Important Passages
"When I was done, I looked up at him.
'Tell me, Griet, why did you change the tablecloth?' His tone was the same as when he'd asked me about the vegetables at my parents' house.
I thought for a moment. 'There needs to be some disorder in the scene, to contrast with her tranquility,' I explained. 'Something to tease the eye. And yet it must be something pleasing to the eye as well, and it is, because the cloth and her arm are in a similar position.'
There was a long pause. He was gazing at the table. I waited, wiping my hands against my apron.
'I had not thought I would learn something from a maid,' he said at last." (page 135-136)
This is an important passage in Chevalier's novel for a number of reasons. The foremost being that this is the first time Griet offers her opinion to Vermeer without it being first prompted in conversation. There are plenty of times before this event that Griet unwittingly reveals her thoughts to Vermeer or his family due to her ineptitude at lying, however never before has Griet expressed her opinion so blatantly, as it wasn't a maid's place in the seventeenth century. As Griet anxiously awaited Vermeer’s response to her change in his scene, it becomes clear that his reaction will be classified as either an acceptance or rejection of her on a personal level. Vermeer’s honest acceptance of Griet’s opinion encourages her to have more and more open conversation with Vermeer concerning both artistic and intellectual concepts ranging from the camera obscura to mixing colors. In turn, Vermeer is surprised time and time again by her bold remarks and creative eye. It is truly the first time a maid has been able to teach him something about art and his is perplexed and humbled. In a way, this passage embodies the fundamental reason Griet must flee the house at the end of the novel, and that reason is that Vermeer grows a strange, contextually inappropriate respect for Griet he does not even fully have for his own wife. The fact that Griet was also able to make a valid suggestion that Vermeer then considered and accepted by nature elicited an equality between them that manifested as an awkward tension due to her role in the house. [Lauren Morgan]
"With a big house like this, and your mistress's wealth, and the master's paintings," I added, "could they not afford another maid? Or a cook?"
"Huh," Tanneke snorted. "They can barely manage to pay you." (page 57)
Early in the novel, The Girl with the Pearl Earring, Griet is busy adapting to her new workplace. Unfamiliarity dominates the ambience of the house and leads to significant level of curiosity for Griet. The passage selected answers one of the questions Griet had in mind but in an unexpected way for her. In her eyes, there were a number of things that appeared expensive, such as Catharina's jewelry box and the grand scale of the house. However, this part of the book is when she realizes the financial realities of the household, concealed beneath the extravagant appearance. Any one of Vermeer's paintings is of great value in the world we live in today. Back when he was drawing them, however, it wasn't entirely so. Also, Vermeer is a slow painter who spends five months on a painting against Catharina's complaints. Unfortunately, there are only a couple of patrons who make appearance in the book: Vermeer drew a painting for a baker's daughter and some for van Ruijven. Vermeer is especially more careful in dealing with van Ruijven, his wealthy and powerful patron. Van Ruijven would sometimes request paintings that Vermeer might be compelled to decline; but Vermeer is not adamant enough to jeopardize his main source of income. From this relationship, the painter's economic struggle can be observed. The necessity for more money to feed his children bread and meat they love required his mother-in-law, Maria Thins, to keep her inn running by collecting rents. Near the end of the novel, Vermeer eventually falls into a huge debt before his death.
[Alex Rhim]
Maria Thins gave me a knowing look. 'Don't flatter yourself, girl. He said very little about you. But it was clear enough. That he came downstairs at all and concerned himself - my daughter knew then that he was taking your side. No, he charged her with failing to raise her children properly. Much cleverer, you see, to criticize her than to praise you.' (pg. 156)
Chevalier in her book depicts Maria Thins, Vermeer’s mother-in-law, as a wise and aware woman. Through Griet’s story, author conjugates that Maria Thins helped Vermeer to sell his paintings and find new customers. Even though she appears to be shrewd at times, she was usually soft on the people closest to her, including Griet. Throughout the book, as the author reaches culmination when the painting of Griet is complete, Griet gets closer to Vermeer from cleaning the atelier, where even Catharina was not allowed, to moving into the attic and becoming Vermeer’s assistant. Although Griet’s attitude and feelings are noticed by Maria Thins, who is not “so easily fooled” (pg. 114), she continues to support Griet’s assistantship.
When Cornelia hides Griet’s precious comb, it is the first time when the master “concerns himself” and talks about the maid. The fact that Vermeer takes her side prevents any actions against her in the future. In Dutch culture, at the time, the husband is often compared to a king in a little realm, while his wife shares some of that domestic sovereignty; as in the old wedding song, The Little Holland Goldfinch (Schama):
A house-guardian and his house friend,
May be likened,
Unto a King and Queen,
For their home is like a kingdom
And the children their happy subjects.
Men have been expected to earn, to see that no one is in want, and to protect the home against intruders. The wife has been in charge of domestic affairs so that the husband could be free for his business. She would supervise servants, execute weekly schedules of cooking, cleaning and shopping, ensure that there was a decent supply of medicines and herbs, and make sure that the children were properly and cleanly dressed. Vermeer criticizes Catharina with “failing to raise her children properly”, the words that affect Catharina as she begins to avoid Griet and spends more time with the children. [Artur Satayev]
"I always laid vegetables out in a circle, each with its own section like a slice of pie. There were five slices: red cabbage, onions, leeks, carrots, and turnips.... the colors fight when they are side by side" (4).
Early in the novel, Griet is introduced to the story by chopping vegetables for soup, a simple chore for her that she turns into an artistic venture by creating a color wheel out of the vegetables. Upon meeting Vermeer, she soon becomes embarrassed of this characteristic, as it seems to be “idle.” Griet wants to make a good impression to not only Vermeer, but also Catharina who seems very hostile to gain the maid position since her father has lost his job. Griet’s positioning of the vegetables although aesthetic, is not practical since the vegetables will not go into the soup in the order. Griet seems to inherit her appreciation for art from her father. He painted the delicate Delft tiles until there was a kiln explosion that left him for blind. Although he cannot see, he remembers and imagines the world as visual images and paintings. After this visitation, Griet’s farther explains to her who Vermeer is by alluding to one of his paintings. This passage is important because it outlines the calm and perceptive characteristics in Griet that not only help her as a maid, but that Vermeer later finds very attractive. Her artistic view, despite different social and educational standings, draw similarities between her and Vermeer, which brings her into his world of paintings. Continually, through their similar perception, they gain additional closeness in the novel. This original scene sets up these occurrences for the remainder of the novel.
[Jordan Garth]
'Tell me, Griet, why did you change the tablecloth?' His tone was the same as when he'd asked me about the vegetables at my parents' house.
I thought for a moment. 'There needs to be some disorder in the scene, to contrast with her tranquility,' I explained. 'Something to tease the eye. And yet it must be something pleasing to the eye as well, and it is, because the cloth and her arm are in a similar position.'
There was a long pause. He was gazing at the table. I waited, wiping my hands against my apron.
'I had not thought I would learn something from a maid,' he said at last." (page 135-136)
This is an important passage in Chevalier's novel for a number of reasons. The foremost being that this is the first time Griet offers her opinion to Vermeer without it being first prompted in conversation. There are plenty of times before this event that Griet unwittingly reveals her thoughts to Vermeer or his family due to her ineptitude at lying, however never before has Griet expressed her opinion so blatantly, as it wasn't a maid's place in the seventeenth century. As Griet anxiously awaited Vermeer’s response to her change in his scene, it becomes clear that his reaction will be classified as either an acceptance or rejection of her on a personal level. Vermeer’s honest acceptance of Griet’s opinion encourages her to have more and more open conversation with Vermeer concerning both artistic and intellectual concepts ranging from the camera obscura to mixing colors. In turn, Vermeer is surprised time and time again by her bold remarks and creative eye. It is truly the first time a maid has been able to teach him something about art and his is perplexed and humbled. In a way, this passage embodies the fundamental reason Griet must flee the house at the end of the novel, and that reason is that Vermeer grows a strange, contextually inappropriate respect for Griet he does not even fully have for his own wife. The fact that Griet was also able to make a valid suggestion that Vermeer then considered and accepted by nature elicited an equality between them that manifested as an awkward tension due to her role in the house. [Lauren Morgan]
"With a big house like this, and your mistress's wealth, and the master's paintings," I added, "could they not afford another maid? Or a cook?"
"Huh," Tanneke snorted. "They can barely manage to pay you." (page 57)
Early in the novel, The Girl with the Pearl Earring, Griet is busy adapting to her new workplace. Unfamiliarity dominates the ambience of the house and leads to significant level of curiosity for Griet. The passage selected answers one of the questions Griet had in mind but in an unexpected way for her. In her eyes, there were a number of things that appeared expensive, such as Catharina's jewelry box and the grand scale of the house. However, this part of the book is when she realizes the financial realities of the household, concealed beneath the extravagant appearance. Any one of Vermeer's paintings is of great value in the world we live in today. Back when he was drawing them, however, it wasn't entirely so. Also, Vermeer is a slow painter who spends five months on a painting against Catharina's complaints. Unfortunately, there are only a couple of patrons who make appearance in the book: Vermeer drew a painting for a baker's daughter and some for van Ruijven. Vermeer is especially more careful in dealing with van Ruijven, his wealthy and powerful patron. Van Ruijven would sometimes request paintings that Vermeer might be compelled to decline; but Vermeer is not adamant enough to jeopardize his main source of income. From this relationship, the painter's economic struggle can be observed. The necessity for more money to feed his children bread and meat they love required his mother-in-law, Maria Thins, to keep her inn running by collecting rents. Near the end of the novel, Vermeer eventually falls into a huge debt before his death.
[Alex Rhim]
Maria Thins gave me a knowing look. 'Don't flatter yourself, girl. He said very little about you. But it was clear enough. That he came downstairs at all and concerned himself - my daughter knew then that he was taking your side. No, he charged her with failing to raise her children properly. Much cleverer, you see, to criticize her than to praise you.' (pg. 156)
Chevalier in her book depicts Maria Thins, Vermeer’s mother-in-law, as a wise and aware woman. Through Griet’s story, author conjugates that Maria Thins helped Vermeer to sell his paintings and find new customers. Even though she appears to be shrewd at times, she was usually soft on the people closest to her, including Griet. Throughout the book, as the author reaches culmination when the painting of Griet is complete, Griet gets closer to Vermeer from cleaning the atelier, where even Catharina was not allowed, to moving into the attic and becoming Vermeer’s assistant. Although Griet’s attitude and feelings are noticed by Maria Thins, who is not “so easily fooled” (pg. 114), she continues to support Griet’s assistantship.
When Cornelia hides Griet’s precious comb, it is the first time when the master “concerns himself” and talks about the maid. The fact that Vermeer takes her side prevents any actions against her in the future. In Dutch culture, at the time, the husband is often compared to a king in a little realm, while his wife shares some of that domestic sovereignty; as in the old wedding song, The Little Holland Goldfinch (Schama):
A house-guardian and his house friend,
May be likened,
Unto a King and Queen,
For their home is like a kingdom
And the children their happy subjects.
Men have been expected to earn, to see that no one is in want, and to protect the home against intruders. The wife has been in charge of domestic affairs so that the husband could be free for his business. She would supervise servants, execute weekly schedules of cooking, cleaning and shopping, ensure that there was a decent supply of medicines and herbs, and make sure that the children were properly and cleanly dressed. Vermeer criticizes Catharina with “failing to raise her children properly”, the words that affect Catharina as she begins to avoid Griet and spends more time with the children. [Artur Satayev]
"I always laid vegetables out in a circle, each with its own section like a slice of pie. There were five slices: red cabbage, onions, leeks, carrots, and turnips.... the colors fight when they are side by side" (4).
Early in the novel, Griet is introduced to the story by chopping vegetables for soup, a simple chore for her that she turns into an artistic venture by creating a color wheel out of the vegetables. Upon meeting Vermeer, she soon becomes embarrassed of this characteristic, as it seems to be “idle.” Griet wants to make a good impression to not only Vermeer, but also Catharina who seems very hostile to gain the maid position since her father has lost his job. Griet’s positioning of the vegetables although aesthetic, is not practical since the vegetables will not go into the soup in the order. Griet seems to inherit her appreciation for art from her father. He painted the delicate Delft tiles until there was a kiln explosion that left him for blind. Although he cannot see, he remembers and imagines the world as visual images and paintings. After this visitation, Griet’s farther explains to her who Vermeer is by alluding to one of his paintings. This passage is important because it outlines the calm and perceptive characteristics in Griet that not only help her as a maid, but that Vermeer later finds very attractive. Her artistic view, despite different social and educational standings, draw similarities between her and Vermeer, which brings her into his world of paintings. Continually, through their similar perception, they gain additional closeness in the novel. This original scene sets up these occurrences for the remainder of the novel.
[Jordan Garth]
Terms
- Catharina
- Cornelia
- Delft
- Guild of St. Luke
- Maria Thins
- Paternity Cap
- van Ruijven
- Vermeer