The Procuress

"The Procuress" (1656) is an oil-on-canvas painting by a 24-year-old Johannes Vermeer, now housed in the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister in Dresden. Marking his first venture into genre painting, it depicts a lively scene of contemporary life, possibly set in a brothel illustrating mercenary love. The work diverges from Vermeer's earlier biblical and mythological themes, showcasing his transition into more secular subjects characteristic of Baroque art. Notably, it is one of only three paintings signed and dated by Vermeer, and after a 1696 auction in Amsterdam, was called "A merry company in a room."