Baroque Blog Assignment - Johannes Vermeer's 'The Milkmaid'

 

Johannes Vermeer's The Milkmaid is a simple and peaceful oil painting. It depicts a woman, interestingly a kitchen maid rather than a milkmaid, preparing a spread of cheese, bread, and milk. While some speculate the painting was meant to invoke amorous feelings, others argue the maid is treated with respect and shown in an empathetic light. Indeed, when I look at this painting, I don't view it as sexual or physically romantic, but more a romanticization of everyday life. With the soft lighting and pleasing colours, the piece has an almost angelic feeling to it. The simple action of pouring milk is given a calming, beautiful appearance. It reminds me of early mornings, preparing myself breakfast. it has a very human quality to it, as it doesn't feature some grand hero or biblical figure, but a simple mortal woman. This isn't surprising when one considers the rise of merchant classes during this time period, which would have led to more common working people to create and have access to art.  Unlike the grand displays commissioned by churches or royalty, works done or commissioned by working class individuals focused more on the calmer aspects of life, such as pouring milk.

I greatly enjoy this painting, and wouldn't mind having a copy of it hanging somewhere in my home. I feel like it brings a bit of warmth to life, reminding the viewer to slow down and enjoy the simple things.


Information sourced from:

https://joyofmuseums.com/museums/europe/netherlands-museums/amsterdam-museums/rijksmuseum/the-milkmaid-by-johannes-vermeer/

Comments

  1. Abdurahman HassanMarch 7, 2023 at 1:00 AM

    Hello Jeks,

    This painting is one that I find to be fascinating. It's appealing in the sense that it gives a positive tone. The painting is reflective of something that's pleasant and modest. There's very little dark in this image, and nothing that's dramatic, which makes this painting something that would be less of the norm during the Baroque Era, especially, when paintings during this period were trying to moving away from realism, which differed from the Renaissance Period.

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  2. Sydney RobertsonMarch 8, 2023 at 5:56 PM

    Hey Jeks!
    I love this painting that you chose to write about. It is incredibly simple but gives away so much emotion, detail and tells a small story. The detail in the painting is incredible, it shows off the small paintings on the baseboard. Something so simple can come across so detailed and complex and show off the detail and talent of the painter.

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