About

What is "Girl with a Pearl Earring"?

Also known as "The Girl with a Pearl Earring", "The Girl with the Pearl Earring" and also "The Girl with a Turban."

It all started from Johannes Vermeer (often credited as Jan Vermeer or Johannes van der Meer) in 17th century Delft, Netherlands. Very little is actually known about the Dutch artist, and even fewer his paintings, as it wasn't until rather recently that he was rediscovered and is now considered as one of the best Dutch painters.

"Girl with a Pearl Earring" was painted from 1660 to 1665. It has sparked great wonderment and mystery for the viewer and many questions remain unanswered unto this day. Who is that girl? Why is she wearing a pearl earring? Is it real? What is the purpose of the turban? Why is she posed in such a manner? How is she looking at the artist? Is it innocent? Is it seductive? Why is she looking like that?

It is thought that the girl is Vermeer's youngest daughter, Maria, but this is debatable as the girl's age and date of the painting do not fit, and certainly a daughter would not look at her father in such a sensual manner. The girl peers innocently over her shoulder to the artist, while her pearl earring reflects the light in the room beautifully. The earring would not have been so noticable if her hair was down, so the fact that she wears a cloth around her head (which is apparently part of a Turkish costume in Vermeer's possession) plays some role in the overall composition.

The most recent time when this painting was restored was in 1994, a long tedious process. You can see the painting for yourself at Royal Cabinet of Paintings Mauritshuis, The Hague.


Girl with a Pearl Earring
Oil on canvas
44.5 x 39 cm (17 1/2 x 15 3/8 in.)
Royal Cabinet of Paintings Mauritshuis, The Hague

The irrestible mystery of this piece prompted a highly successful literary work by Tracey Chevalier, aptly titled "Girl with a Pearl Earring", published in 1999. She says:

"A poster of the Vermeer painting Girl With a Pearl Earring hung in my bedroom, as it had done since I was 19 and first discovered the painting. I lay there idly contemplating the girl's face, and thought suddenly, "I wonder what Vermeer did to her to make her look like that. Now there’s a story worth writing." Within three days I had the whole story worked out. It was effortless; I could see all the drama and conflict in the look on her face. Vermeer had done my work for me."

A summary of Girl with a Pearl Earring from Tracey Chevalier's official website:

Girl With a Pearl Earring tells the story of Griet, a 16-year-old Dutch girl who becomes a maid in the house of the painter Johannes Vermeer. Her calm and perceptive manner not only helps her in her household duties, but also attracts the painter's attention. Though different in upbringing, education and social standing, they have a similar way of looking at things. Vermeer slowly draws her into the world of his paintings - the still, luminous images of solitary women in domestic settings.

In contrast to her work in her master's studio, Griet must carve a place for herself in a chaotic Catholic household run by Vermeer's volatile wife Catharina, his shrewd mother-in-law Maria Thins, and their fiercely loyal maid Tanneke. Six children (and counting) fill out the household, dominated by six-year-old Cornelia, a mischievous girl who sees more than she should.

On the verge of womanhood, Griet also contends with the growing attentions both from a local butcher and from Vermeer's patron, the wealthy van Ruijven. And she has to find her way through this new and strange life outside the loving Protestant family she grew up in, now fragmented by accident and death.

As Griet becomes part of her master's work, their growing intimacy spreads disruption and jealousy within the ordered household and even - as the scandal seeps out - ripples in the world beyond.

The novel was eventually adapted into a film in 2003, starring Scarlett Johansson as Griet and Colin Firth as Johannes Vermeer.


So you can see why this painting is regarded as Vermeer's masterpiece and why there is such a hype about it. If you love this painting too, why not join the fanlisting!

What is a fanlisting?

According to The Fanlistings, a fanlisting is simply an online list of fans of a subject, such as a TV show, actor, or musician, that is created by an individual and open for fans from around the world to join. There are no costs, and the only requirements to join a fanlisting are your name and country. Fanlistings do not have to be large sites (although some are), they are just a place where you can sign up with other fans.