TheOldMastersPrintsThe Milkmaid by Johannes Vermeer: meaning, location and key facts
The Milkmaid is an oil on canvas by Johannes Vermeer, painted between about 1658 and 1660. It measures 45.5 × 41 cm and is held at the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.
Key facts
| Artist | Johannes Vermeer |
|---|---|
| Date | c. 1658–1660 |
| Medium | Oil on canvas |
| Dimensions | 45.5 × 41 cm (height × width) |
| Museum | Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam |
| Style | Dutch Golden Age |
| Data source | Wikidata (Q167605) · Wikipedia |
What it shows
A maid pours milk from a jug into a bowl, absorbed in her task, in a kitchen lit by a window on the left. On the table are bread, a basket and a blue jug; on the bare wall, a nail and its shadow.
Vermeer turns a domestic gesture into an image of almost solemn calm. The bread is painted with tiny dots of light and the apron uses ultramarine blue. On the floor at the right are a foot warmer and a strip of Delft tiles.
Did you know?
- It measures just 45.5 × 41 cm.
- The Rijksmuseum acquired it in 1908.
- X-rays show that Vermeer painted and then removed other objects, such as a basket next to the foot warmer.
Where to see the original
The Milkmaid is at the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. Works are sometimes lent to exhibitions or taken down for restoration, so it is worth checking the museum’s website before you go.
Which print size to choose
The print keeps the proportions of the original: if they differ from the paper, the painting is centred with a white border and never cropped. More details in our size guide.
| A4 (21 × 29.7 cm) | shelves, desks and gallery walls |
|---|---|
| A3 (29.7 × 42 cm) | bedrooms, hallways and small walls |
| A2 (42 × 59.4 cm) | above a sideboard, chest of drawers or headboard |
| A1 (59.4 × 84.1 cm) | above the sofa or as a living-room centrepiece |
Prints are made to order in the Czech Republic and reach the EU in 3 to 8 days, with no customs. Canvases are made in the USA and take about 2 to 3 weeks, with EU VAT included in the price.
Frequently asked questions
- Where is The Milkmaid?
- The original is held at the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.
- How big is The Milkmaid?
- The original painting measures 45.5 × 41 cm (height × width).
- Who painted The Milkmaid and when?
- It was painted by Johannes Vermeer between about 1658 and 1660.
- Can I hang a reproduction of The Milkmaid at home?
- Yes. The work is in the public domain, so it can be freely reproduced. We offer it as a matte print in A4, A3, A2, A1 (from €18.99) and as a ready-to-hang canvas (from €97.99), with free shipping to the EU.
Updated 21 October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Message us through the shop and we will fix it.
