RIJKSMUSEUM REVEALS MAJOR DISCOVERIES ON VERMEER’S PAINTING THE MILKMAID
Publication date: 08 September 2022 – 08:30
This morning at a press conference held in front of Vermeer’s The Milkmaid (1657-58) at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, General Director Taco Dibbits reveals some of the most important new discoveries on one of Vermeer’s most famous paintings since it was completed more than 350 years ago.
Recent research into the Vermeer painting The Milkmaid, conducted in the run-up to Rijksmuseum’s major Vermeer exhibition in 2023, has yielded several startling discoveries. Advanced research technologies have brought to light two objects on Vermeer’s world-famous canvas: a jug holder and a fire basket. The artist himself later painted over the objects. The most recent scans also uncovered what is clearly an underpainting. These discoveries offer revealing insights into Vermeer’s process and his search for capturing the tranquil atmosphere that characterises his work.
