ticketsMember | Make a donation

The Letter

1746
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 630
The Venetian playwright Carlo Goldoni praised Longhi’s dedication to truth, by which he meant the artist’s depiction of the foibles of contemporary society. Here a man enters a milliner’s shop not to buy a hat but to elicit sex work from women whose class status has left them vulnerable to wealthier men. Holding out a coin, he negotiates with an older woman for the services of the pretty milliner who pauses her work to read his letter. The reclining mannequin’s head on the table foreshadows the result of their transaction. Longhi’s canvas positions sex work as generational: in the foreground a young girl appraises her doll, paralleling the older woman’s actions.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: The Letter
  • Artist: Pietro Longhi (Pietro Falca) (Italian, Venice 1701–1785 Venice)
  • Date: 1746
  • Medium: Oil on canvas
  • Dimensions: 24 x 19 1/2 in. (61 x 49.5 cm)
  • Classification: Paintings
  • Credit Line: Frederick C. Hewitt Fund, 1912
  • Object Number: 14.32.1
  • Curatorial Department: European Paintings

More Artwork

More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Study of a Seated Woman, Pietro Longhi (Pietro Falca) Italian, Black chalk stumped, highlighted with white chalk, on light brown paper
Study of a Seated Woman
Pietro Longhi (Pietro Falca)
1702–85
A Dignitary Holding a Document, Pietro Longhi (Pietro Falca) Italian, Red chalk
A Dignitary Holding a Document
Pietro Longhi (Pietro Falca)
Luca Carlevaris
ca. 1722–42
The Visit, Pietro Longhi (Pietro Falca) Italian, Oil on canvas
The Visit
Pietro Longhi (Pietro Falca)
1746
The Temptation, Pietro Longhi (Pietro Falca) Italian, Oil on canvas
The Temptation
Pietro Longhi (Pietro Falca)
1746
The Meeting, Pietro Longhi (Pietro Falca) Italian, Oil on canvas
The Meeting
Pietro Longhi (Pietro Falca)
1746

Related Content

Timeline of Art History

Entries from The Met's art encyclopedia.

Publications

Books, guides, and catalogues published by The Met.

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.