Johannes Vermeer, Girl with the Red Hat, c. 1665/1666, National Gallery of
Art, Andrew W. Mellon CollectionAlthough the camera obscura creates no lasting record, it intensifies colors and dramatically differentiates depth of field. It also produces optical effects not normally visible, such as diffused circular highlights caused by bright light reflecting off shiny surfaces. He may have recognized that the peculiarly soft quality of these unfocused highlights would beautifully represent the luminosity of pearls. Although its use in the creation of Woman with a Balance has not been confirmed, there are specific passages in Girl with the Red Hat, another Vermeer painting in the National Gallery's collection, that clearly suggest the artist's familiarity with this mechanical device. The diffused forms of the lion-head finials strongly resemble the unfocused foreground elements characteristic of a camera obscura image. In addition to emulating these optical effects, Vermeer often used highlighting creatively, to animate his painting's surface and to distinguish different depths of field. 
|