Johannes Vermeer, Woman Holding a Balance, c. 1664, National Gallery of Art, Widener Collection

His sensitivity to color was equally remarkable. Vermeer used the best available pigments, such as natural ultramarine and lead-tin yellow, and fully understood the optical characteristics of color. For example, in the woman's costume he applied a thin blue layer of paint over a reddish-brown layer, infusing the cool blue tones with inner warmth.