Symbolism in ‘The Art of Painting’

Symbolism in “The Art of Painting” according to some experts:

- The subject in the Muse of History, Clio: Evidenced by the facts that she is wearing a laurel wreath, holding a trumpet (depicting fame) and carrying a book (this book may be a book by Thucydides)

- The double headed eagle: It is the symbol of the Austrian Habsburg dynasty and former rulers of Holland, and it adorns the central golden chandelier. It may represent the Catholic faith, as Vermeer was a Catholic in a Protestant Holland. Moreover, the absense of candels on the chandelier may also represent the supression of the Catholic faith.

- The map at the back : It has a rip and it divides the Netherlands between the north and the south. This rip symbolizes the division between the Dutch Republic to the north and the Habsburg controlled provinces to the south. As said in the previous post, the map was made by Claes Jansz Visscher and it shows the earlier political division between the Union of Utretch to the north, and the colonies to the south.

- The mask: There is a mask on the table next to the artist, and it is thought to be a death mask, representing the ineffectiveness of the Habsburg monarch.

Cite the site: The Art of Painting. (2009, May 28). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 09:09, May 29, 2009, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Art_of_Painting&oldid=292918602

The Art of Painting (II)

The Art of Painting, also known as The Allegory of Painting, or Painter in his Studio, is a famous 17th century oil on canvas painting by Vermeer. Many experts in art believe that this work of art is an allegory of painting, and hence the alternate title of the painting. The Art of Painting, moreover, is the largest and more complex of all of Vermeer’s works. In it we find an intimate scene of a painter painting a female subject in his studio, by a window, with the background of a large map. This is one of Vermeer’s favourite paintings, but it is also a fine example of the optical style of painting. In the painting we find bright colours, but also the impact of light streaming through the windows on various elements of the painting. The painting has only two characters: the painter and his subject, a woman. The painter, for example, is thought to be a self-portrait of Vermeer, but the face is not visible. The map of the back is a map of the Netherlands, and is a map published by Claes Jansz Visscher in 1636.

Cite the site: The Art of Painting. (2009, May 28). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 17:24, May 28, 2009, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Art_of_Painting&oldid=292918602