View of Delft

We see a glorious, partly cloudy sky in the early morning. It has just cleared up after a sudden rain shower. Under this expanse of clouds and blue sky the crisp outline of the town of Delft is visible. There is an attractive contrast between these highlighted parts of the houses and the tower and their shadowy surroundings, creating a sense of depth. The 'photographic effects' are typical of Vermeer paintings. During his preparations he probably did use a Camera Obscura (a wooden box with a lens, a mirror and a frosted glass pane, comparable to an early photographic camera) as a source of research or inspiration. In 2011, the painting was featured on gold and silver commemorative coins issued by the Royal Dutch Mint.