Yes, you're right about the shoes on the floor behind her... that was an often-used symbol that meant the subject was either of "loose morals", or at the very least less focused on her household duties than the pleasures of the flesh. The other significant suggestion is in the way she is shown with her neck and side of her face seductively exposed.
I've never tired of studying the old paintings for hidden messages!! Clay The Lace Bee <[email protected]> wrote: >It's funny, I'm sure I saw the 'Lacemaker' at the Vermeer exhibition (National >Gallery London c. 2001) but I didn't buy the catalogue at the time as it was >over �40 so can't be sure. As it is such a familiar painting sometimes you >think you have seen it when you haven't; although I very much DID see the >Procuress.� However I did see the painting when I visited the Louvre in 2005 >� > >However, thought I'd through this one into the mix. Have a look at the link >below > >� >http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lacemaker_(Vermeer) > >� >I have a reproduction of Casper Netscher's lacemaker on my dressing room wall >(one side) and a delf plate of vermeer's on the other wall. I have always >preferred Netscher's painting. I'm not asking you to choose, just letting you >know that she is out there (actually she is in the Wallace Collection, >Manchester Square, London). > >� >Interetingly, wiki mentions the following about Netscher's work 'Although this >work shares with Vermeer a sense of quiet solitude, it hints at sexual >overtones unvisited by the later artist' > >� >What are the sexual overtones? Well if you click on the picture to enlarge it >there are two things that imply that she is married and shall we say; happy. >Shoes thrown behind her and the opened mussel shells on the floor. > >� >When I used to do 17th Century reenactment I have managed to make myself a >cartridge pleated skirt and red bodice to match this ladies and used to, as a >bit of a lace injoke, reproduce the painting in historical houses. Never did >get a photo of that. >� >Oh and another strange one, the picture on the wall behind Netscher's >lacemaker - thought to be�either a lost work or a made up one. > >Kind Regards > >Liz Baker > >[email protected] > >My chronicle of my bobbins can be found at my website: >http://thelacebee.weebly.com/ > >--- On Sun, 11/9/11, Jane Atkinson <[email protected]> wrote: > > >From: Jane Atkinson <[email protected]> >Subject: [lace] RE: lace-digest V2010 #445 >To: [email protected] >Date: Sunday, 11 September, 2011, 13:46 > > >In response to Jeri's alert about Vermeer's 'Lacemaker', I am not sure how >useful she will be as a Poster Girl.� I bought a slide from the Louvre of >this painting to use at the start of some of my talks to demonstrate the >woeful ignorance of the average, although cultured, Brit. > >There was a big Vermeer show on the Continent some years ago, and since it >wasn't coming to England a number of famous people went to the opening over >there and were interviewed on BBC News.� One of those bagged for the camera >was the writer Nigel Nicolson, son of Vita Sackville-West.� Asked to enthuse >about this particular painting, he did his best to describe the sitter's >absorbtion in her task.� 'She's sewing, or something...' was as close as he >got. > >Just shows what you're up against! > >Jane Atkinson (Dorset, UK) > >- >To unsubscribe send email to [email protected] containing the line: >unsubscribe lace [email protected]. For help, write to >[email protected]. Photo site: >http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003 > >- >To unsubscribe send email to [email protected] containing the line: >unsubscribe lace [email protected]. For help, write to >[email protected]. Photo site: >http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003 - To unsubscribe send email to [email protected] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [email protected]. For help, write to [email protected]. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003
