The New Britain Museum of American Art will present Joe Fig: Contemplating Vermeer on Friday through Jan. 11, 2026. The exhibit stems from the monumental exhibition of Johannes Vermeer that the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam held in 2023. The exhibit showcased 28 of the 35 known masterpieces attributed to the enigmatic Dutch painter.
Drawing on his own visit to this historic show, artist Joe Fig created a body of new paintings. In these works, featured in Contemplating Vermeer, Fig not only pays homage to the 17th-century painter’s mastery of light, color and verisimilitude, but also reflects on the experience of being in the Rijksmuseum’s galleries. Expanding on his decade-long Contemplation series, Fig captures his subject, the viewers and their surroundings, exploring how people engage with or contemplate artworks in public spaces.
The exhibit roughly coincides with the Frick Collection's exhibit Vermeer's Love Letters on June 18 through Sept. 8, which features three works by Vermeer, including the Frick's Mistress and Maid, and special loans from the Rijksmuseum and National Gallery of Ireland.
Fig's exhibit originally debuted at Sarasota Art Museum in 2024–25. This second iteration of Contemplating Vermeer features 17 paintings, including five new works—two of which are based on Vermeer paintings from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. To date, Fig has created 21 paintings depicting 25 of the 35 known Vermeers. He has now expanded the project with the goal of painting all existing Vermeers.
“I enjoy capturing the historical nature of exhibitions," Fig stated in a release. "They are up for a limited time and very fleeting. My paintings allow me to share these art exhibitions with people who may not have the chance to see them otherwise. These works are considered among the most prized treasures of every museum collection and are rarely lent out, so this installment of my ‘Contemplation’ series cements that moment in time.”
