Rustic floor

**Earthen base and spatial close.** The floor is a narrow but important lower zone: it grounds the maid, catches the footwarmer, and closes the shallow room. Its reddish-brown tone echoes the earthenware and bread while contrasting with the blue apron. The low viewpoint and compressed floor area help make the figure and table feel close to the viewer rather than distant or anecdotal. **References:** Rijksmuseum collection record; Metropolitan Museum of Art essay; H. Sato, _Journal for Geometry and Graphics_ 25, no. 1, on Vermeer’s constructed interior perspective.

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