Vermeer and Love Letters

The subject of women writing love letters was in vogue at the time Vermeer painted A Lady Writing. Several artists in the same general time span painted women writing letters, ostensibly to suitors.

Gabriel Metsu 1

A Woman Writing a Letter, c. 1662–4
Oil on panel, 39.4 x 31.1cm
Image © IGRAT 2006 LLC

Gerard ter Borch 2

Woman Writing a Letter, c. 1655

Oil on panel, 39 x 29.5 cm

The convention of painting women who write letters to their loved ones or to suitors could have directly influenced Vermeer in painting A Lady Writing. Certainly he broke conventions at the time, but if this style was a popular one, it would not have been surprising for a gentleman painter to paint something along these lines. Since these two paintings were most likely painted before Vermeer painted his, they could definitely have influenced his decision.

1 "Gabriel Metsu at the National Gallery of Ireland | A Woman Writing a Letter." National Gallery of Ireland | 'Gabriel Metsu - Rediscovered Master of the Dutch Golden Age'Web. 8 May 2011. <http://www.gabrielmetsuexhibition.com/gallery.php?img=aWomanWritingALetter>.

2 Woman Writing a Letter. 1655. Mauritshuis, The Royal Picture Gallery, The Hague.Mauritshuis Museum. Web. 8 May 2011. <http://www.mauritshuis.nl/index.aspx?chapterid=2347&contentID=18297&CollectieZoekKunstenaarSsOtName=Achternaam&CollectieZoekKunstenaarSsOv=Borch%&KunstenaarSsOtName=Achternaam&KunstenaarSsOv=Borch%&kunstenaar=Gerard%20ter%20Borch&naamKunstenaar=GerardBorch>.