Following the thrilling blockbuster exhibition at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., this book presents the complete works of the great Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer (1632-1675). Oversize, fullpage colorplates of each of Vermeer's 35 known masterpieces capture the luminosity and the remarkable originality of the paintings and make this the next best thing to actually having attended the sold-out show.Vermeer's gorgeous interiors and his mastery of light's expressive qualities make the everyday world shine with a jewel-like freshness. Most of his paintings were recently restored, and all have been newly photographed, so the 44 full-color reproductions in this book show their brilliance -- and Vermeer's genius -- to the best advantage.