- “The Little Street”: the real name of this painting is “View of Houses in Delft”, but it has become known as “The Little Street”. It is one of Vermeer's most famous paintings and depicts a house and street in Delft. There has been much speculation about the exact location of the house depicted. In 2015, the Rijksmuseum announced that the exact location of Johannes Vermeer's “The Little Street” had been determined by art historian Frans Grijzenhout of the University of Amsterdam. Through a combination of thorough archival research and analysis of a 17th-century register of quay dues (a tax register), he was able to map the exact width of the houses and the gates between them. These dimensions turned out to correspond perfectly with the situation on Vlamingstraat in Delft, at the current house numbers 40-42. The research also revealed a special personal connection: the house on the right in the painting turned out to be owned by Vermeer's aunt, Ariaentgen Claes van der Minne. This makes it likely that Vermeer had a personal connection to this place. Although the original houses have been demolished and rebuilt over the centuries, the location can still be visited. It is one of the most visited places in Delft for art lovers.
The painting “The Little Street” is on display in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. - “View of Delft”: the famous painting was painted from a spot on the Hooikade in Delft, just south of the city centre. The view is from the south-east, across the water of the Schie, towards the city centre. You can still visit the location where Vermeer stood to paint it. Standing on the Hooikade, you can still see the towers of the Oude and Nieuwe Kerk rising above the rooftops, just as Vermeer saw them at the time. There is also a work of art at this spot that marks the painter's viewpoint. This makes it a special place for enthusiasts to imagine the 17th-century city and see what has changed over the centuries. A few years ago, a 5D pole was installed at this location. Anyone who opens the relevant app at this location and inserts their mobile phone into the 5D pole will see and hear 17th-century Delft around them. Not only the view of Delft at that time, but also what was behind them in terms of buildings. You can hear the seagulls screeching and the sounds of that era, which are completely different from the sounds of today. If you are unable to visit the Hooikade, you can also admire this image at home via Canals5D (https://www.canals5d.nl/hotspot/23).
The painting “View of Delft” hangs in the Mauritshuis in The Hague. - Nieuwe Kerk: The Nieuwe Kerk in Delft has an important connection with Johannes Vermeer, especially with the beginning and end of the lives of his immediate family.
- His baptism: Johannes Vermeer was baptised in the Nieuwe Kerk on 31 October 1632. His baptism is recorded in the church's baptism register. This is one of the few hard facts known about the early years of his life.
- Burial place of family members: although Vermeer himself was buried in the Oude Kerk, many of his family members found their final resting place in the Nieuwe Kerk. His grandfather, his parents and his wife Catharina Bolnes are among those buried here. This shows how deeply rooted the family was in the life of the city and how the Nieuwe Kerk played a central role in their lives.
- View of Delft: the imposing tower of the Nieuwe Kerk is one of the most prominent buildings in Vermeer's famous painting “View of Delft”. The tower, with its unique construction, clearly stands out above the city skyline and is one of the landmarks of the painting.
The Nieuwe Kerk, located on the Markt, was the beating heart of public life in Delft in the 17th century. The fact that Vermeer's family was so closely connected to it gives a good indication of their social position in the city.
- Oude Kerk: The Oude Kerk is an important place in Delft for several reasons relating to Johannes Vermeer:
- Final resting place: Johannes Vermeer was buried in the Oude Kerk on 15 December 1675. He was given a grave in the family tomb of his mother-in-law, Maria Thins. This grave was a “private grave”, which meant that the family owned the space under the cover stone in the Oude Kerk. It is known that Vermeer died a poor man, severely affected by the economic crisis of the Disaster Year 1672. Nevertheless, he received a relatively expensive funeral, with fourteen pallbearers. This is often attributed to his mother-in-law Maria Thins, who apparently covered the costs. This illustrates the complex relationship within the family and the social status they tried to maintain, even in times of financial hardship.
- Memorial stones: In the church, you will find two memorial stones for Johannes Vermeer. The first was placed there in 1975. This smaller stone marks the spot where his grave was located. The second was placed there in 2007. The memorial stone is located in the north aisle of the church. This new stone pays tribute to the painter and displays the Lucaspenning, the symbol of the Guild of Saint Luke, of which Vermeer was a member.
- Guild of Saint Luke: The Guild of Saint Luke in Delft was the professional association or guild for artists and craftsmen. It was named after Saint Luke, the patron saint of painters. This guild played a crucial role in 17th-century Delft and had a direct influence on the lives of painters such as Johannes Vermeer. The guild's main task was to protect the interests of its members and regulate the art market. In order to work as an independent painter, engraver, glassblower, potter (plateelbakker) or art dealer in Delft, you had to be a member of the Guild of Saint Luke. This ensured quality control, prevented unfair competition from outside the city and regulated the training of apprentices. Johannes Vermeer became a member of the Guild of Saint Luke in 1653, marking the official start of his professional career. His father, Reynier Jansz. Vos, was also a member as an art dealer. In 1662-1663 and 1670-1671, Johannes Vermeer was also the head of the guild. This was an important administrative role and a sign of respect and prestige among his colleagues. The guild house was located on Voldersgracht in Delft.
The location of this historic building is now occupied by the Vermeer Centrum Delft, which has reconstructed the façade of the original guild house as faithfully as possible.
- Birthplace: Johannes Vermeer's birthplace is located at Voldersgracht 25 in Delft. His father, Reynier Jansz. Vos, ran 'De vliegende Vos' (the Flying Fox Inn) at this location. Johannes Vermeer was born here in 1632 and lived here until he was nine, when the family moved to the Mechelen Inn on the Market Square.
Today, this location is home to Café Johannes, with a small boutique hotel above it.
- Huis Mechelen: Huis Mechelen played a crucial role in the life of Johannes Vermeer. The building was located on the Market Square in Delft, right next to Oude Manhuissteeg, on the site of the current house numbers 52-54. At the age of nine, Johannes Vermeer moved to House Mechelen and continued to live there, even after he married Catharina Bolnes in 1653. He inherited the house after his father's death in 1652. After his mother's death in 1670, he was the sole owner. The inn was a meeting place for artists and merchants, which enabled Vermeer to sell his work and establish important contacts within the art world of Delft. Huis Mechelen was not Vermeer's permanent residence. After his marriage, he moved in with his mother-in-law Maria Thins, who lived on Oude Langendijk. After Johannes Vermeer's death, the property was sold to pay off his debts.
Huis Mechelen no longer exists in its original form. It was demolished in 1885 to widen Oude Manhuissteeg.
- Voorstraat 39: Pieter van Ruijven lived with his wife Maria de Knuijt at Voorstraat 39 in Delft from around 1660 to 1674. The house, a large building, used to be a brewery called “De Os”. Pieter van Ruijven (1624-1674) was an influential and wealthy resident of Delft and is best known as Johannes Vermeer's most important patron. A recent study by the Rijksmuseum has revealed that Van Ruyven's wife was most likely the real patron in this regard. As art collectors, they were one of the few, if not the only ones, who purchased Vermeer's work on a large scale. This enabled Vermeer to take his time with his extremely detailed and high-quality paintings, rather than having to produce them quickly for the open market. It is believed that Van Ruijven owned around twenty of Vermeer's 36 known paintings. This exceptionally large collection remained in the family and was inherited by his daughter Magdalena van Ruijven after his death. After the death of Magdalena van Ruijven and her husband Jacob Dissius in 1696, these paintings were auctioned in Amsterdam. This auction is known as the Dissius auction. The building at Voorstraat 39 has been renovated several times over the years. It is a listed building and still exists today. A commemorative plaque has been placed on the façade of the house, which is now a private residence, to commemorate the connection with Van Ruijven and his patronage of Vermeer.
Go on a discovery tour with the walking guide “Vermeer's Delft”
In addition to the above-mentioned places, there are other locations in Delft that have a historical connection with the famous painter Johannes Vermeer. If you would like to discover the Vermeer locations in the city for yourself, purchase the walking guide “Het Delft van Vermeer” (also known as the cube walk) for €3.00 at the reception desk of the Vermeer Centre Delft and walk past 12 locations and 6 rotating cubes in the historic city centre of Delft, with information about Vermeer's life and work.
Please note that there are no original Vermeer paintings on display in Delft; these are located in museums around the world. However, Delft is home to the Vermeer Centrum Delft: an information centre about Vermeer, located on the site where the Guild of Saint Luke (the painters' guild of which Vermeer was a member) used to be housed. Here you can learn everything about his life, his work and the city of Delft in the 17th century. The centre displays reproductions of his entire oeuvre, making it the only place where you can see all of Vermeer's works at once and in their actual size.