Girl with a Pearl Earring Painting

The enigmatic painting Girl with a Pearl Earring (c. 1665) by Dutch Golden Age artist Johannes Vermeer has captivated art lovers for centuries. Often referred to as the "Mona Lisa of the North" or "Dutch Mona Lisa", Vermeer's portrait of a young woman with a pearl earring is his most well-known work and one of the most famous paintings in Western art.

While the identity of the girl remains a mystery, the emotive power of the work is undisputed. With his use of colour, light and composition, Vermeer created an intimate glimpse of this nameless woman that draws viewers in and invites speculation about her thoughts and character.

In this celebrated portrait, the girl's eyes, facing directly at the viewer, seem to simultaneously reveal and guard her inner world. The pearl earring itself accentuates the luminosity of the girl's face and adds symbolic meaning open to interpretation.

Vermeer's technical mastery in Girl with a Pearl Earring demonstrates his genius at capturing a fleeting moment and mood in paint. The timeless appeal of this quiet yet arresting image continues to inspire novels, films, and analysis as we seek to understand Vermeer's intent and unlock the secrets of this Dutch masterwork.

 

 

 

Who Painted the ‘Girl with a Pearl Earring’?

Johannes Vermeer was a Dutch painter who lived and worked in Delft during the mid-17th century, a period known as the Dutch Golden Age. Though he produced a relatively small body of work, Vermeer had a profound impact on the history of art, pioneering a refined style of genre painting distinguished by its exquisite detail, dramatic use of light, and poetic mood.

Vermeer was baptised in 1632, so it is believed he was born sometime in the year 1631. His father, Reijnier Janszoon, was an art dealer and innkeeper who likely supported Vermeer's early training as a painter. Vermeer entered the Guild of Saint Luke as a master painter in 1653, and in 1653 he married a Catholic woman named Catherina Bolnes. The couple went on to have 15 children, though only four survived to adulthood.

Little is known of Vermeer's personal life or artistic process. He lived his entire life in Delft and had few patrons, likely supplementing his income through his family's inn. Vermeer's output was small, with only about 35 to 40 paintings attributed to him today. His interior domestic scenes typically depict one or two figures in a room, lit by a window on the left. The Milkmaid (c. 1660) is seen as one of his earliest genre paintings, demonstrating his skill at capturing the effects of light. Other famous works include The Art of Painting (c. 1666-1673) and The Astronomer (c. 1668).

Though overlooked after his death, Vermeer was rediscovered in the 19th century and is now recognised as one of the greatest painters of the Dutch Golden Age, and he greatly influenced later artists and movements. Vermeer's work continues to inspire viewers with its poetic beauty and illusion of reality captured in paint.

When Was the Girl with a Pearl Earring Painted?

The famous painting ‘Girl with a Pearl Earring’ was created by the Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer sometime between 1665 and 1675.

While the exact year it was painted is unknown, most experts believe it was completed around 1665. This was during Vermeer's mature period, when he created some of his finest and most renowned works.

The exact timeline of his artistic career is not conclusively known. However, some paintings that art historians generally agree were likely created during Vermeer's mature period in the 1660s include:

• The Milkmaid (c. 1660)
• The Art of Painting (c. 1666-1668)
• The Astronomer (c. 1668)
• The Geographer (c. 1668-1669)
• Lady Writing a Letter with her Maid (c. 1670)
• The Lacemaker (c. 1669-1670)
• The Love Letter (c. 1667-1670)
• A Lady Standing at a Virginal (c. 1670-1672)
• A Lady Seated at a Virginal (c. 1670-1675)

Vermeer's mature period is considered to be the most productive and accomplished phase of his career, when he created his most renowned works. However, only around 35 paintings by Vermeer survive today, so this represents a significant portion of his known output. Determining exact dates for each work remains challenging for art historians.

 

 

Where Was the Girl with a Pearl Earring Painted?

Vermeer painted ‘Girl with a Pearl Earring’ in his home and workshop in the Dutch city of Delft. Vermeer's studio was located in his home on Oude Langendijk in Delft. The house was purchased by his father in 1652, and Vermeer inherited it in 1655. He lived and worked there for the rest of his life.

The studio was on the second floor, with windows that provided ample northern light. The rooms were small, so Vermeer likely painted at an easel near the window for the best illumination. He had to carefully arrange his subjects within this limited space.

Vermeer's studio in Delft served as the creative epicentre where he produced all of his extant works over the course of his career. The modest room was where Vermeer translated scenes of everyday Dutch life into his contemplative, poetic masterpieces.

Which Museum has ‘Girl with a Pearl Earring’ Painting By Jan (Johannes) Vermeer?

The famous painting ‘Girl with a Pearl Earring’ by Dutch Golden Age painter Johannes Vermeer is housed at the Mauritshuis museum in The Hague, Netherlands. This museum, whose name means "House of the Count", was built in 1633 and acquired the Vermeer painting in 1881. The Mauritshuis is considered one of the finest small museums in Europe and is home to a prestigious collection of 841 Dutch Golden Age masterpieces.

Girl with a Pearl Earring is arguably Vermeer's most well-known work and is one of the highlights of the Mauritshuis collection.

While relatively little is known about Vermeer's life, Girl with a Pearl Earring continues to captivate viewers over 300 years after it was painted. Visitors from around the world come to the Mauritshuis in The Hague to admire this Dutch masterpiece in person within the stunning historical setting.

Why Is The ‘Girl with a Pearl Earring’ So Famous?

There are a few key reasons why Vermeer's painting ‘Girl with a Pearl Earring’ is so famous:

·        The use of light and shadows - Vermeer was a master of using light in his paintings, and the way it falls on the girl's face and illuminates her large pearl earring is beautiful and striking. It gives the work an almost photographic quality that was very innovative for the time (1665-1667).

·        The intimacy of the portrait - The girl is captured in a quiet, intimate moment, glancing back over her shoulder. Her expression is ambiguous, adding to the painting's sense of mystery and allure.

·        The simplicity of the composition - The focus is entirely on the girl, with little background detail. This simplicity and lack of distraction emphasises her gaze, expression, and elaborate pearl accessory.

·        The mystery of the subject - The identity of the young woman is unknown, making her an even more intriguing subject. Scholars have speculated she may have been a maid in Vermeer's household.

·        The narrative possibilities - The ambiguous expression and glance over her shoulder suggest many possible narratives about what the young woman was thinking or what action she was engaged in before the moment depicted. This adds to the mystery and imagination the painting evokes.

It is Vermeer's technical brilliance coupled with the visual elegance and mysterious mood of the portrait that has made ‘Girl with a Pearl Earring’ one of the most celebrated and recognisable Dutch Golden Age paintings. The woman's striking, ambiguous gaze and exquisite pearl remain etched in the minds of all who view her.

 

 

Why Was the Girl with the Pearl Earring Considered Obscene?

There are a few reasons why Vermeer's famous painting Girl with a Pearl Earring was considered obscene by some when it was created in the 17th century:

• The intimate gaze and angle of the girl's face was seen as sexually suggestive. Having a young woman make direct eye contact with the viewer was considered provocative and improper.
• The pearl earring itself had erotic overtones, as pearls were sometimes seen as symbolic of sexuality and fertility. The large pearl dangling from the girl's ear hinted at sensuality.
• The girl's tousled hair and open mouth were seen as references to intimacy or loss of sexual innocence by critics of the day.
• The lavish use of ultramarine blue pigment also signalled sensuality, as it was an expensive pigment associated with clothing worn by prostitutes at the time.
• There was speculation that the girl was a mistress or lover of Vermeer's, so painting her was thought to be scandalous. The identity of the model is still unknown.
• During the 17th century, moralists were heavily critical of genre painting's depictions of everyday people and activities as they promoted sensuality rather than spiritual ideals. The intimate realism of Vermeer's painting was targeted.

So, while today it is admired as a masterpiece, at the time, the combination of the girl's direct gaze, the erotic overtones of her pearl earring, and Vermeer's realistic, intimate style made this a controversial work that was seen as obscene by some critics.

The Girl with a Pearl Earring Painting Price

In 1994, an anonymous bidder purchased the work at auction for $30 million USD, making it one of the most expensive paintings ever sold at the time. In today's values, that 1994 sale price would be equivalent to over $55 million USD after adjusting for inflation. However, the current insured value while on display at the Mauritshuis is estimated to be around £147 million. This factors in its cultural value as an iconic masterpiece.

Auction prices for Vermeer works have continued to break records, such as a recent $32 million sale of Young Woman Seated at a Virginal in 2021. As a seminal Vermeer, Girl with a Pearl Earring may now be priceless.

While an exact current value is hard to pin down, Girl with a Pearl Earring would likely fetch well over £81 million+ at auction today based on its importance as a Dutch Golden Age painting.

But as a treasured national artwork, it is unlikely to ever be sold.

Why was Vermeer Overlooked During his Lifetime?

Johannes Vermeer, the renowned Dutch painter, was largely overlooked during his lifetime for several reasons. Despite his exceptional talent and artistic achievements, Vermeer's fame did not extend beyond his local community. Some of the factors that contributed to his lack of recognition are:

• Limited Exposure: Vermeer's reputation was primarily restricted to his hometown of Delft, and he had minimal national or international exposure. Unlike other influential artists of his time who travelled widely and gained recognition through prestigious commissions, Vermeer's artistic output remained relatively localised.
• Lack of Patronage: Vermeer did not have a prominent patron or wealthy supporter who could promote his work and establish his reputation. Without the backing of influential figures, it was challenging for Vermeer's art to gain widespread attention and appreciation.
• Few Pupils and Apprentices: Unlike many successful artists who trained apprentices and established workshops, Vermeer had no known pupils or apprentices to carry on his artistic legacy. This limited his influence and diminished the dissemination of his work during his lifetime.
• Genre and Style: Vermeer's choice of subject matter, predominantly domestic scenes and genre paintings, may have also contributed to his lack of recognition. During the 17th century, historical and religious art was highly valued, while Vermeer's focus on everyday life was considered less prestigious by contemporary art standards.
• Posthumous Rediscovery: It was only after Vermeer's death in 1675 that his art began to regain recognition. His works were rediscovered and appreciated by later generations, particularly in the 19th century, when French art critic and politician Thoré-Bürger played a pivotal role in reintroducing Vermeer's paintings to the world.

Despite being overlooked during his lifetime, Vermeer's paintings are now celebrated for their extraordinary beauty, masterful use of light, and meticulous attention to detail. Today, his works are regarded as masterpieces and continue to captivate art enthusiasts and scholars worldwide.

 

See our selection of Renaissance artworks.