Why it matters
A kitchen maid pours milk in a plain room lit by a window, yet the painting is so illusionistic that you feel the weight of the woman, the crust of the bread and the texture of the light. The Rijksmuseum counts it among its finest works, and her half-shaded face gives it a quiet mystery.
Did you know?
- It is also known as The Kitchen Maid.
- Delft tiles with a Cupid are visible on the wall behind her, near a foot warmer.
- It was painted around 1657–1661; estimates vary.
Based on the Wikipedia article The Milkmaid (Vermeer) (CC BY-SA 4.0).
