The Astronomer
Johannes Vermeer1668Oil on canvas
Vermeer's companion piece to The Geographer shows a scholar reaching toward a celestial globe in warm candlelight. Looted by the Nazis in 1940 and stamped 'Adolf Hitler' on the back, it was returned to France after the war and now hangs in the Louvre.
Color Mood
Quietly luminous. The deep green robe against warm window light creates Vermeer's most scholarly atmosphere. Knowledge pursued in a pool of gold light surrounded by dark.
Musée du Louvre, Paris
Primary Colors
The dominant colors that define the overall mood and atmosphere of the work.
Secondary Colors
Supporting colors that add depth, contrast, and visual interest.
Tertiary Colors
Accent and detail colors that complete the composition.
dutch-golden-agenazi-lootingwarmintimaterecovered