Vermeer, Rachel Burgess

Johannes Vermeer’s life and artistic output emerge from the influence of the Remonstrants and Collegiants, 17th-century Dutch dissenting groups defined by their pacifism, egalitarianism, and commitment to religious tolerance. Biographer Andrew Graham-Dixon argues that Vermeer’s paintings, rather than being simple genre scenes, function as conceptual religious works reflecting these groups' ideals, with specific pieces like *The Milkmaid* and *The Woman with a Balance* serving as devotional tools for a private, female-led circle. Later, artist Rachel Burgess discusses her monotype practice, which emphasizes direct, iterative engagement with the New England landscape. By utilizing limited palettes and recurring compositions, Burgess explores the intersection of personal experience and regional history, mirroring the durational, sustained observation found in the tradition of Thoreau and Emerson while rejecting the nationalistic metaphors often associated with American landscape painting.