Join historian Simon Schama and novelist Tracey Chevalier as they passionately debate two titans of Dutch art: Rembrandt and Vermeer. Schama argues for Rembrandt’s raw emotional humanity and societal depth, while Chevalier admires Vermeer’s enchanting, dreamlike scenes. They dive into their contrasting artistic philosophies, exploring how personal struggles influenced Rembrandt's emotive works, compared to Vermeer’s magical compositions. The conversation extends to the significance of spirituality in their art and their legacies that continue to inspire.
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insights INSIGHT
Art's Purpose
Art can offer an edited, crystallized reality or embrace humanity's fullness.
Rembrandt transfigures the mundane, expanding our perception of beauty.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Religious Expression
Vermeer's religious works are allegorical, requiring decoding.
Rembrandt's Christ is raw human pain, inviting believers to identify.
insights INSIGHT
Brushwork as Lens vs. Substance
Vermeer used his brush like a lens, influenced by the camera obscura.
Rembrandt's brushstrokes are expressive, generating substance and exploring paint's potential.
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Tracy Chevalier's "Girl with a Pearl Earring" is a historical fiction novel set in 17th-century Delft, Netherlands. It tells the fictionalized story of Griet, a young maid working in the household of the painter Johannes Vermeer. The novel explores the relationship between Griet and Vermeer, focusing on her role as his model and the impact of their interactions on her life. Chevalier's narrative weaves together historical details with imagined events, creating a compelling portrait of a young woman's life in a time of artistic and social change. The novel's success led to a film adaptation starring Scarlett Johansson and Colin Firth.
Rembrandt's Eyes
Simon Schama
Rembrandt's Eyes by Simon Schama is a comprehensive and imaginative biography that delves into the life and art of Rembrandt van Rijn. Schama explores Rembrandt's artistic career during the Dutch Golden Age, his personal struggles, and the profound influence of Peter Paul Rubens on his work. The book offers a rich exploration of Rembrandt's unique vision and the cultural, historical, and personal factors that shaped his extraordinary artistic legacy.
We compare the works of two of the greatest painters of the Dutch Golden Age: Rembrandt and Vermeer. Making the case for Rembrandt van Rijn in this debate was historian, author and broadcaster Simon Schama. For Schama, Rembrandt's works are raw humanity personified with formal beauty being the least of the painter's concerns. Novelist Tracy Chevalier, however, champions Johannes Vermeer. She claims that the artist's charm lies in the very fact that he absents himself from his paintings and as a result they are less didactic and more magical.
The debate was chaired by art historian, writer and museum director, Tim Marlow.
For a list of works referenced in this debate, along with links to each, please go to:
Intelligence Squared 
