Vermeer’s Developmental Journey to the Ultimate Destination: The Milkmaid

[display_podcast]

When commenting on the composition and style of The Milkmaid, one of the most admired and beloved paintings of all time, Walter Lietdke, curator at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, pointed out that “you can reproduce The Milkmaid on the side of New York building, thirty feet high, and it would hold up as a design and not many paintings that are only 18 inches high could go through that sort of experience.” When considering what an amazing accomplishment that truly is, it comes as no surprise that The Milkmaid is considered one of the greatest works of art the world has ever seen. Everything, from the sunlight glinting off the bread to the carefully crafted shadow of the nail sticking out of the wall, is so stunningly realistic that the viewer begins to overlook the remarkable craftsmanship that went into this masterpiece purely because they forget that it is not a photograph. But to truly appreciate this timeless masterpiece one must first understand the outside influences that led to its creation. The audio tour of the Metropolitan Museum’s exhibit titled “Vermeer’s Masterpiece ‘The Milkmaid” helps the viewer understand how the techniques and styles of other painters shaped Vermeer’s stylistic development, and eventually led him to paint The Milkmaid.

The exhibit is currently being held in honor of the 400^th anniversary of Henry Hudson’s historic voyage from Amsterdam to Manhattan. The main focus of the exhibition is The Milkmaid, which is on loan from the Rijksmuseum Museum in Amsterdam. This is the second time the painting has been brought to America; the first time was 70 years ago for the 1939 World’s Fair. Five other Vermeers belonging to the Metropolitan Museum of Art are on display to show the artist’s gradual stylistic development. The exhibition also includes the works of 17^th century artists who all greatly influenced Vermeer’s work and style, such as Gabriel Metsu, and Pieter de Hooch. Tom Campbell, director of the Metropolitan Museum, and curator Walter Liedtke lead the audio tour and often point out the influences that helped shape the creation of The Milkmaid.

The set up of the exhibit took the viewer on a journey through Vermeer’s artistic development that climaxed with the creation of The Milkmaid. Tom Campbell explained that Vermeer grew up in a lower-middle class family, thus was never able to afford formal training. Self- training suited Vermeer, who had always been fascinated by the art world, especially the depiction of reality, and artistic alternatives. In his early work he often found inspiration in the works of his fellow Dutch painters and liked to experiment with what was available. Gabriel Matsu’s painting, titled A Women Seated at a Window, shows a number of techniques that are similar to those found in The Milkmaid. It is clear that Vermeer greatly admired Matsu’s work for Matsu’s depiction of a women sitting in a window shows a very naturalistic description of light, as well as a tendency to soften contours; two aspects that are characteristic of Vermeer’s work. Pieter de Hooch’s The Visit, also shows an association to Vermeer. According to Campbell “Vermeer had a prodigious memory for the formal ideas he found in other painters work.” As a result, it is not surprising that Hooch and Vermeer have similar compositions, for they both place their subject on the left side, next to a receding window. In addition, Hooch’s depiction of daylight falling on the women’s back and being reflected in the window is similar to Vermeer’s use of light in The Milkmaid, where the daylight glistens on the breadbasket and pottery.

As one moves through the maze-like rooms of the exhibit it becomes clear that Vermeer’s style evolved very quickly as he jumped between different subjects and techniques. His painting A Maid Asleep, was the first painting of his signature subject —a young woman alone in a domestic interior. In addition to the subject, the underlying connotation of romantic thoughts is also similar to that of The Milkmaid. In the audio Walter Lietdke explained that  “there had been a long history of milkmaids in Dutch art, and generally they have a romantic, or even an erotic, content to them.”

A very close examination of The Milkmaid reveals a miniature cupid depicted on a small tile, near a foot warmer, in the lower right corner. This seemingly trivial detail is actually a symbol suggesting that the woman is daydreaming of an absent lover. Romance is a common theme in Dutch culture and can be seen in most of the painting in the exhibition; however, even here Vermeer is able to set himself apart by hiding very subtle messages in his work and refraining from the vulgarity of some of his fellow painters.

A Maid Asleep was created only two years before The Milkmaid; however, the differences between the two paintings clearly show growth and development. After years of experimenting and surveying with different styles, Vermeer had finally found himself when he completed The Milkmaid. According to Walter Liedke this small but stunning painting of a sturdy kitchen maid is best known for its rendering of illusionistic light, monumental presence, and astounding realism. Each of these stylistic aspects was partly a result of the years spent learning from other painters. However, what truly makes Vermeer’s works timeless are the techniques that set his work apart from all the rest. The Milkmaid’s beauty is in her strong modeling and very organized composition. Everything is well balanced and, as the audio tour points out, when diagonals are drawn we can see that they meet at her waist, which is the center of gravity. This is what gives the painting the harmonious composition that has made it a timeless work of art.

The Milkmaid was shaped over time by a number of painters and styles; however, the end result surpassed all expectations and went far beyond every piece of art that had influenced it.