The Rijksmuseum's 2023 Vermeer exhibition, which brought together 28 of the artist's 34 surviving paintings, was a historic success, drawing 650,000 visitors and inspiring extensive new research. A new book, *Closer to Vermeer*, presents findings from advanced imaging techniques and archival studies, revealing that Vermeer made significant changes to 30 of his paintings. For example, in *The Little Street* (1658–59), the door was originally painted shut, the children were absent, and the woman was positioned differently, showing how Vermeer deliberately opened the scene to viewers. Other alterations include modifications to *The Milkmaid* (1657–58) and *Diana and her Nymphs* (1653–54).
This research matters because it deepens understanding of Vermeer's meticulous creative process and his evolution as a perfectionist artist. The discoveries also reshape art-historical knowledge about his patrons—revealing that Maria de Knuijt, not her husband Pieter, was his main supporter and owned more than half his oeuvre—and provide fresh insights into 17th-century Dutch society. The book's accessible yet scholarly tone makes these findings available to both experts and the public, reinforcing the Rijksmuseum's role as a leader in art-historical research.