World culture: Rome is to host a major retrospective of the work of Johannes Vermeer

At long last, Rome is to host a major retrospective of the work of Johannes Vermeer, the greatest Dutch painter of the 17th century, whose art is not represented in any Italian collection nor has it ever been the object of a structured, in-depth study in this country.

The Scuderie del Quirinale exhibition will include a meticulous selection of works by Vermeer – extremely rare, and held in museums throughout the world – and some fifty works by his Dutch  contemporaries.  Thus the visitor will be able not only to explore the genius of this artist, whose life continues to be shrouded in mystery (even his date of birth is still unknown), but also to understand how the Delft master's work dovetails with that of the other artists active in his native city and in nearby centres of cultural ferment such as Amsterdam, Haarlem and Leyden.

The unique temperament of the art of Vermeer and his contemporaries reflects bourgeois culture in 17th century Holland.

Today the Scuderie del Quirinale is proud to be in a position to offer visitors this fantastic exhibition and its accompanying catalogue, to allow them to explore and to understand Dutch painting and the great, undisputed and absolute master that is Johannes Vermeer.