Johannes Vermeer, a Dutch painter, lived between 1632 and 1675. He is best known for his paintings of scenes from the domestic middle class. Although he was well-known in art, he did not paint many paintings over his lifetime. Before I get into the details of JohannesVermeer’s Love Letter, let me first tell you what I see through the bat. Two small rooms are used to create the painting. A curtain is draped across one of them and lifted from the other. The curtain is symbolic of intimacy. The floors have a black-and-white checkered title which gives the picture depth. Two women sit in a chair and hold a Lute (that looks like an instrument) on their laps. The other holds a letter. She is wearing yellow pants and a matching yellow-white top. The same yellow wrap is used for her hair. Her face is confused when she looks up at the woman standing in front of her. The Servant is wearing an orange skirt and a brown-and-white top. The white wrap also covers her hair. With a smile on her face, she is standing on her hips with one hand.
The servant seems to be happy because she appears to know something. Two paintings were also on the wall, which I noticed. One is a painting of a sailboat in bright sunshine with white clouds, while the other depicts a forest and a person looking off into the distance. It was also interesting to see a laundry basket and slippers. They were all scattered around the floor. This is a way that viewers can relate to me. It represents everyday life and all the things that go on. This painting has a lot of light. My eye is drawn to the back because it is filled with the most natural light. The drapery is distinguished by the shadowed doors. The light moves from the left to the servant then to the lady. The light’s movement and flow throughout the painting is truly visible. This painting has so many meanings that you won’t even notice at first glance. It was fascinating to see the complexity of this piece of art and to be able to understand it. You can see which period/style the work of artwork is from. Johannes’ love note was from Baroque art in The Netherlands. This period is evident in the art. It is alive, has emotional intensity, movement, diagonals and dynamism. Baroque Art has a strong emotional intensity. The letter’s intensity and symbolism make us curious to find out what it says. Diagonals are another way to see it. We can also see the light moving in a diagonal. The love letter has a diagonal line running through it. Another way to determine is that Baroque paintings from the Dutch Republic are real and not idealized. The love letter portrays real-life events. No matter the age of the painting, I still feel like I’m receiving a letter from a woman. There is also an allusion of space. We can see this through shadowed flooring, and through drapery.
Isn’t it the same for every period? The answer is yes. Looking at the renaissance painting, one can see that instead there’s less emotion. It’s important to discuss the historical context in which this work was created. The Dutch Republic was experiencing a boom during the Baroque period in 17th century. People were proud of their wealth and that brought about great influence. People influence others as well. Fine art was their addiction. Over 4 million paintings were sold around the world. This art was unlike any other.
Dutch protestants looked down upon Catholic-style art. Once they knew what they wanted, that was the beginning of their life. Art was about quality, fine items, houses, and so on. Artists began painting portraits, interiors, paintings of genre, still lives, and still-lifes to be hung in homes. Dutch Realism, which was one of the most important movements in oil painting, was established during this period. Vermeer was one its leaders.
