Vermeer's Maps

A convergence of science and art, maps held a very important place in the Netherlands in the seventeenth century, and they were of particular interest to Vermeer, who had something of an obsession with them. Of the thirty-four paintings attributed to him, nine have wall maps and other cartographic objects in them, and this fascination with maps has long intrigued scholars. Other painters of his time were drawn to maps, but none painted them with such precision. This first book to fully explore this intriguing aspect of this beloved artist's work will greatly enrich our understanding of him.