Ah, shoes. Ah, a deceptively simple image yon premiers girl reading a letter at an open window from 1657 standing just beyond the curtain. She seems peaceful at one with herself and the moment. The letter hints at the presence of the world outside and into this calm, intimate moment, a figure intrudes a naked cupid. The god of love and desire was detected in an x ray analysis decades ago, but was largely ignored by the art world. Now. Hes made a dramatic re entrance, a new restoration made clear that the cupid had been painted over by another artist after vermeer of death. The revelation made headlines around the world. The German Museum that owns the painting, the old masters, picture gallery or camella galaxy and dresden decided to uncover the figure so long concealed official. This really is unique. Mine wasnt basically means me writing veneer scholarship. Oh, a sensational outcome. After years of research, for centuries, people have been fascinated by the enigmatic paintings of yon vermeer. His works have long defied definitive interpretation. And that has made the artist the subject of highly contentious debates among the worlds art scholars in dresden, a well funded team of internationally renowned premier experts got to work using cutting edge technology. They got remarkable results. What started out as the restoration of a single painting, as led to the radical transformation of an iconic image. It was the Art Historical equivalent of open heart surgery. The removal of a layer of paint revealed a cupid and provided plenty of food for thought. As an a truly you have this iconic painting that is imprinted itself in our collective consciousness. Now its no longer there. Its been replaced by another painting is totally different as far as winds offenses for removing the paint is tantamount to a raising history by moto vic named to pull that one. If we have the names here of individuals who may have painted over the mayor, tom, ah, are you one of those who are attracted by the unknown and unrecognized . Are you curious about mystery in reality . About shadow and light . The 2 extremes of both art and life. At the museum in the hague, a suit, perv, and utterly unique painting stops all visitors in their tracks. That makes a lasting impression on artists and connoisseurs alike. Its the view of the town of belt by Young Vaughan the mere these are the words of the man who rediscovered vermeer in 18. 65. In the nearly 2 centuries after the painters death, his work had fallen into obscurity. We dont know a lot about from here he is known as the sphinx of dell because we know so little about his life. Had he lived in delft, which is a town in the netherlands and he had lots of children more than 10 children. So how he got time to paint, i dont know known as yawn or johan us. Premier is the most famous son of delved the city where he spent his entire life. He was born here in 1632 and ara later called the dutch golden age. A time of unprecedented prosperity for the netherlands when the arts and sciences flourished along with international trade. In total, yon vermeer is legacy amounts to just 37. 00 paintings. But each of them is a masterpiece and guaranteed ticket seller for any exhibition. All of them were produced in delphi. Vermeer lived on volta scoffed for many years, right around the corner from the st. Lucas artists guild, of which he was a member. He moved homes just once and thus lived his whole life within a radius of 100 meters. To day that tiny patch of dealt draws premier fans from around the world. Vermeer only ever painted to exterior views. The rest of his works depict interiors. The outside world is present only in the light that pours in through lead glass windows. Premiers compositions are a camera obscura, in the truest sense, darkened chambers with light entering from one solitary point. Space is characterized by a feeling of intimacy and concealment. They arouse in the viewer and urge to unravel a mystery. His paintings are a 3 dimensional experience. Ah, vermeer conjured a fleeting moments with a power that enthralls no adherent of strict realism, he frequently changed the scale in form of objects. Many of his pictorial elements were inspired by the well to do homes of the burgeoning middle class. Ah, the perspective geometry of the floor tops items from every day life, an artist with an imagination that opened up new horizons. And premiers very particular palette of colors which hailed in part from more exotic lines. And this is the blue pigment, called indigo, that would have come from far away either in asia or from the west indies. This is a yellow pigment called weld, that is made from a plant that probably grew in the netherlands. And when these 2 colors were mixed together, it would have made a transparent green ah, a new style of painting. Incorporating the technological marbles of the time. John ver mirs friendship with a lens grinder from del, introduced him to optical innovations like the camera obscura. In premiers imagination, the camera obscura was like the i, its lens, the pupil. Its screen the retina, a pete box that cast images on to the wall. This was also the dawn of a new age in art, one that filled a vacuum, a 100 years after the reformations, destructive iconoclasm. In 1566 protestant iconoclast christians, who saw depictions of religious figures as blasphemous, destroyed paintings in churches across delved. Oh, they also rebelled against the curtains that had traditionally been draped across the churches. Holiest and most revered paintings to protect them from the masses. Ah, the painted curtain would eventually become a motif in its own right. Deployed once again by various dutch painters in the mid 17th century. As a inbound via the edison rembrandt was the 1st to paint the frame complete with kersin. Right into the picture in the spilled he, 9 of and then this is east alpha there vandal, for an island. So the exterior curtain now becomes a motif highly am built motif and illusionary trick called tom ploy. Literally meaning deception of the i i know and that is i you could also see it as us. The view is being deceived, terry, rather violet, because we see the image of a curtain which invites us to try and see behind it. Madden un sites basin, seen swan keith. But that desire to see more about whats hidden behind the curtain is not just about some of the world view or a view from a window. Vales or the im fain, spouse, flakes, of wanton so and then meet metaphorically. Its about wanting to see more through the medium of art in beer them and funder, malakai pan. It can be interpreted as the genesis of ours appreciation. We passed them out, they constantly power. I 15. At the peak of the golden age, dutch artists were producing 70000. 00 paintings a year. A prolific rate, unprecedented in the history of art does position so its very apt for the 17th century more a time. What concepts of time and space were being revolutionized thats wandering idle up to that point. It is the world was considered to be in godsons and predetermined. Mia, its foy, its in the 17th century. And people began to see themselves as self determining style. Can call me yon ramirez paintings are and remains superbly devised invitations to explore new worlds for mrs. This toddler allison food. What i love about this painting is that its such a small room, but the longer you look at it, the more expensive the room becomes. So it opens up, it is a home after it says, this early work from 1657 already incorporates premiers core elements. The use of light, the transient moment, the suggestion of a narrative ah, pushed an ox, you fancy in imagination, money suddenly youre in a different world. And just as the woman re debbie is in another world on one of various worlds brought to life by johan as premier. Busy interiors where the 4th wall is cast aside. As premier gives us moments of intimacy where the ages lou day and yet for a time for mirrors work was forgotten until a re discovery in dresden augustus the 3rd king of poland, an elector of saxony, military commander, and one of the greatest art patrons of his time, a man with visionary plans, they included the creation of an art gallery, so grand, all of europe would hear of it. The clinic is stuff i to some, the king had a series of paintings ready for the connection. On initially, they were housed in what were still in the 17th century by the royal stables. In zips in yelled at us. Im saying this is whether the mer to gallery was established or d, connecticut. Harrington anguished at that of the royal gallery essentially became a proton museum, a temple of art open to all a presentation of his majestys good taste or bon goof, the monarch as arbiter, deciding which works well worthy of display. I was that though gus is, the 3rd was a real connoisseur half and he took an active interest in painting and was directly involved in the acquisitions. He made the tie leash while though the major hubs of the fine art trade were some distance away. The 17th century saw a veritable frenzy of art collecting both in italy and france, and especially in paris. On the flourishing french market, the principal buyers were cardinals, royalty the aristocracy, the clergy and monasteries purchasing by a correspondence with their agents on the spot. Collectors hosted the 1st public exhibitions of contemporary art by the 18th century auctions were already playing a major role in paris. Art dealers 1st began to emerge. Old documents paint a vivid picture of how augustus was able to build up his unique collection. Carrying on pets ish. The mysteries from saxony dispatched an alert to taste and about the impending sale of an important connection with a cough. Dutch and flemish artists were producing paintings of the highest quality, but augustus, as agents and paris, were after something else. The prized collection of victor amadeus, the 1st of savoy, the prince of county, all eyes is absent. And when the prince of karen yano died in france in 1741, the chief concern for augustus was his collection of italian paintings to the sea, which is why he sent his agents to paris again, not bodies. The market was a highly competitive one. With the kings of france and portugal, among the bidders augustus employed a range of arc savvy experts and the flemish conservatory. In total, he managed to acquire 30 paintings from the colony, all collections, spending a fortune in the process. When julia tube reached it, we can see him which paintings from the famous prince of karen. Yeah, no collection went from paris to saxony rule on the handle. I hoped. And the most prominent among them was a gift beat isis in my id to an e powder, should a mushy, as meaning granted on top of the trade. So a present to shakes. Ah, dont you know go did dub roku will take signals host of ha as wanted in a among the many paintings received i your excellency. E one is i rembrandt get this ions from the him. Punt looks his aunt, all engine fi. T v said he jennifer nick. Thus as depicting a young girl reading across from a window on his fence thus hes ah, ah, this man wilmington is being mistaken for rembrandt. It is due solely to the painted curtain. The curtain was a key element of the masterpiece. Busy an invitation to take a closer look at the scene. This means that by adding a painted curtain, i real, rembrandt was declaring this painting of his ease as to be a masterpiece. I my fish took bexla here. This isnt good. Thank. And then it was a gift to a friend, wouldnt that so it had to be valuable while engine. And hugh was the most celebrated dutch painter, rembrandt. Linus off, and that for me is the reason why this painting, which was obviously very valuable, ended up going to be placed in as a rembrandt called as aggravated frontline pump. Ah, so after being given the list of paintings, the king said, i want that one, that one and that one. Then he told is cheap emissary in paris to verify an essential question. Authenticity. Transportation was another issue with the wet autumn weather create problems. What about the temperature . And could the paintings be rolled up and a cylinder . Eventually the paintings from the colony on collection arrived in dresden. There they were soon put on display in the kings new museum. Ah, one picture was kept from public view. The one given to the king as a present. The girl reading a letter was placed in the kings chambers. The painting was now part of an exclusive and illustrious group, one that included the very best of dutch painting. A privileged position shrouded in mystery. It was hidden away in the private rooms of the ruler of saxony and poland, measuring 83. 00 by 64. 00 and a half centimeters. This every day seen by a dutch master graced the kings cabinet room, disconnects it being an integral part of the policy ceremonial apartments. Access to the cappy night was obviously restricted to a room where the king could retreat, screening alone or with guests to contemplate his paintings her at pleasure uncorked on the paintings. There were almost exclusively dutch and flemish works depicting generic seals in dafter, insur constructed intimacy, intimidated, ah, on the ticket is a spirit, mom, entering this picture is not straightforward for you 1st have to go past the curtain, then across the rug pick. And sub me there you are, mando now your parts of event. So she ends, although events is almost incorrect as nothing is actually happening. There is no story handle. Busy ah, all you see, is this woman completely absorbed in what shes doing . What might she be reading . Her concentrated face is reflected in the window. Oh, how does this woman feel imprisoned or free like the world beyond her window questions that retain their fascination to this day . By 1765, the painting had left the kings private rooms and could now be seen in dresden, cml de gallery. Busy busy g 3 snug amanda got any, is thee camille de gallery in easton is on par with the louvre in terms of the quality of the paintings at the stump. This was also true in the 18th century life from louvre. But brown says, your own collection in the louvre was completely inaccessible to the public at this time, a sinking mitten. A when placed in his command, a gallery opened in 1746. Can any one british, any artist, student with all bay cattle . And we know this from the visitor records accent and could go inside into connecticut at a higher ah, a feast of gold and color accessible to wall, regardless of their social class or origins. Ah, ah tazza displeased and suddenly have this well renowned collection victories that so all the artists who will use to make the journey to montana and rome now had to go to the eastern listener. Luck listen, ah, augustus. The thirds passion for art extended far beyond the borders of saxony. The birth of this now legendary collection would always be associated with the monarch. Dresden is still referred to as the florence of the north. A home for art, a celebration of beauty in the form of a public collection, for every one to see as its in that of infancy, in 1775, the camille gallery is huge. A new catalogue made to go to the gmail the gallery, had a conveniently small folks can easily accessible for visitors. Thought that that was characteristic, a symbol on and suddenly tune. The veneer pops off and stood still listed as rembrandt girl reading at a window that he took a minute ago to v o. Fixation. At what, of course, its of him here from graham. Now, aunt, so that marked the official entry of this painting into the can mailed a gallery to go to he and how it was inducted into the history of aunt quince squished her ah, rediscovering vermeer for the art world. This was Etienne Yosef tale field. Always quest, he would spend almost 10 years of his Life Tracking down the sphinx of dealt as he called the artist. Tollway travelled frequently between the hague and brussels, and later to berlin found spike and vienna. He examined various collections, recommending this superlative dutch mens works to his wealthy friends and new commerce to the art market. A painter who was still relatively unknown due to the small number of his works. Other people had helped to identify premiers paintings. But credit for truly resurrecting the painters legacy goes to torbay ah, guided by comments written by a Berlin Museum director toys journey eventually took him to dresden there in the royal gallery of augustus. The 3rd. Torbay was able to identify 2 works by yon vermeer a triumph ah, among all the old masters on the walls. With these 2, he recognised something ineffable. Hed seen it and all the other vermeer paintings and brussels, berlin, and vienna. They had been painted by the hand of vermeer. Ah, for mere lists, if you listen to them often. Vermeer leaves a great deal in his paintings, open an unresolved hop. He works with nuances postponed, and in general, with subtle modification. Thus, with what we call the atmospheric in these and in doing so, he entices us into this atmosphere ish. It seeped him build on, and i, i enjoy it in a way. He introduces ambiguity and coaxes our imagination so that we think that something unresolved, that contract we want to take a better look at to find out more astonished question on you. Stop bringing this picture to life in your mind, my coff, to the spirit, to believe me. When i, when it comes to the relationship between a work of often its observer, what could be better . Whats his dea, a monkey, not soon. Ah, abby vandeveer has spent years examining what is indisputably one of the most famous paintings in the history of art. Premiers girl with the pearl airing of painting thats been celebrated on the big screen, interpreted and reinterpreted over the centuries by a host of observers from the church to royalty, art historians and Museum Directors to day scientific experts deploy state of the art analysis. Really, we wanted to see with these new technologies and with an group of International Researchers with lots of different equipment and lots of different expertise, bringing them altogether and find out how much we could find out about the painting as a whole. And from that, some amazing discoveries came up that we hadnt even expected from the beginning. Modern technology, shifting the narrative, when it comes to old masterpieces. The new technological options are tantalizing. With their promise to let us take a peek over the artists shoulder during the process of creation. Ah we took the painting off of her usual spot here on the wall and brought her to the golden room of the modus house on especially built easel inside a glass enclosure. And within that enclosure, over a 2 week period, scientists and their equipment. Were used to examine the painting to day scientific analyses routinely use a wide range of imaging devices such as x rays and infrared reflex ta graphy. Microscopic examinations and even invasive microscopic procedures take place and sterile laboratories. And sometimes in full view of the public, it was important for us to keep the painting visible to the public because this is a very important painting that the public love very much. After all, who doesnt love the painting dubbed the mona lisa of the north. The girl with the blue turban and that irresistible glint in her eye, and of course the earring, a mere whisper of white premiers masterpiece, has practically become a pop culture event. With modern discoveries, drawing a new generation of visitors, we knew from samples that were taken in the 19 ninetys that originally the background had a different color that on top of a black under layer for mere applied a glaze that contains 2 pigments. One of them blue, indigo, and one of them yellow called weld. So this glazed, this transparent layer on top would have been a very dark green. But then in the top right corner we discovered some diagonal lines. So with this information and the knowledge now that these pigments, these yellow and blue pigments were used, makes us now realised that the background was originally a green curtain. The last green curtain, the tension between concealment and revelation. It draws us in. Now what had begun with an x ray analysis for decades ago was set to be resolved. The initial discovery was ignored by International Art scholars who assumed the over painting had been done by premier himself. But had it under the expectant d among the experts who advised augustus the thirds ancient sin, paris was the flemish man. I was bent, the pain tenor. Im to restore a hack wounded. This shall young batista slots slots is. And he was famous for his talent for storing in we painting. And the touching up works sheehan, including venza flemish and dutch painter estimate this in the south. We know that he also restored a number of paintings from the carrying yano collection. And prior to that arrival into easton of grayson combs it upset now doesnt of all we can santa call us whether that girl reading a letter was one of these is, is but its a legitimate assumption. Anthony, in perhaps m by artists, or restorers who came along later wanted to a sort of update the paintings to appeal more to the sensibilities of the time. So for instance, young woman reading a letter in an open window, perhaps in the time that it was over painted. They wanted to the viewer to concentrate on the stillness, the beauty, the concentration of the woman, and not be distracted by the cupid behind her. As blood speculative vow, homeless to the family. Mm hm. And why it was over painted remains a point of speculation and will never be precisely explained. I know quick tour for me. It seems like a subsequent correction for me. Its a very early vermeer dish between beulah uncorked than consisted a of i it kind of so and if you look at it later, paintings your, he largely leaves out allegorical additions like this were from, from here and goes who can as i was faxed as perhaps some connoisseur of him is work said to now he never would have painted it like that in his later period. Lets corrected as he would have an a raise this fresco in the back on stay desert. Jesus escalates sikander. In 2019, the cml de galleria greeted the art sensation of the year. The picture had a new feature, cupid, the god of love and desire. I dont teach loss of him when we decided to restore the girl reading a letter we made use of all available analytical techniques was into a great surprise of it. We realized that this over painting was not by vermeer hemmed up, but must have been done several decades later by someone else to athens angles as good as, as the painting was bought and brought to tristan as a rembrandt. But this strange and rowdy cupid in the background would have been out of place in francisco, passed a revelation, a more colorful, playful side to vermeer. But what would the experts say . An International Team gathered to hear the man in charge of restoration . Explain it, try to get feared i english by doris. De leon got off. He knows thus in mind, what are strategy for the restoration seeks to do is to put the painting in the condition in which it might have left the art studio hunter. As always nice hawk, initially it was a shock and other it this opens up whole new avenues of interpretation in lucas cadence. And i told em, unquestionably exposing the cupid figure gives the picture of our clearer message. Ah, anger kid, come on of off hog. But almost us all. Conversely, you can also ask why the so called original is so important. Why go back in tyler sims . If the for sure you can say, because this was al vermeer painted it off likely for me at if we now claim to be capable of recreating the original picture. In that we would have to 1st learn to see things as they did in the 17th century. Read aloud and v m. Zip to ya. Not say about suzanne. There is the tendency to have to weigh the historical value of changes that have happened to an object over time versus the artists original intention. And is it important to preserve those historical changes or to bring back a painting as close as it was to when vermeer painted it . Ah, its a debate that now accompanies the work of yon vermeer like a shadow. And i have, i did into that decision was also a brave one with the previous history. Going back to 1979, people knew after the x ray that there was something underneath side with 121 that does a show which was in mine. All of the french shine, crowns was on gavia. They could have said, yes, we do know about the over painting and what used to be hidden behind it. And a happy to pass on that knowledge is this game, or we can still live with how its been for centuries, him leap because thats also a part of its history history. And now this over painting is in turn being a raised is it grandma . So removing the paint is tantamount to a raising history fast. So it was fiona shifts after all. Bermonte the rebel model, victor and in my experience, people are really excited when there is a new discovery, a painting that they have known for a long time. But on the other hand, there are also people who have known the painting to look this way for a very long time for hundreds of years. This paint has looked this way and its going to take a certain amount of time to get used to how it looks now and to really rethink what this means within from years over until latest come on in theory, i could always return it to that to edition which type of a but its now been liberated with a scalpel that was used to scrape off the lance and then an english before i turn on to ultimately another pleasant effect is that the colors now radiate a completely different vibrancy cuff to fla the sooner under the beautiful thing about the vermeer painting as it was until now, a list is that it allows us to develop our own ideas on it. So i can quit months or you could talk about a mere appealing to mature, fewest hotter and appeal to our sense of mystery. Perhaps this explains the enduring fascination exerted by the works of yon vermeer, an artist who used enigma to stimulate viewers imagination by leaving. So many interpretations open. Vermeer can be seen as offering up of fundamentally democratic perspective in his art. And it was a king and dresden, who was one of the 1st in europe to open up this world to his subjects. His Public Gallery gave every one the opportunity to contemplate art as august its it is little augustus. The 3rd is famous for being a real lover of painting that this is any straight it in an anecdote about the sistine chapels. Mcdonough by raphael, king charlotte. On this painting had been acquired in italy after very complex negotiations that took about a year. And then it finally arrives in placed, and it was carried into the throne room, where the king himself single handedly pushes his throne to one side and says, make way for the great raphael. The king made way for art o yon fond de mer or yon of the sea, as he was sometimes called a painter who left vacant spaces in his art to spur our imaginations. A tantalizing promise of freedom. Premiers masterpieces ended up in museums which have always served both as cultural arbiters and oases of freethinking every day. Thousands of people view his paintings works originally intended only for private consumption by prosperous citizens of 17th century delft adorning the dark walls of dutch townhouses. But what is it that we see in his art, and what role do museums play to day . Are these traditional sanctuaries of independent thinking, becoming increasingly compromised . The moods of to gig, if we look at the present and the current culture was affected, we see ethics becoming increasingly important. Foot on and artistic liberty, no longer enjoying the same automatic respect that it used to. It involves people, zia, im brooklyn park. Thats why the bite of one notable example is the Saatchi Gallery in london. Modest. It had a series of high profile scandals where the point was always to stir up the audience in order to generate headlines and visit numbers. Who can only yell when he gets hungry pellets, and suddenly we had the case of 2 paintings going on display that was so outrageous and problematic for some people that the gallery ended up deciding to cover them up. These you could even call it the vermeer effect as due to the sudden boom and interest in fem. Yeah. Effect. Then just said sisters and tessa and isnt the matter staked . And does the cell, did you elect us . Thats the dialectical logic and all of these current conflicts did the artists who are supposed to be banished and taken down. Now enjoy an amazing amount of attention, making them a lot more popular will you see . So, so what this repressing or even removing of things leads to is, if anything, people really starting to talk about these poems or paintings, quote, are we seeing a contemporary revival of the a conic lasts . Museums are increasingly becoming cultural battle grounds as debates rage over what should be shown. Many museums have their roots and a monarchy system. Today, their narrative authority is compromised. Each other med in here and i believe the future lies in an involving public few sites. One for its one in the gazette are growing social diversity Digital Natives in the alternative perspectives. They bring a community and of twin as iran game and, and we have to provide this public with a meaningful framework. But here the old masters comply a special rollin and lang i. Tom also advised invisalign anchor dead. Theyve been an anchor, the generations. They provide continuity passing on both love and knowledge of this. And i took it in after spending 300 years in our collective consciousness. Girl reading a letter has been consigned to history. Making way for new interpretations meet their file equal the unveiling as the cheaper it makes the genre of the letter clear. But keith, im toys of it, but questions remain for east as even im, seeing that i met am, is this a faithful love . Briefly, aveena love form. The form of love remains ambivalent and enigmatic lady. Luft in de obvious symbolism connected to the playing card is covered up by the painted curtain east able twisting before him for her im. This is the route to the ambiguity and the mystery flood then remains the thumb. Oh blight. Ah the eternal mystery of a love story revealed now by the uncovering of a cupid. Should some things remain secret . What does art history stand to gain a new vermeer . The original art work, a new debate. Ah, the mystery of vermeer will continue to beguile us that much his certain, ah all over the world, this used to be the symbol or the cold war and the separation of germany in east and west. The berlin wall. Nicole for liz explodes its trail in berlin, even though the wall has now been consigned to history. There still, when linda had scattered around town today, also you were to find them and the story they dug equal theories travels back in time chicken in 30 minutes on d w a. It looks like a suit case on wheels, but perhaps its the electric car for the entire world. B, a. C. M. City one. Affordable, flexible, uncomplicated, developed in germany. Usable, wherever theres a conventional household socket. I read. 90 minutes on d w. Ah. Its just a thought so crazy with this is dw news live from berlin. Signs of improvement for entered Author Salman Rushdie a day after being stabbed in new york. The prize winning author has been taken off the ventilator and is talking again. Is attacker has been charged with attempted murder also coming up polish and German Authorities suspect foul play