The New Vermeer

Vermeer mania has reached new heights with the success of a blockbuster Rijksmuseum exhibition and the launch of a new reality TV show called ’The New Vermeer.‘ The show challenges two professional painters and a group of amateur artists to recreate lost paintings by Vermeer, including the stolen masterpiece ’The Concert.‘ The works are recreated using various materials, from traditional mediums to Lego bricks. They are judged by Vermeer experts from the Rijksmuseum and the Mauritshuis. The show has been a sensation in the Netherlands, drawing in 1.3 million viewers in a country of 17 million. The unlikely combination of highbrow culture and mass entertainment has captivated audiences. The works created so far can be viewed in an online gallery. The masterful reality TV show is broadcast by Omroep Max, demonstrating the enduring appeal of Vermeer's art and the innovative ways in which it can be celebrated and appreciated.