The Woman Behind Vermeer: Publication and Podcast on Maria de Knuijt
In March 2023, during the Vermeer Symposium at the Rijksmuseum, Judith Noorman and Piet Bakker presented new research identifying Maria de Knuijt as Vermeer’s primary patron and protector.
Their findings challenge the long-held assumption that the Delft collector Pieter van Ruijven was Vermeer’s main client. By uncovering new documents and reexamining earlier sources, Judith and Piet show a different picture: it was Van Ruijven’s wife, Maria de Knuijt, who likely took the initiative to acquire around half of Vermeer’s entire oeuvre, including the iconic Girl with a Pearl Earring and View of Delft.
This Summer, their essay, “Women’s Vermeers. Maria de Knuijt and New Archival Documentation on Vermeer’s Primary Patron,” was published in Closer to Vermeer (Rijksmuseum & Hannibal Books, 2025). It offers a new perspective on women as collectors and patrons in the seventeenth-century art world. Should you like a digital copy of their essay, please contact Piet or Judith directly (j.f.j.noorman@uva.nl)
Judith and Piet also spoke about their research in several public media formats, including a feature by the University of Amsterdam, an interview on NPO Radio 1, and the Tim en Paul Geschiedenis Podcast (episode available on Spotify and Podimo).