Today we had the privilege of visiting the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam and see some of the amazing masterpieces by Rembrandt, Vermeer, and many others. The piece I chose to write about was The Milkmaid by Johannes Vermeer. For my documentary film I chose to do The Astronomer which is also by Vermeer. Once I started researching him I found so many things that fascinated me about his life and his many great works. For example, he only painted about 34 paintings in his life time so the paintings that we see in museums are so rare and special.

To witness The Milkmaid in person was very special and pictures do not do it justice. From a distance it catches your eye with its light and bright yellow color. Vermeer is known for his domestic scenes and how he makes the still figures seem alive. This painting portrays a milkmaid pouring a pitcher of milk bathed in light from the window she is standing in front of. The way Vermeer portrays this ordinary scene is what makes this work so extraordinary. I sat and studied this painting for a good while and still couldn’t take in the beauty that is this this Vermeer masterpiece.