Study of a Young Woman
ca. 1665–67
Medium
Oil on canvas
Dimensions
17 1/2 x 15 3/4 in. (44.5 x 40 cm)
Classification
Paintings
Department
European Paintings
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Wrightsman, in memory of Theodore Rousseau Jr., 1979
Accession Number
1979.396.1
Tags
About this artwork
Study of a Young Woman by Johannes Vermeer, ca. 1665–67. Created in Oil on canvas, this work exemplifies the artistic practices and cultural values of its period. The piece reflects the technical skills and aesthetic sensibilities characteristic of its historical and cultural context. As part of the European Paintings collection, it contributes to our understanding of artistic development and cultural expression. The work serves as both an aesthetic object and a historical document, providing in...
Art Historical Context
Johannes Vermeer, a master of the Dutch Golden Age, painted *Study of a Young Woman* around 1665–67 during the height of the Netherlands’ economic and cultural prosperity. This small oil on canvas belongs to a tradition of “tronies,” or character studies, that explored expressive faces and subtle emotional states rather than named sitters. Vermeer’s restrained composition and quiet gaze invite viewers to linger, reflecting the period’s appreciation for intimate, everyday moments rendered with extraordinary care. Working in oil on canvas, Vermeer achieved his signature luminous effects through...
About the Artist
Johannes Vermeer · 1632–1675
Johannes Vermeer, baptized on October 31, 1632, in Delft, Dutch Republic, was born into a middle-class family; his father, Reijnier Janszoon, worked as an innkeeper and art dealer, while his mother, Digna Baltens, hailed from Antwerp. After his father's death in 1652, Vermeer took over the family art business. In 1653, he married Catharina Bolnes, a Catholic woman from a wealthier family, converti...