Introduction
The Milkmaid is a painting by the Dutch artist Jan Vermeer, painted around 1658-1661. One of the most famous works of the master, it is now kept in the Rijksmuseum. In this picture, a gentle maid with downcast eyes carefully pours milk from a jug into an earthen bowl. The arrangement of details, the still life, and the light from the window reveal the artist’s skill and a fresh look at the everyday life scenes of that time.
Design Principles
De Hooch and Terborch were the pioneers of depicting urban dwellers in their everyday life, but Vermeer created a unique work. The picture attracts viewers with its compositional simplicity. At first glance, it seems that there are very few details on it. However, upon close examination, one can see masterful work with light. Daylight from the window illuminates the maid, standing in partial shade. However, a white line runs along the contour of her back, which creates volume and shimmer. In her monumentality, the milkmaid looks like the embodiment of virtue and care for others, as supported by the cupid symbol on the wall below. Her sleeves are rolled up to reveal crisp white hands and darkened by hard work palms. However, the pin shadow on the wall does not come from daylight from the window, creating the impression of an additional light source in the room.
X-rays of the painting showed that, at first, the artist wanted to depict a rectangular object on the wall and a laundry basket instead of a foot stove. Reducing the number of details helped Vermeer to focus all viewers’ attention on the woman’s figure. Stale bread, broken into sloppy pieces, vividly rendered with masterful textures. Moreover, the effect of sunlight is conveyed by the technique of pointillism using small strokes and dots (The Milkmaid – Google Arts & Culture). For example, a glazed blue jug, on which a small ray of sun falls from a window, creates the effect of shimmer and shine. It echoes in color with the tablecloth and skirt of the maid, but at the same time contrasts with the rest elements of the still life.
The artist’s attention to detail allowed him to fill the picture with life. One gets the impression that the room is filled with cool dampness and the sound of pouring milk. The woman’s lowered gaze, carefully observing the stream of milk, emphasize her neatness. In the literature and painting of European artists of the time, maids were depicted as symbols of male lust, and this symbolism was often highlighted in paintings. However, Vermeer was one of the first to portray the servant with sensitivity and dignity. Vermeer emphasized the figure of a woman in the foreground, showing her direct responsibility – taking care of the house (The Milkmaid – Google Arts & Culture). However, the maid is not devoid of mystery. The expression on her face is an open question, what are her thoughts doing at this moment.
Conclusion
Vermeer romanticizes not the woman as an object of desire but her persistent, titanic work to preserve the hearth. In contrast to the empty background of the wall, punctured by nails, and the dirty floor, the picture as a whole carries a sense of peace and comfort. They are achieved by the titanic efforts of a maid with hardened palms. The composition shows tenderness and neatness against the background of rustic spontaneity. It gives the picture a sense of reality and distinguishes it from many other works of that time.
Work Cited
“The Milkmaid, Up Close.”Google Arts & Culture, Web.