Saturday 4 April 2020

Woman Holding a Balance, by Jan Vermeer





Jan Vermeer (1632-75) painted Woman Holding a Balance in about 1664. The painting is now in the National Gallery, London.
Vermeer was a genius at painting stillness but keeping it interesting. His paintings always pose questions or – as in this case – teaching a lesson. Every detail in this painting has something important to say.
A woman stands at a table, on which is an open jewelry box from which he has taken her pearls and gold coins. She holds a simple balance in one hand, although she is not actually weighing anything yet. It may be that she is about to check whether her coins are the correct weight and have not had their edges trimmed by an untrustworthy merchant or banker.
Balance is the theme of this painting, because it is not just the comparison of gold coins that is at stake. The painting on the wall behind the woman depicts the Last Judgment with the souls of the dead being held in the balance. The lower half of the painting shows the damned being sent to Hell.
Another factor to bear in mind is that the woman is pregnant, with the light that filters through the shuttered window falling on her bump. Pregnancy was a dangerous business at this time, with death in childbirth being a distinct possibility.
Another balance presented here is that between light and dark, there being a marked contrast between the woman’s white clothing and the dark background. Vermeer draws attention to the bright pearls on the table that are clearly visible against the dark box and cloth on the table.
Attention also falls squarely on the woman’s face and her mood of contemplation, portrayed by her tilted head and almost closed eyes. As she values her treasures it would seem that she is mulling over the meaning of value itself. This notion is reinforced by the presence of a mirror on the wall opposite her, this being suggestive of quiet self-contemplation.
The message of the painting is therefore that one’s life is subject to judgment and the balance between life and death, and Heaven and Hell, is a narrow one. 
© John Welford

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