Woman in Blue Reading a Letter

painting by Johannes Vermeer

Also known as: “The Kitchen-Maid”

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July 15, 2026

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"Woman in Blue Reading a Letter" is a genre painting by Johannes Vermeer, created around 1663. This artwork depicts a woman engaged in a private moment, engrossed in reading a letter. Vermeer is renowned for his genre paintings, which often feature women in domestic settings, performing everyday tasks or experiencing quiet, personal moments. His works are celebrated for their serene depiction of light and form, conveying a timeless sense of dignity. The painting is part of Vermeer's mature period, where he explored themes of inner harmony within everyday life, often set within private chambers.12

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Johannes Vermeer
Themes
1662/65), and Woman in Blue Reading a Letter (c. 1663; also called Woman in Blue Reading a Letter), he utilized the laws of perspective and the placement of individual objects—chairs, tables, walls, maps, window frames—to create a sense of nature’s underlying order. Vermeer’s carefully chosen objects are…
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1662/65), and Woman in Blue Reading a Letter (c. 1663; also called Woman in Blue Reading a Letter), he utilized the laws of perspective and the placement of individual objects—chairs, tables, walls, maps, window frames—to create a sense of nature’s underlying order. Vermeer’s carefully chosen objects are…
Read More