It is fascinating to me that a man would be sensitive to the plight of women in his male dominated society during the 1600′s. Johannes Vermeer was a famous Dutch painter, one of the great masters , who lived from 1632–1675 in Delft. I love many of Vermeer’s painting and have used them in articles, in my sidebar and even as a heading for one of the sites I administer. There is a story embedded in each painting, often alluding to a woman’s vulnerability in society even without the actual presence of a man in the painting. The effect of a man’s presence is felt as they read a letter or simply look out a window or over their shoulder.
