The Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam has validated three paintings with disputed attributions in advance of its massive Vermeer exhibition, increasing the modest body of work by the Dutch artist. Among the three acquisitions is “Girl with a Flute,” whose authentication was stripped by the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC, a move that garnered headlines in November when the Rijksmuseum overturned it.
The National Gallery of Art’s curator, Marjorie Wieseman, stated in October that it was most likely created by “a Vermeer associate—not by the Dutch artist himself, as was previously assumed.” The announcement came after a thoroughly creative and scientific analysis. The curators, conservators, and scientific team concluded that the author had made a mistake when layering the pigments, resulting in a rougher finish as opposed to the precise brushwork typical of Vermeer.
The exhibition claimed that the discoveries refuted widespread assumptions about Vermeer’s methods. It suggested that rather than being “a singular genius,” he may have served as “a teacher or mentor to the next generation of artists.”
The artwork is now displayed in the “Vermeer’s Secrets” exhibition in Washington, DC, where it is identified as a studio piece.
The co-curator of the Rijksmuseum, Pieter Roelofs, said, “We will hang it as a true Vermeer,” according to the Amsterdam newspaper Het Parool. “The doubt will dissipate during the journey across the ocean,” he continued.
The Rijksmuseum survey, which brings 28 works together for the first time, is anticipated to be the largest Vermeer exhibition ever. Vermeer only left 36 paintings; therefore, any change in attribution could significantly affect programming and academic research on the artist.
Young Woman Seated at a Virginal (1670–1722), from Thomas Kaplan’s Leiden Collection, is the exhibition’s final addition. Its authenticity was first questioned, but in 2004, it was auctioned at Sotheby’s and sold for £16 million, or around $19 million. A Rijksmuseum inspection determined the artwork to be a genuine Vermeer as well.