Vermeer’s Astrology and Birth Chart

Given that my chosen painting is “The Astronomer” and some people mistakes Astronomy for Astrology, I have found a very curious page about the personality of Vermeer based on his astrology chart. Far from discussing the kind of reliability of this method, the personality of the Dutch painter is tried to guess by means of dominant planets, elements, modalities and polarities, signs and houses.

First, the page starts with this…

Map of the Heavens, Planets, Astrological Chart, Horoscope
Johannes VERMEER,
born October 31, 1632 at 12:00 PM (unknown) in Delft (Pays-Bas)
Sun in 8°35 Scorpio, Moon in 17°31 Gemini
Numerology: Birthpath 8

… follows with his biography in Wikipedia, and finishes with a conclusion which says the following:

“This text is just an extract from of Johannes Vermeer’s portrait. We hope it will give you the curiosity to deepen your knowledge about astrology and to visit and use the numerous free applications on www.astrotheme.fr“.

That is, a page that includes 33,340 horoscopes with pictures of all kind of celebrities, from Martin Luther King to Penélope Cruz. Amazing!

Besides this, there is another page which deals with the same issue named “Solving an astrological puzzle, the mystery of Vermeer’s Birth”, by Peter Morrell.

References:

• http://www.astrotheme.fr/en/portraits/aX6CXgaHbVeH.htm
• http://www.homeoint.org/morrell/astrology/index.htm

Girl with a Pearl Earring: Film Review

Chevalier’s novel creates a fairly believable tale around the portrait that gives name to the film. She imagines as the subject for that painting a young maid, Griet, in Vermeer’s house. Griet has to go into domestic service after an accident that leaves his father out of work. She will have to clean the room of the artist under the watchful eye of the other women in the house.

 

While she is cleaning Vermeer notices her interest for his work. Vermeer is asked a portrait of Griet and she posses for him. This becomes their relationship much more intimate and it arouses suspicion and jealousy in Vermeer’s wife.  

It can be seen the sensibility when portraying vermeer’s works. The paintings are also considered an extension of the artists’ insight character.  It has little dialogue. Communication is created from gesture and even a little glance is full of significance.

It was easy to get the point of the film. I have liked it very much because it went deep in the paintings and how Vermeer created them. What I have not liked at all, was that obsession that Vermeer has with Griet. But in general I considered it a rich and artful film.