inkandiron: 1664 Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (Dutch, 1606-69) ~ Pallas Athena
(via triumphofthewombat)
art-history: c 1664 Johannes Vermeer, Woman Holding a Balance. Oil on canvas, 39.7x35.5 cm, National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C.
Meant to write about this a bit before I posted it: Basically, the woman is thought to represent the Virgin Mary. There are several things that support this conclusion including:
1) the fact that the woman is pregnant;
2) the serene expression on the subject’s face, which is very similar to depictions of the Madonna;
3) the painting in the background, which depicts the Last Judgment;
4) the balance, which may represent the weighing of souls;
5) the mirror on the wall—the “spotless mirror” (speculum sine macula) is a metaphor for the Virgin.
(via eclecticmusing)
