Woman Holding a Balance, also called Woman Testing a Balance, is an oil painting by Dutch Baroque artist Johannes Vermeer. At one time the painting, completed 1662-1663, was known as Woman Weighing Gold, but closer evaluation has determined that the balance in her hand is empty. Opinions on the theme and symbolism of the painting differ, with the woman alternatively viewed as a symbol of holiness or earthiness.
Read more about Woman Holding A Balance: Theme, History, See Also
Famous quotes containing the words woman, holding and/or balance:
“Was it the double of my dream
The woman that by me lay
Dreamed, or did we halve a dream
Under the first cold gleam of day?”
—William Butler Yeats (1865–1939)
“The best part of myself, that’s what you are. Do you think I’m going to leave it to the vulgar pawing of a second-rate detective who thinks you’re a “dame”? Do you think I could bear the thought of him holding you in his arms, kissing you, loving you?”
—Jay Dratler, U.S. screenwriter, Samuel Hoffenstein (1889–1947)
“Finding the perfect balance is getting harder and harder. We need to teach our children to be cautious without imparting fear, to learn right from wrong without being judgmental, to be assertive but not pushy, to stick to routines without sacrificing spontaneity, and to be determined but not stubborn.”
—Fred G. Gosman (20th century)