Portrayals of scientists were a favourite topic in 17th-century Dutch painting[1] and Vermeer's oeuvre includes both this astronomer and the slightly later The Geographer. Both are believed to portray the same man,[2][3][4] possibly Antonie van Leeuwenhoek.[5] A 2017 study indicated that the canvas for the two works came from the same bolt of material, confirming their close relationship.[6]
The astronomer's profession is shown by the celestial globe (version by Jodocus Hondius) and the book on the table, the 1621 edition of Adriaan Metius's Institutiones Astronomicae Geographicae.[2][3][4][7] Symbolically, the volume is open to Book III, a section advising the astronomer to seek "inspiration from God" and the painting on the wall shows the Finding of Moses—Moses may represent knowledge and science ("learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians").[8]
Provenance
1720 catalog listing the work.
The provenance of The Astronomer can be traced back to 27 April 1713, when it was sold at the Rotterdam sale of an unknown collector (possibly Adriaen Paets [nl] or his father, of Rotterdam) together with The Geographer. The presumed buyer was Hendrik Sorgh, whose estate sale held in Amsterdam on 28 March 1720 included both The Astronomer and The Geographer, which were described as 'Een Astrologist: door Vermeer van Delft, extra puyk' ('An Astrologist by Vermeer of Delft, top-notch') and 'Een weerga, van ditto, niet minder' ('Similar by ditto, no less').
Between 1881 and 1888 it was sold by the Paris art dealer Léon Gauchez to the banker and art collector Alphonse James de Rothschild, after whose death it was inherited by his son, Édouard Alphonse James de Rothschild. In 1940 it was seized from his hotel in Paris by the NaziEinsatzstab Reichsleiter Rosenbergfür die Besetzten Gebiete[clarification needed] after the German invasion of France. A small swastika was stamped on the back in black ink. The painting was returned to the Rothschilds after the war, and was acquired by the French state as giving in payment of inheritance taxes in 1983[9][10] and then exhibited at the Louvre since 1983.[10][11][12]
^Van Berkel, K. (February 24, 1996). Vermeer, Van Leeuwenhoek en De Astronoom. Vrij Nederland (Dutch magazine), p. 62–67.
^Johnson, C. Richard Jr; Sethares, W.A. (2017). "Canvas Weave Match Supports Designation of Vermeer's Geographer and Astronomer as a Pendant Pair". Journal of Historians of Netherlandish Art. 9. doi:10.5092/jhna.2017.9.1.17.
^Welu, James (1986). "Vermeer's Astronomer: Observations on an Open Book". Art Bulletin. 68 (2): 263–267. doi:10.1080/00043079.1986.10788338.
^Lottman, Herbert R (1995). Return of the Rothschilds: the great banking dynasty through two turbulent centuries. London: Tauris. p. 312. ISBN9781850439141.
^ abFeliciano, Hector (1998). The Lost Museum: The Nazi Conspiracy to Steal the World's Greatest Works of Art. Basic Books. ISBN0-465-04191-4.
^"L'Astronome". Communauté Louvre (in French). Musée du Louvre. Retrieved 2010-02-16.
^Abbe, Mary (15 October 2009). "Louvre show at MIA has Hitler's favorite painting". Star Tribune. Minneapolis.
Metius, Adriaan (1621). Institutiones Astronomicae Geographicae (in Dutch). Amsterdam.
External links
Listen to this article (2 minutes)
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January 20, 2023
astronomer, vermeer, astronomer, dutch, astronoom, painting, finished, about, 1668, dutch, golden, painter, johannes, vermeer, canvas, with, dimensions, astronomerartistjohannes, vermeeryearc, 1668mediumoil, canvasmovementdutch, golden, paintingdimensions51, l. The Astronomer Dutch De astronoom is a painting finished in about 1668 by the Dutch Golden Age painter Johannes Vermeer It is in oil on canvas with dimensions 51 cm 45 cm 20 in 18 in The AstronomerArtistJohannes VermeerYearc 1668MediumOil on canvasMovementDutch Golden Age paintingDimensions51 cm 45 cm 20 in 18 in LocationMusee du Louvre Paris Contents 1 Description 2 Provenance 3 See also 4 References 5 Further reading 6 External linksDescription Edit Johannes Vermeer The Geographer 1668 69 oil on canvas 53 47 cm Steadelsches Kunstinstitut Frankfurt Germany The Geographer used the same model and other elements as The Astronomer Portrayals of scientists were a favourite topic in 17th century Dutch painting 1 and Vermeer s oeuvre includes both this astronomer and the slightly later The Geographer Both are believed to portray the same man 2 3 4 possibly Antonie van Leeuwenhoek 5 A 2017 study indicated that the canvas for the two works came from the same bolt of material confirming their close relationship 6 The astronomer s profession is shown by the celestial globe version by Jodocus Hondius and the book on the table the 1621 edition of Adriaan Metius s Institutiones Astronomicae Geographicae 2 3 4 7 Symbolically the volume is open to Book III a section advising the astronomer to seek inspiration from God and the painting on the wall shows the Finding of Moses Moses may represent knowledge and science learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians 8 Provenance Edit 1720 catalog listing the work The provenance of The Astronomer can be traced back to 27 April 1713 when it was sold at the Rotterdam sale of an unknown collector possibly Adriaen Paets nl or his father of Rotterdam together with The Geographer The presumed buyer was Hendrik Sorgh whose estate sale held in Amsterdam on 28 March 1720 included both The Astronomer and The Geographer which were described as Een Astrologist door Vermeer van Delft extra puyk An Astrologist by Vermeer of Delft top notch and Een weerga van ditto niet minder Similar by ditto no less Between 1881 and 1888 it was sold by the Paris art dealer Leon Gauchez to the banker and art collector Alphonse James de Rothschild after whose death it was inherited by his son Edouard Alphonse James de Rothschild In 1940 it was seized from his hotel in Paris by the Nazi Einsatzstab Reichsleiter Rosenberg fur die Besetzten Gebiete clarification needed after the German invasion of France A small swastika was stamped on the back in black ink The painting was returned to the Rothschilds after the war and was acquired by the French state as giving in payment of inheritance taxes in 1983 9 10 and then exhibited at the Louvre since 1983 10 11 12 See also EditThe Astronomer and his Wife earlier painting by Gonzales CoquesReferences Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to The Astronomer by Johannes Vermeer L Astronome ou plutot L Astrologue Atlas the database of the exhibited works of art in French Musee du Louvre Retrieved 2006 10 14 a b Bailey Anthony 2001 Vermeer A View of Delft pp 165 170 ISBN 0 8050 6930 5 a b Bailey Martin 1995 Vermeer pp 102 104 a b van Berkel Klaas 1996 Vermeer and the Representation of Science The Scholarly World of Vermeer pp 13 14 ISBN 90 400 9825 5 Van Berkel K February 24 1996 Vermeer Van Leeuwenhoek en De Astronoom Vrij Nederland Dutch magazine p 62 67 Johnson C Richard Jr Sethares W A 2017 Canvas Weave Match Supports Designation of Vermeer s Geographer and Astronomer as a Pendant Pair Journal of Historians of Netherlandish Art 9 doi 10 5092 jhna 2017 9 1 17 Welu James 1986 Vermeer s Astronomer Observations on an Open Book Art Bulletin 68 2 263 267 doi 10 1080 00043079 1986 10788338 Acts 7 22 Lottman Herbert R 1995 Return of the Rothschilds the great banking dynasty through two turbulent centuries London Tauris p 312 ISBN 9781850439141 a b Feliciano Hector 1998 The Lost Museum The Nazi Conspiracy to Steal the World s Greatest Works of Art Basic Books ISBN 0 465 04191 4 L Astronome Communaute Louvre in French Musee du Louvre Retrieved 2010 02 16 Abbe Mary 15 October 2009 Louvre show at MIA has Hitler s favorite painting Star Tribune Minneapolis Further reading EditLiedtke Walter A 2001 Vermeer and the Delft School Metropolitan Museum of Art ISBN 978 0 87099 973 4 Metius Adriaan 1621 Institutiones Astronomicae Geographicae in Dutch Amsterdam External links EditListen to this article 2 minutes source source This audio file was created from a revision of this article dated 28 June 2019 2019 06 28 and does not reflect subsequent edits Audio help More spoken articles Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The Astronomer Vermeer amp oldid 1117234687, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
