Survey of opinions regarding the recenty restoration of Johannes Vermeer's Girl Reading a Letter at an Open Window

← left: Girl Reading a Letter at an Open Window — pre-restoration condition
→ right: Girl Reading a Letter at an Open Window — current condition

survey tools

RESOURCES

Vermeer: On Reflection dedicated exhibition web page (Old Masters Picture Gallery, Dresden)
tickets:
Vermeer: On Reflection exhibiton (Dresden, Old Masers Gallery
September 10, 2021 - Januarury 2, 2002
The exhibiton has been closed until further notice due to recent anti-COVID-19 restrictions.
Exhibition catalogue
Johannes Vermeer: On Reflection
Stephan Koja, Uta Neidhardt; Arthur K. Wheelock Jr. et al.
2021
preorder here:
https://verlag.sandstein.de/detailview?no=98-610

thumb through the catalogue at:
https://verlag.sandstein.de/reader/98-611_Vermeer-engl/
Essential Vermeer Interactive Catalogue entry of Girl Reading a Letter at an Open Window
http://www.essentialvermeer.com/catalogue/girl_reading_a_letter_by_an_open_window.html#top
Dresden Old Masters Picture Gallery launches online Digital Program
In conjunction with the Vermeer: On Reflection exhibiton the Dresden Old Masters Picture Gallery has launched a seven-part online digital program of Zoom talks by some of the world's leading museum curators and art historians.

Online Digital Program

The complete list of Gallery talks can be accessed at: https://gemaeldegalerie.skd.museum/ausstellungen/vermeer-johannes-vermeers-dresdner-briefleserin-am-offenen-fenster-und-die-hollaendische-genremalerei-des-17-jahrhunderts/digitales-programm/

All times are given in Central European Time (CET) Advance registration is required and the event is limited to 500 participants

Dr. Uta Neidhardt - Senior Curator for Dutch and Flemish painting in the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister and curator of the exhibition Johannes Vermeer. On Reflection
October 12th 19:00 CET | GERMAN
Launch video
Live Digital Tour of Johannes Vermeer: On Reflection
For those who aren't able to attend the current Vermeer exhibition in Dresden, the Old Master Pictures Gallery offers the next best thing to being there in person.
Sunday, October 24 at 19:00 CET | ENGLISH
duration: 45 minutes | no registration is required
Dr. Gregor Weber - Head of the visual arts department of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam
Tuesday, October 26, 19:00 CET | GERMAN
Register for this event via Zoom:
https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_0C7ZGht3T3iUF6te59Q-9A
Dr. Betsy Wieseman - Curator and Head of the Department of Northern European Paintings, National Gallery of Art in Washington
Tuesday, November 9, 19:00 CET | ENGLISH
Register for this event via Zoom:
https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_lVF_3tBLT2y6E_6g9z5Tqw
Dr. Silke Gatenbröcker - Director of the picture gallery of the Herzog Anton Ulrich Museum in Braunschweig
Tuesday Novermber 23, 19:00 CET | GERMAN
Register for this event via Zoom:
https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_AWZbOkE4QRGFez5gh-QpMw
Dr. Xavier F. Salomon - Deputy Director and Peter Jay Sharp Chief Curator at the Frick Collection
Tuesday, November 30, 19:00 CET | ENGLISH
Register for this event via Zoom: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_t9MbrhKIRK-knBBdGozxIQ
Friederike Schütt - Assistant Curator, Städel Museum in Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Tuesday, December 7, 19:00 CET | GERMAN
Register for this event via Zoom:
https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ks-5uiNUSm2WNr_zartXag
Katja Kleinert - Curator for Dutch and Flemish Art of the 17th Century, Gemäldegalerie, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin; Bart Cornelis (Curator of Dutch and Flemish Paintings 1600-1800, The National Gallery in London) and Uta Neidhardt (Curator of Dutch and Flemish Paintings, Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister)
Tuesday, December 14, 19:00 CET | ENGLISH
Register for this event via Zoom:
https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Jrarw_g2Qce7c4b_FlwRrw

Newspaper Articles & Videos

August, 24 2021
"First full image of new’ Vermeer with uncovered Cupid released by Dresden museum"
José da Silva | THE ARTNEWSPAPER
September 6, 2021
"Recently restored Cupid joins nine Vermeer masterpieces for blockbuster show"
Martin Bailey | THE ARTNEWSPAPER
Sept. 9, 2021
"A Vermeer Restoration Reveals a God of Desire"
Catherine Hickley | NYT
Sept. 19, 2021
"What is Merkel so interested in? Danish expert has helped to unveil the century-old secret"
Camilla Stockmann | POLITIKIN
Sept. 23, 2021
Den lille ny (The Little Newborn): The restoration of Vermeer's Girl Reading a Letter by an Open Window has triggered a certain dismay among aesthetes.
Per Marquard Otzen | POLITIKEN

Den lille ny (The Little Newborn)
Per Marquard Otzen
Vermeer's Generosity
October 21, 2021 | VOICES ( Old Master Pictures Gallery, Dresden )
https://voices.skd.museum/voices-mag/vermeers-grosszuegigkeit/

In many ways, the English photographer Tom Hunter seems to have captured the effect of Vermeer's original Woman Reading a Letter at an Open Window in his Woman Reading an Eviction Notice (1997). However, difference between Vermeer's painting and Hunter's photograph are apparent.

Woman Reading an Eviction Notice (© Tom Hunter )
Tom Hunter
1997

As it turns out, the portrayed woman and her baby are about to be evacuated. The photograph is part of a series of eight works collectively titled Persons Unknown that reproduce images by Vermeer. For his thesis at the Royal College of Art, Hunter photographed his neighbors in the London borough of Hackney, which in 1997 was still considered a social hotspot. A common feature of all the people photographed was that they were squatters who had received an eviction notice from the city administration addressed to an “unknown” —hence the title of the work. But although the situation of this nameless woman seems bleak, Interestingly, Hunter does not specifically emphasize her predicament. Instead, he stages her after that painting by Vermeer in order to transfer some of his heroism and prestige to her. By his own admission, Hunter wanted to "show the dignity of life as a squatter—a piece of propaganda to save my neighborhood."
Sept. 21, 2021
"After nearly three centuries, a naked Cupid surfaces in one of the world’s best-loved artworks: The restoration of Girl Reading a Letter at an Open Window has quite changed the Vermeer"
Catherine Hickley | THE IRISH TIMES

How to access Youtube video subtitles in the language of your choice.

1. Open the video.
2. Click on the "Closed Captioning" icon to the lower right to turn on subtitles.
3. In order to select the language of subtitles, click on the "Gear Icon" to the immediate right, then on "Subtitles/CC German autogenerated," then on "Autotranslate."
4. From dropdown menu, choose preferred language.

The English translation is far from perfect but in most cases adequate.

Oct. 13, 2021
Introduction to Johannes Vermeer. On Reflection (GERMAN)

Streamed live on Sept. 9, 2021
Official press conference - Johannes Vermeer. On Reflection (ENGLISH)

Streamed live on Sept. 9, 2021
Official press conference - Johannes Vermeer. On Reflection (GERMAN)

Sept. 9, 2021
Restoring Johannes Vermeer's Girl Reading a Letter at the Open Window (GERMAN)

Sept. 9, 2021
A “new” Vermeer: The restoration of Johannes Vermeer's Girl Reading a Letter at the Open Window (GERMAN, with English subtitles automatically displayed)

Patreon

The newly restored Girl Reading a Letter at an Open Window: Survey & Resources initiated September 19, 2021

RESOURCES

Online Digital Program

Newspaper Articles & Videos

How to access Youtube video subtitles in the language of your choice.

EV 3.0 Newsletter ✉

The newly restored Girl Reading a Letter at an Open Window: Survey & Resources

initiated September 19, 2021