As a very popular artist of the 17th century, the Dutch Golden Age, Vermeer depicted many women in similar circumstances within interior, domestic scenes.

These attributes include the use of yellow and blue tones, the depiction of women, the use of wall coverings (maps, artworks, etc.

), depiction of domestic tools, heavy drapery, light angles from the left, as well as prominent and telling facial expressions, and narrative-like objects.

Painted in 1664, this 21 5/8 X 17 ¾ inch scene depicts a young Dutch woman looking left toward a window's light source.

With Vermeer's distinctive style, it incorporates the color yellow, a draped curtain, framed pictures on the walls, a light source from the left, as well as domestic tools, and an expressive profile.

With a rich tone of lemon yellow to complete the woman's jacket, Vermeer is able to create a balance between the two ends of his painting.

From the microscopic brush strokes, historians can decipher many thin layers of gray and white, which reveal Vermeer's attempt to create realism.

This painting may suggest criticism towards a young upper-class women's frivolity, lack of occupation, and her ample time for petty activities.

Lastly, the deep blue tablecloth draped over the left side of the painting brings strong contrast to the work.

He most likely then used more structured colors like red, yellows, and blues (his favorites) as glazed tones to add texture to certain aspects of this painting.

Those include lighting from the left side of the painting, domestic tools, the pigment yellow and blue, Women, expressive faces, framed windows, mirrors, or walls, and large draped curtains or table cloths.

In the 1981 film Arthur, Martha unwraps the newly purchased painting (called Woman Admiring Pearls) while demanding her grandson consent to an arranged marriage.