This study employs formal analysis and contextual criticism to examine Johannes Vermeer's Girl Reading a Letter at an Open Window (c. 1657-1659). Through detailed analysis of outstanding artistic elements within the painting, such as chiaroscuro, spatial composition, and symbolic elements, this essay demonstrates how Vermeer simultaneously constructs viewer engagement and narrative depth in his paintings. Key findings reveal that the artwork utilizes trompe-l'œil to create voyeuristic intimacy between the character and the audience, marking Vermeer's pivotal shift toward solitary female subjects. Furthermore, its subversive symbolism, like the overturned fruit bowl, and painting of Cupid critiques marital constraints in 17th-century Dutch society. The domestic objects in the background manifest middle-class material culture during the Protestant Golden Age. The research establishes this work as both artistically and socio-historically compelling.

Rui Liu. Vermeer's Girl Reading a Letter at an Open Window: An Analysis of Artistic Technique and Cultural Context. Frontiers in Art Research (2025), Vol. 7, Issue 8: 19-25. https://doi.org/10.25236/FAR.2025.070804.

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