Vermeer Hat revised

VERMEER’S HAT
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Published by Timothy Brook in 2007, “Vermeer’s Hat” delves into the origin(s) of trade using six paintings. Particularly, Brook focuses on the trade during the 17th century while attempting to create a global relationship between European countries and others. According to his book, the author sees the 17th period as one of improvisation. Thus he states, “seventeenth century was the age of improvisation.”
First of all, the author states that the 17th century was one of the second contacts as the first contacts were non-existent. People were supposed to learn the new languages, customs, and traditions that were already in place. The author reiterates that the time for creation was before the 17th century thus adaptation was the day’s order. The people had enough time beforehand to create and execute their best designs that would be used by the 17th-century people. In fact, the already existing cultural affiliations could not be altered or manipulated, so it was people’s duty to simply adjust and adapt to the system. Their actions and behaviors, also, during the 17th century were supposed to be molded to create an alignment with the existing ‘protocol.’ Brook further supports the “age of improvisation” by dismissing any ideas affiliated with discovery, creation or designs. Furthermore, Brook looks into the 17th century from another perspective; reiterating that the period was set aside for ‘nostalgic’ rediscovery of the past centuries.

He understands that; as an age of improvisation, people will use the 17th century to perfect the already existing discoveries and fix any form(s) of mistakes. To understand the improvisation nature of the 17th century, Brook writes about the 16th century and its role in discoveries. There was no peace during the 16th century as the discoveries were supposed to be ‘explosive’ enough to shape the 17th century, as the age of improvisation.
As a second contact century, improvisation in the 17th century is also realized since the people have become accustomed to routine and habit. Their interactions, Brook understands, are quite constant; making it easier for them to repeat their actions and behaviors. Second contacts are, however, quite risky as their result (s) is not predictable. With adaptation, people may resort to completely manipulate the mundane ideologies and practices in the name of ‘improvisation.’ The 17th century witnessed some effects that did not necessarily constitute a balance because it augured resistance or identity losses. Despite the ‘simplicity’ of improvisation, some people desired to create, discover and design hence; the 17th century did not meet their ‘expectations.’ The issue(s) resistance and violence may arise in such scenarios.
The artwork that Brook highlights in “Vermeer’s Hat” represents this improvisation and the related rise of globalization. He focuses specifically on six paintings of Johannes Vermeer, an artist of Dutch descent. The first painting is the View of Delft is a representation of increased globalization for fishermen. It depicts the idea(s) that the fish moved to the Baltic Sea; making it easier for the fishermen in the Netherlands to capture them and bring about effective globalization. Again, during this time in the 17th century, there was a salient improvisation as the painting only captured the already existing sea, fish, and fishermen. Vermeer’s other painting Officer and Laughing Girl, as detailed in Brook’s text, delved into the idea of trade alliances as a way of increasing the production of goods and commodities. The hat in this painting is a representation of “Vermeer’s Hat” which augured the existence of Samuel Champlain, the navigator that established the global alliances to increase trade. There was an already existing global network which was supposed to be adapted by people to facilitate improvisation and globalization. The third painting; Girl Reading a Letter at an Open Window placed Brook’s focus on the dish with fruits. The dish is; in fact, a depiction of the flawless Chinese porcelain whose existence increased trade. Brook understands that the porcelain was traded in India, China, and Holland. The presence of this Chinese porcelain in the artwork is not coincidental as Vermeer painted it during the time when its trade was prevalent among the Dutch.
The other artwork is Vermeer’s painting, The Geographer, and Brook has his concentration on the visual representation of a globe. Brook understands that the ‘moving’ nature of this globe is a depiction of the people’s movement for the facilitation of trade. When traders from Europe and Japan traveled to Mongolia, for instance, they were bound to create a global environment by trading with people from various nations. The geographer in this painting seems to be collecting information, according to Brook, about the different trade routes for travelers. It was also understand that the European traders, unlike the Chinese, were more open to foreign traders and assimilation. The other painting, Woman Holding a Balance, enlightened Brook’s readers about the production of silver in the 17th century. It is a realization of the painting as the woman is a balance with silver. There is an understanding that Japan; at the time, produced silver in large quantities despite not engaging in its trade with European countries. Speculations about the origin(s) of this silver led to an exploration of mining as a trading endeavor in the 17th century Bolivia.
From this painting, there is indeed a great deal of improvisation as the minerals such as silver had already undergone discovery before the 17th century. The period, as understood, was simply supposed to involve adaptation and conformation to the prior creations. The last painting, The Card Player, represents people’s movements across the world in the pursuit of improvisation. However, the diversity realized in the painting shows that each person moved for different reasons. The Africans relocated to America as a ‘norm’ for slavery; the Chinese relocated to Macau to seek labor and missionaries such as Angelo Cocchi whose sole purpose was to spread Christianity among the Chinese in China.
Interestingly enough, Timothy Brook uses artwork to delineate the scope of globalization and improvisation in the 17th century. The author is thorough in the analysis as the readers acquire enlightenment apropos of all the six paintings by Johannes Vermeer. Each one of them is unique and plays a significant role in understanding the issue(s) of trade in the 17th century. In addition, Brook looks into the 17th century and its place as the “age of improvisation.” There is an understanding that earlier centuries, the 16th century to be precise, facilitated the discoveries, creations, and designs. The 17th century was simply supposed to adapt and conform to the already existing cultures, traditions, and practices. Any form(s) of resistance from the people is counteracted by the balance created when other people adapt faithfully to these second contacts.
Bibliography
Brook, Timothy. Vermeer’s hat: the seventeenth century and the dawn of the global world. 2007. London, Profile Books.