The Procuress marked a change for Vermeer. It is his third picture that exists today and before this he painted a bible story, Christ in the House of Martha and Mary, and a piece from mythology, Diana and her Companions. This then is the first picture he painted of real contemporary people and he never went back.This was also the only painting that Johannes Vermeer dated -- 1656.

In 2004, the painting was cleaned so this page includes before and after pictures (Courtesy of the noted expert on Vermeer and his paintings, Dr. KK of Amsterdam) as well as detail.

Follow the links through the pictures on the right to lead to enlargements.