Young Woman with a Lute
A young woman glances out a window while tuning her lute. Open songbooks and a viola da gamba on the floor indicate that she is preparing for a duet. Wealthy young people in the Dutch Republic studied music as part of their education, and amateur concerts provided a welcome opportunity for flirtation. The map of Europe in the background reflects the decoration of Dutch homes at the time, a sign of pride in the nation’s preeminence in navigation and cartography.
Artwork Details
- Title: Young Woman with a Lute
- Artist: Johannes Vermeer (Dutch, Delft 1632–1675 Delft)
- Date: ca. 1662–63
- Medium: Oil on canvas
- Dimensions: 20 1/4 x 18 in. (51.4 x 45.7 cm)
- Classification: Paintings
- Credit Line: Bequest of Collis P. Huntington, 1900
- Object Number: 25.110.24
- Curatorial Department: European Paintings
More Artwork
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Related Content
Perspectives
Articles, audio, and video from The Met's online magazine.
Timeline of Art History
Entries from The Met's art encyclopedia.
Publications
Books, guides, and catalogues published by The Met.
Free to download
Research Resources
The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.
To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.
Feedback
We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.