Some examples of Vermeer’s influence

During the whole course, we have all realized that there are many art compositions that are based in Vermeer’s paintings.  Here, I have tried to collect some of the most important ones that are based in the painting that I have been working on during these months “Woman in blue reading a letter”.  This would be the two poems and the novel and then I will include some photographs based on another painting of Vermeer that has many similarities with “Woman in blue reading a letter”, which is “Woman reading at the window”. This first poem was created by Bob Chapel and it is clearly based on Vermeer’s masterpiece: Vermeer’s Woman in Blue Reading a Letter

Here with his books, his maps, his empty chair- I know never a waking hour without longing, nor slumber without missing his touch. Does he ache for me as I for him? He has winds and tides and hostile aborigines to occupy his mind, but I- an empty chair, and maps, and books, and this swollen belly he knows not of. Books, maps, chair, this letter-passed from ship to ship in southern seas- and the burgeoning fruit of his seed are all I have of him. The letter speaks of hopes for riches beyond measure, and of loneliness, too, but sparingly. Do we not have wealth enough? And loneliness in abundance? Longing for his return, I wait among his books and maps and gaze upon that empty chair, caress his letter, and thrill to the impatient movement within my womb. Will our firstborn shy from him? Or he from this unforeseen stranger in his house? Does he think of me now, as he fills the belly of his ship with spice? Or are his thoughts confined to wind and tide and current- or some dark, exotic maiden?

 

The following poem is called “Woman in blue” and it was composed by Joan Siegel about “Woman in blue reading a letter”.

 

Woman in Blue

She travels toward him

only so far as her hands

have traveled the map

 

so far as her hands

have traveled the contours

of his body.

 

His voice fills the room

as though he were seated

in one of the empty carved chairs.

 

Brightness rises like moonlight

over her blue smock, the belly

that houses the child in its own

 

world, like the mother’s, distant

from the world of the father

as the evening star.

 

The Mother of Joan of Arc

 

She walks one hundred miles

to kneel at the statue of Mary.

 

In Le Puy’s cold cathedral,

she prays for her daughter,

one mother to another.

 

Her prayer

is the mother’s longing–

as it was at the birth

that first ripped her open–

to hold

what her body made

 

not see the flesh

of her flesh

burn

like paper.

 

The following work is a book called “Girl in Hyacinth blue” written by Susan Vreeland. 

“For readers interested in art and history, Girl in Hyacinth Blue is a must read. Author Susan Vreeland traces ownership of a Vermeer painting from the present through each owner in reverse chronology to its seventeenth century Dutch artist. The painting has a complex history, told chapter by chapter in stories of each owner and describes the profound effect the painting had on each one. These stories depict ordinary details with clarity of a Vermeer work of art. Each chapter could stand on its own, like a little gift to the reader. Vreeland is an extremely skilled historical fiction writer, but this book challenges us to think about the function and purpose of art.”

And finally, these are two pictures taken by the famous photographer Tom Hunter and Jonathan Janson. Though them, they try to imitate in a photography Vermeer’s “Woman in blue reading a letter”, each of one in a different way.

“Woman Reading a Repossession Order”

 

“New Vermeers”

 

Sources:

• Vermeer’s Woman in blue reading a letter.  The poem hunter.  Retrieved: April 10, 2011 at 16:30 from http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/vermeer-s-woman-in-blue-reading-a-letter/
• Woman in blue.  In quiet light: poems on Vermeer’s women.  Retrieved: April 12, 2011 at 19:30 from http://books.google.es/books?id=w7uXAbqfNkQC&printsec=frontcover&dq=marilyn+chandler+mcentyre+-+in+quiet+light%3A+poems+on+Vermeer%27s+women&hl=es&ei=-7BZTbv2Lca1hAevl9TeDA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCsQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false and http://vermeer0708.wordpress.com/woman-in-blue-reading-a-letter/
• Vreeland, Susan.  Girl in Hyacinth blue.  Retrieved: April 20, 2011 at 20:45 from http://www.cmlibrary.org/readers_club/reviews/tresults.asp?id=1496
• Hunter, Tom. “Woman Reading a Repossession Order”. Retrieved: April 22, 2011 at 15:30 from http://www.readingwoman.org/en/cols/2005/8.html

A Curious Finding: Botero’s Painting “Vermeer’s Studio”

I was doing some research on the Internet last month when I came across a very curious painting: Fernando Botero’s Vermeer’s Studio, which is clearly influenced by the Master of Light. Botero is a very well-known Colombian figurative artist who mainly focuses on situational portraiture.

"Dancers", by Fernando Botero

His paintings and sculptures are easily recognizable for their exaggerated proportionality, and the artist explains his use of “fat” people as follows: “An artist is attracted to certain kinds of form without knowing why. You adopt a position intuitively; only later do you attempt to rationalize or even justify it”.

"Vermeer's Studio", by Fernando Botero

In his painting “Vermeer’s Studio”, Botero depicts a chubby woman who looks very similar to the Girl with a Pearl Earring, and who seems to be leaning on a table with some fruits in it. In the background, we can see a painter’s easel with Johannes Vermeer’s famous work Study of a Young Woman. The meaning of the work is not entirely clear, but it seems to me that Botero wants to make the viewer reflect on the different cannons of beauty, as well as to put into question the importance that we give to our appearance. A very funny and original work!

References:

• Wikipedia: Fernando Botero. Retrieved 20:32, May 20, 2011 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fernando_Botero
• Essential Vermeer: Study of a Young Woman. Retrieved 21:45, May 20, 2011 from http://www.essentialvermeer.com/

Vermeer’s influence on the 21st century

In my last post, I talked about how Vermeer had influenced modern arts and, more concretely, poetry. The 21st century has been no less influenced by his genius, and, after having gathered a few bookmarks on Vermeer, I realized that a few of them had the same in common: Vermeer’s influence on the 21st century. In this post, I will attempt to show you how this artist is present in a vast number of different fields such as cinematography, Apple Inc., advertising or skateboarding.

One of Vermeer’s most appraised works,A Girl Interrupted at her Music (which is precisely the painting I am working on)  inspired the title of Susanna Kaysen’s novel: Girl, Interrupted. The former was made into a film in 1999 starring Winona Ryder, Angelina Jolie and Brittany Murphy. The film is based on writer Susanna Kaysen’s account of her 18-month stay at a mental hospital in the 1960s. It scored an Oscar and a Golden Globe.  I will leave you the trailer of the film down below in case you are interested in watching the film. It summarizes the plot very well and it provides you with extra information:

 

 

The technology giant Apple Inc. has also been captivated by Vermeer’s immense art production. They have come up with an Application or App. called ‘Johannes Vermeer Art Gallery’  which brings his artworks to your mobile device through two galleries. Actually, it is also suitable for Ipod and Ipad and it can be downloaded fom their official Itunes Store for only $0.99.  Here’s a screenshot of what you would find:

 

 

The third field I want to pinpoint is advertising. Jan Vermeer’s has also reached this world and  inspired Nestlé’s well-known product range La Lechera. I have included one of the commercials which is currently on TV for you to compare Vermeer’s The Milkmaid with the flesh and bone milkmaid that Nestlé’s has devised:

 

 

Last but not least, I stumbled upon a company devoted to personalize anything with anything. One of the most interesting products they offer is ‘patinetas Vermeer’, where you can personalize your skateboard with any of Vermeer’s pictorial works for an affordable price. Here’s an image of my favourite one:

 

I could include many more examples and cases of Vermeer’s influence on fields that belong to our everyday life such as TV shows or more films (i.e. The Girl with the Pear Earring). Nonetheless, I will conclude by saying that, as far as I am concerned, his art will never grow old since its imagery and technique are so powerful that it will still influence many generations to come.

References:

• Girl, Interrupted (1999). In Imdb, the Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 16:44, February 2011, from: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0172493/
• Girl, Interrupted (1999). In Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 17:28, February 2011, from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Girl,_Interrupted_(film)
• Johannes Vermeer Virtual Art Gallery (2009). In Itunes Store. Retrieved 19:46, February 2011,from: http://itunes.apple.com/co/app/johannes-vermeer-virtual-art/id330543535?mt=8
• Patinetas Vermeer. In Zazzle. Retrieved 13:22, March 2011, from: http://www.zazzle.es/johannes+vermeer+patinetas
• Yogures La Lechera (2011). In Youtube, Broadcast Yourself. Retrieved 16:57, February 2011, from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvQSGjJb8Cg
• Girl, Interrupted (2009). In Youtube, Broadcast Yourself. Retrieved 20:52, February 2011, from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4-GD1VqdOA