A Woman Holding a Balance | |
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Artist | Johannes Vermeer |
Year | c. 1662–1663 |
Medium | Oil on canvas |
Movement | Dutch Golden Age painting |
Dimensions | 42.5 cm × 38 cm (16.7 in × 15 in) |
Location | National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. |
Woman Holding a Balance (Dutch: Vrouw met weegschaal), also called Woman Testing a Balance, is an oil painting by Dutch Golden Age painter Johannes Vermeer, now in the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC.
At one time the painting, completed c. 1662–1663, was known as Woman Weighing Gold, but closer evaluation has determined that the balance in her hand is empty. Opinions on the theme and symbolism of the painting differ, with the woman alternatively viewed as a symbol of holiness or earthliness.