Shop art print and framed art Officer and Laughing Girl by Johannes Vermeer

The Soldier and the Laughing Girl, also known as The Officer and the Laughing Girl (in Dutch: De Soldaat en het Lachende Meisje) is an oil on canvas by Johannes Vermeer painted around 1657. Measuring 50.5 cm high and 46 cm wide, the painting is currently on display at the Frick Collection in New York. The main subject is a woman, with soft light falling directly on her face. She resembles Vermeer's wife, Catharina Bolnes, who probably posed for several of his paintings. X-rays revealed that Vermeer had planned to paint the woman with a large white collar, but this would have hidden part of her yellow dress. In addition, the cloak was later extended to cover all of her hair, in order to draw attention to the expression on her face. This yellow bodice with braids appears in many other Vermeer portraits, and was a garment generally worn every day. The woman is also wearing a blue apron over her dress, but it is hidden by the shadows of the table. Blue aprons were frequently worn at this time, as they hid stains well. Art historians have interpreted this to mean that the soldier surprised the young girl with an impromptu visit during her morning chores. The woman is holding a wine glass, usually used for white wine. Because wine was more expensive than beer at the time, it illustrates her wealth. Many of Vermeer's paintings feature a map painted in such detail that it can be identified. The map of Holland and West Frisia is by Willem Blaeu. No known copy has survived, but its [...]

 

This artwork is a painting from the classical period. It belongs to the baroque style.

 

« Officer and Laughing Girl » is kept at Frick Collection, New York, USA.

 

Find the full description of Officer and Laughing Girl by Johannes Vermeer on Wikipedia.