Young Woman with a Water Pitcher

"Young Woman with a Water Pitcher" is an oil on canvas painting by Dutch artist Johannes Vermeer, created around 1662. The work depicts a young woman in a domestic interior, pouring water from a pitcher into a basin. The painting is notable for its use of light and color, showcasing Vermeer's mastery of capturing the effects of natural light. The composition emphasizes the woman's serene expression and the intricate details of her clothing and the surrounding objects. The painting is part of the collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The exact provenance of the work prior to its acquisition by the museum is not well-documented. The painting is often interpreted as a representation of domestic virtue and the role of women in 17th-century Dutch society. Vermeer’s technique of layering glazes contributes to the luminosity of the colors. The work is considered one of Vermeer’s key contributions to the genre of genre painting.

"Young Woman with a Water Pitcher" is an oil on canvas painting by Johannes Vermeer, created circa 1662. The composition features a young woman standing at a table, holding a water pitcher in her right hand while her left hand rests on the table's edge. The figure is depicted in a domestic interior, characterized by a warm color palette dominated by yellows and blues. The woman's attire includes a blue and yellow dress, complemented by a white apron and a lace cap. Light enters the scene from the left, illuminating the woman's face and creating soft shadows that enhance the three-dimensionality of her form. The background includes a window and a wall adorned with a map, contributing to the sense of space and context. The painting exemplifies Vermeer's mastery of light and texture, particularly in the rendering of the woman's skin and the reflective surface of the pitcher. The overall composition conveys a sense of tranquility and domesticity, characteristic of Vermeer's work.