Allegory of the Catholic Faith

Johannes Vermeer painted this unusual allegory around 1670 to 1674, late in his career. The canvas measures 114.3 by 88.9 centimeters and now hangs at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. A woman in white and blue sits before a crucifix, her foot resting on a globe, while a chalice and missal occupy a nearby table.

This painting stands apart from Vermeer's intimate domestic scenes. The symbolism comes directly from Cesare Ripa's "Iconologia," a handbook of allegorical imagery popular with artists. The woman personifies Faith, the crushed serpent beneath a cornerstone represents Christ's victory over evil, and the glass orb hanging overhead symbolizes the human capacity to reflect divine truth.

Vermeer may have painted this for a Catholic patron in Protestant Delft, where public Catholic worship was forbidden. The work's theatrical quality and explicit symbolism differ markedly from his subtle observations of daily life. Yet his trademark silvery light still suffuses the scene, connecting even this programmatic allegory to his luminous interiors. The Met displays this among their Dutch Golden Age holdings. Explore our religious wall art collection.