Went to the Rijksmuseum a couple of days ago to look at  the original ”binnenhuis met vrouwen bij een linnenkast’ . Lucky for me the Rijks included it in that part of the permanent collection still on view. They are renovating and the majority of their permanent collection items is in storage. It was great seeing the de Hooch ‘in person’ – like seeing again someone I know very well but haven’t seen for a while. I love the way de Hooch paints depth, and the way I am taken into the painting. It is as if I am in the same room with these women – even though I am not tall enough to ever see them from this point of view. 

I wish the author of  ‘girl with a pearl earring’ would write a novel about this picture ….