This is Vermeer's "A Young Woman seated at a Virginal," and it is housed at London's National Gallery. It is fairly small, only about 51 cm x 45 cm, and as such, it is considered a pendant painting. Art Historians, as I'm sure paperweight can confirm, don't know much about Vermeer despite the fictionalization of his life in the novel _A Girl With a Pearl Earring_. His paintings are noted for their emphasis on light and their realistic depictions of people, especially women.
I like Vermeer quite a lot, and this is one of my favorite paintings. On our 1 trip to the National Gallery, C had to remind me that there were other things to look at than just this painting. I like it because the young woman, who is clearly wealthy enough to have her portrait painted, looks as if she'd rather be anywhere else than posing for a portrait. I think the music is her focus, not the pretty dress, the ornate hairdo, or the portrait itself.
A couple of running theories is that many of his works are allegories on the art of, for example, painting--some combine striking contrasts of primary colors and allusions to the fact that paintings are illusions.
This one probably relates to more of the act of music and the art of music--not craft. Notice the prestigious instruments (and the upper class woman) are contrasted to the Caravaggisti-style (Caravaggio famous Italian painter, 16th cent) painting in the background with illicit behavior occurring between the man and the woman--sorry don't know full content of work just theory.
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I have never seen this before. Can you elaborate on it?
This is Vermeer's "A Young Woman seated at a Virginal," and it is housed at London's National Gallery. It is fairly small, only about 51 cm x 45 cm, and as such, it is considered a pendant painting. Art Historians, as I'm sure paperweight can confirm, don't know much about Vermeer despite the fictionalization of his life in the novel _A Girl With a Pearl Earring_. His paintings are noted for their emphasis on light and their realistic depictions of people, especially women.
I like Vermeer quite a lot, and this is one of my favorite paintings. On our 1 trip to the National Gallery, C had to remind me that there were other things to look at than just this painting. I like it because the young woman, who is clearly wealthy enough to have her portrait painted, looks as if she'd rather be anywhere else than posing for a portrait. I think the music is her focus, not the pretty dress, the ornate hairdo, or the portrait itself.
A couple of running theories is that many of his works are allegories on the art of, for example, painting--some combine striking contrasts of primary colors and allusions to the fact that paintings are illusions.
This one probably relates to more of the act of music and the art of music--not craft. Notice the prestigious instruments (and the upper class woman) are contrasted to the Caravaggisti-style (Caravaggio famous Italian painter, 16th cent) painting in the background with illicit behavior occurring between the man and the woman--sorry don't know full content of work just theory.
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