Johannes Vermeer

The first true monographic Vermeer retrospective, bringing together twenty-one of the thirty-five then-accepted paintings — including the still-contested Saint Praxedis and Girl with a Flute. Curated by Arthur K. Wheelock Jr. and Frederik J. Duparc and sponsored by United Technologies. The exhibition was closed for nineteen days during two federal government shutdowns and a blizzard; the gallery reopened on private funds on 27 December. Free passes were required for admission at all times; on the last day, Vermeer fans reportedly waited fourteen hours to get in.