Checklist

Johannes Vermeer (1632–1675)
Woman Writing a Letter with Her Maid, ca. 1670–72
Oil on canvas
28 × 23 13/16 in. (71.1 × 60.5 cm)
National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin; presented by Sir Alfred and Lady Beit, 1987 (Beit Collection)
Image © National Gallery of Ireland

A green curtain is pulled aside to show two women absorbed in their respective activities, one writing and the other, a maid, looking dreamily out the window. The status of the seated woman as the lady of the household is conveyed by her attire, which includes large pearl earrings. Similar jewelry appears in all three paintings. On the ground lie a red seal, a stick of sealing wax, and paper, perhaps a letter-writing manual. The painting hanging on the wall depicts the Finding of Moses—a biblical episode that involves a princess, her servants, and an abandoned baby raised in secret. As with some of Vermeer's other background paintings, it inspires a number of interpretations.

Johannes Vermeer (1632–1675)
Mistress and Maid, ca. 1664–67
Oil on canvas
35 1/2 × 31 in. (90.2 × 78.7 cm)
The Frick Collection, New York
© The Frick Collection

This large, close view of a maid handing a letter to her employer (the “mistress” of the household) shows the seated woman interrupted in her writing. She raises her hand to her chin, suggesting concern. The silver-and-glass writing set and veneered box are implements of writing and storing letters that add to the air of luxury, exemplified by her large pearl earring. Technical examination has revealed that the color of the now-darkened curtain behind the women had been green and that Vermeer initially blocked in a figural composition behind them, likely a tapestry. In the end, he painted in a curtain that focuses attention on the dramatic exchange.

Johannes Vermeer (1632–1675)
The Love Letter, ca. 1669–70
Oil on canvas
17 5/16 × 15 3/16 in. (44 × 38.5 cm)
Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam; purchased with the support of the Vereniging Rembrandt

The smallest of the three paintings depicts a scene glimpsed through a dark passage, stocked with household items, with a curtain drawn to the right. Unadorned in her brown and blue dress and apron, the maid stands next to her seated employer who wears a yellow, fur-lined jacket and dress nearly identical to those in Mistress and Maid. Interrupting her playing on the cittern, she holds a letter and turns with a quizzical look toward her maid. The slight smile on the maid's lips and the framed painting of a calm sea suggest that any concerns the mistress might have may be allayed.