| Monday, October 31, 2005 |
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Young Woman with a Water Jug By Vermeer |
SpotlightThe Dutch painter who was a master of light and color, Jan Vermeer, was born on this date in 1632. He died poor, without knowing fame, and only about 35 of his paintings exist today. It was some 200 years before his paintings gained recognition and Vermeer became known as one of Holland's greatest painters. His painting, Girl With a Pearl Earring, was the inspiration for Tracy Chevalier's novel, which was made into a movie starring Colin Firth as Vermeer.
Quote"Vermeer was painting light. And so when you walk into a room where the other Dutch painters are, his paintings just sing... I'm sure it's because he was using a camera obscura and he was in fact looking at light while he was painting rather than looking at stuff." – Chuck Close
Today in History
- 95 Theses: Martin Luther posted on a church door his challenges to Roman Catholicism, heralding the Protestant reformation (1517)
- Harry Houdini: master magician/escape artist died of peritonitis after he was punched in the stomach and his appendix ruptured (1926)
- Indira Gandhi: Indian PM was assassinated by her Sikh bodyguards (1984)
Today's Birthdays
- John Keats: English romantic poet, "Ode to a Nightingale" (1795-1821)
- Dick Francis: jockey and crime novelist (85)
- Dan Rather: CBS Evening News anchor (74)
Word of the Daygenre painting: drawing of everyday life activities; Vermeer specialized in genre painting.
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