On June 4, the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam closed the largest exhibition of Dutch Golden Age master Johannes Vermeer to date. THE Vermeer The show featured 28 of his 37 known paintings, including seven works that had never been shown to the public before. THE exposure sold out a few days after opening and attracted 650,000 visitors from more than 100 countries during its 16-week stay which began on February 10, according to reports of the museum.
A new documentary shows that, aside from record numbers, the show has achieved something much bigger than can’t be measured in ticket sales (though there’s nothing trivial about the astronomical market eBay resale, where margins sometimes reached thousands of dollars). Overall, Vermeer cemented the breadth of the painter’s mysterious legacy today in the 21st century and proved that the world’s fascination with the artist is not one that will fade any time soon.
Kino Lorber’s new documentary Close to Vermeer (2023), directed by Suzanne Raes, takes a behind-the-scenes look at the landmark exhibition. The 78-minute film follows Rijksmuseum curators Gregor JM Weber and Pieter Roelofs and curators Abbie Vandivere and Anna Krekeler as they collect paintings by Vermeer that are held in permanent collections in Europe and the United States – a task we quickly learn is a much more complicated process than it seems. There are interviews with experts, scholars and collectors all attempting to answer a question that history has yet to ask: what, exactly, makes a Vermeer a Vermeer?
Is it the striking realism of his portrait, a quality that has led some to theorize his involvement with the camera obscura to achieve this feat? Or is it his unconventional incorporation of green earth into the shadows and flesh tones of his paintings? Maybe it’s his point of view, constructing intricate scenes with curious details that draw viewers’ eyes not just to a particular corner, but rather to an entire world full of movement and life? The theories continue.
Close to Vermeer doesn’t exactly come to a definitive conclusion to the original question it poses (spoiler alert?), but the film’s exploration of the work in progress to reach one illustrates the enduring influence and enchantment of the enigmatic artist of the 17th century. Because besides being experts, everyone in the movie is also a Vermeer fanatic. And while there are moments that seem a bit over the top (for example, when Weber reveals to the audience that upon seeing Vermeer’s work for the first time as a schoolboy, he fainted), the he borderline love-obsession these historians feel for an artist who lived almost 400 years ago – and was recognized only in the last 200 – is palpable. (Cut to photo of Vandivere roller-skating in front of the Rijksmuseum with matching “Girl With a Pearl Earring” socks and t-shirt (1665).)
In addition to highlighting the perspectives of restorers and art historians, the documentary reveals some of the new discoveries made using X-ray fluorescence scanning technology that allows researchers to dive deeper into the different facets that make up the one of the great mysteries of the art world. It also traces some of the ongoing debates about Vermeer’s work, such as the sad disappointment that is the “Girl with a flute” (1669-1675)which may not be a real Vermeer at all, but may be the work of one of his students or associates.
Although there are times when the film’s deliberately slow pacing and sparse score make for a dry viewing reminiscent of a Historic Channel special, if you’re able to stay awake, you’ll find that it’s these details that “force you to take your time and observe Vermeer’s paintings in detail,” as director Suzanne Raes explained in a statement. (And I agree.)
“From the first interviews I did for this film, I realized how deep this love for Vermeer was. One of the main characters, Gregor JM Weber, had a lump in his throat when he tried to put it into words,” Raes continued. “It was precisely this meaningful silence, this indescribable feeling that the paintings evoked in him, that became my guideline for Close to Vermeer.”
“This film has become a film about the gaze and the indescribable feelings it can evoke,” she concluded.
There may be a lot of questions left unanswered at the end of the movie, but that didn’t matter. I can definitely say that I felt much closer to the elusive Dutch master at the end credits. Whether or not you have a formal background in art history, you don’t need it to understand and connect with the intrinsic beauty of a Vermeer.
Since May 26, Close to Vermeer is a limited release, available to watch in select theaters. Audiences can also order a DVD copy online through Kino Lorber.
