Why it matters
A girl reads a letter at an open window, her reflection in the glass. For almost 300 years the wall behind her was bare, until tests in 2017 showed that a painting of Cupid had been overpainted after Vermeer's death.
Did you know?
- It was restored to Vermeer's original composition between 2018 and 2021, using a scalpel and microscope.
- It was attributed to Rembrandt and then to Pieter de Hooch before being recognised as a Vermeer in 1880.
- Dresden has owned it since 1742.
Based on the Wikipedia article Girl Reading a Letter at an Open Window (CC BY-SA 4.0).
