According to his first biographer Arnold Houbraken, he studied art in Haarlem under the landscape painter Nicolaes Berchem at the same time as Jacob Ochtervelt and was known for his "kamergezichten" or "room-views" with ladies and gentlemen in conversation.

[5] But de Hooch's work seems to continue in the spirit of Hendrik Sorgh, an older Rotterdam painter who had a special affinity for organising figures in interiors.

[11] The early work of de Hooch was mostly composed of scenes of soldiers and peasants in stables and taverns in the manner of Adriaen van Ostade, though he used these to develop great skill in light, colour, and perspective rather than to explore an interest in the subject matter.

Instead, emphasis is concentrated on a principal group illuminated directly by the sun, which prominently stands out against a dark background, in the style of chiaroscuro.

These works frequently showcase colour combinations typical of the artist's later period, such as a vivid vermilion and lemon yellow, often complemented by a warm dark green or blue in the shadows.

Notably, De Hooch's mastery is most evident when portraying figures in repose, exemplified in two masterpieces painted around 1654 - one housed in the Palazzo Corsini and the other in the London National Gallery - which mark the culmination of his early period.

He succeeded in blending the South Holland techniques of perspective and interior space construction with powerful naturalism and focus on figures, a style undoubtedly influenced by the prominent genre painters of his time.

[17] An x-ray of Woman Weighing Gold Coin shows that De Hooch had first tried to paint another figure in the empty chair, pointing to his canvas being the more original model that Vermeer quoted.

In tranquil depictions of homes and courtyards, which appear casually observed and informal, are carefully composed with a sophisticated grasp of perspective and a fine attention to aerial accuracy.

Along with Fabritius' A View of Delft, Pieter de Hooch's depictions of courtyards, bleaching grounds, and street scenes often feature prominent genre figures and are notable for their early focus on urban environments.

Also featured are areas of residence for de Hooch, including courtyards similar to those found behind old Delft homes around the Binnenwatersloot where his wife lived.

[28] In the 1660s, he began to paint for wealthier patrons in Amsterdam who gained their wealth through increased trade and stock exchanges in a time of unrivalled prosperity, coinciding with de Hooch's premier works, during his Delft-Amsterdam transition.

[29][30] During this period, he was known for upscale merry company scenes and family portraits in opulent interiors with marble floors and high ceilings.

[31] Lacking entrée to the homes of the aristocracy, de Hooch conceived the idea of utilising the newly-built City Hall as a background for his social scenes,[32] a marble-covered setting once considered the eighth wonder of the world.

This piece was created shortly after his move to Amsterdam and exemplifies his shift from simple Delft courtyards to the depiction of early country house gardens.

Many scholars assert that Pieter de Hooch's work from around 1670 onwards became more stylised and diminished in quality, with some describing him as having "quickly lost his inspiration and charm."

However, these assessments are frequently critiqued for applying the aesthetic standards of his earlier Delft paintings rather than considering the evolving artistic norms of post-1670 Dutch art,[36] and the disastrous Rampjaar of 1672 which similarly claimed other contemporary careers .

[10] It is possible that de Hooch's work was influenced by personal distress, following the death of his wife in 1667 at the age of 38, which left him to care for a young family.

The paintings are perceived as having an exaggeratedly dark overall tone, and certain prominent colours, notably a sullen vermillion and a cold blue prevalent in the shadows, characterised as harsh.

[41] Writers for The Connoisseur and The Burlington Magazine expressed strong criticism of the artwork, describing the purchase as "an act of folly on the part of the Trustees" and declaring, "Not to mince matters, it is a poor picture, a work of the painter's late and bad period," respectively.

[46] Numerous 18th-century drawings after de Hooch's works exist, created by artists like Frans Decker, Cornelis van Noorde, Aart Schouman, Hermanus Numan, and Reinier Vinkeles.

[46] His legacy continued to thrive into the 19th century with the formalisation of art evaluation methods, as critic Théophile Thoré-Bürger praised de Hooch in his Salon reviews.