Master of light

It hurts a little as there is no real Vermeer in our city. Yet you can learn a lot about the master himself in Delft, in the Vermeer Center. “I look at his paintings very differently now.”

An educational center is located behind the stately facade of the Guild of Saint Luke. It is lovingly run by a director and eighty volunteers, including Helen de la Croix. “Johannes Vermeer was the head of the guild in the building ...” she says. Helen likes to paint and does not hide her admiration for Vermeer. “The technique he uses is so clever. Do you see the light on those faces? That translucent hood? That sophistication? I can’t stop staring at it, how did he do that? “ A reproduction of each Vermeer painting hangs in the center. That gives a good overview. Certain objects keep coming back. For example, look at the jug and that lemon… do they refer to a romantic love or an unreliable friendship?

In a special skylight you can experience the effect of light and reflection. And you can discover how the painter mixed his paint. Helen: “The colors he uses are gorgeous. See, that signature blue is made from this stone: lapis lazuli, from Afghanistan. Very expensive at the time, yet it still is, I think, because recently this stone was stolen. All volunteers were taken aback. I hope someone uses it to make something beautiful ... “ The center also wants to inspire people to create something new. For example, there is an impressive photo of Jenny Boot: “Black girl with pearl.” Helen: “It works in stillness, just like a real Vermeer.”

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