
Vermeer's Hat
The Seventeenth Century and the Dawn of the Global World
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Narrated by:
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Malcolm Hillgartner
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By:
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Timothy Brook
A Vermeer painting shows a military officer in a Dutch sitting room, talking to a laughing girl. In another canvas, fruit spills from a blue-and-white porcelain bowl. Familiar images that captivate us with their beauty--but as Timothy Brook shows us, these intimate pictures actually give us a remarkable view of an expanding world. The officer's dashing hat is made of beaver fur from North America, and it was beaver pelts from America that financed the voyages of explorers seeking routes to China-prized for the porcelains so often shown in Dutch paintings of this time, including Vermeer's.
In this dazzling history, Timothy Brook uses Vermeer's works, and other contemporary images from Europe, Asia, and the Americas to trace the rapidly growing web of global trade, and the explosive, transforming, and sometimes destructive changes it wrought in the age when globalization really began.
©2008 Timothy Brook (P)2013 Audible, Inc.Listeners also enjoyed...




















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Would you consider the audio edition of Vermeer's Hat to be better than the print version?
For me, yes; reading is more strenuous for me than listening, and I can listen while walking and doing all sorts of things, as well as lying in bed with my eyes closed.Have you listened to any of Malcolm Hillgartner’s other performances before? How does this one compare?
No. He is a fine reader. He is energetic and seems interested. The pronunciation of Chinese names is poor but I suppose it is too much to expect readers to learn the pinyin system (but then, why not?). European names are for the most part well pronounced.Any additional comments?
This is a book for everyone who loves Vermeer, and a great starting point for those not yet familiar with his paintings. It draws together things in a fascinating way (among others, the rise and fall of Dutch painting, the decisive role South American silver played in the fate of Europe and China, the rivalry between different European countries and how it played out at sea, the story of tobacco in Europe and Asia, the use and fabrication of porcelain in Europe, Chinese vs. European cartography ). I listened to the book almost in one sitting... in any case in one day. Didn't want to stop. By the way, do not be put off by the lack of illustrations. The Vermeer paintings are so well known that their images can easily be found (of course you will then have to go and see the paintings themselves, which is something to look forward to in itself).A wonderful book
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interesting, but...
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A wonderful portrayal of our history
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Pieces of history
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Delightful Read for History Buffs
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An Intriguing Story of the beginning of West met East
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The 17th Century brought close
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Great history lesson from the start of great art
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I'm not a fan of pastiche history: re-packaged bits of already well-know history. The hat theme is an exceedingly thin one. I enjoy deeper, more focused books incorporating original research and historically important, well-documented, well-argued theses.
Ho hum
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What would have made Vermeer's Hat better?
Selecting events in the 17th century that were actually *interesting*.What was most disappointing about Timothy Brook’s story?
This is a fascinating time period but the focus was on endless tedious detail on the global trade tobacco, china and other consumerist concepts. I guess I should have researched the book b4 buying.Tedious
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