Artwork
Girl Reading a Letter at an Open Window
Girl Reading a Letter at an Open Window is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Johannes Vermeer. It dates from 1658 and is held in the collection of the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden. Created in the late 1650s, this oil on canvas portrays a young Dutch woman absorbed in a letter while standing before an open window.
About this work
The work’s attribution shifted over time; it was once thought to be by Rembrandt, then Pieter de Hooch, before scholars correctly identified Vermeer in 1880.
Girl Reading a Letter at an Open Window is an oil painting by Johannes Vermeer, dated around 1658. It shows a young Dutch woman reading a letter in front of an open window, a quiet domestic scene typical of the Dutch Golden Age.
The work’s attribution shifted over time; it was once thought to be by Rembrandt, then Pieter de Hooch, before scholars correctly identified Vermeer in 1880. After World War II the painting briefly entered Soviet hands, and recent tests in 2017 revealed it had been altered after Vermeer’s death.
If you’re curious about where you can see it, look up the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister.
Overview
Created in the late 1650s, this oil on canvas portrays a young Dutch woman absorbed in a letter while standing before an open window. The composition reflects the intimate, everyday moments favored by artists of the Dutch Golden Age, emphasizing light, interior space, and quiet contemplation.
Context
For centuries the work’s authorship was uncertain. Early catalogues assigned it to Rembrandt, later to Pieter de Hooch, until scholarly consensus in 1880 recognized it as a piece by Johannes Vermeer. The shifting attributions illustrate the challenges of distinguishing stylistic nuances among contemporaneous Dutch painters.
History & Provenance
The painting entered the Dresden Gemäldegalerie collection in 1742, where it has remained on public display. Following the Second World War it was temporarily held by Soviet authorities before being returned to the museum, maintaining its status as a key example of Vermeer’s oeuvre in the gallery’s holdings.
Technique & Style
Scientific analysis conducted in 2017 uncovered that the canvas had undergone modifications after Vermeer’s death. Conservation work revealed alterations to the surface layers, confirming that the present appearance differs slightly from the original execution, a common occurrence in historic paintings that have been retouched over time.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Johannes Vermeer ( vər-MEER, vər-MAIR, Dutch: ; see below; also known as Jan Vermeer; October 1632 – 15 December 1675) was a Dutch painter who specialized in domestic interior scenes of middle-class life.
