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saw the new documentary Tim's Vermeer. Made by Penn and Teller, but aside from one short two minute section, it leaves behind all their usual antics. I sometimes enjoy them on BullShit, but it would have been out of place here.
They mostly went with a straightforward doc style of interviews and project documentation to tell the story of a man who wants to figure out how 17th century Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer might have used optics and mirrors to paint very photographically well before photography. Not a new topic as there have been books exploring the idea, but he is the first to attempt to reenact the theorized process. As an inventor with no painting background, what he does is astounding even if it doesn't really confirm Vermeer had to have used this technique.
whether you buy the theory or not, the movie is pretty entertaining considering he is painting tediously for months on end.
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