A Maid Asleep
by Johannes Vermeer (Dutch, 1632-1675)
Painting
As with many of Vermeer's paintings, the hero of the composition is a woman, in this case, an overdressed maid, sleeping at a table, an empty wine glass before her. The figure in the painting behind her is "Cupid Unmasked", perhaps hinting at the subject of the young woman's dreams. Vermeer is best known for his domestic interiors, portraying commonplace settings from Dutch life. He was one of the leading proponents of the Delft School of painting. Views of everyday life as it took place in parlors, dining rooms, courtyards and city streets were their specialty. A favorite motif of the Delft School was drawing the eye into the painting by way of doorways, windows and corridors so that, even though the painting is set in a particular location, the viewer can see into the adjacent room through a doorway; into the garden through an open window or out onto the city street by way of a corridor running between buildings.
Page created on 9/24/2014 4:03:25 PM
Last edited 9/24/2014 4:03:25 PM