the milkmaid johannes vermeerAs is often the case in the work of Johannes Vermeer, this painting is a genre scene. The milkmaid, maternal and nurturing, is concentrated on her task. Yellow and blue are in the foreground, carefully lit by the window, the only source of light in the composition. The elements on the table alone constitute a real still life within the painting. The artist plays with light and shadow to embellish his famous painting with minute, realistic details.