View of Houses in Delft, Known as ‘The Little Street’

Johannes Vermeer, c. 1658

This is an unusual painting in Vermeer’s oeuvre, and remarkable for its time as a portrait of ordinary houses. The composition is as exciting as it is balanced. The old walls with their bricks, whitewash, and cracks are almost tangible. The location is Vlamingstraat 40–42 in Delft. Vermeer’s aunt Ariaentgen Claes lived in the house at the right, with her children, from around 1645 until her death in 1670.

  • Artwork typepainting
  • Object numberSK-A-2860
  • Dimensionsheight 54.3 cm x width 44 cm x depth 9 cm
  • Physical characteristicsoil on canvas

Identification

  • Title(s)

    • View of Houses in Delft, Known as The Little Street
    • View of Houses in Delft, Known as ‘The Little Street’
  • Object type

  • Object number

    SK-A-2860

  • Description

    Gezicht op huizen in Delft, bekend als 'Het straatje'. De gevels van enkele huizen aan een straat in Delft. Tussen de huizen een steegje waar een vrouw over een wastobbe gebogen staat. In de openstaande deur van het huis rechts zit een vrouw te handwerken, links voor het huis op de stoep twee spelende kinderen.

  • Inscriptions / marks

    signature: ‘I. VMeer’


Creation

  • Creation

    painter: Johannes Vermeer

  • Dating

    c. 1658

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Material and technique

  • Physical description

    oil on canvas

  • Dimensions

    height 54.3 cm x width 44 cm x depth 9 cm


This work is about

  • Subject

  • Place


Acquisition and rights

  • Credit line

    Gift of H.W.A. Deterding, London

  • Acquisition

    gift 1921-07

  • Copyright

  • Provenance

    ? Pieter Claesz van Ruijven (1624-1674) and Maria Simonsdr de Knuijt (1623-1681), Delft; ? their daughter, Magdalena van Ruijven (1655-1682), Delft; ? her widower, Jacob Dissius (1653-1695), Delft;{Montias 1989, pp. 246-262, 359, doc. 417.} his sale, Amsterdam, 16 May 1696, no. 32, fl. 72.10 or no. 33, fl. 48;{Hoet and Terwesten 1752-1770, vol. 1 (1752), p. 35; Montias 1989, p. 394, doc. 439.} …; collection Gerrit Willem van Oosten de Bruyn (1727-1797), Haarlem;{According to the sale catalogue Van Oosten de Bruyn, Haarlem (V. van der Vinne), 8 April 1800 _sqq._, no. 7.} his widow, Maria Croon (1729-1799), Haarlem; sale Van Oosten de Bruyn, Haarlem (V. van der Vinne), 8 April 1800 _sqq._, no. 7, fl. 1,040, to Pieter van Winter (1745-1807), Amsterdam;{Priem 1997, p. 118.} his daughter, Lucretia Johanna van Winter (1785-1845), Amsterdam; her widower, Jonkheer Hendrik Six (1790-1847), Lord of Hillegom, Amsterdam; their son, Jonkheer Jan Pieter Six (1824-1899), Lord of Hillegom, Amsterdam;{Archive Six family, inv. No. CS53207-002. 0014.} his son, Jonkheer Willem Six (1859-1919), Lord of Wimmenum, Amsterdam; his brother, Jonkheer Jan Six (1857-1926), Lord of Hillegom, Amsterdam and ’s-Graveland; sale Six, Amsterdam (F. Muller), 12 April 1921 (unsold); from whom, fl. 625,000, to Henry W.A. Deterding (1866-1939), Amsterdam;{Priem 1997, p. 190; archive Six family, inv.no. CS53207-002. 0024.} by whom presented to the museum, 1921


Documentation


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