NMM_2024_07_018 A MAN READING NELE MOUSE MAGAZINE
In 2019, it was decided by the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden (State Arts Collection in Dresden) to restore the painting to its original composition by Vermeer.[3] The painting of Cupid on the wall behind the girl resembles a painting from Vermeer’s own collection of art, a painting by Cesar van Everdingen.[2]
The restoration provides an opportunity to reconsider the painting. The painting of Cupid on the wall may suggest that the girl is reading a love letter. Stephan Koja, director of the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister (Old Masters Picture Gallery), said in a statement that “Beyond the superficially amorous context, it is a fundamental statement about the essence of true love.”[3]
Symbolism and technique
In Vermeer, 1632–1675 (2000), Norbert Schneider wrote that the open window represents "the woman's longing to extend her domestic sphere" beyond the constraints of her home and society, while the fruit "is a symbol of extramarital relations."[4] Schneider concludes that the letter is a love letter either planning or continuing her illicit relationship. He supports the conclusion by observing, as revealed by x-rays of the canvas, that the work as produced by Vermeer portrayed painting of a putto, likely representing Cupid,[5] hanging on the wall in the upper right portion of the piece.[6][7] Another person painted over the image in the late 18th century so that the wall appeared blank.[8] The overpainting was reversed by a restoration project conducted by the museum Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden from 2018-2021.[3]
The draperies, hanging in the right foreground, are not an uncommon element for Vermeer, appearing in seven of his paintings.[9] It is possible that the curtain on the right is referencing the common use of curtains to protect paintings.[1] Even more common, the repoussoir appears in 25, with Girl Reading a Letter at an Open Window, one of three which feature a rug-covered table or balustrade between the figure and the viewer.[9] It was the last painting in which Vermeer featured this device.[9]
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