Narrated by Steve Martin, VERMEER, BEYOND TIME focuses on both Johannes Vermeer's work and his family life, covering his conversion to Catholicism, his artistic contemporaries, and the short-lived Dutch Golden Age of the 17th century. The film examines his individual paintings and teases out what has come to be known as the Vermeer style - the representation of light, the interplay of color, and the effects of perspective across places and objects. Vermeer's paintings depict a world inhabited by refined and cultivated women, respectful or troublesome servants, charming young people and learned men. His ruthless elimination of objects and other details that serve no purpose results in images that suspend time and leave viewers wanting to know more. The documentary adds much to our understanding and knowledge of the painter, while still allowing for the mystery and allure of his art.
