Vermeer, who painted exquisite light-infused scenes of middle-class life in Delft, was a slow craftsman and produced few works in his lifetime. Many of his paintings were scooped up by wealthy Delft patron Pieter van Ruijven, which may be why his fame didn't spread to other Dutch art centers. In fact, Vermeer was relatively unknown until 1866, when French critic Théophile Thoré saw his "View of Delft" in The Hague. This book features detailed walking tours of Delft, the Hague and Amsterdam where the artist lived, loved and labored. Readers will discover the sights and stories behind such an iconic work like "Girl with a Pearl Earring."