Summary Of Timothy Brook's Vermeer's Hat

In the decades leading up to the seventeenth century, people from all over the globe began to travel to new places and meet others in a peaceful manner. This melting pot led to advancements in trade and the spread of culture in the across the world. In Timothy Brook’s Vermeer’s Hat, he highlights the changing social structure of the seventeenth century through works of art by Johannes Vermeer. Vermeer was a painter, born and raised in Delft, a city of the Dutch Republic. He painted artwork that portrayed middle class life and most took place in the interior of his house. In the book, 8 pieces of art are analyzed and used to show the changes that were taking place in the world during the seventeenth century. Brook also attempts to connect the work of Vermeer to the Dutch’s role in globalization and how they came into significance during this time period. The paintings Officer and Laughing Girl, Young Woman Reading a Letter at An Open Window, and The Geographer all hints at doors that led the seventeenth century to such a successful time of global trade. In this paper, I will be looking closer at the three pieces of art mentioned above and connecting them to the globalization of the world and how they demonstrate Dutch global influence. The first piece of art to be discussed is the painting Officer and Laughing Girl. A man and woman sit in front of an open window in a small room. A map is hung on the wall behind the two and they seem to be enjoying a cup of tea. The door