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Largest ever exhibition of Vermeer paintings to open in Amsterdam

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Largest ever exhibition of Vermeer paintings to open in Amsterdam

Twenty-eight paintings by Johannes Vermeer go on display at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam this week, the largest-ever exhibition of works of the 17th-century Dutch master, known for his expertise at rendering light and intimate household scenes.

The show gathers half the works that Vermeer, who died aged 43 and worked slowly, is thought ever to have painted and three-quarters of those that still exist. He likely never saw so many of his own works together at one time.

Rijksmuseum director Taco Dibbits said Vermeer was a man who lived with a large family and had a busy life as an art dealer but still managed to obsessively refine works of quiet beauty, bathed in light rendered with almost photographic accuracy.

“It’s this … complete focus and tranquillity in his paintings that we still love today,” Dibbits said.

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Alongside famed works like “Girl With A Pearl Earring” (1664) and “The Milkmaid” (1659), the exhibit features Vermeer’s two known outdoor paintings, several large canvases, and a string of his portrayals of women — including playing instruments, reading and working.

“What’s quite striking when you look at Vermeer is that in his paintings, it’s mostly women who are the protagonists,” said curator Pieter Roelofs, noting Vermeer had seven daughters.

Though no letter written by Vermeer exists, a key document is an inventory of possessions drawn up after his death, which left the family in debt. Furniture and many objects mentioned on the list appear in the paintings.

Roelofs said major advances have been made in understanding how Vermeer worked, including identifying pinholes at the focal point in some paintings such as “The Milkmaid”, part of a system of strings he used to help ensure perfect perspective.

Artists and scholars dispute whether Vermeer may have made use of a ‘camera Obscura, a forerunner of the modern photo camera.

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Roelofs said Vermeer’s works are more than something a good eye and skilled hand can create. Recent analysis shows the composition of “The Milkmaid” changed several times, notably by stripping things out to simplify it.

“That is what Vermeer is: it’s never good enough and he keeps working on it until he thinks it’s sufficient to hand over to clients,” Roelofs said.

Author Tracy Chevalier, whose novel “Girl with a Pearl Earring” was adapted to a movie of the same name, said for her the exhibition evoked an image of Vermeer as a reserved man who “plays his cards close to his chest.”

“His paintings are so quiet and there are no children … he must have compartmentalized his life and said ‘no, no kids in the studio’.”

Museums in Germany, France, Japan, Britain, Ireland and the United States contributed to the exhibition, which opens on Friday and runs until June.

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Relatives taunted me for joining showbiz world, Sadia Imam

Relatives taunted me for joining showbiz world, Sadia Imam

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Relatives taunted me for joining showbiz world, Sadia Imam

Recently, renowned Pakistani actor Sadia Imam talked about taunts she received from her relatives after joining the showbiz industry.

She recently participated in a private TV show and spoke openly about various topics including her career and marriage.

Talking about marriage, she said that after joining the showbiz industry, the first taunt came from her own relatives as they said she would not get married and even if she does, it would be with an already married person.

She said that before marriage, her parents used to hear such things every day and she has seen them going through agony due to these uncalled for remarks.

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However, she said,”I remained steadfast and told my parents that I would marry whomever they chose but work is my priority,” Imam said.

Talking about her husband, she said she married a young man and now they both have beautiful children.

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Amitabh Bachchan gifts his bungalow to daughter Shweta Nanda

Amitabh Bachchan gifts his bungalow to daughter Shweta Nanda

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Amitabh Bachchan gifts his bungalow to daughter Shweta Nanda

Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan and his wife Jaya Bachchan gifted their bungalow in Mumbai’s Juhu, Prateeksha, to their daughter Shweta Nanda.

The bungalow in the Vitthalnagar Cooperative Housing Society is spread over two plots measuring 674 square metres and 890.47 square metres, which are collectively valued at approximately Rs50.63 crore. 

Two separate gift deeds were signed on Nov 8, and a stamp duty of Rs50.65 lakh was paid for the registration of the deed.

The Bollywood megastar and his family lived in Prateeksha for many years at the beginning of his career. 

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He also owns two other bungalows in Juhu – Jalsa and Janak.

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Salman Khan’s torn shoes trigger gossip on social media

Salman Khan’s torn shoes trigger gossip on social media

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Salman Khan's torn shoes trigger gossip on social media

Bollywood superstar Salman Khan recently won hearts when he stepped out to attend ‘Farrey’ screening, where he was seen wearing a pair of torn, faded shoes. 

While Salman looked his usual dapper self in a dark shirt and a pair of formal pants, it was his shoes that caught everyone’s attention. 

One fan wrote, “New trend will start.” 

Another mentioned, “Well, those shoes might be comfortable for him !!” “He is Salman Khan. He doesn’t need to show off,” reacted yet another user on social media.

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Salman was attending the Farrey screening, where he had also invited a bunch of celebrities.

At the event, he also posed with his Tiger 3 co-star and close friend, Katrina Kaif. 

Katrina and Salman were last seen sharing screen space in the Maneesh Sharma directorial, Tiger 3. 

The film, despite receving mixed reviews from the critics, has done a great business for itself at the ticket counter.

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