The Vanishing White Wall:A Discussion on the New Appearance of Vermeer's Girl Reading a Letter at an open Window
Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister in Dresden carried out an unprecedented restoration on Vermeer's early masterpiece Girl Reading a Letter at an open Window during 2017 to 2021.Laboratory reports proved that the white wall in the background of the painting was covered by another hand rather than Vermeer himself,which overturned the original Vermeer coverage theory.After cleaning and restoration,the portrait of a Cupid appeared,and the original white wall disappeared and collapsed,presenting a completely new Vermeer masterpiece.However,can we conclude that the overpainted white wall was created by someone else based on existing evidence?Does the overpainting betray Vermeer's will?The result of the restoration directly led to a conflict between Vermeer and the Vermeer Style that has been generated for hundreds of years.How should we determine the original appearance of this painting?White wall or Cupid painting,which is better?There are many issues worth reflecting on,and the new appearance of this masterpiece enables further discussion.
VermeerGirl Reading a Letter at an open WindowOverpaintingRestorationImage
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