Girl with the Red Hat
c. 1665-1666
Vermeer captured a young woman turning to face us, her expression caught somewhere between a smile and a secret. That enormous, vibrant red hat steals the show, painted with such loose, feathery brushstrokes that it practically vibrates against the dark blue of her jacket. Unlike his usual serene, distant subjects, she looks right at you from a chair carved with lion heads, set against a richly patterned tapestry. Fun fact: this is one of the very few Vermeer paintings done on a wood panel instead of canvas, giving the colors an incredible, glowing depth.
- Technique
- Oil painting
Location: National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C.