This electronic art gallery is dedicated to the works of Johannes Vermeer, bringing together all the known paintings of this 17th-century Dutch Old Master.

As well as reproducing all the paintings, the Web site has a detailed description of each of the works, explaining what his serene portraits and closely-observed domestic scenes were attempting and the symbolism represented in the subject matter. These mini-essays include cross-references to other works by Vermeer, and if you click on the names of paintingsmentioned in the text, you can link to the other pictures under discussion.

Viewing a painting on screen is no substitute for seeing the actual canvas. So the Web site also includes a feature called “find your closest Vermeer”, which gives you a map showing where the paintings are on display. In London, the Web site tells me, there are Vermeers in the National Gallery and the State Rooms of Buckingham Palace.

Sean Coughlan