The Dutch Renaissance

Comparison of the Female in Two Works of Art from the Dutch Renaissance

Gerrit Dou and Johannes Vermeer were two Dutch painters who lived and worked during the seventeenth century . Dou , a student of Rembrandt , was popular for his little greatly refined paintings while Vermeer was a local artist from Delft and was known only as a local artist until centuries after his death . While both artists were a huge distance apart in their formal training and fame , they both depicted the female in a realistic manner

Girl Chopping Onions by Dou

is typical of his style . His subjects are predominately illuminated by candlelight where there is a strong contrast between lights and darks which is characteristic of his teacher Rembrandt . The background of the painting is dark and much of the room is in shadows . However , there are objects that stand out from the darkness . Above the main subject of an adolescent girl chopping onions there is a light fixture while a shelf with a mortar and pestle , a chicken waiting to be prepared , and walls that reflect the green fabrics in the room surround her . A bare window allows only a slight amount of light into the room . A young boy who is obviously of a different socioeconomic class than the girl is a minor subject to the painting He is lavishly dressed in what appears to be velvet and plumes while the girl is in a modest work dress

The material of the bodice of her dress is gold which is used in two very different symbolic ways in the painting . The rich gold color is an earth tone which symbolizes the work of the young woman . Onions are grown in the earth , the earth produces life as does the female body There is nothing about her life that is glamorous or elaborate instead she is more of an earthy person . The other symbolic meaning of the gold coloring of her attire is that she is as valuable to the running of the household as the precious metal of the same color . The green fabric draped around her waist is reminiscent of royalty although there is certainly nothing royal about the girl . The white of the material in her cap and around the neck and bosom frames her face in innocence so that the viewer will know that she is a maid and that her work and intentions are pure

The face of the girl is the focal point of the painting . Her complexion is light and

which contrast the darkness of the background . Her eyes are the dominant feature of the face because they stare out at the viewer . Her brows and lashes are almost xistent which draws attention to the size and color of her eyes . There is a minimal amount of loose blonde curls from her cap that accentuates her face and neck . While her countenance is not jovial , she seems satisfied with her work

The Milkmaid by Vermeer also uses a female subject...