Vermeer
by kasia_capulet on April 5, 2009
in students
In this picture the maim object is a Dutch woman doing her everyday task. She pours milk from the ceramic jug into the bowl. Her concentration is directed completely at the flowing milk and all my attention focuses on that hollow jug, deep dark inside. Like the woman I try not to spill any drop of milk. A thin trickle of white liquid mesmerises and hypnotises my brain. After few minutes I catch sight of other details in the picture, like the basket with bread inside, or a very mysterious blue pitcher with a cap. All the objects are highlighted by the light that falls through the window above. The sunlight seems to play with the rim of the basket and the pitcher. It fascinates me very much because it’s exactly the opposite to the brown jug – it’s closed. We can only imagine what is inside, or if it’s completely empty. Like a curious kid I’d like to take a peek under the cap.
Despite its small size, Milkmaid by Vermeer astonishes with artistry and expression. Vermeer depicts in extraordinary way an ordinary and simple task of pouring milk from a jug into a bowl. Watching his painting we admire the beauty of the objects – a loaf of bread, a basket, a stoneware milk jug, a brass box, a foot warmer etc. Details in this work emphasize composition’s realism.
The lighting in Vermeer’s painting is very important. Light falls from the left through the window. The woman is standing in full brightness. A stream of light illuminates the woman’s hands and the milk flow. Therefore, wherever in the picture we look, our eyes are lead towards to the center – the pouring milk.
Above and beside the window there is some shadow. The painter perfectly renders the structure and use of various objects like the gleaming brass box, the basket, and the foot-warmer on the floor. All objects in the picture are casually placed because they are simple everyday objects. The woman at work is as simple as all the objects that surround her. Vermeer’s painting enchants and make us realize that our life consist of simple tasks done with simple objects.
One of my reasons to go to Amsterdam at this inconvenient time was to see this painting. And you know what? I think I liked the gv poster more than the original :) Vermeer should have known that size matters.
I know it’s probably outrageous to say that, but can’t help it – I’m the child of pop-culture.