TOW #15: Reverse-Engineering a Genius

Reverse-Engeneering a Genius

This is the painting by Johannes Vermeer that Tim Jenison recreated. 

http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/2013/11/vermeer-secret-tool-mirrors-lenses_slideshow_item4_5

Throughout history, artists have always belonged to a misunderstood culture. Very few find themselves in the spotlight, but when they do, the light surest is blinding. But what if "art" as we know it – the traditional form, with paints and a canvas – wasn't actually what we think it was? For artists like Renoir, Manet, Monet, da Vinci, and Michaelanglo, there has always been the assumption that their work was genuine and self-created. What if... it wasn't? Particularly in the peculiar case of Johannes Vermeer, who suddenly took to art at the age of 21 without any actual instruction. Did Vermeer even take to art in the first place? According to the latest information in art – rather, replication – he may have used a camera obscura to create a photo-like copy of a real scene. Upon visiting the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, Tim Jenison, a man who had worked with design theory nearly his entire life, remarked, "It looked to me like Vermeer was painting in a way that was impossible." In a breakthrough following months of speculation, Jenison figured out that he could use a small mirror, angled precisely, to recreate just about any image, despite his complete lack of artistic ability. To try to recreate one of Vermeer's "paintings," Jenison used his wealth to recreate the room shown in his painting to try his new technique. He even recreated 17th century mirrors and paints for the experiment. In the end, he was successful. He says he is now 95 percent sure. What does this mean for the world of art? In this essay, the author, Kurt Andersen, uses ancedotes and dramatic diction to make the reader, any art enthusiast, consider art theory as a whole. These two devices are used to create an intriguing, convincing essay by playing off the reader's natural desire for drama and controversy. Andersen is an American novelist, educated at Harvard University, who is primarily famous for his Peabody-winning radio show, Studio 360. I think Andersen's most effective device was his striking syntax. He bounced back and forth between sentence formats, playing particularly with sentence length for effect. Overall, a very interesting essay with much to consider.