Woman in Blue Reading a Letter

Johannes Vermeer1662–1665
Woman in Blue Reading a Letter by Johannes Vermeer. Wikimedia Commons / Public domain

About this painting

A young woman stands in profile reading a letter, lit by an unseen window. The blue of her jacket — a costly ultramarine made from lapis lazuli — anchors the composition against the map on the wall behind her. The painting's quiet absorption and harmonized blues make it one of Vermeer's most concentrated interiors.
Date
1662–1665
Medium
Oil on canvas
Dimensions
46.5 × 39 cm
Owner
Logo courtesy of RijksmuseumRijksmuseum

Motifs

Woman in Blue Reading a Letter by Johannes VermeerGirl Reading a Letter at an Open Window by Johannes VermeerThe Love Letter by Johannes VermeerMistress and Maid by Johannes VermeerA Lady Writing by Johannes VermeerLady Writing a Letter with her Maid by Johannes Vermeer
Letters6 works
The Astronomer by Johannes VermeerThe Geographer by Johannes VermeerWoman in Blue Reading a Letter by Johannes VermeerOfficer and Laughing Girl by Johannes VermeerWoman with a Lute by Johannes Vermeer
Maps and Globes5 works

Current location

On loan to Encounter with the Masterpiece: Vermeer at Palazzo Madama, Turin until 29 Jun 2026