Washoe County Library System

An overview of the life and work of the seventeenth-century Dutch painter, famous for creating realistic scenes of everyday life.

When strange and seemingly unrelated events start to happen and a precious Vermeer painting disappears, eleven-year-olds Petra and Calder combine their talents to solve an international art scandal.

In Susan Vreeland's gentle and beautiful new book, the ownership of a supposed Vermeer painting is traced back to the moment of its inspiration; and as the painting moves through each owner's hands, what was long hidden or forgotten or repressed quietly surfaces. Like Vermeer's paintings, this novel illuminates the poignantly dear moments in people's lives. Tied together by a collective admiration, even love, for the painting, Vreeland's characters...

Taking readers to 17th-century Holland, where artists and scientists gathered, an extraordinary story reveals how two geniuses --a self-taught natural philosopher and an artist -- transformed the way we see the world by coming to the realization that there is more than meets the eye.

"This delightful tale about two young friends in 17th-century Holland is inspired by Vermeer's two masterpieces, The Milkmaid and The Lacemaker. Although one is the daughter of a wealthy Dutch family and the other a household servant, Anna and Johanna become friends. Born on the same day, they celebrate their joint birthdays by making gifts for each other. But then a letter arrives that changes their lives forever. Told against the backdrop of the...

This series of lectures introduces the greatest of universal museums. Its aim is not comprehensive. The focus is narrowed to the Department of Paintings, which is responsible for European paintings from the Middle Ages until the mid-19th century. These works of art form an encyclopedic summary of the achievements of painters that can be called the single most important such collection in the world. The aim of these lectures is to both prepare new...

The aim of these lectures is to make viewers feel welcome and comfortable in the company of paintings. By focusing on 65 masterpieces of Western painting, Professor William Kloss offers a vivid, visceral encounter with genius, shining light on the unique technical, stylistic, and expressive achievements of each painting. From the 14th century to the 20th, the images are examined for their qualities of uniqueness, impact, and emotional and intellectual...