“I had seen paintings before, but never so many” thinks Griet as she enters for the first time (Chevalier 17). This is the first step in his awakening of artistic expression. Of course, Griet's father was a tile painter, so she saw a fair amount of paintings but not the amount or type of paintings found in this house. He sees an “image of Christ on the cross […] Christ had thrown back his head in pain and Mary Magdalene's eyes were rolling. I lay on the bed cautiously […] every detail was fixed in my mind” (Chevalier 30). Griet is not used to seeing works of this intensity, especially religious ones, and she is made uncomfortable by it. It depicts Jesus being crucified, which disturbs her. As Brieber explains in his article, “context influences the artistic experience, the amount of time people spend on art, and, in turn, viewing time is linked to the artistic experience” (Brieber 7). The artistic experience is much more than just first impressions; it is the amount of time you spend with the artwork and the context it comes from. Griet is initially shocked by the piece due to her background, which adds to her artistic experience. Over time she may develop completely different perceptions of the art around her, changing her experience of art and