Little is known about the personality of Johannes Vermeer, one of the most famous Dutch painters of the 17th century. We do know that he married the Catholic Catharina Bolnes, whose family was closely associated with the Jesuit community in Delft.

In this book, Gregor J.M. Weber, head of visual arts at the Rijksmuseum, shows that Vermeer himself actually pursued a Catholic lifestyle. The relationship between the artistic ambitions of the young Vermeer and his Catholic surroundings is also dis...

Japan Modern presents an overview of Japanese printing in the first half of the twentieth century. Japan was flourishing in the years after 1900. Modern city culture offered plenty of opportunities, the landscape changed, the position of women improved and optimism abounded. At the same time, the many changes produced feelings of nostalgia.

Prints made in this period portray the turbulent times unlike anything else. Using an ancient wood-carving technique, artists show us modern life: streets...