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Andrew Graham-Dixon on Vermeer, a Forgotten Sect, and Underrated Artists
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Vermeer's art was forgotten for centuries because his masterpieces were owned by a single family, only resurfacing in the mid-19th century, and his context reveals he was part of a radical, peace-seeking religious sect.
Key Insights
Vermeer's major works were owned by a single family for decades after his death, leading to his art being largely forgotten until the mid-19th century when they were rediscovered and sold at auction, often misattributed.
Vermeer was associated with the Remonstrants and Collegiants, a liberal Protestant sect in the Dutch Republic that advocated for peace, toleration, and focusing on the essentials of Christ's teachings, forming the first pacifist movement in European history.
The "Allegory of the Catholic Faith" painting is reinterpreted not as a celebration of Catholic mass, but as an allegory for the difficulties in reaching God due to Catholic doctrinal complexities, as seen from the Remonstrant/Collegiant perspective.
Dutch Calvinism considered music dangerous to the soul, leading to a lack of musical flourishing compared to Dutch painting, whereas the Collegiants used music to help bring people to God, with musical gatherings potentially lasting five hours.
George Stubbs is considered underrated because French art hierarchies ranked animal and still life paintings below history paintings; however, Stubbs's detailed, scientific approach to anatomy and species, and his empathetic depiction of animals, prefigured Darwinian thought.
Textiles, particularly Mennonite examples, are considered grossly underpriced relative to their aesthetic quality and labor, with one thousand-dollar piece taking unknown hours to create and resembling abstract art.
Vermeer's rediscovery from obscurity
Andrew Graham-Dixon's new book, "Vermeer: A Life Lost and Found," addresses the long period of obscurity surrounding the artist. For centuries, Vermeer's greatest works were kept within a single family, passed down through generations and only entering the wider public sphere after the death of his son-in-law in 1696. This private ownership meant Vermeer's name was not widely recognized, and his paintings were often sold as works by other artists like Rembrandt or Dou. It wasn't until the mid-19th century that figures like Théophile Thoré-Bürger recognized the distinctiveness of these works, and subsequently, Marcel Proust's elevation of "View of Delft" in his novel "In Search of Lost Time" cemented Vermeer's ascent to global artistic renown. Graham-Dixon views this survival and subsequent appreciation as a "miracle," attributing it to the inherent quality and "faith, belief, idealism, and dream" embedded within the paintings themselves, rather than external validation.
Vermeer's liberal context: The Remonstrants and Collegiants
A central thesis of Graham-Dixon's book is Vermeer's active participation in and patronage of the Remonstrants and Collegiants, a liberal Protestant sect in the Dutch Republic. This group represented an early form of the liberal tradition, a contribution to the Enlightenment that has been largely forgotten. Their core belief was in unity and toleration, striving to bring all people – Christians, Jews, and Muslims – together based on the essential teachings of Jesus, particularly the Sermon on the Mount. They were pioneers of pacifism in European history, opposing war and persecution in an era marked by brutal conflicts like the Thirty Years' War. This context reframes Vermeer's seemingly tranquil domestic scenes as radical images in a turbulent Europe, illustrating the peace and idealism sought by his community.
Reinterpreting Vermeer's "Allegory of the Catholic Faith"
Graham-Dixon challenges the traditional interpretation of Vermeer's "Allegory of the Catholic Faith" at the Met. While often seen as a clandestine celebration of Catholic mass, he argues, based on its owner, Hamman van Valen (a freethinking dissenter who supported liberal journalists), that it actually represents the Remonstrant/Collegiant critique of Catholic doctrine. The painting's clutter of symbols, according to this interpretation, illustrates the "doctrinal complexity" that the Remonstrants believed hindered direct access to God. Vermeer's own life, marrying a Catholic and having his children raised as Catholics due to his mother-in-law's wealth, is presented not as evidence of his Catholicism, but as an act of toleration within the framework of his core beliefs in the Remonstrant community. His true spiritual home and focus, Graham-Dixon asserts, was with his patrons and their inclusive faith.
The suppression of music in Dutch Calvinism
The relative lack of musical flourishing in the Dutch Golden Age, when compared to its painting, is attributed to Orthodox Calvinism, the official faith of the Dutch Republic. This strain of Calvinism viewed music as potentially dangerous to the soul, akin to idolatry. In contrast, the Collegiants, a more liberal sect, saw music as a vital aid in bringing people closer to God. Graham-Dixon posits that Vermeer's painting "The Concert" is not a literal concert but a depiction of a Collegiant meeting. These gatherings, which could last for hours, involved reading scripture, discussion, planning charitable work, and culminating in harmonized psalm singing as a representation of human unity and peace.
George Stubbs and the revaluation of subject matter
Andrew Graham-Dixon argues that George Stubbs, a painter renowned for his anatomically precise studies of horses and other animals, has been consistently underrated due to a hierarchical system of art ranking that originated in 17th-century France. This system placed "history painting" at the top and animal or still life studies at the bottom. However, Graham-Dixon contends that Stubbs, along with John Constable, paved the way for modernism by demonstrating that any subject matter—even a piece of mud or a river—could be rendered with such concentration and insight as to evoke profound thought and emotion. Stubbs's deep investigation into animal anatomy and physiology, evident in his later engravings, even hinted at pre-Darwinian evolutionary concepts, and his empathetic portrayals, like that of the mistreated racehorse "Hamiltonian," display a profound "species fellow feeling" and a confrontation with the mystery of existence.
The spiritual and artistic resonance of Rembrandt
Rembrandt, like Vermeer, is presented as an artist whose work is imbued with love and compassion. Graham-Dixon notes the presence of Jewish figures and individuals within the Remonstrant community in Rembrandt's paintings, suggesting an openness and connection beyond strict Calvinist orthodoxy. Rembrandt's depiction of figures like the head of the Remonstrant church, as well as his friendships with liberal groups like the Mennonites, indicate a non-doctrinaire and inclusive approach to faith and humanity. This resonates with the "liberal west's" adoption of Rembrandt as a favorite artist, suggesting that the enduring values of love and empathy found in his art speak to people, particularly in challenging times. The recent surge in Rembrandt print prices is viewed by Graham-Dixon, partly as a reaction against fleeting contemporary trends and a renewed appreciation for the profound, humanistic qualities of Old Masters.
The paired meaning in Vermeer's "woman with a balance" and "the milkmaid"
Graham-Dixon proposes a significant reinterpretation of Vermeer's "Woman with a Balance" and "The Milkmaid" as a deliberate pair, hung at exactly the same height in the same type of room, distinguished by a nail in the wall above each figure. "The Woman with a Balance" is not weighing gold, but her conscience, a concept symbolized by the painting of the Last Judgment behind her, where souls are weighed. Her empty scales signify a clean conscience. "The Milkmaid," by contrast, is shown preparing food for charity, representing the active life. Together, they embody the essential Christian virtues of "do well, think well," simplifying Christianity to its core. This interpretation moves beyond the literal titles, revealing a deeper spiritual and moral message intended for the Remonstrant/Collegiant community, emphasizing reflection and charitable action as paths to spiritual clarity.
Enduring lessons from the Remonstrant ideal
Graham-Dixon feels that the core lesson from Vermeer and his community is the power of belief, cooperation, toleration, and love in creating beautiful neighborhoods and communities, as exemplified in Vermeer's painting "The Little Street." He contrasts this with the destructive cycle of "I have destroyed your home, you have destroyed my home" seen in conflicts like the Israeli-Palestinian one. The Remonstrants believed that through education and dialogue, humanity could achieve "heaven on earth" not through divine intervention, but through shared understanding and peaceful coexistence. Graham-Dixon laments the modern loss of faith in cooperation and the belief that beauty and community can be actively built. He suggests that this "crisis of confidence" hinders our ability to create attractive environments and harmonious societies, a stark contrast to the utopian schemes of the past and the purposeful community building of the Remonstrants.
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Common Questions
Vermeer's art was forgotten because for a long time, his finest works were owned by a single family and not widely seen. They were often sold and attributed to more famous artists like Rembrandt, as Vermeer's name was not recognized.
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Mentioned in this video
World-renowned Dutch Golden Age painter whose life and art are the subject of Andrew Graham Dixon's new book. His work was largely forgotten until the mid-19th century.
Author of 'In Search of Lost Time' (À la recherche du temps perdu), who placed a character obsessed with Vermeer's 'View of Delft' at the center of his novel, contributing to Vermeer's modern fame.
Vermeer's mother-in-law, one of the richest women in Delft, who supported Vermeer's family financially with the condition that his children be raised Catholic, a compromise Vermeer accepted.
Mentioned in the context of trying to improve the physical environment in Britain, possibly through architectural initiatives.
A historian whose quote describes the difficulty of reconstructing British medieval art, likening it to assembling fragments of a skeleton.
A post-impressionist painter known for his statement about stunning Paris with an apple, embodying the idea that any subject can be painted with profound concentration.
A French Romantic painter who spent formative years in London and brought an 'English revolution' spirit to French art. He was friends with Delacroix and idolized Constable.
A French Romantic painter and close friend of Géricault, who idolized John Constable among British artists, indicating a "special relationship" between English and French art.
An English landscape painter whose work greatly impressed French artists like Delacroix and Géricault, suggesting a reciprocal influence between British and French art.
The naturalist whose theory of evolution is subtly foreshadowed in George Stubbs's later engravings, where he observed similarities in the anatomy of different animal species.
An art collector and philanthropist whose collection, particularly through his relationship with Stubbs expert Basil Taylor, includes significant works by George Stubbs and other artists.
A British artist whose work Graham-Dixon wrote a book about. Despite potential for a breakthrough in the 1990s, his prices remain reasonable, though Graham-Dixon believes his work belongs in the tradition of Matisse and Bonnard.
A prominent artist whose stature Graham-Dixon believes Howard Hodgkin's work belongs alongside.
An artist Graham-Dixon suggests Howard Hodgkin's work belongs within the same tradition as.
An artist whose work, specifically 'Black Square', Graham-Dixon finds less engaging personally but understands through its historical context of revolution and idealism.
A Dutch Golden Age painter, considered by Graham-Dixon to be the source of Vermeer's unique tonal technique and a significant artist who died tragically in the Delft gunpowder explosion.
His theories on painting, recently published in France, were known in Rembrandt's studio and influenced artists like Fabritius.
A contemporary artist whose recent work Graham-Dixon finds 'almost worthless' and compares to 'printing money' due to the mechanical production and high sale prices within a rigid art world system.
An artist whose work has a high variance in quality, with some pieces considered great and others less so. Graham-Dixon discusses the possibility of his esteem fluctuating.
Andrew Graham-Dixon's new book exploring the life and art of Johannes Vermeer, focusing on his rediscovery and the religious/liberal context of his work.
Andrew Graham-Dixon's book that discusses the traits of English art, noting its earlier harder, more angular style less focused on perspective.
A painting by Vermeer, considered by Marcel Proust to be the most beautiful painting in the world, and central to Vermeer's modern ascent in fame.
A painting by Vermeer that Graham-Dixon reinterprets, arguing it's not a depiction of secret Catholic mass but an allegory about the complexities and obstacles within Catholic doctrine, which the Rammonstrants opposed.
A Vermeer painting, stolen from the Gardner Museum, which Graham-Dixon identifies not as a concert but as a depiction of a collegiate meeting. It is considered a misnomer.
A painting by Vermeer, featured on the cover of Graham-Dixon's book, which depicts the house of his patrons and symbolizes the elements of a beautiful neighborhood: belief, cooperation, toleration, and love.
A Protestant sect in Holland that Vermeer and his friends belonged to, advocating for toleration and focusing on the essentials of Christian teachings, particularly the Sermon on the Mount. They formed the first pacifist movement in European history.
A newspaper founded in the UK that hired Andrew Graham-Dixon as its art critic, providing him an early career opportunity.
A group from whom Graham-Dixon purchased a textile made from scraps of men's morning suits, noting the underpricing of textiles relative to their aesthetic quality.
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