Vermeer was born in 1632 in Delft, Netherlands. Today, 34 paintings are firmly attributed to him, with three being debated on whether or not they are his. However, 74 pictures were attributed to him by Thoré-Bürger, a journalist and art critic who is best known for his rediscovery of Vermeer in 1866. Most of his work involves paintings of people and their everyday lives. However, Vermeer pushes the use of lights and dark to the extreme, making the beholder feel the depth of the painting. Also, some of his paintings show women living day to day, including the stresses and pressures of life such as women drinking, praying, preparing themselves for the morning, or sitting at the table processing the events of the day.