New research suggests that Vermeer’s ‘A Maid Asleep’ might contain a hidden self-portrait
It is no secret that A Maid Asleep by Johannes Vermeer, housed in New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, contains the figure of a man, which the artist painted over.
However, after the conservator, Dorothy Mahon, and her co-workers conducted new non-invasive research on the painting, they discovered that the male figure is actually an artist holding a paintbrush alongside an easel. Thus, we can conclude that this man is meant to be Vermeer himself.
X-ray fluorescence technology was used to examine the painting, leading to the fascinating discovery. With this new information, art historians can interpret the painting in new ways, such as questioning why Vermeer seemingly painted himself before transforming the portrait into a window frame.
The painting could possibly be renamed as this new information suggests that Vermeer’s subject might not be a sleeping maid. Rather, the painting could be interpreted as the depiction of a model tired out after posing for her portrait.
The Art Newspaper has also suggested that Vermeer could have been influenced by local artist Nicolaes Maes, who included a subtle self-portrait in his painting, The Naughty Drummer, just one year prior. If Vermeer was taking inspiration from Maes, then this would confirm the suspicion that the hidden artist is indeed the painter.
