: Hanging on the back wall is a painting of a ship on a calm sea. In the 17th century, the sea was a common metaphor for love, and a ship symbolized a lover. A calm sea suggested a favorable romance or a safe return. Girls Forever (1673) mp4

The use of techniques allowed Vermeer to achieve a photographic quality long before the invention of the camera. The soft-focus "halos" of light on the fabrics and the precision of the perspective draw you into the room, making the 1673 scene feel as vivid today as it did over 350 years ago. Why It Still Matters Check out more of Vermeer's lighting techniques on

In the world of 17th-century art, few painters captured the "extraordinary in the ordinary" quite like . While the title "Girls Forever" is a modern, affectionate nod to the timeless bond depicted in his work, the painting officially known as The Letter (c. 1670–1673) remains one of the most enigmatic and technically brilliant pieces in the Rijksmuseum collection. A Peek Through the Doorway A calm sea suggested a favorable romance or a safe return