The Milkmaid by Johannes Vermeer

Relatively unappreciated during his lifetime, Johannes Vermeer is now celebrated as one of the most important painters of the Dutch Golden Age, and perhaps in all of art history. He created relatively few paintings, supporting himself mainly as an art dealer, and he was by no means wealthy — at his death, his wife was left with considerable debt. Though he enjoyed moderate success as a provincial genre painter, it was only long after his death that the full depth of his genius and the meticulous beauty of his work were recognized and appreciated.