Johannes Vermeer of Delft was one of the most talented painters in the Dutch Golden Age. He created a number of paintings that show everyday life in the city of Delft in the 17th century. Johannes Vermeer died a poor man. He left a wife, eleven children and a staggering amount of debts. His work was forgotten after his death in 1675 and it was not rediscovered until the late 19th century. Today, only 36 of his works survived.

Use of composition
Vermeer's paintings are small and realistic. In contrast with Rembrandt he did not paint large group portraits. Instead he painted one or two people at the most, often indoors, quietly going about their business. Vermeer was a master of composition, space and light and a good example is his painting 'The Milkmaid'. Experts feel that the best way to admire Vermeer's work is to view it by daylight.

View of Delft
The Mauritshuis in The Hague exhibits Vermeer's painting 'View of Delft'. In 1994 this painting was restored beautifully. The Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, with four of his works, has the most extensive collection of Vermeer paintings.