WASHINGTON, DC — Johannes Vermeer (1632–1675) is one of the most significant artists of the 17th century, yet much of the Dutch painter’s life and practice remains a mystery. On view at the National Gallery of Art from October 8 through January 8, 2023, Vermeer’s Secrets will unveil new findings about him and his process. The exhibition offers a behind-the-scenes look at how National Gallery curators, conservators, and scientists investigated the museum’s four treasured paintings by and attributed to Vermeer — as well as two 20th-century forgeries — to understand “what makes a Vermeer a Vermeer.”