He also produced formal portraits of the wealthy middle class in Delft, but this portrait shows a much more intimate scene. The woman is simply dressed, wears spectacles and is intent on her reading, seemingly unaware of the artist, and of us, the viewer. Like Vermeer, another Delft artist, van Vliet captures a private, fleeting moment, and at the same time shows off his technical skill.  

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Hendrick Cornelisz. van Vliet (about 1611-1675) A Woman Reading, 1630-1650 Oil on copper

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