Berlin

BERLIN
I recently visited Berlin and am still processing the impressions from the trip. I was lucky enough to catch the exhibition of Spanish Art from the Golden Age at the Gemäldegalerie. After spending time in the exhibition I checked out the Gemäldegalerie's regular collection and was thrilled to find two Vermeers: 'Woman with a Pearl Necklace' (c.1662-1665) and 'The Glass of Wine' (c.1658-1660). It was a relief after the full blown expressiveness of the Spanish works to discover the Vermeers. The 'Woman with a Pearl Necklace', in particular, stopped me in my tracks and had the effect of calming me down almost immediatey. In this painting Vermeer observes a moment of quiet contemplation. A  young woman looks out a window while delicately holding in her hands a pearl necklace, which hangs around her neck. The light filtering through the window baths both her face and the wall beside her. It is masterful the way Vermeer uses colour and composition to underscore the atmosphere and mood of the work.