Vermeer-Woman Holding a Balance

Woman Holding a Balance
Image Courtesy of the National Gallery of Art, U.S.A.

This painting is very typical of Vermeer An image of a pure, serene silence, in a dim room, lit by the light from a window. To Vermeer, silence was the symbol of purity. It is contrasted with the painting in the background: The Last Judgement, much like the "balance" of dark and light in the painting. Vermeer's soft brushwork brings out the maternal tenderness in the woman. We can see, clearly, that she is pregnant, indicating that she is about to be blessed by a child, but does not have to put up with the chore and responsibily that came with it yet. Its a message that suits Vermeer well, for he had eleven children himself, and though he always requested to work in total silence, it was not likely with so many children running around, not to mention the money needed to raise the children, Vermeer was not a rich man. The expression on the woman's face is gentle. She seems to be enjoying what she is doing. The use of lights: the light from the window and the woman, herself, and the surrounding darkness creates a beautiful compositional balance, often used by Vermeer in many of his paintings. The balance in that alludes to the balance in the woman's hands. Finally, the glimmer of the light in each bead of the woman's necklaces, gives everything a vivid look. It is a typical piece, but beautiful in its perfect harmony of light and shadows.