Mistress and Maid

Mistress and Maid (c.1667) is a painting produced by Johannes Vermeer, now in the Frick Collection in New York City. The work of Johannes Vermeer, also known as Jan, is well known for many characteristics that are present in this painting. The use of yellow and blue, female models, and domestic scenes are all signatures of Vermeer. This oil on canvas portrays two women, a Mistress and her Maid, as they look over the Mistress' love letter.

Artist

Johannes Vermeer was born in 1632 in Delft, Holland. He worked and lived in Delft all his life, although it is possible that he may have done an apprenticeship in another town such as Amsterdam or Utrecht for six years. A major stepping point in Vermeer's career was in 1653 when he joined the Guild of Saint Luke as a master and professional painter. Vermeer painted at a somewhat leisure pace, producing two to three paintings a year and there are 35 known to exist today. Vermeer's work shows that he was most likely a fan of the camera obscura, as parts are in focus as others slightly blur. There is also an intensity to his colors that supports the use of the obscura. Vermeer died at a relatively young age, 43, in 1675. He suffered most likely from a stroke or stress-induced heart attack. The slow rate at which he produced paintings restricted Vermeer from becoming wealthy during his lifetime, and he died in debt.

Mistress and Maid (1910 film)

Mistress and Maid is a 1910 American silent short drama produced by the Thanhouser Company. The film focuses on Nan Willis, a wealthy heiress, who visits a seaside resort with her maid, Susan. The two decide to trade roles and Nan encounters a young lifeguard with whom she falls in love with. Susan plots against Nan to steal her valuables and orchestrates a plot with a lighthouse keeper to lock Nan in the tower for a share of the spoils. Nan's Newfoundland dog is sent on a rescue message and delivers a message to the lifeguard. He arrives and rescues Nan from her jailer before hurrying back to the hotel, catching Susan in the act. Nan decides not to only dismiss instead of punish her maid because she her new-found love more than compensates the hardships she went through. The cast and credits for the film are unknown. The film was released on November 11, 1910, to mixed reviews in trade publications. The film is presumed lost.

Plot

Off the Ground

Off the Ground is the ninth solo studio album by Paul McCartney, released in 1993. As his first studio album of the 1990s, it is also the follow-up to the well-received Flowers in the Dirt (1989).

Recording and structure

After planning another world tour simply entitled The New World Tour in 1993 to promote the album, McCartney opted to record Off the Ground with his touring band. Blair Cunningham joined on drums to replace Chris Whitten, who departed to join Dire Straits. McCartney decided to record the album "live in the studio", meaning that the band would rehearse an entire song then record it in one take, instead of recording each vocal track and instrumental track separately. This approach gave a new, raw and direct feel to the work, but was not overly liked by critics. The compositions also seemed less complex than on Flowers in the Dirt, with some of them having been out-takes from the earlier album. "Mistress and Maid" and "The Lovers That Never Were", which emerged from McCartney's songwriting collaboration with Elvis Costello, made their appearance on this album. Unlike Flowers in the Dirt, however, Costello did not appear on Off the Ground. The first two song taped were Biker Like an Icon and Peace in the Neighbourhood, both derived from some album rehearsals in November 1991. McCartney's increased interest in social issues came to prominence on this album, with the anti-animal cruelty rocker "Looking for Changes" (McCartney and his wife Linda, both being long-time vegetarians by this time) or paeans for a better world ("Hope of Deliverance" and "C'Mon People"). The B-side "Big Boys Bickering" lambasted politicians, with the phrase "Big boys bickering, fucking it up for everyone" showing a more aggressive side to McCartney.