19 York, The Metropolitan Museum of Art; fig. 7).16 Vermeer introduced a strong element of concealment into his composition through the illusionistic green curtain on the right. One length of fabric appears to have been pulled over the other, partly covering it. Suspended from a rod, the fabric not only prevents the beholder from seeing a considerable part of the room, it also obscures the righthand part of the Cupid picture on the wall. Already in this early genre scene, Vermeer shows himself to be expert at rendering light falling on objects within a space. Through his convincing use of light and shade, he portrayed everyday objects in such a way that they appear real. The light reflected on the tufted carpet pile, which is rucked up into a mountain of folds, creates a veritable blaze of colour combining luminous dots of red, blue, yellow, black, and white. With its characteristic central medallion and blue scrolling tendrils on a red ground, the carpet has been identified as a Turkish medallion Ushak carpet.17 The sunlight brings a gleam to the cool blue-and-white painting on the Chinese Fig. 7 Johannes Vermeer A Maid Asleep c. 1656/57, oil on canvas, 87.6 × 76.5 cm, New York, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of Benjamin Altman 1913, Inv. no. 14. 40. 611
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