Art Analysis: The Concert Painting
The Procuress is hung on the wall that would form part of The Concert painting that Vermeer is painting of his patron van Ruijven and his daughter and sister. I think that the author had Griet focusing on this painting to remind her who she was. In other words, it encouraged her to remain decent, and humble. On page 186 van Leeuwenhoek said to Griet, “Take care to remain yourself.” When Griet srated to work for the family she was exposed to a different environment. While working there she was also reminded a maid who was in a painting a long with van Ruijven, who then was discovered having an affair with her master and ended up having a child of his. He reputation was destroyed, and Griet feared that the same would happen to her as well. I think that Vermeer has come to see Griet the way that the girl in the the painting is portrayed.
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On page 186, van Leeuwenhoek tells Griet, “You see, competition makes men possessive.
He is interested in you in part because van Ruijven is.” Considering that Pieter the son keeps looking for her, and van Ruijven has an obsession with has caused him to believe that she someone resembles that image. In the other hand, I think Griet has come to notice that she deserves better. On page, 169 Griet describes the painting as, "a picture of three people--a woman playing a lute, wearing a dress that revealed much of her bosom, a gentleman with his arm around her, and an old woman. The man was buying the young woman's favors, the old woman reaching to take the coin he held out.” Considering the fact that a Procuress is a woman who prostitutes, at the end of the book the painting is suppose to signify how Griet is the total opposite of what the painting symbolizes. Van Ruijven wants Vermeer to paint him with Griet so that he can attempt to seduce her the way he did a previous maid. Maria Thins was able to suggest to him another painting that appealed to him just as much as the painting he had in
mind. Vermeer agreed to paint a portrait of Griet that Van Ruijen would eventually have the pleasure to own. Van Ruijven had the opportunity to come and go from the house because he also had to model for the concert painting, but he won't be given an easy opportunity to try to seduce the maid. According to NoveList, “The mention of The Procuress perhaps indicates that Maria willingly arranged van Ruijven's access to the previous maid, who ended up having his illegitimate child.” Maria Thins tried to prevent this situation from happening again by arranging a deal. This same website also suggests that she was forced to come up with this deal simply because Johannes refused to paint them both together. The Procuress may easily be apply to Catherina as well because she deep down wishes for Griet to be seduced and ashamed. From the moment Catherina met Griet, she didn’t like her.
On page 186, van Leeuwenhoek tells Griet, “You see, competition makes men possessive.
He is interested in you in part because van Ruijven is.” Considering that Pieter the son keeps looking for her, and van Ruijven has an obsession with has caused him to believe that she someone resembles that image. In the other hand, I think Griet has come to notice that she deserves better. On page, 169 Griet describes the painting as, "a picture of three people--a woman playing a lute, wearing a dress that revealed much of her bosom, a gentleman with his arm around her, and an old woman. The man was buying the young woman's favors, the old woman reaching to take the coin he held out.” Considering the fact that a Procuress is a woman who prostitutes, at the end of the book the painting is suppose to signify how Griet is the total opposite of what the painting symbolizes. Van Ruijven wants Vermeer to paint him with Griet so that he can attempt to seduce her the way he did a previous maid. Maria Thins was able to suggest to him another painting that appealed to him just as much as the painting he had in
mind. Vermeer agreed to paint a portrait of Griet that Van Ruijen would eventually have the pleasure to own. Van Ruijven had the opportunity to come and go from the house because he also had to model for the concert painting, but he won't be given an easy opportunity to try to seduce the maid. According to NoveList, “The mention of The Procuress perhaps indicates that Maria willingly arranged van Ruijven's access to the previous maid, who ended up having his illegitimate child.” Maria Thins tried to prevent this situation from happening again by arranging a deal. This same website also suggests that she was forced to come up with this deal simply because Johannes refused to paint them both together. The Procuress may easily be apply to Catherina as well because she deep down wishes for Griet to be seduced and ashamed. From the moment Catherina met Griet, she didn’t like her.