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Bitter Trade Wars, Quiet Domestic Scene
Centuries of fights among nations and cultures underpin Paxton’s tranquil tribute to Vermeer
Let’s first take a moment to admire the painting shown above on its own merits. It’s a lovely work. I hope you get a chance to see it for yourself someday at the National Gallery of Art.
William McGregor Paxton (1869–1941) shows us a pensive young woman who is working as a house maid. Her hair is pulled up into a bun that recalls the rounded tops of the vases. That artistic decision reinforces the triangle at the center of this painting.
This choice draws our attention to the maid’s act of reading, emphasizing that she’s not dusting the fine possessions of her employer as she should have been.
My wish for this painting is that it signals a time of change in the United States.
The grand homes and estates built in the late 19th century required troupes of servants for their upkeep. These domestic workers would not have much chance to change their circumstances in life. What skill did one learn by repeated dusting of another person’s possessions?
