Background Research and Notes

Jan Vermeer



Some background information

- Vermeer was a Dutch painter, and as a highly regarded during his time. He was elected as Dean, and had 11 children with his wife. Vemeer´s paintings were normally of contemporary subjects, with a cool colour palette generally dominated by tones of blue, yellow and greys. In many of Vermeer´s paintings, there is usually a window on the left lighting up the painting. The paintings are generally of domestic interiors and normally have one or two figures in the painting.





Painting - Woman Reading a Letter

also known as Woman in Blue Reading a Letter



Year - 1662-1663



Observations of the Painting

- The general palette of the painting, are tones and shades of blue, which can be noticed on the womans attire, and the surrounding furniture. The blue colours create a sense and mood of calmness. There are a few representations for the colour of blue. It may stand for distance, the divine and spiritual, dreamlike.

- The woman within the painting, seems pregnant. However with research, Dutch paintings during that time, did not depict many pregnant woman, as it was not seen as attractive. Therefore it leaves us to question wheather or not the woman in this painting is pregnant or not. There is also a possibly that that is just the fashion of that time.

- It is hard to determine much about this painting. It is obvious that the painting, is about the woman reading a letter, however her emotion and what the letter is about is left unceratin. I think Vermeer has done this on purpose, to allow us to determine our own thoughts about this painting.

- The painting is all about the woman, and she is the main focus. This can be seen through certain elements of the painting, such as the framing of the furniture around her body.

- Most Dutch paintings with a letter involved, normally alludes to a love letter. In this painting, I imagine this letter to be from a lover. She has just received this letter, and she is very focused and consumed in this letter, as you can tell by her clutching hand onto the letter. This is further noticeable by the edge of the map in the background, as the horizontal line is interrupted by her hand. Her face fives me mixed emotions on what she is feeling. Her face seems somewhat sad, but also a little excited, like she is taking in a breath.

- The lighting within the painting is quite even throughout the entire painting. Which makes me believe that this painting is quite of a happier and more calm feeling. Perhaps, the woman is reading a letter from her husband or lover who has gone away, and is writing about his experiences and she is thinking about it and dreaming and imagining what he is saying as she reads the letter.

- As you look onto the table, there is an open suitcase, and a half open jewellery box which makes me think perhaps, she is packing to leave somewhere, when she has just received this letter.