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A merry company consisting of four almost life-size figures is assembled behind a balustrade. The elegant suitor is in the process of paying the beautiful young courtesan, who is dressed in bright yellow and white, for her services. As he does so, the woman in black, the procuress, eyes them both with a wary smile. The musician on the left invites the viewer to witness the shady business deal at close quarters. In this painting Vermeer focused primarily on the balance of colours, shapes and structures in the composition.