Analyze This! #6 Vermeer Woman Holding a Balance

[arlene]

let’s for now keep it to those who’ve come before us? there are so many!

how about a still life someone?

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[Elankat]

Actually, if everyone was up for it, we could do a comparative of Velazquez and Vermeer. The two painting we just did were painted within 10 years of each other. They have similarities, but also differ. Anyone up for comparing two masters who were contemporaries of each other?

LeAnne
"What's my greatest work of art? My child."

Fight and you may die. Run and you'll live, at least a while. And, dying in your beds, many years from now, would you be willing to trade all the days from this day to that for one chance -- just one chance -- to come back here and tell our enemies, that they may take our lives, but they'll never take our freedom! ~ William Wallace in Braveheart

[Elankat]

Okay, some random bits about this piece.

Vermeer’s work is often considered mysterious, so much that he has been called “the Sphinx of Delft.”

In Woman Holding a Balance we see a young woman at home. She is dressed in dress, dark blue jacket trimmed with white fur, and a cap. Her face holds a serene expression. In fact, her face, cap and blue jacket are remniscent of images of the Virgin Mary. Her clothing, the pearls, and gold show that she has material wealth. She stands in front of a mirror, contemplating a balance that she holds in her hand. She appears to be weighing something, but the pans of the balance are empty. The empty pans were intentional. Experts confirmed this through use of infra-red photography. Originally, the pans were angled and were empty in that position too). Behind her is a painting of Christ at the Last Judgement when every soul is weighed. The woman’s head blocks the spot where St. Michael weighing the souls is traditionally placed. Soft light shines in from a partly open window and illuminates her face and cap.

Vermeer has painted a palette of cool tones, except for the spot of red from her dress. He’s placed the figure in a shallow space and brought the viewer close enough so there is a feeling of intimacy…a quiet, private moment that the viewer is allowed to witness. He has molded this shallow space around the figure and created a very stable composition. All of this helps maintain a peaceful and serene atmosphere. IMO, the palette gives the feel of a chilly, quiet morning, but the warmer colors of the light and the woman’s dress imbue both with warmth and life.

The composition is a wonderful balance. We see strong vertical and horizonal lines within the setting. However, they are countered by the round forms of the woman, pearls, draping on the table, and light surrounding Christ in the painting behind her. There are many triangular and circular forms in the piece that repeat and provide unity. Even the rounded forms often compose triangles, as seen in the shape of the woman herself. The composition has a very centered focal with the hand and the balance. However, the eye is led through the entire composition through the use of strong diagonals that are created by Vermeer’s use of perspective. This was very carefully calculated. In fact, if you look at the bottom of the picture frame, you can see that the frame is actually lower on the right than on the left. It becomes obvious that the artist wanted to call attention to the image behind her.

The seemingly simple act of weighing pearls or gold now has meaning. There is mystery surrounding what she is doing. Why are the pans empty? What is her story? Is she weighing her own soul and contemplating her life? What is the meaning of the wealth that surrounds her? In many ways, the painting brings up more questions than it answers. The mirror can symbolize self-knowledge, but it can also represent vanity. Pearls can also symbolize vanity, but represent wisdom as well. And what about the light? With the images of the painting behind her, could the light mean religious revelation? And what about the balance? Perhaps the painting represents the need to seek balance in one’s life. Here we have a woman who is surrounded by material goods, yet there are also emblems of spirituality. The painting itself is the epitomy of balance, leading to a sense of serenity. Could it be that the message is simply that balance leads to a sense of peace?

In the end, we can’t be sure because Vermeer has controlled the painting in such a way that there is no overwhelmingly clear interpretation. He has left the meaning uncertain by avoiding any symbolism that would lead to a single interpretation. IMO, it is this mystery, combined with the carefully controlled technical elements that makes this piece so commanding. The controlled composition pulls the viewer in and creates a serene setting. By placing the viewers at such ease and pulling them into the setting, they have the luxury to contemplate the symbolic meaning as well as Vermeer’s masterful handling of light.

So, that’s my opinion.

LeAnne
"What's my greatest work of art? My child."

Fight and you may die. Run and you'll live, at least a while. And, dying in your beds, many years from now, would you be willing to trade all the days from this day to that for one chance -- just one chance -- to come back here and tell our enemies, that they may take our lives, but they'll never take our freedom! ~ William Wallace in Braveheart

[Biki]

I like your opinion very much Sister Wendy Elankat.

I really appreciate everybody’s imput here. It opens my eyes to see the composition & appreciate the artist even more than before.

BTW – it is on my list of things to buy – the Sister Wendy series DVD’s.

If anyone is interested, you can purchase on line here:

http://shop.wgbh.org/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CatalogSearchResultView?storeId=11051&catalogId=10051&langId=-1&pageSize=20&searchText=SISTER+WENDY&x=2&y=10

it is a long address – i hope it works for you if interested.

I loved the TV series, but missed a lot. She is so cute.
– and I love her love of Art.

"Art is an act of love in likeness of itself - Spirit moulding matter into lovely form:"

"His act in us for Him."

Francis Brabazon - Australian Poet.

[toyam]

Thank you Leanne, for all the info….as I am extremly uneducated in the arts it is so interesting to “see” what others See…
could it be as simple as…. of all the things god has created and the human soul longs for…man and the reprodution of himself are what people charish most??
I will look forward to more of this thread …..
thanks Bonnie R

Canadian

[Johnnie]

Hi

I do believe she is not pregnant but just a well rounded women that seemed to be the representation of women on paintings back then. Her belly is protruding to me due to her dress ruffling up. As you will see in this larger image the dress is a mustard color.
Here is larger picture on a Vermeer site.

http://essentialvermeer.20m.com/catalogue/xl_woman_holding_a_balance.htm

Now here is another image from Vermeer Diane and her Companions and you will see the woman in this one is sort of the same size as the one in “Holding the Balance.”

http://essentialvermeer.20m.com/catalogue/xl_diana_and_her_companions.htm

and another

http://essentialvermeer.20m.com/catalogue/xl_christ_in_the_house_of_martha_and_mary.htm

The point I am trying to make is I dont think these woman are pregnant at all. I think they are just “well rounded women” that have been depicted in the paintings and this I have found from viewing other paintings of that era seemingly to be the norm for size of women.

I have never seen a “Fawcett or Tiggy” type figure ever depicted in a painting from that era..

Johnnie

Spread Kindness Like Confetti !!

[Johnnie]

Opps it doubled Delete this please

Spread Kindness Like Confetti !!

[Author]

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