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As the woman tautly holds the ribbons of her pearl necklace, she gazes into a mirror, another object imbued with complex moralizing associations; a mirror can symbolize pride, but also truth and self-knowledge. Vermeer provides no explicit commentary about how one should interpret the scene, one of the reasons this work is so endlessly intriguing. Nevertheless, the figure's dignified pose and the flow of light flooding the room do encourage a positive interpretation of the image. Indeed, through these means, as well as through the woman's serene expression, Vermeer infuses the painting with a sense of spiritual purity.
Excerpt taken from
Vermeer: The Complete Works
by Arthur K. Wheelock Jr |
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