A Lady Writing

The yellow jacket recurs in Vermeer's paintings and appears in the inventory of his household after his death. Its apparently costly trim may have been a less expensive substitute for ermine. Studio belongings helped construct the domestic scene. During the 1650s such intimate subjects gradually replaced his earlier history paintings.

The woman looks up from writing. Her turn toward the viewer interrupts an activity still indicated by her hand.

Her hand holds a quill over paper. The small, clearly defined object makes the activity legible.

The yellow sleeve is brightly lit. The jacket was a studio garment used in several of Vermeer's paintings.

A large dark painting hangs on the wall. Its mass defines the room's upper area while the light remains on face and clothing.

A blue cloth covers the table. Its cool tone sets off the light yellow jacket and paper.

The posthumous inventory connects the painted garment with the artist's actual household. The fur's identity, however, cannot be established securely from its appearance. The domestic image is built from carefully selected belongings whose materials require cautious interpretation.