Above all, Vermeer was a painter of light. In his study of optics he undoubtedly used a camera obscura, or “darkened chamber,” the ancestor of the modern photographic camera. This scientific device employed an adjustable lens and mirrors to capture reflected light and project the scene onto a viewing screen in its lid.

The life and art of Johannes Vermeer are closely associated with the city of Delft. He was born in Delft in 1632 and lived there until his death in 1675. His father, Reynier Vermeer, was a silk weaver who produced "caffa," a fine satin fabric, but in 1631 Reynier also registered in the Saint Luke's Guild in Delft as a Master Art Dealer. By 1641 Reynier was sufficiently prosperous to purchase a large house, the "Mechelen," which contained an inn on the market square in Delft where he probably also sold paintings. When Reynier died in 1652 Johannes apparently inherited his father's business.