Johannes Vermeer

Johannes Vermeer was a Dutch painter from the 1600s. He was born in Delft, Netherlands, in 1632. He painted beautiful, quiet scenes of everyday life. His most famous painting is Girl with a Pearl Earring.

Early Life

Vermeer grew up in Delft, a city in the Netherlands. His father was an art dealer. Vermeer became a master painter at age 21. He worked slowly and carefully on each painting.

An old map of Delft, the Dutch city where Vermeer lived.
An old map of Delft, the Dutch city where Vermeer lived. (Joan Blaeu / Wikimedia Commons)

Big Achievements

Vermeer created about 35 paintings in his lifetime. He was a master at painting light coming through windows. Girl with a Pearl Earring is sometimes called the Mona Lisa of the North. His work was mostly forgotten until the 1800s when art lovers rediscovered him.

Fun Facts

  • Only about 35 Vermeer paintings are known to exist today.
  • He was forgotten for about 200 years after his death.
  • Girl with a Pearl Earring has inspired books, movies, and even songs.

Did You Know?

Vermeer died at age 43 and left his family deep in debt. For centuries, nobody paid much attention to his paintings. Today, his works are considered some of the finest in the history of art.