Jan Vermeer's Work

He was born circa October 31, 1632, in Delft, Netherlands. His works have been a source of inspiration and fascination for centuries, but much of his life remains a mystery. His father, Reynier, came from a family of artisans in the town of Delft and his mother Digna had a Flemish background. In 1653, Jan Vermeer registered with the Delft Guild as a master painter. There is no record of whom he may have apprenticed under, or whether he studied locally or abroad. Many of Vermeer’s masterworks focus on domestic scenes, including “The Milkmaid”. This depiction of a woman in the midst of her work displays two of his trademarks: his realistic renderings of figures ad objects and his fascination with light. Many of his works have a luminous quality,