A Lady Writing a Letter
Encyclopedia
A Lady Writing a Letter (also known as A Lady Writing; ) is an oil painting attributed to 17th century Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer
. It is believed to have been completed around 1665. The Lady is seen to be writing a letter and has been interrupted, so gently turns her head to see what is happening. She wears twelve pearls (10 on the necklace and two earrings).
Most of his paintings are set in his house, which he inherited. Many of the objects seen in the painting, such as the woman's coat, the cloth on the table, and the string of pearls, appear in other Vermeer works. This has led to speculation that he or his family members owned the objects, and even that the subjects of the paintings are his relatives. It has often been suggested that in his paintings, Vermeer sought to grant to his models that which he could not endow to his wife and family: calm and affluence.
A Lady Writing a Letter was donated to the National Gallery of Art
in Washington, D.C.
in 1962 by Harry Waldron Havemeyer and Horace Havemeyer. In its first loan to the Norton Simon Museum
, the National Gallery of Art agreed to lend the painting for exhibition at the Pasadena, California museum from November 7, 2008 through February 9, 2009.
In Blue Balliett
's children's book, Chasing Vermeer
, A Lady Writing is stolen on its way from the National Gallery of Art to Chicago, causing the main problem of the story.
Johannes Vermeer
Johannes, Jan or Johan Vermeer was a Dutch painter who specialized in exquisite, domestic interior scenes of middle class life. Vermeer was a moderately successful provincial genre painter in his lifetime...
. It is believed to have been completed around 1665. The Lady is seen to be writing a letter and has been interrupted, so gently turns her head to see what is happening. She wears twelve pearls (10 on the necklace and two earrings).
Most of his paintings are set in his house, which he inherited. Many of the objects seen in the painting, such as the woman's coat, the cloth on the table, and the string of pearls, appear in other Vermeer works. This has led to speculation that he or his family members owned the objects, and even that the subjects of the paintings are his relatives. It has often been suggested that in his paintings, Vermeer sought to grant to his models that which he could not endow to his wife and family: calm and affluence.
A Lady Writing a Letter was donated to the National Gallery of Art
National Gallery of Art
The National Gallery of Art and its Sculpture Garden is a national art museum, located on the National Mall between 3rd and 9th Streets at Constitution Avenue NW, in Washington, DC...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
in 1962 by Harry Waldron Havemeyer and Horace Havemeyer. In its first loan to the Norton Simon Museum
Norton Simon Museum
The Norton Simon Museum is an Art Museum located in Pasadena, California, United States. It was previously known by the names: the Pasadena Art Institute and the Pasadena Art Museum.-Overview:...
, the National Gallery of Art agreed to lend the painting for exhibition at the Pasadena, California museum from November 7, 2008 through February 9, 2009.
In Blue Balliett
Blue Balliett
Blue Balliett is an American author, best known for her award-winning novel for children, Chasing Vermeer.Chasing Vermeer, released by Scholastic Press in 2004, is her best known and most highly praised book. Illustrated by Brett Helquist, it concerns the fictitious theft of a painting by...
's children's book, Chasing Vermeer
Chasing Vermeer
Chasing Vermeer is a 2004 children's art mystery novel written by Blue Balliett and illustrated by Brett Helquist. Set in Hyde Park, Chicago near the University of Chicago, the novel follows two children, Calder Pillay and Petra Andalee...
, A Lady Writing is stolen on its way from the National Gallery of Art to Chicago, causing the main problem of the story.
Sources
- Bonafoux, Pascal. Vermeer. New York: Konecky & Konecky, 1992. ISBN 1-5682-2308-4
- Critical info by Peter Sutton
- National Gallery of Art's page on 'A Lady Writing'