Girl with the Red Hat

About this artwork

**Girl with the Red Hat painted by Johannes Vermeer around 1669, captures the intimate essence of Dutch Golden Age portraiture in a remarkably small oil-on-panel format—measuring just 22.8 x 18 cm. This diminutive scale, unusual for Vermeer who often worked on canvas, suggests it may have been a personal study or a bespoke commission, allowing for exquisite detail in a compact space. Housed in the National Gallery Art's Andrew W. Collection, the work showcases a young woman in profile, her vibrant red hat adorned with feathers dramatically contrasting against a shadowy background, her blue robe softly illuminated. Vermeer, a master of Delft, revolutionized 17th-century Dutch painting with his profound use of light and optical precision, evoking a sense of quiet revelation. Here, his technique employs subtle glazes and pointillé dots to create a sparkling, jewel-like quality in the hat's feathers and the girl's skin, hinting at his possible use of a camera obscura for lifelike effects. Amid the prosperity of the Dutch Republic, such portraits celebrated everyday elegance, blending realism with poetic luminosity. This gem exemplifies Vermeer's enduring legacy—only about 36 paintings survive—inviting viewers to linger on its luminous mystery and masterful color harmony.