Comments for Flying Fox

Comment on New high-resolution image of Vermeer’s recently restored Woman in Blue Reading a Letter by Maaike Dirkx

Maaike Dirkx — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 13:01:41 +0000

Jonathan, I may have those photographs, but I would be very grateful if you could send them anyway; so far the only photographs I have extracted are from the Museum website and there will always be distortions.
Indeed the constant travel is of great concern to me too. Currently, the “Love letter” is in Istanbul; the “Girl with the Pearl Earring” will be travelling to the US and so on. I only see an increase in this trend, no matter what opposition their may be (I don’t know if you were aware of the Polish lobby agains Leonardo’s “Lady with an Ermine” travelling to London – they were unable to stop this).
Again, many thanks!

Comment on New high-resolution image of Vermeer’s recently restored Woman in Blue Reading a Letter by Jonathan Janson

Jonathan Janson — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 18:19:55 +0000

Maaike, I have got the best museum quality images of the painting in circulation that will give you a better comparison. Shall I send them to your email address? Maybe you already have then. There seems to be not stopping restorations. But frankly, I don’t fear much there:, it is the constant travel that Vermeer paintings are obligated to for temporary exhibitions that can be fairly dangerous. Sooner or later, something is going to go wrong.

Comment on New high-resolution image of Vermeer’s recently restored Woman in Blue Reading a Letter by Maaike Dirkx

Maaike Dirkx — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 16:19:37 +0000

Thank you Jonathan. I have been trying to compare “before” and “after” photographs but it is difficult given the difference in quality between photos. In some, the lights are over-exposed and the blacks are blocked out. What is clear, at least to me, in that the “after” high resolution photograph shows removal of detail on the blue jacket which, rather than enhancing the three-dimensional quality of the painting, reduces it. But that is based on photographs, obviously I would have to see the painting in person. On the whole, I regret the tendency of museums these days to strive to “brighten” paintings saying that this will increase their “readibility”. I find that this is not always so.

Comment on New high-resolution image of Vermeer’s recently restored Woman in Blue Reading a Letter by Jonathan Janson

Jonathan Janson — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 13:42:52 +0000

Maaike, Thanks for the observation. It looks to me that you are right: the original 4 top peals were more defined. They are fainter now and one of the highlights is completely missing. You are also right that Rijksmuseum has not given any news on the restoration. It was immediately after sent to Japan. I have heard that when it returns to Amsterdam in March they will publish a booklet about the conservation. Perhaps then the “missing” pearls will be explained.

Comment on New high-resolution image of Vermeer’s recently restored Woman in Blue Reading a Letter by Maaike Dirkx

Maaike Dirkx — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 13:14:03 +0000

Out of interest: could you tell me at what other times this painting was restored before this recent restoration? I notice the string of pearls on top of the table has gone now (save for a very faint reflection); was that considered to be an overpainting? I wish the Rijksmuseum would post a ‘before’ and ‘after’ picture so as better to be able to see what has been achieved. However, there is no mention on their website about the restoration at all since its completion.
Many thanks.

Comment on Vermeer’s Guitar Player to be exhibited away from the Kenwood in 2012 by Jonathan Janson

Jonathan Janson — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 13:08:05 +0000

I recently saw it at the Kenwood and enjoyed it very much, but yes, I must say it is an oddity in Vermeer’s oeuvre. It appears to me to be of great pictorial quality which in some ways recalls that bizarre simplification of the Lacemaker (but much bolder). The Guitar Player does not encourage much love even from the most dedicated Vermeer enthusiasts. Have you seen the work itself? Sometimes reproductions can be misleading. Thanks for your point of view.
Jonathan

Comment on New high-resolution image of Vermeer’s recently restored Woman in Blue Reading a Letter by Jonathan Janson

Jonathan Janson — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 13:01:50 +0000

No, I didn’t know but thank your very, very much for having brought it to my attention. I will do a post on it soon. Thanks again, Jonathan

Comment on New high-resolution image of Vermeer’s recently restored Woman in Blue Reading a Letter by Inga-Stina Westman

Inga-Stina Westman — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 13:55:49 +0000

Did you know that this year´s Nobel Prize winner of literature Tomas Tranströmer wrote a poem about this painting? It is simply called “Vermeer”.

Comment on Vermeer’s Guitar Player to be exhibited away from the Kenwood in 2012 by pontormo

pontormo — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 20:52:58 +0000

This has always seemed an odd Vermeer-perhaps a forgery.
It is an unresolved and strange composition and the planar simplifications seem crude for vermeer.

Comment on Read Randol Schoenberg’s arguments in favor of the restitution of Vermeer’s Art of Painting to Helga Conrad, the step-daughter of Jaromir Czernin-Morzin. by Jan V.

Jan V. — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 00:49:49 +0000

According to Tracy Chevalier’s Girl With a Pearl Earring, Vermeer had red hair, a clean shaven face, and gray eyes like the sea. Is this true? The mystery that surrounds his life and paintings to this day has not lost its depth, but rather intensified it.