Pictured: A Girl With A Pearl Earring painted by Dutch master Johannes Vermeer in 1665. The painting has been in the collection of the Mauritshuis in The Hague since 1902. (Photo courtesy of WETA)
Narrated by Steve Martin, Vermeer, Beyond Time explores the life and work of artist Johannes Vermeer. In this documentary, Jean-Pierre Cottet focuses on not only Vermeer’s work, but also his family life.
In 1675, overwhelmed by poverty, physically weakened, and humiliated, Vermeer died at the age of 43. However, his rediscovery some 200 years later saw his popularity soar — claiming both hearts and admiration.
The film examines his individual paintings and teases out what has come to be known as the Vermeer style — the representation of light, the interplay of color, and the effects of perspective across places and objects.