BETA
Chapter 1
The optical magic of the camera obscura
Chapter 2
The outrageously expensive blue
Chapter 3
Everyday lives behind the glass
Chapter 4
The great vanishing act and the fakes
YOUR GOAL
Master of Vermeer and the mystery of the quiet window
Ch 2 · The outrageously expensive blue
suaz Match Vermeer's rare paintings to discover how he captured quiet everyday moments by a window.
suaz A complex refining process and massive trade distances from Afghanistan made natural ultramarine pigment cost more than gold.
suaz The artist produced only two paintings a year, leaving his eleven children penniless.
Fun Fact
Blue gold: Natural ultramarine blue was so insanely expensive in the 17th century that artists referred to it as 'blue gold' on their palettes.
Glossary
ultramarine (noun)
A vivid blue pigment historically prepared by powdering lapis lazuli. In 2018, scientists analyzed Vermeer's use of this pigment in Girl with a Pearl Earring.
A vivid blue pigment historically prepared by powdering lapis lazuli. In 2018, scientists analyzed Vermeer's use of this pigment in Girl with a Pearl Earring.
Quiz
From which semi-precious stone, mined in Afghanistan, was Vermeer's prized natural ultramarine pigment made?
Quiz
What does the name of the pigment 'ultramarine' literally mean in Latin, referencing its long trade route to Europe?
Quiz
How many paintings did Vermeer typically produce in a single year due to his meticulous painting process?
Quiz
How did Vermeer's pigment choices affect his family's financial situation by the time of his death?
Quiz
What visual effect did Vermeer achieve by mixing blue pigment into the shadows of his interior scenes?
Quiz
In which unexpected area of his paintings did Vermeer frequently mix his expensive ultramarine blue paint?
Quiz
Which of Vermeer's most famous paintings features a striking, vibrant blue headscarf painted with natural ultramarine?