Museum Research Paper

Introduction

The artist's work is a term which is used to refer any form of work that is regarded as any form of art in the creation or aesthetic, physical item (Moneo 72). Museum on the other hand is an institution that conserves assemblage of artifacts and the objects of historical, cultural, scientific or artistic importance (Kaufman 20). This paper explores the artistic work of the painting that has a young woman with a water pitcher. The piece of art is conserved at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (Young 362).

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The painting of a young woman with a water pitcher is found at the Metropolitan Museum of Art found in New York City in the United States of America. The painting was finished between 1660 and 1662 by a Dutch painter known as Johannes Vermeer. Vermeer used the architectural style of Baroque to paint the picture. The picture is oil on canvas that measures 40.6 cm width by 45.7 cm length.

The painting covers a young woman that seems to be between 20 to 30 years that forms the center of the picture. With her right hand, she opens the window, while on the left side she holds a water jug. The water jug that she holds rests on a large circular silver glittering platter. The platter, the jug among other things lay on the table that is covered with a multi-colored tablecloth, in which the red color dominate mostly. Behind the woman stands a wooden chair with a black backrest and a blue material lies in some parts of the chair. The woman in the picture gazes out of the transparent glass window which she holds with her right hand. The jewelry box is also found on the table.

The woman is dressed in a dark blue dress, from the waist downwards, and has a gold color over the piece. The arms of the clothes are made of blue color with white strips and the front part which the remaining components are golden in color. The woman also has a white colored scarves cloth that serves as a head cover, and it flows down to the shoulder. At the wall behind the woman hangs a brown map, though what the map contains is not visible enough to be put in words.

The part of the picture that captures the attention most on the first gaze of the picture is the woman who seems to be opening the window. It makes the person attempt looking the picture also to see what exactly the woman is looking at through the window. The presence of the one hand holding the window and the eyes directed to the window is the primary reason why attention is directed towards the woman as one become curious about what is at the window.

The artist leads the eye through the balance painting, the painting of the woman and the pitcher is not massive on one side of the picture, but there is a systematic symmetrical arrangement that induces the sense of calm. The artist's work of the picture is represented with a medium texture, which is not too rough and not too smooth. Though the map behind the woman has a rougher visual texture compared to the rest of the painting in the picture. The light has been used in the picture, and the source of light for the picture seems to be the transparent glass window. The artistically painted woman with a picture gives a representation of the role of women as they start the day.

Works Cited

Moneo, Rafael. "Museum for Roman Artifacts, Merida, Spain." Assemblage, vol. 47, no. 1, 2006, p. 72.

Kaufman, Edward N. "The Architectural Museum from World's Fair to Restoration Village." Assemblage, no. 9, 2009, p. 20.

Young, Bonnie. "The Woman and Water Pitcher." The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin, vol. 23, no. 10, 2005, p. 362