The little street by Johannes Vermeer

This masterpiece of rare architectural delicacy testifies to the immense talent of Vermeer Jan, a major artist of the Delft school, through his emblematic canvas entitled “The little street” which ranks among the most remarkable examples of urban genre scenes. The artist offers a refined vision of Dutch city life, far from the bustle, by freezing a peaceful moment in a familiar street. This magnificent narrative composition plunges the viewer into a contemplative and poetic calm.

The composition is dominated by a tall red brick facade with stepped gables, pierced by window panes fitted with grey-green wooden shutters. In the doorway of an open door on the right, a woman wearing a white cap and a dark outfit sits absorbed in her needlework. In the center, a long paved corridor opens onto an inner courtyard where a maid wearing an apron is busy sweeping the floor with a broom. On the left, an arched porch leads to other houses under a changing sky filled with white and greyish clouds. The foreground cobblestones are detailed with care.

The pictorial technique used by Vermeer Jan is a model of realism and artisanal finesse. His virtuosity in the use of oil painting allows a striking rendering of the rough textures of the bricks, crumbling mortar and aged wood. The artist demonstrates here an absolute mastery of contrasts and natural light.