However, in the eyes of practical people at the time, placing a Vermeer work at home did not have any gorgeous decorative effect, so Vermeer was neglected in his time and remained unknown in history for a long time. Although the great painter was known during his lifetime, he was impoverished and heavily in debt. Due to his large number of children (11 children were born), he often had to use oil paintings to pay off the debts of the bakery, resulting in serious dispersal of his works. In 1675, Vermeer participated in the defense of the French invasion team, which led to overwork and extreme poverty. He finally died of poverty and illness at the age of 43.
"Girl with a Pearl Earring" is Vermeer's representative work. The girl in the painting has an extraordinary temperament, quiet and elegant, and is known as the "Mona Lisa of the North". The true identity of the woman in the painting, like the Mona Lisa, has always been a mystery for centuries. Writer Tracy Chevrolet was deeply infected by this work, and wrote a novel with the same name as the painting, which was adapted into a film of the same name after being well received.
For me, rather than saying that this film focuses on portraying the vague feelings and ambiguous entanglements between a innocent and beautiful girl with a low status and Vermeer, it is better to say that it presents Vermeer. This talented artist repressed the embarrassing state of existence - an overburdened family, an atmosphere of lack of understanding, humble submission, and a life of powerlessness. The sad and heart-wrenching atmosphere in the film not only sighs the powerlessness of the girl Greet in the painting in that era, but also tries to tell the tragic story of the talented Vermeer being overwhelmed by the times.
History will not completely abandon such a great painter. In the era of people abandoning luxury and pursuing simplicity and authenticity, Vermeer has returned to everyone's field of vision. His highly skilled, yet unmistakable quality, influenced both Miller and Van Gogh at the end of the 19th century.
Art comes from life, but it is always above life. Although Vermeer's paintings bring people a beautiful image of a peaceful time and a stable world, his life is in a different form. It's hard to imagine how he could paint such a serene and elegant work in that setting. It turns out that art can truly be otherworldly.
Thanks for the words and images to miss him. Whether it's true or false, through the chaos - the real protagonist is always him.
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