Two of the foremost masters of the Golden Age of Dutch Painting are featured in this volume. Johannes Vermeer worked almost exclusively indoors, while Jacob van Ruisdael worked outdoors. Vermeer was forgotten for almost two centuries after his death, while van Ruisdael influenced generations of artists. Both represent the peak of Dutch painting in its two best known genres--everyday life and landscapes. In his concern for capturing the effects light, Vermeer presaged the Impressionists, while van Ruisdael's monumental landscapes inspired Romantic painters in both Europe and America.