HOOCH, Pieter de
(b. 1629, Rotterdam, d. 1684, Amsterdam)

Young Woman Drinking

1658
Oil on canvas, 69 x 60 cm
Musée du Louvre, Paris

This work dates from Pieter de Hooch's best period, 1654-62, when he worked in Delft. During these years he painted tranquil scenes of bourgeois domesticity and conversation pieces set in clearly lit interiors, courtyards, or small gardens. His subtle construction of space in depth and his refined use of lighting create an almost lyrical effect, and his style directly anticipates that of Vermeer.