Johannes Vemeer, a 17th century artist, is recognised primarily for his genre scenes. Through meticulous precision in his paintings and drawings he achieves perfection and maximum impact. Unlike his predecessors, Vermeer used a camera obscura to bring even more perspective to his art in the most delicate of manners. He revolutionised the way in which we use and make paint and his colour application techniques predate some of those used by the impressionists nearly two centuries later. Girl with a Pearl Earring remains to this day his greatest masterpiece

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