In this study, Christiane Hertel interprets the suppositions underlying Vermeer's canonization in the nineteenth century and also addresses the critical problem of locating his paintings in history. The specific concepts guiding critics were developed in the context of a reappraisal of Dutch painting in the nineteenth century, particularly in Germany and France. Based on current as well as historical discussions of a theory of aesthetic reception, her book makes a contribution to the evolving self-definition of the discipline of art history.