Vermeer Paintings Explained: 6 Works to Know

Johannes Vermeer (1632-1675) was a Dutch Golden Age painter of quiet domestic scenes, famous for his light and his small canvases. His best-known work is Girl with a Pearl Earring (c. 1665). This guide explains six Vermeer paintings and links to a full article on each. For a ranked list, see Best Vermeer Paintings.

Johannes Vermeer, Girl with a Pearl Earring (c. 1665). Oil on canvas, 44.5 × 39 cm. Held in a Hague collection.

Girl with a Pearl Earring (c. 1665): who is she?

It is a tronie, a study of a face and costume rather than a portrait of a named sitter. A girl in a blue and yellow turban looks over her shoulder against a dark ground. Four of our articles cover it from different sides.

Read the full guides: Girl with a Pearl Earring Legacy, Meaning, Johannes Vermeer, Girl with a Pearl Earring (1665) and The Painting's Mysteries Decoded

The Astronomer (1668): what is he studying?

A scholar leans over a celestial globe in a room lit from the left. It is a picture of knowledge built by careful looking, with the same patience Vermeer gave to light.

Johannes Vermeer, The Astronomer (1668). Oil on canvas.

Read the full guide: Vermeer's Astronomer: The Painter of Quiet Knowledge

The Love Letter (c. 1669-70): why is the servant smiling?

A woman holding a cittern looks up as her maid hands her a letter. We see them through a doorway from a darker room, and a seascape on the wall behind hints at the storms of love. The small canvas, about 44 x 38.5 cm.

Johannes Vermeer, The Love Letter (c. 1669-70). Oil on canvas, about 44 × 38.5 cm.

Read the full guide: Johannes Vermeer's The Love Letter

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Woman Holding a Balance (c. 1664): what is she weighing?

The scale pans are empty. Behind the woman hangs a painting of the Last Judgment, which suggests the picture is about balance and moral weighing rather than money.

Johannes Vermeer, Woman Holding a Balance (c. 1664). Oil on canvas. Held in a Washington collection.

Read the full guide: Vermeer's Woman Holding a Balance

View of Delft (c. 1660-61): is it really a cityscape?

View of Delft shows the city across the water under a large sky of clouds. At 98 x 117.5 cm it is among his largest works.

Johannes Vermeer, View of Delft (c. 1660-61). Oil on canvas, 98 × 117.5 cm.

Read the full guide: Vermeer's View of Delft (1660)

The Lacemaker (c. 1669-71): why did Dali love it?

The Lacemaker is tiny, about 24.5 x 21 cm, and now in Paris. A young woman bends over her bobbins, with red and white threads spilling from a sewing cushion. Salvador Dali was famously obsessed with it.

Johannes Vermeer, The Lacemaker (c. 1669-71). Oil on canvas, 24.5 × 21 cm. Held in a Paris collection.

Read the full guide: Vermeer's Lacemaker and Dali's Obsession

Frequently asked questions

What is Vermeer's most famous painting?

Girl with a Pearl Earring (c. 1665) is the best known, followed by The Milkmaid and View of Delft.

How many paintings did Vermeer make?

About three dozen paintings are firmly attributed to him.

What is a tronie?

A tronie is a Dutch study of a face or expression, not a commissioned portrait. Girl with a Pearl Earring is the most famous example.

Zocine Art Design is an independent studio that prints classic paintings as wall art.

Browse Zocine prints

See Dutch Golden Age art prints at Zocine.