NATIONAL GALLERY, Woman Holding A Balance By Vermeer

The Washington National Gallery has an overwhelming four of the approximately 35 paintings attributed to Jan Vermeer, the alias of Johannes Van der Meer, one of the most famous painters in the world.

This piece called “Woman Holding a Balance” is particularly interesting because it features many characteristics of his unique style.

Heir to the photographic realism of the Flemish painters, to the extent that you can even see the dust hit by the light in his canvases, Jan Vermeer was as masterful as they were at loading his paintings with symbolism, albeit portraying simple scenes of everyday life.

In fact, the painting depicts a young woman in a blue dress, with a balance in her hand, standing before a table on which stands an open jewelry box with two pearl necklaces and a gold chain spilling out. However, if you look carefully, you can see a painting of the Last Judgment behind the girl, while she has a mirror in front of her....