Love letters were all the rage in the Netherlands in the 1650s. In the scene within Lady Writing a Letter, with her Maid, painted by the Dutch master of light, Johannes Vermeer, a seated lady concentrates on inscribing a secret message to an unknown reader. This act leaves her maid with a moment to herself: In a classic Vermeer geometry, she looks right—our left—out the window. Her mouth is pulled upward at the ends, with a toothed glint—a smile. What is she looking at? Her gaze aligns with the stained-glass inlay at the center of the window, which is flanked by an illuminated curtain and, in the foreground, a large, deep-green expanse. The image showcases the power of interiors to shape our attention and desires. Apparently, the artwork was satisfactory: It was the last in Vermeer’s series of letter-themed paintings.

See the real thing for yourself this summer at the first temporary exhibition to be mounted at New York’s The Frick, newly restored and improved after years of work led by Selldorf Architects.

Vermeer’s Love Letters will be on view at The Frick from June 18 to August 31, 2025.