Rijksmuseum to Stage Largest-Ever Vermeer Exhibition in 2023

The Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam will host the largest retrospective of Johannes Vermeer ever mounted, opening February 10 through June 4, 2023. At least 28 of the artist's 37 known works will be assembled, including masterpieces like The Milkmaid (1658-59) and Girl with a Pearl Earring (1664-67), the latter on loan from the Mauritshuis until March 31. International lenders include the Louvre, Metropolitan Museum of Art, National Museum of Western Art Tokyo, Gemäldegalerie Berlin, and the Frick Collection, which exceptionally lent three paintings due to its building renovation. The exhibition is the result of extensive scientific research conducted with the Mauritshuis and the University of Antwerp, using Macro-XRF and RIS scanners to reveal Vermeer's painting process—starting with quick sketches and building through elimination—and uncovering hidden elements like a pitcher holder and brazier in The Milkmaid. New findings also suggest Vermeer's ties to Jesuit circles, supported by shared interest in optical studies. The show is the most anticipated art event of 2023, as confirmed by Rijksmuseum director Taco Dibbits during a November 30, 2022 press conference at Leonardo's Vineyard in Milan.