In the frame: Scottish gallery goes Dutch

Three paintings from Dutch master Johannes Vermeer's early career have been reunited for the first time in a display at the National Galleries of Scotland.
By The Newsroom
Published 7th Dec 2010, 17:50 BST
Updated 7th Dec 2010, 21:14 BST

A spokesman for the gallery said: "The Young Vermeer presents a unique opportunity to compare directly these three works and discover more about the development of this celebrated artist." Johannes Vermeer is renowned for his meticulous paintings of Dutch interiors, which reflect his fascination with optical effects and balanced compositions.

He produced few works - of which less than 40 survive - during his career in Delft.

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The National Gallery of Scotland is one of only 17 galleries worldwide that holds a work by Vermeer in its collection. While his later work concentrates on domestic interiors, his early paintings seem to have focused primarily on traditional subjects derived from the Bible and classical mythology.

The Young Vermeer shows three works painted between 1653 and 1656 - The National Galleries of Scotland's Christ in the House of Mary and Martha, and loaned paintings The Procuress and Diana and her Companions.