There are 34 paintings currently attributed to Johannes Vermeer by modern scholars.
The Authenticated Works of Johannes Vermeer
Johannes Vermeer, the renowned Dutch Golden Age painter, is celebrated for his masterful use of light and color, particularly in his genre scenes and portraits. While his impact on art history is immense, the number of paintings definitively attributed to him is remarkably small compared to many of his contemporaries.
The Current Scholarly Consensus
As of the most widely accepted scholarly consensus among art historians and experts, there are thirty-four paintings attributed to Johannes Vermeer of Delft. This precise number is the result of extensive art historical research, rigorous scientific analysis, and expert consensus regarding the authenticity of each work.
Understanding Art Attribution
The process of attributing old master paintings like those of Vermeer involves meticulous examination and is a cornerstone of art historical study. Several factors contribute to how a painting is confirmed as authentic:
- Stylistic Analysis: Experts scrutinize the brushwork, composition, use of light, color palette, and typical motifs characteristic of the artist's known style.
- Historical Documentation (Provenance): Tracing the history of ownership and exhibition of a painting helps establish its lineage and provides clues about its origin.
- Scientific Examination: Advanced techniques are employed, such as X-ray imaging, infrared reflectography, and pigment analysis. These methods reveal underdrawings, changes made by the artist, and the specific materials used, which can be matched against authenticated works.
- Scholarly Debate and Consensus: Art historians continually review and discuss attributions, leading to a dynamic but generally stable catalogue of an artist's works over time.
Due to the passage of centuries, the absence of comprehensive historical records, and the existence of contemporary copies or works by followers, the exact number of authenticated paintings by historical artists can sometimes be subject to minor adjustments. However, for Vermeer, the figure of 34 is largely settled among leading experts, representing his complete surviving oeuvre as understood today.
