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Where does the confusion come from?
6 Missing paintings
There are six paintings that are believed to have been lost or are still hidden. Here is an overview of what we know about these six paintings:
- “The Concert”: this is probably the best known of the missing works. It was stolen in 1990 from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, along with other masterpieces by Rembrandt and others. The theft is considered one of the greatest art robberies in history and the painting has been missing ever since.
- “The Writing Woman with Maid”: this painting is described in old documents, but it is unclear whether it is a different work from one of the existing Vermeers with a similar subject, such as “Writing Woman with Maid” from The National Gallery of Ireland in Dublin. This has led to much debate among art historians.
- “Daer een Seigneur zijn handen wast, in een doorsiende kamer, met beelden, konstig en raer” (Where a Seigneur washes his hands, in a transparent room, with statues, artistic and rare): this work is described in the 1696 auction list and must have been one of the top pieces, given the high price paid for it. However, the description is rather vague, making it difficult to determine exactly what was depicted.
- “The Second Street”: it is believed that Vermeer painted another street scene in addition to his world-famous painting “The Street”. This is described in auction lists as “a view of some houses”.
- “Self-Portrait with Tools”: this painting is described as a self-portrait of Vermeer, which would be a unique find, as there are no other known self-portraits of him. The description “with tools” suggests that it depicts Vermeer himself in his studio, surrounded by his painting supplies.
- “Venus with the Lute Player”: auction documents refer to a mythological work by Vermeer. This would be an exceptional piece in his oeuvre, which mainly consists of everyday scenes.
In addition, there are two works that are so vaguely described that it is impossible to determine what is depicted in them or who they belong to.
The information available about the above-mentioned paintings is fragmentary and leaves room for interpretation. This makes them a source of fascination for art historians and artists.
Uncertain/controversial works
In addition, there are a number of works that have long been the subject of debate among art historians and experts regarding their attribution to Johannes Vermeer. The most important “uncertain/controversial” works are:
- Saint Praxedis: this is one of the earliest paintings attributed to Vermeer. It is a religious history piece, which is unusual for Vermeer, who is best known for his genre pieces. The work is signed, but the signature is controversial and is not considered authentic by some experts. Others, such as the former curator of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, Arthur K. Wheelock Jr., defend the attribution. The painting is on display at the National Museum of Western Art in Tokyo, where it has been loaned by the Kufu Company Inc.
- Seated Woman at the Virginal: this is a small painting depicting a seated woman playing a virginal. The work has long been considered an authentic Vermeer. The debate about its authenticity flared up when the work was auctioned in the 1990s. After thorough research by a team of experts from Sotheby's and various museums, including the Rijksmuseum, it was once again recognised as a genuine Vermeer in 2003. The painting is part of The Leiden Collection of American businessman Thomas Kaplan and his wife Daphne Recanati Kaplan.
- Girl with a Flute: this painting, which hangs in the National Gallery of Art in Washington, is one of the most controversial works. In 2022, the museum's researchers concluded that the work is not by Vermeer, but possibly by a pupil or collaborator from his studio. This was a striking conclusion that contradicted the previous consensus. The painting technique is said to be less refined than that of Vermeer himself. The Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, however, remains of the opinion that it is a genuine Vermeer, which keeps the discussion alive.
- Girl with a Red Hat: One of the most discussed cases is “Girl with a Red Hat”. Sometimes it is considered part of Vermeer's oeuvre, sometimes not. Its small size, unusual painting technique and dating have led to much debate among experts. This shows how difficult it can be to definitively establish the authenticity of a work.
Fake paintings
There have also been forgeries in circulation, in which paintings by other artists were given a fake Vermeer signature.
The most sensational forgeries were by Han van Meegeren, a Dutch painter who painted in the style of the Dutch masters. Van Meegeren's forgeries were discovered during the post-war search for stolen art: a painting by Vermeer, Christ and the Adulteress, was found in Hermann Göring's collection. Records showed that this work had been traded by Han van Meegeren. He was arrested on charges of collaboration, as selling cultural treasures to the enemy was considered a serious crime. Preferring a short prison sentence for forgery to a long sentence for collaboration, van Meegeren revealed the truth. He confessed that he had painted the painting found in Göring's possession himself. In fact, he stated that this also applied to his masterpiece, The Disciples at Emmaus, which had been sold to Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen in 1937. This painting was acquired in 1937 as Vermeer's finest work and was given a place of honour in the museum in 1938. To prove his innocence and escape the accusation of collaboration, Van Meegeren was given a unique opportunity. He had to paint a new “Vermeer” under supervision to demonstrate his skills as a forger. In a studio in prison, he painted Christ in the Temple.
Through his own confession and subsequent evidence, Han van Meegeren was exposed as a master forger in 1945. The discovery of the forgery had a major impact on the art world and led to deep embarrassment among the experts who had been duped.
Restorations and modern science
Nowadays, restoration is seen as an opportunity to learn more about a painting, rather than just repairing a damaged work. With modern technology, such as X-ray photography, infrared reflectography and chemical analysis of the paint, experts can learn much more about the underlying layers and the original composition.
Before, during and after the major Vermeer exhibition at the Rijksmuseum in 2023, many of Vermeer's works were examined. Recently, a book in English about this research was published by the Rijksmuseum, entitled “Closer to Vermeer: New Research on the Painter and His Art.” This book is available for purchase in the museum shop of the Vermeer Centrum Delft.