Helpful Score: 1
This was surprisingly good. I had my doubts, considering it's set in the year 1665 and I was never a huge fan of history, but the author does an incredible job of mixing truth and fiction. Centered around the maid of painter Johannes Vermeer's wife, Tracey Chevalier has concocted a tale explaining the creation of the painting celebrated for it's purity, radiance, and sensuality. It helps to first study his paintings online because then, as each one is mentioned in the book, you can really visualize the magnitude.
I can't help but wonder what stirred Ms. Chevalier's curiosity to write such a novel. She had to have done an awful lot of research to include so much history about the painter himself and the resources available to him at the time. For instance, there were only about 20 pigments available during the 17th century, and a trip to the local apothecary for bones, and lapis lazuli, which had to be crushed and mixed with linseed oil for the palette, must have been a feat in itself. Amazing after all that work that he got any painting done!
p.s. Since reading this book, I will never look at clouds the same again.
I can't help but wonder what stirred Ms. Chevalier's curiosity to write such a novel. She had to have done an awful lot of research to include so much history about the painter himself and the resources available to him at the time. For instance, there were only about 20 pigments available during the 17th century, and a trip to the local apothecary for bones, and lapis lazuli, which had to be crushed and mixed with linseed oil for the palette, must have been a feat in itself. Amazing after all that work that he got any painting done!
p.s. Since reading this book, I will never look at clouds the same again.
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