From the museum website, 19 January 2009
This small, but exceptional display will explore the outstanding talents of three master painters of the Delft school: Carel Fabritius, Pieter de Hooch and Johannes Vermeer. Fabritius’s interest in perspective and illusionism is highlighted in his painting The goldfinch, one of the most delightful and charming pictures in the collection of The Mauritshuis in The Hague. Finches were popular pets in Holland and the subtitle of the work, Het Puttertje, means “the little water-drawer”. It will be displayed alongside The courtyard of a house in Delft, by Pieter de Hooch, one of the most accomplished painters of genre scenes of the Dutch Golden Age. This celebrated painting in the collection of The National Gallery, London, is a fine example of the artist’s mastery of natural light and perspective. Complementing these two works in this in-focus show will be the Gallery’s masterpiece, Woman writing a letter with her maid by Johannes Vermeer.
Beit Wing. Admission free.