Why were some Johannes Vermeer paintings once attributed to Pieter de Hooch?

Some of Johannes Vermeer’s paintings were attributed to Pieter de Hooch in the 19th century primarily because of the stylistic and thematic similarities between the two artists.1

Both painters were active in the Delft school during the same period and focused on genre paintings that depicted serene, domestic interior scenes. Because de Hooch was a more prolific artist, his name was often associated with works that shared his characteristic use of light, linear perspective, and subject matter. It was not until the French critic Étienne-Joseph-Théophile Thoré (writing under the pseudonym William Bürger) reassessed Vermeer’s work in 1866 that the artist’s distinct identity and contributions were brought to broader public attention, helping to correct these misattributions.2314