Chasing Vermeer

Calder is an 11-year-old middle school student in Petra’s class who lives three houses away from her on Harper Avenue. Calder is interested in numbers, letters, and puzzles. He always carries a set of pentominoes in his pocket and believes they can offer him guidance in difficult situations. Before they become friends, Petra thinks Calder is odd.

Calder doubts himself frequently, but he’s just as determined as Petra to solve the mystery of the missing painting. Calder is especially good at seeing patterns in numbers which allows him to recognize the sequence of 12 that leads the pair to discover the hidden painting.

Louise Coffin Sharpe is an intimidating old lady who lives on the same street as Petra and Calder. She is wrinkly, boney, and has very green eyes. Mrs. Sharpe’s husband was a Vermeer scholar, so she is able to tell the children a good deal about the painter.

Mrs. Sharpe shares the same eccentric curiosity as Petra and Calder. At first, the children suspect she might be the art thief, but they later come to view her as an ally in their quest for truth, even sharing the more supernatural aspects of the mystery with her. Like Petra, Mrs. Sharpe claims that the Lady has spoken to her. By the end of the book, the children and Mrs. Sharpe share an ongoing friendship.

Isabel Hussey is Calder and Petra’s teacher at their school in Chicago. Both children are fond of her, as she takes the time to listen to what the students have to say and encourages creative and intellectual discourse.

Ms. Hussey receives one of the letters from the thief, and he manipulates her easily, suggesting that she may gullibly believe his story about wanting to authenticate the Vermeer painting. She worries over what to do about the letter, even involving her school children in the decision. The police discover her involvement before she’s able to confess. The children describe her as a free spirit, which parallels with her decision to withhold the letter; a free-spirited individual may not see things in black and white, such as the law versus lawlessness, but may instead try to understand all perspectives.

When the children suspect that Ms. Hussey might be involved in the art theft, they are determined to protect her. Part of their motivation for finding the missing Vermeer is to ensure that its discovery won’t implicate Ms. Hussey in the theft.

Vincent Watch is Calder’s boss at Powell’s Bookstore. He’s middle-aged and always wears a pair of red suspenders. Mr. Watch has two interests in life: mysteries and art. He toys with the idea of writing an art mystery one day that focuses on real issues in the art world. He is also a recipient of one of the art thief’s letters.

As a purveyor of art and literature, Mr. Watch combines the two main components of the novel. It’s poignant that he wishes to write a book about mysteries and art and that he, as a character, is appearing in a book about mysteries and art. With this parallel, the author is “breaking the fourth wall,” and directly addressing the reader.

Tommy has been Calder’s best friend since grade school. When his mother remarries, Tommy moves to New York. He communicates with Calder using a pentomino code. Tommy is worried that someone has kidnapped a boy in the neighborhood named Frog. Tommy later learns that his stepfather is the Vermeer thief. Tommy is relieved when his mother decides to move back to Hyde Park, and he can reunite with Calder.

Tommy and Calder’s relationship is significant for several reasons. First, Tommy’s absence allows Calder to befriend Petra, starting his art heist adventure. Second, Tommy’s communications with Calder serve as both symbolic and real-world clues to the mystery: the appearance of Frog (frogs featuring prominently Fort’s book) near the National Gallery, and Tommy’s very real connection to the thief.