A Lady Writing
Johannes Vermeer, 1665
Pen paused. She looks up. A letter mid-thought.
About this work
A Lady Writing, also called A Lady Writing a Letter, is an oil painting by the Dutch artist Johannes Vermeer, believed to date from his mature period in the mid-to-late 1660s. A woman in a lemon-yellow morning jacket sits at a table with a quill in her right hand, writing a letter, and has turned her head to look out at the viewer as if interrupted. She wears pearl earrings and a necklace of ten pearls. The small objects all sit on the table, close to the picture plane, which sharpens the directness of her gaze, while larger forms build a geometric frame around her. On the wall behind hangs a dark painting of a large string instrument, probably a violone; Vermeer's estate inventory lists a still life with a bass viol and a skull, so it was likely a vanitas picture, a reminder of the transience of worldly things. The jacket, tablecloth and pearls appear in several other Vermeer paintings, leading to speculation that his household owned them. The painting is in the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.
Sources: Wikipedia · Wikimedia Commons
Print facts
- Native resolution
- 3,553 × 4,051 px
- Sharp at 150 ppi up to
- 23 × 27 in
- Sizes
- Small (18 × 20 in) · $100 · 197 ppi
Medium (21 × 24 in) · $150 · 169 ppi
Large (32 × 36 in) · $300 · 111 ppi - Price includes
- Frame and US shipping · 14–21 days · 30-day returns
FAQ
Where can I buy a framed print of A Lady Writing?
Here. A Lady Writing is available as a framed print in three sizes: Small (18 × 20 in) for $100, Medium (21 × 24 in) for $150 and Large (32 × 36 in) for $300. Prices include the frame and US shipping; delivery takes 14–21 days, with 30-day returns.
What size works best for A Lady Writing?
The file is 3,553 × 4,051 px. Medium (21 × 24 in) is the largest size that prints at 150 ppi or more (169 ppi), the sharpest choice for close viewing; Large (32 × 36 in) prints at 111 ppi, fine from a few feet away but softer up close.
Is it legal to print A Lady Writing?
Yes. A Lady Writing is in the public domain: its copyright, if it ever had one, expired long ago. In the United States a faithful photograph of a public-domain painting does not create a new copyright (Bridgeman v. Corel, 1999), so the image can be printed and sold freely.
