Vermeer? A Conversation Through Time

“Lady With A Guitar” Currently On View

Throughout the 20th century and to the present day, the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s “Lady With a Guitar” has been the subject of deep fascination and many questions. Long catalogued as a “Copy after Vermeer” in the John G. Johnson collection at the museum, the work is a replica or close duplicate of Johannes Vermeer’s “The Guitar Player” (ca. 1672) today in the collection of the Kenwood House, London. The

Pewter

Continued from page 1 plates, and porringers. After that, many walked through the living history village and observed artisans such as tinsmiths, blacksmiths, and potters at work and then had lunch at the local tavern. It was a great day at the village enjoyed by all. In the evening, another buffet-style dinner was held, and a talk by members Bob and Arlene Diercks. They spoke about their efforts to manage the group’s Facebook page and the Pewter Forum they host. Finally, the show-and-tell portion of the hairstyles of the sitter are different, the PMA’s musician does not have corkscrew ringlets, but otherwise the images are nearly identical.

Since the 1920s, scholars have puzzled over the relationship between the two pictures. Complicating the comparison is the fact that the London painting is one of Vermeer’s bestpreserved works, while the PMA version is in a compromised condition. Most scholars have forum was held. This is the time when members bring pieces of pewter they own and feel have some important aspects to highlight or pieces they wish to learn more about. A lively discussion usually ensues regarding each piece. At the end, club president Eric Lanka thanked everyone, especially vice president Ed McManus, who arranged and planned the annual program. felt that “Lady” is a copy by another artist. In March 2023, however, against the backdrop of the definitive Vermeer show at Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum, researcher Arie Wallert claimed that the PMA painting could be by Vermeer himself, altered at some time in its past by aggressive cleaning attempts that removed much of the artist’s uppermost, finishing layers of paint.

The PCCA is a nonprofit organization established to encourage, develop, and foster the study, discussion, and collecting of pewter. For more information, visit www.pewter collectorsclub.org.

In light of the new findings, Philadelphia Museum of Art scientists, conservators, and curators are pursuing further study of the painting in collaboration with colleagues at other institutions, experts on

Vermeer, led by the PMA and using the most advanced analytical tools available. The aim is to add to knowledge of the work’s construction and materials and, it is hoped, shed more light on who made it.

“The Philadelphia Museum of Art is grateful for the past and continuing contributions of scholarship to the mysterious discourse of our ‘Lady With a Guitar,’” commented Sasha Suda, George D. Widener director and CEO. “Our conversation at the museum now is focused on the future of the painting, embracing collaborative research, seeking more knowledge, and inviting the public to be part of the process.”

“The possibility of working even more closely with Vermeer scholars in 2024 to shed further light on PMA’s ‘Lady with a Guitar’ across centuries is incredibly stimulating,” added Carlos Basualdo, Marion Boulton “Kippy” Stroud deputy director and chief curator. “We look very much forward to a process that is collegial and open, while we continue to care for this extraordinary painting in our collection.”

“Lady With a Guitar” recently went on view in Gallery 364 and will be up through late 2023. This is a unique public opportunity to see the painting in unrestored condition prior to the previousily mentioned continued research.

“The Guitar Player,” also called “Lady With a Guitar,” done around 1670–1720, possibly by Johannes Vermeer, Dutch (active Delft), 1632-75, is an oilon-canvas, at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, John G. Johnson collection, 1917, cat. 497.

The Philadelphia Museum of Art is located at 2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway.

To learn more, visit www.philamuseum.org.

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