Skip to main content
Withdrawn
Edit position
Edit position

No position recorded yet. Picking a shelf here sets the manual override.

Vermeer's camera : uncovering the truth behind the masterpieces / Philip Steadman
Diagnose this book
Open in Vernon Browser

Vermeer's camera : uncovering the truth behind the masterpieces / Philip Steadman

by Philip Steadman

No description yet.

Accession 11387 ISBN 9780192159670 Publisher Oxford University Press
Book Images
Reference and live side by side Hover to see live images
Reference
Vermeer's camera : uncovering the truth behind the masterpieces / Philip Steadman cover
Live
No live
No live
No live
Vermeer's camera : uncovering the truth behind the masterpieces / Philip Steadman cover
No live
TAGS
Curated Derived
Art Authors Biography Economics Education Painting Photography Science
CONNECTIONS
No connections
State
on_shelf
False
position_updated_at
never
orientation
unknown
Details

Physical

binding_type
Hard Back
dimensions
none captured
spine_text
none captured
LOCATION HISTORY
No location history available for this book.
Vernon snapshot
View live

Frozen copy of Vernon's record from the last sync. Fields tagged → flow back into the Pulse record.

Last synced 2026-05-21 00:53 (4 days, 6 hours ago)

Identity

name→ title
Vermeer's camera : uncovering the truth behind the masterpieces / Philip Steadman
vernon_id
15165
accession_no→ accession_number
11387
vernon_slug
vermeers-camera-uncovering-the-truth-behind-the-masterpieces-philip-steadman

Drives Pulse state

curr_loc_status→ on_shelf
Stored
location_name
Compactus 1 (TBP)/Back store room/Chardonnay Drive
location_reason
Stored
isbn_issn→ isbn (when valid)
9780192159670

Descriptive

production_date
2002
object_type
Books/Document genres/Information forms/Visual and Verbal Communication
object_status
Accessioned
brief_description
Philip Steadman traces the development of the camera obscura--first described by Leonaro da Vinci--weighs the arguments that scholars have made for and against Vermeer's use of the camera, and offers a fascinating examination of the paintings themselves and what they alone can tell us of Vermeer's technique. Vermeer left no record of his method and indeed we know almost nothing of the man nor of how he worked. But by a close and illuminating study of the paintings Steadman concludes that Vermeer did use the camera obscura and shows how the inherent defects in this primitive device enabled Vermeer to achieve some remarkable effects--the slight blurring of image, the absence of sharp lines, the peculiar illusion not of closeness but of distance in the domestic scenes. Steadman argues that the use of the camera also explains some previously unexplainable qualities of Vermeer's art, such as the absence of conventional drawing, the pattern of underpainting in areas of pure tone, the pervasive feeling of reticence that suffuses his canvases, and the almost magical sense that Vermeer is painting not objects but light itself.

Subjects & people

authors→ author (initial fill only)
Philip Steadman
tags→ tags
Art, Arts, Science, Painting, Graphic arts, Persons, Artists, Technology, Art -- History, Camera obscuras, Optical instruments, Physical instruments, Scientific apparatus and instruments, Research -- Equipment and supplies, Art and technology
subject_people
Johannes Vermeer (b.1632, d.1675)
subject_objects
—

Cover image

vernon_cover_image_id→ cover_image
21593

Raw Vernon JSON

click to inspect

The source payload behind the snapshot above.
Use ⌘F to search once expanded.
{7 keys}
"slug": "vermeers-camera-uncovering-the-truth-behind-the-masterpieces-philip-steadman"
"opacObjectId": "15165"
"opacCollection": {1 keys}
"opacCollectionId": "1"
"imagesCollection": {2 keys}
"images": [1 items]
"[0]": {5 keys}
"imageId": "21593"
"cssColors": [3 items]
"[0]": {9 keys}
"hex": "000000"
"hue": 0
"rank": 1
"presence": 80.33
"colorName": "black"
"lightness": 0
"colorGroup": "gray"
"saturation": 0
"formattedColorName": "black"
"[1]": {9 keys}
"hex": "d2b48c"
"hue": 34
"rank": 2
"presence": 11.54
"colorName": "tan"
"lightness": 69
"colorGroup": "brown"
"saturation": 44
"formattedColorName": "tan"
"[2]": {9 keys}
"hex": "696969"
"hue": 0
"rank": 3
"presence": 7.81
"colorName": "dimgray"
"lightness": 41
"colorGroup": "gray"
"saturation": 0
"formattedColorName": "dim gray"
"rawColors": [7 items]
"[0]": {6 keys}
"hex": "101210"
"hue": 120
"rank": 1
"presence": 80.33
"lightness": 6
"saturation": 5
"[1]": {6 keys}
"hex": "d6d2c4"
"hue": 46
"rank": 2
"presence": 11.54
"lightness": 80
"saturation": 18
"[2]": {6 keys}
"hex": "605c49"
"hue": 49
"rank": 3
"presence": 7.81
"lightness": 33
"saturation": 13
"[3]": {6 keys}
"hex": "838c89"
"hue": 160
"rank": 4
"presence": 0.06
"lightness": 53
"saturation": 3
"[4]": {6 keys}
"hex": "916033"
"hue": 28
"rank": 5
"presence": 0.07
"lightness": 38
"saturation": 47
"[5]": {6 keys}
"hex": "7f7f8e"
"hue": 240
"rank": 6
"presence": 0.05
"lightness": 52
"saturation": 6
"[6]": {6 keys}
"hex": "434c40"
"hue": 105
"rank": 7
"presence": 0.13
"lightness": 27
"saturation": 8
"imageLabels": [10 items]
"[0]": {5 keys}
"count": 19411
"score": 84.78
"status": "auto_verified"
"imageLabel": "Font"
"imageLabelId": 12
"[1]": {5 keys}
"count": 19018
"score": 82.47
"status": "auto_verified"
"imageLabel": "Publication"
"imageLabelId": 23
"[2]": {5 keys}
"count": 519
"score": 79.25
"status": "auto_verified"
"imageLabel": "Musical instrument"
"imageLabelId": 41
"[3]": {5 keys}
"count": 15171
"score": 74.36
"status": "auto_verified"
"imageLabel": "Book"
"imageLabelId": 67
"[4]": {5 keys}
"count": 5351
"score": 69.26
"status": "auto_verified"
"imageLabel": "Advertising"
"imageLabelId": 71
"[5]": {5 keys}
"count": 11760
"score": 68.0
"status": "auto_verified"
"imageLabel": "Poster"
"imageLabelId": 21
"[6]": {5 keys}
"count": 12694
"score": 66.97
"status": "auto_verified"
"imageLabel": "Book cover"
"imageLabelId": 90
"[7]": {5 keys}
"count": 2395
"score": 65.79
"status": "auto_verified"
"imageLabel": "Event"
"imageLabelId": 46
"[8]": {5 keys}
"count": 333
"score": 64.74
"status": "auto_verified"
"imageLabel": "Engineering"
"imageLabelId": 149
"[9]": {5 keys}
"count": 130
"score": 64.6
"status": "auto_verified"
"imageLabel": "Door"
"imageLabelId": 426
"imageDerivatives": [6 items]
"[0]": {4 keys}
"url": "https://browser.mona.net.au/records/images/large/3887/72b26f41c777238c848b88a26467081788a1c0cd.jpg"
"width": "530"
"height": "800"
"identifier": "LARGE"
"[1]": {4 keys}
"url": "https://browser.mona.net.au/records/images/medium/3887/72b26f41c777238c848b88a26467081788a1c0cd.jpg"
"width": "265"
"height": "400"
"identifier": "MEDIUM"
"[2]": {4 keys}
"url": "https://browser.mona.net.au/records/images/nano/3887/72b26f41c777238c848b88a26467081788a1c0cd.jpg"
"width": "23"
"height": "35"
"identifier": "NANO"
"[3]": {4 keys}
"url": "https://browser.mona.net.au/records/images/small/3887/72b26f41c777238c848b88a26467081788a1c0cd.jpg"
"width": "99"
"height": "150"
"identifier": "SMALL"
"[4]": {4 keys}
"url": "https://browser.mona.net.au/records/images/tiny/3887/72b26f41c777238c848b88a26467081788a1c0cd.jpg"
"width": "50"
"height": "75"
"identifier": "TINY"
"[5]": {4 keys}
"url": "https://browser.mona.net.au/records/images/xlarge/3887/72b26f41c777238c848b88a26467081788a1c0cd.jpg"
"width": "795"
"height": "1200"
"identifier": "XLARGE"
"totalImages": 1
"objectSearchScore": 0.31199765
"opacObjectFieldSets": [40 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "accession_no"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": "11387"
"[1]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "name"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"value": "Vermeer's camera : uncovering the truth behind the masterpieces / Philip Steadman"
"opacObjectFieldAttributes": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"key": "title"
"value": "Vermeer's camera : uncovering the truth behind the masterpieces / Philip Steadman"
"[2]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "other_name"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": ""
"[3]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "artist_last_first"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": "Steadman, Philip"
"[4]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "prod_pri_date"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"value": "2002"
"opacObjectFieldAttributes": [2 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"key": "earliest_date"
"value": "2002-01-01Z"
"[1]": {2 keys}
"key": "latest_date"
"value": "2002-12-31Z"
"[5]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "prod_pri_date_notes"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": ""
"[6]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "edition"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": ""
"[7]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "brief_desc"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": "Philip Steadman traces the development of the camera obscura--first described by Leonaro da Vinci--weighs the arguments that scholars have made for and against Vermeer's use of the camera, and offers a fascinating examination of the paintings themselves and what they alone can tell us of Vermeer's technique. Vermeer left no record of his method and indeed we know almost nothing of the man nor of how he worked. But by a close and illuminating study of the paintings Steadman concludes that Vermeer did use the camera obscura and shows how the inherent defects in this primitive device enabled Vermeer to achieve some remarkable effects--the slight blurring of image, the absence of sharp lines, the peculiar illusion not of closeness but of distance in the domestic scenes. Steadman argues that the use of the camera also explains some previously unexplainable qualities of Vermeer's art, such as the absence of conventional drawing, the pattern of underpainting in areas of pure tone, the pervasive feeling of reticence that suffuses his canvases, and the almost magical sense that Vermeer is painting not objects but light itself."
"[8]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "measure_desc"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": ""
"[9]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "credit_line"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": ""
"[10]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "curr_loc_status"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"value": "Stored"
"opacObjectFieldAttributes": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"key": "search"
"value": "curr_loc_status:"Stored""
"[11]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "ob_status"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": "Accessioned"
"[12]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "lender"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": ""
"[13]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "copyright_owner"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": ""
"[14]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "copyright_type"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": ""
"[15]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "copyright_start"
"opacObjectFields": [0 items]
"[16]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "copyright_expiry"
"opacObjectFields": [0 items]
"[17]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "copyright_notes"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": ""
"[18]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "curr_loc"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": "Compactus 1 (TBP)/Back store room/Chardonnay Drive"
"[19]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "object_type"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"value": "Books/Document genres/Information forms/Visual and Verbal Communication"
"opacObjectFieldAttributes": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"key": "search"
"value": "object_type:"Books/Document genres/Information forms/Visual and Verbal Communication""
"[20]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "collection"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"value": "Staff Reference Collection/Library"
"opacObjectFieldAttributes": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"key": "search"
"value": "collection:"Staff Reference Collection/Library""
"[21]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "prod_pri_place"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": "Oxford/England"
"[22]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "prod_pri_publisher"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": "Oxford University Press"
"[23]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "physical_notes"
"opacObjectFields": [2 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": "xiv, 207 pages : illustrations (some colour) ; 24 cm."
"[1]": {1 keys}
"value": "Includes bibliographic references and index."
"[24]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "language"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": "English"
"[25]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "isbn_issn"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": "9780192159670"
"[26]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "user_sym_1"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": "STA 759.92 VER"
"[27]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "usual_loc_being"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": "Workroom/Library/Roundhouse Complex"
"[28]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "subject_class"
"opacObjectFields": [6 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"value": "Art/Arts"
"opacObjectFieldAttributes": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"key": "search"
"value": "subject_class:"Art/Arts""
"[1]": {2 keys}
"value": "Art -- History/Arts"
"opacObjectFieldAttributes": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"key": "search"
"value": "subject_class:"Art -- History/Arts""
"[2]": {2 keys}
"value": "Artists/Persons"
"opacObjectFieldAttributes": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"key": "search"
"value": "subject_class:"Artists/Persons""
"[3]": {2 keys}
"value": "Painting/Graphic arts/Art/Arts"
"opacObjectFieldAttributes": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"key": "search"
"value": "subject_class:"Painting/Graphic arts/Art/Arts""
"[4]": {2 keys}
"value": "Camera obscuras/Optical instruments/Physical instruments/Scientific apparatus and instruments/Research -- Equipment and supplies"
"opacObjectFieldAttributes": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"key": "search"
"value": "subject_class:"Camera obscuras/Optical instruments/Physical instruments/Scientific apparatus and instruments/Research -- Equipment and supplies""
"[5]": {2 keys}
"value": "Art and technology/Technology/Science"
"opacObjectFieldAttributes": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"key": "search"
"value": "subject_class:"Art and technology/Technology/Science""
"[29]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "subject_date"
"opacObjectFields": [0 items]
"[30]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "subject_event"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": ""
"[31]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "subject_period"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": ""
"[32]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "subject_object"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": ""
"[33]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "subject_person"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"value": "Johannes Vermeer (b.1632, d.1675)"
"opacObjectFieldAttributes": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"key": "search"
"value": "subject_person:"Johannes Vermeer (b.1632, d.1675)""
"[34]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "subject_place"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": ""
"[35]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "assoc_person"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": ""
"[36]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "assoc_place"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": ""
"[37]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "assoc_event"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": ""
"[38]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "assoc_object"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": ""
"[39]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "user_sym_9"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": ""
"relationshipsCollection": {2 keys}
"relationships": [1 items]
"[0]": {4 keys}
"relatedRecords": [1 items]
"[0]": {3 keys}
"slug": "philip-steadman"
"title": "Philip Steadman"
"relatedRecordId": "14194"
"relationshipId": "object_prod_pri_person"
"relatedRecordType": "person"
"totalRelatedRecords": 1
"totalRelationships": 1