What you are looking at
A young woman in a white linen headdress opens a window with one hand and holds a silver pitcher in a basin with the other, in soft daylight.
Why it is famous
It is one of five paintings by Vermeer at the Met, more than any other museum, and a classic example of his calm interiors lit from a window on the left.
How big is Young Woman with a Water Pitcher?
Young Woman with a Water Pitcher measures 45.7 × 40.6 cm (18.0 × 16.0 in), without its frame. It is smaller than the Mona Lisa: about 44% of its area.
Compare it with other paintings
Where to see it
It is at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
Museums move and lend paintings. Check the museum's website before you travel to see one work. See all famous paintings in New York.
More by Johannes Vermeer
All Johannes Vermeer paintings
Also at The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Frequently asked questions
Who painted Young Woman with a Water Pitcher?
Johannes Vermeer painted Young Woman with a Water Pitcher in c. 1662.
Where is the Young Woman with a Water Pitcher?
Young Woman with a Water Pitcher is in The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, United States. (Gallery 614.)
How big is Young Woman with a Water Pitcher?
45.7 × 40.6 cm (18.0 × 16.0 in). It is smaller than the Mona Lisa: about 44% of its area.
What is Young Woman with a Water Pitcher made with?
Oil on canvas.
Sources: The Met, "Young Woman with a Water Pitcher" (89.15.21); Wikidata Q386453; Wikipedia, "Young Woman with a Water Pitcher". Checked October 17, 2026. How we check.