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Allegory of the Catholic Faith

Johannes Vermeer · ca. 1670–72

Allegory of the Catholic Faith by Johannes Vermeer: The Friedsam Collection, Bequest of Michael Friedsam, 1931

What to notice

Identify the globe, chalice, crucifix, tapestry, and suspended glass sphere; Vermeer turns a familiar interior into a deliberately crowded field of Catholic symbols.

Discover

Vermeer painted this unusually large allegory around 1670–72. A globe, chalice, crucifix, tapestry, and hanging glass sphere load the familiar interior with Catholic meaning, distinguishing it from his quieter scenes of daily life.

Source institution: The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Rights status: Public Domain / The Met Open Access

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

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