photos as beautiful, and imaginative. So he used a way to source light.. Anyone could of done that at that period through today. Yet where's the edge? Tim's Vermeer was interesting but still it was no Vermeer. We have 3d engines, and super computers yet what are they doing with all that tool assisting? Making contrived or boring shite

[@sunnystardust1008]

Beautiful. Yes!

[@andreewert1142]

he reminds me of Hugh Heffner of Playboy ..the same preoccupation with pure esthetic capturing a pure delightful moment..that was his genius, not just the painting itself which is a means to an end..I can see the light in Vermeer s Soul...lol

[@jmitterii2]

He apparently was a human camera :)

[@2msvalkyrie529]

Perhaps there was a Vermeer " mansion " full of nubile young ladies where all kinds of debauchery went on.?

[@christineschroeder4587]

I have seen the girl with the pearl earing in person. It is known as the next Mona Lisa. It is truly magical. As are all of vermer's paintings and the mysterious nature of his paintings. I am an artist and he is one of my favorites.

[@mairimcgonigill4347]

Simply beautiful and fascinating. Thank you so much.❤❤

[@matthewproser6389]

One of the most beautiful & satisfying documentaries about an artist my wife and I have recently seen.

[@alexandterfst6532]

This is probably the most incredible documentary i've been givzen to watch in my entire life. I'm so grateful that this is freely available on KZbin. Thank you a lot for this!

[@prism8289]

This is astonishingly good. Whether you are an artist, pro, amateur, or just want to know more and appreciate it, it doesn't get better than this. I have a BFA from one of the world's top art schools, and nothing there ever delivered so much in this amount of time.

[@davidfaulkner8201]

What a wonderful documentary . Vermeer is my favorite Dutch artist of the 17th century . The documentary covers the artistic technical aspects of his works . I look at them from the historical point of view . He creates a window into time and we see those beautiful sober interiors all brought to life with light and texture . All lived in by ordinary people . Dutch 17th century art does focus on more common subjects which we all can relate to . This was unusual in a time when most art centered around religious, allegory and mythological subjects .

[@medievalmusiclover]

My favorite painter for all the times.

[@FilmcastentertainmentBlogspot]

The mesmerizing genius of The Master Of Light. Johannes Vermeer. The detailed textured window light he painted to illuminate his subjects and still life elements of his compositions are what dreams are made of for a cinematographer or a still photographer. I'll sleep happy tonight.

[@jcrosestudios]

Beautifully said...I'm a photographer at heart and I totally agree!

[@aiferapple1246]

Genius artist. Using light as if in a perfect image of a memory

[@dtorrez2242]

Spot on!

[@tonyjlorns1727]

Aiferapple He certainly was a genuis

[@carolhegarty]

This is a fabulous video on Vermeer's work, but also on the craft of making oil paintings. It's one of my favorites. Thank you for putting it on KZbin! I love the analyzation of the Woman in the Red Hat as well as the others that include his use of perspective and focus.

[@franm.k.5832]

This takes me back to graduate school when I wrote a paper on genre painting. I've always loved seeing paintings like Vermeer's that show us what everyday life was like then

[@zielfab.maslin1507]

Poetic. Thank you for your analysis of Vermeer's paintings.

[@polly5961]

I honestly don't care at all about how Vermeer achieved his paintings!! They ALWAYS put a smile on my face and feelings of HAPPINESS on otherwise dim days. These CONSPIRACY films mean NOTHING to me and DOESN'T change a thing. (My opinion which matters only to me as others opinions matter only to them) It seems that some people are ALWAYS going to put a negative where there shouldn't be one.. I think it's sad ... I'm glad that I am able to enjoy the art exhibit at my leisure.. thank you for that🤗I also like how the models shared the pearl earrings with each other😉

[@lilliannieswender266]

What an extraordinary artist Vermeer was, he saw the world in such a poetic way. This was a wonderful documentary, thank you for posting it.

[@r.i.p.theovangogh1848]

Reading a lot of comments here, it seems that calling someone like Vermeer a 'genius' doesn't fit the marxist cultural approche. Well : VERMEER WAS AND STILL IS A GENIUS. deal with it. What a fantastic documentary this is. A work of art in itself. Thank you !

[@alexandervanwyk7669]

What an amazing privilege to see such an incredible documentary into the extraordinary talent of another great master painter. I'm amazed that he captured such moments without a camera. Maybe we are cursed with technology in the sense that it totally crippled our potential creative spirit.

[@that_intrvrt]

This is by far the best Documentary I've ever watched,and let me tell you,I've watched a lot,but the music and the soft narration,........man.........it made me fall asleep,just loved it, keep on doing these kind of documentaries,

[@luiszarate6442]

An incredible experience within the mind of a genius, a master of human creativity rendered in art that will live and light for ever as testimony of the best of mankind.

[@CarlWinter-oy8uf]

Jan Vermeer was beyond exceptional and brilliant --his realism in oils is astonishing!

[@angeliquevincent3481]

Extraordinary... beautiful and slow like time in Vermeer’s paintings. Thank you.

[@divaden47]

Wonderful. I learnt so much from this documentary...and NO ADVERTS!! What a bonus :)

[@jonssailing]

I'm not certain I have ever been so completely enraptured by an artist like I am with Vermeer. This beautiful documentary captured, so well, that enigmatic sense of involvement that his painting invite. Yes, he was a master of light and color. Bravo! And thank you for sharing this.

[@Fidi987]

It's amazing how small the canvasses for the portraits were!

[@MrMac5150]

This is just unreal, words alone can not start to describe pure art.

[@deslobo-ep6jn]

Vermeer is magical it's as if you are right there in the painting you can just feel the depth of his soul and vision thank you Vermeer for your creativity and splendor ❤❤

[@justinleclairabdullahqasim8882]

We agree that Vermeer was most likely working from memory and imagination adapted by his mastery of light, colour, and textures rather than camera obscura effects. It might be hard for one to imagine but not for Vermeer. Thank you for sharing

[@elsevandergoot5491]

this is the most beautiful sensitive documentary I have seen of Vermeer and being a painter, it taught me really a lot. thank you very much. it so much shows me again that art is an antidote of triviality

[@springnicole2181]

I wish there was more known about Vermeer as a man. His use of light and perspective is fascinating.

[@dcdc3672]

Thanks!

[@edfou5]

A beautifully produced and executed film... the equisite cinematography in the introduction and throughout... and my god, the music... really a fine piece of work, this documentary...

[@tobiasw5303]

Verdünnter Debussy , was hat der mit den Niederlanden und Vermeers Zeit zu tun? Ist das nicht arger Kitsch...?

[@DANIEL-sb5yp]

Beautiful documentary! The painter had a high ability to combine colors and represent common things of domestic life in a wonderful way. Art in high level.

[@svetlanasidorova4551]

Потрясающая работа оператора от первого до последнего кадра!... И какая великолепная музыка, погружающая в атмосферу жизни художника... полная света, тепла, любви... и голос Мерил Стрип... чудо...

[@stormbringerr7806]

master of shadow and light.one of my favorite painters, he died at age 43

[@teufelhunden4087]

The aesthetic and meaning behind the paintings satisfy my right brain, while the the technical explanation around technique and perspective satisfies my left brain.

[@gerardc4588]

WOW! Imagine Vermeer changing the walls, windows, furniture, floor, stained glass windows, musical instruments, almost each time he did a painting! How much time and money will it take to make just one painting? Sometimes we have to let go and accept the fact that The Old Masters ware very skillful at their craftsmanship (Drawing, Painting, Colors, Illusion). Maybe he had a camera obscura and after looking trough the lens, he said wow it looks cool all those little colored light spots! I'll tray to incorporate them on my paintings! And that's how he painted it. If you're not an artist you don't see like an artist you just wonder how it was done and make conjectures. The real challenge will be to copy that same painting by eye, or best yet paint something that surpasses a Vermeer painting! In the meantime you are just another artist that copies and learns from The Old Masters, thats what you'r doing just learning from The Old Masters. There are a lot of artists from the past and present that are very skilled as painters and they don't use a camera obscura. how do we explain that?

[@pw6titanium]

+Gerard C ...yeah, conceivably he may have borrowed someone's harpsichord and rearranged the furniture, but change the walls.!? People seem to forget that he wasn't that well off. I 'm not sure, but didn't he live close to Leeuenhoek the microscope maker. ? Anyway, I think all it would have taken is a bit of exposure to these devices for him to get the idea and reproduce it in his own head. He could always go and check a fine point on reflection and colour if he needed a refresher on a technical point.

[@marklimbrick]

The secret is he didn't actually use any technology. He just stood in front of an empty easel, went huff puff and lo behold a masterpiece!

[@carolhegarty]

This is the absolute full version. It won an Emmy for Best Graphic and Artistic Design, was nominated for an Emmy for Best Director Documentary.

[@just4music687]

Great doc for Vermeer lovers to view; wondrous to delve into these knowledgeable and appreciative explanations of his skills :D

[@complextrocassette-carotta9889]

Meryl Streep narrating this; extra bonus points. wonderful. just wonderful.

[@quietflowstheriver]

A beautifully constructed documentary. Vermeer was a great artist - and as John Berger observed - " the light is like water....". Brilliant. Thank you for presenting this.

[@letsif]

Camera obscura or not, it is the end result that matters. Art gives form to an idea, Whichever way an artist can achieve this, is legitimate.

[@thedeadnigerianprincehaunt5096]

letsif , true. I seen some really crappy paint-by-the-numbers paintings and I've seen some spectacular ones... the only difference was talent and dedication of the individual, not the method which was identical in my example. If more artists were using the techniques of Vermeer, which they could have been, Vermeer showed something that was unique to him nonetheless.

[@BoKnowsBrains]

@@thedeadnigerianprincehaunt5096 word

[@vincitomniaveritas3981]

No camera obscura, its a nonsensical claim when looked at the reality of composition on varying environments, time of day changes, materials etc.

[@carlberg7503]

A goulash of deep insights into Vermeer's techniques served up with buckets of sentimental cliches.

[@ChrisHeck-cy4zo]

I believe the director of this documentary was very clever in that he instructed both the narrator and the art experts to mirror in their style of speaking the softness of Vermeer's paintings. Brilliant.

[@pjlewisful]

I found this not only interesting, but richly calming.

[@sarahscroggins2793]

Vermeer is a master at painting…beautiful inspiration…

[@carmencarcelen9395]

Thank you for such a beautifull video. An honor to be able to listen to experts. Thank you again to invest your time to share. Greetings from Holland.

[@zantawolf]

Marvelous analysis! Personal moments experienced by all women made into sacraments. I loved watching this.

[@steventyreman3642]

Vermeer art is truly amazing,,,a perfectionist ,genius so clever are his paintings

[@arshadabdullah7425]

Vermeer was beyond genius...

[@eeshat5117]

I love his technique. What a genius.

[@isammolina4842]

Por supuesto que uso camara oscura.Era un genio y debia usar para plasmar su arte todos los elementos que le podia ofrecer su epoca.Brillante.😊👏👏👏🌹🌿🌹🌿🌹🌿🌹🌿🌹🌠🌠🌠🌠🌠🌠

[@claudiadekok7619]

If you listen carefully you can hear them speak about him in present not past tense keeping his genius alive.

[@room2growrose623]

Just found myself smiling through out the program....fabulous! Marveling at the extreme close-ups, incredible to see that detail, you’d never get to look that close in a museum!

[@russellslaney7098]

I could look at it for hours and see so much

[@MrJuansanchezphotogr]

Terrific ! Bravo ! The light !

[@irminamanuguid3609]

One of the best I ever watched, loved every minute of it. Very very good presentation. The curators were not boring at all. Thank you

[@terryreynoldson6698]

A wonderful formal analysis; well done!

[@calicodnikonian2774]

Veneer, the Master of Light. He was said to have used a lens, a camera oscura... by critics decades after his death... does it really matter? What matters is his exquisite attention to detail and perspective that appears to compete with a modern photograph!

[@dtorrez2242]

It probably only matters to artists who are looking to reproduce his effects, because if he didn't use a lens we could be wasting time on the wrong elements, curbing our own development by relying on a crutch, and lying to ourselves about how highly developed and individualized his visual imagination was.

[@rjwh67220]

What a superb documentary about one of the greatest artists of his, or any, era.

[@rockwalldesign]

Great documentary. My son studies in Delft at the moment and this is a great inspiration for searching Vermeer sites there

[@KSNDXFW534D3FW3]

Thanks for this, D Torrez! And for your reasonable and convincing arguments that Vermeer did not use a lens.

[@mariamqureshi9848]

such an amazing painter... loved the way this video showed his layers sooo educational for artists :) thanks hope this helps me with my study of light :)

[@rener689]

Beautiful documentary of a painter with a very special oeuvre!

[@miguelgoitizolo]

A wonderful video, congrats and thanks for sharing.

[@aatt3209]

thank you for educating me on seeing Vermeer, I am indebted to everyone who produced this documentary, thank you so very much from the bottom of my heart.

[@judihopewell7148]

This really is an exquisite piece of art instruction in film

[@alastercurrie]

The technical aspects of Vermeer’s paintings are interesting but not the reason why his paintings resonate with the viewer. He captures the essence of humanity, of the connection between men and women. Without that we are left only with technique which cannot by itself stir the soul. Seymour Slive, Art Historian, Harvard University touches on the key to Vermeer’s paintings of women. Seymour says he himself loves women in trying to unlock Vermeer’s motivation. From my view point as a man, I think what drives Vermeer’s paintings of women is his love of women. Why else are most of his paintings in this documentary paintings of women. Vermeer captures the quiet moments that men never talk about; the little welcoming glance from your wife as you enter a room, the joyous smile from your daughter, the calm profile of your girlfriend when she reads a book, a shy smile from a girl that is walking towards you, the list goes on. These are all calm moments and at their core are about human connection. Men treasure this connection with women and that I think this is the allure of Vermeer’s paintings of women for men. I venture that women also treasure these quiet moments and put themselves in the place of the subject of the paintings. If some doubt this love of men for women then think of Titanic. Giving up your life so women can live is the ultimate expression of this love. It is sad that I felt that I had to write this paragraph but in the early 21th century the purity of men’s love for women is a much challenged concept.

[@tonimoon6346]

Great post, thank u. All I know is that I like his work very much, for me it’s simply beautiful to see. Thanx, Johannes!

[@thomaslucia3059]

Absolutely wonderful to learn about the details and fine points of such extraordinary art. As a lay person, I see the colors and shapes that move me or not...but to be made aware of the craftsmanship behind/underneath it all is a great gift! I was very fortunate to have seen a few Vermeers in the Rijksmuseum - what an experience! An added note: the background scoring (music) here is gloriously moving. I would love to have a copy, if it were ever available.

[@monizoe3188]

Beautiful and inspiring, thank you

[@GradyPhilpott]

What a beautiful film about such a beautiful subject.

[@remsan03]

What a treasure! Thank you Thank you for posting this. Meryl Streep and Vermeer...wow

[@createwithwatercolor]

One of most beautiful documentaries I have seen in recent time.

[@dennis300cr]

Are the true paintings of Vermeer actually that small? That is truly an amazing cramped size canvas to paint in and create such detail and precise imagery. Wow! For me the paintings are almost a photograph imagery of that moment in history yet put into paint. Vermeer must have had a photographic memory for such detail in his work. Big thumbs up for this documentary on Vermeer and can see his genius.

[@waltermessines5181]

That's what puzzled me most when visiting the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. Compared to the Night-watch it almost seems to be a post stamp.

[@sallygrimes1177]

I’m so very thankful that I got to see this and I will rewatch it

[@mypleasure7080]

yes, very little paintings. This is what you get through the rather small projection lenses he used! Check David Hockey's "Secret Knowledge" on KZbin and you'll understand the open secret behind Vermeer

[@ronstern1951]

@@mypleasure7080 "yes, very little paintings. " What do you consider "very little?" I saw all of his paintings save his first one (even a couple with disputed attribution) and only 3 or 4 of them are smaller than 10"x10". Most are of normal size and some are rather large canvases 40" or more.

[@mypleasure7080]

@@ronstern1951 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_paintings_by_Johannes_Vermeer

[@splattedsplatbang5399]

Get past the first 5 minutes and you have the best Vermeer doc ever made. Beautiful!!!

[@pulsarstargrave256]

It seems like Vermeer's technique of laying colors next to one another paved the way for The Impressionists, who would use a similar technique but with dramatically different results!

[@arrans]

Incredible documentary!

[@bingeltube]

Very recommendable! Some great analysis of his paintings and mastery

[@anachamana]

Thank you for making the documentarte accesible! I use it every year with my students. ♥️

[@Dragon43ish]

This is a Gem. Thank you. Excellent Beautiful.

[@wwjudasdo]

The dissection of "The music lesson" although informative and detailed, turns me off of art appreciation.

[@Soda3000Pop]

Love Vermeer, " Girl with the pearl earring" is my favorite!

[@USINGISMILE]

If you sat me directly in front of an actual Vermeer I am fairly certain I could stare at it from dawn to dusk. He was a true master in the art of reflection.

[@james87256]

without question the greatest doc made about by far my favourite painter ever. loved it

[@elianeluty2065]

it's magic to see again and again, thank you so much

[@conscience-commenter]

Thank you for uploading . A very informative and soothing documentary about The Master of Light.

[@sadikanaim3375]

Thank you for enriching my knowledge of and love for Vermeer... A master indeed!

[@XTnautas]

Vermeer and this doc touched my soul. P.P.

[@russellslaney7098]

One of the best paintings ever. I love it

[@franciscaMoyer]

thank you so much for this wonderful documentory

[@gdhse3]

Thank you! Wonderful!

[@ozzymandi]

I have always loved Vermeers paintings ,but this wonderful documentry has enhanced my appreciation of his Art. Thank you so much for posting this:)

[@bennyhill5663]

At last I have the time to watch some art documentaries (as currently in the midst of the evil Corvid19 pandemic and related lockdown) and what a fascinating and beautifully made documentary this is. Thank you so much.