Johannes Vermeer was a 17th-century painter from the Netherlands and is considered one of the greatest artists of the Dutch Golden Age.

Although he was not a prolific painter, Vermeer made most of his income as an art dealer. His financial situation, however, was not strong—his wife was in debt at the time of his death.

Known for his meticulous and slow painting process, Vermeer avoided cheap pigments, choosing instead to work with the highest-quality materials available.

During his lifetime, Vermeer enjoyed a modest level of recognition, but he was largely forgotten after his death. It wasn’t until the 19th century that he was rediscovered and his popularity surged.

Originally raised Protestant, Vermeer converted to Catholicism in order to marry the much wealthier Catharina Bolnes.

Their marriage appears to have probably been a romantic one, as they had 11 surviving children together.

Vermeer was born in Delft, Netherlands, and rarely left his hometown.

His most famous painting, Girl with a Pearl Earring, is often referred to as the “Mona Lisa of the North.”

Very few records exist about his personal life or biography, and no diaries have ever been found.

Interestingly, some of his works were later forged by the Dutch con artist Han van Meegeren.