While a thorough aesthetic analysis of a work of art will reveal the nature of its formal and expressive content, it does not answer the following types of questions.

• When and where was the work produced?
• Who created the work of art, and what were the artist's motivations?
• How was the work created and what were the sources for the artist's particular approach?
• What is the style of the work and how does it relate to the world of art?

The answers to these questions provide insights into a work of art that enable a more comprehensive response to the work. Without such information an informed understanding of its content, its iconography, and a genuine appreciation for its relative significance are not possible. These latter categories are essential to engaging in art criticism. To demonstrate how the types of questions cited above might be addressed, two genre works that reflect the life experiences of their creators will be described.

Johannes Vermeer (1632-1675) was born in Delft. Not very much is known about this extraordinary Dutch artist. Although it is believed that some of his works were lost, there are only 35 Vermeer paintings that have been documented.

Our example depicts a woman holding a weighing scale. This is the subject of the work, but it's theme is more complex and can be inferred by identifying the actual objects in the painting and how these functioned as symbols within the Protestant and merchant centered culture of 17th century Holland.

A woman in a white fur trimmed dark blue jacket stands alone before a table, on which can be seen a blue cloth, two strands of pearls, a gold chain, and several open boxes. She appears to be contemplating a balancing scale held delicately in her right hand. A framed painting of The Last Judgment (which is about the weighing of souls) is depicted on the back wall. A faint, ethereal light from a high window illuminates the scene.

We may be enthralled by the solidity, serenity and peacefulness of this work due to the geometry of its composition (rectilinear and triangular shapes) and its subtle color and value contrasts. Although this may be the nature of the work's expressive character, engaging in some research about A Woman Holding a Balance will reveal that it is also an allegorical painting. The "weighing of souls" depicted in the painting behind her is echoed in her own actions and what is represented on the table. Before her are earthly treasures (symbolized by the jewelry on the table); behind her is the symbol for the eternal spiritual consequences for one's actions. While waiting for the balance to rest at equilibrium, the woman acknowledges the importance of judgments in weighing one's mortal actions in anticipation of the immortal life to come.

This work was created in 17th century Holland, often described as the "golden age" of Dutch art. The Spanish monarchy and Catholicism no longer dominated the country and ceased to be a drain on the nation's wealth. Enterprising merchants were engaged in world trade that transformed Holland into an extremely prosperous nation wherein wealth was more widely distributed than in any other European country. Artists also prospered and a vast number of paintings were created and purchased that illustrated the daily life of a people who put great value on living a productive and moral life, and who took great pride in maintaining a neat and attractive home. These domestic scenes are know today as genre paintings.