It looks like there a few more weeks to gain a rare look at Johannes Vermeer’s “Young Woman Seated at a Virginal,” which the Dutch genius painted between 1670 and 1672. The exhibition of tiny masterpiece — its roughly 8 by 10 inches — at the Philadelphia Museum of Art has been extended until September 30. Despite its small size, it has a huge allure.

This motif seems familiar, and with good reason. About the same time Vermeer made two similar paintings, both of which are in the National Gallery in London: “A Young Woman Standing at a Virginal” and “A Young Woman Seated at a Virginal.” Both of these paintings are larger, more than twice the size. They picture a well-dressed young woman in full length and meticulously depict the lavish decorations on the virginal, an instrument similar to a harpsichord with the keyboard at one end.

The rooms are beautifully furnished with paintings and draperies, and other instruments are close at hand. These seem to be performances for a group of people who may be seated across the room. (Compare the paintings at the National Gallery’s website.)

Though the motif is similar, the tiny painting on view in Philly is totally different. It is enticing in its intimacy. The view is much closer, and the young woman looks over as if sharing the pleasure of the music. There is nothing to detract from her gaze. The close-up of the instrument prevents any glimpse of its highly decorated frame. Her ivory-colored dress and golden shawl are elegant, but the colors blend closely with the bare wall behind her. The tiny red ribbons in her hair offer the only hint of playfulness.

Other than the figure, the strongest element in the painting is sunlight streaming from an upper window creating a bold diagonal across the painting, lighting the side of her face, and making dark shadows in the folds of her sumptuous silk skirt. There is no story to be told, only this one perfect moment.

For many years, there was disagreement about who actually made this painting. But scientific analysis in the 1990s determined that Vermeer was the artist. More recently scientists have determined that the canvas of this painting is from the same bolt of cloth that Vermeer used for his famous painting in the Louvre, the “Lacemaker.” The two artworks have quite a lot in common. Both are approximately the same size, and both views are close up. Neither painting has decorative items in the background. However the “lacemaker,” intent on her delicate handiwork, does not look up. How interesting it would be to see these two side by side. (See the Lacemaker at the Louvre’s website.)

Vermeer made fewer than 40 paintings, and this is one of but two in private collections. It is on loan from the Leiden Collection of New York, which also includes works by Rembrandt, Jan Steen, and other Dutch Golden Age painters.

Another notable painting from the Leiden collection here, Frans Hals’s “Portrait of Samuel Ampzing” (1630), is barely larger than an index card. It portrays a man with a striking personality. His finger holds his place in his book, and he looks straight out as if to argue a point of view. His dark suit with plain white ruff suggests that he is a serious man with something important to say. The wrinkles between his eyebrows suggest his thoughtfulness. He was, in fact, a Protestant minister and writer in the city of Haarlem in Holland. The energy exuded by this small portrait completely eclipses its small size.

Both of these small treasures are on view in the galleries of European art 1500-1850 on the second floor of the museum. The Vermeer is in gallery 264 and the Hals is in gallery 273. Make certain to add these small treasures to your summer delights.

Young Woman Seated at a Virginal, on view through September 30, 2014, Philadelphia Museum of Art, 2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA 19130, 215-763-8100, http://www.philamuseum.org/.

More information about Ann Saul’s work can be found at www.pissarrosplaces.com.