Johannes Vermeer was a master not only of light and color, but of ennobling the ordinary activities of 17th-century Delft citizens. Generally, his subjects toil before an open window in a very confined space. Timothy Brook utilizes the props in Vermeer's tableaux as starting points to journey into the cultural and economic world of that time in Vermeer's Hat: A teacup pours forth the history of porcelain trade with China, while a felt hat is traced to beaver trapping in North America. It's a fascinating approach to cultural history, providing new ways of thinking about the origins of commonplace objects. A