How Vermeer's Woman holding a balance demonstrates visual and pious beauty

Abstract

It is always difficult to discuss beauty in an objective manner, because an appreciation of beauty is subjective, differing according to individual tastes and experiences. However, we can observe that because Venneer and his admirers were predominately Christian, their definition of beauty was in accordance with what the Bible has stated on the subject. Therefore, beauty, as with all things which are good, emanates from God, as well as being desirable, for God is good and thus desirable as taught by Aquinas. Moreover, God's creation is created in a beautiful manner, and indeed physical beauty is sanctioned by God, but unfading beauty is that which submits itself to God and His will, for only when something is in accordance with God's standard is it truly beautiful. By this criteria, Vermeer's Woman Holding a Balance can be deemed beautiful both because it is visually pleasing and because its theological statements speak of God and His divine works.