Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer (1632-1675) was a Baroque artist who specialized in interior scenes of everyday life and is highly regarded for his skillful treatment of light. His painting The Milkmaid (c. 1657-58) is one of his most well-known works and depicts a maid concentrating on her task at hand, pouring milk into a bowl. The arrangement of form and use of light positions her within a realistic setting, which Vermeer worked on through several revisions. The lower vantage point asks the viewer to look up at the maid, which has been noted to give her a sense of monumentality. The trickle of milk is the only part of the painting with a sense of movement making the rest of the composition appear completely still, elevating the domestic scene with an air of dignity.

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