“Girl with a Pearl Earring” is a painting by Jan Vermeer that dates from around 1665-1666. The work is known by this name mainly because of the novel of the same name written by Tracy Chevalier, and published in 2000, from which the successful film starring Scarlett Johansson was based. However, the painting, in the art world, is also known as “Girl with a turban”.
What’s the name of the girl with a pearl earring?
The mysterious face of the protagonist of the work “Girl with a Pearl Earring” enchants those who observe her and would like to know more about her. It is no coincidence that she is renamed with the emblematic name of “Mona Lisa Dutch”. Information on the painting is very scarce, as well as that on the biography of Vermeer. Therefore it is not possible to identify proven sources that attest to the identity of the girl portrayed by the painter born in Delft. On the other hand it could be a model or an elaboration fruit of the imagination of the author himself. What makes the story of the work even more intriguing is that it is an uncommon subject for Vermeer, perhaps even the only one in his enigmatic production.
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What does “Girl with a Pearl Earring” represent?
The painting “Girl with a Pearl Earring” belongs to a specific genre of the seventeenth-century Dutch paintingthat is, that of the so-called tronien. The latter are subjects portrayed with exotic clothes or costumes from past historical periods, for example from antiquity or dressed for representations taken from the Bible. These images are often made on a black background.
In the work Vermeer paints the half-length of a girl in profile: her head is turned towards the observer, then turned three-quarters. While the background from which the subject emerges is black, the light invests the foreground coming from the left. Her illuminated face has an elusive and languid expression. Her rosy and full lips are parted, as in a hint of a smile. The contours of her face are highlighted harmoniously and the sparkle of her pupils coordinates with that of the earring worn, characterized by a pearl of considerable size.
The young woman is wearing an ocher cloak from which the collar of her white shirt peeks out. At this point, however, it should be noted that “Girl with a Pearl Earring” is a painting with an unusual detail. It is the blue turban wrapped around the girl’s head, which also has a yellow drape hanging up to her shoulders, decorated with fringes. Experts and art critics agree in maintaining that the representation prevents clear iconographic references, although it may resemble that of the muses or sibyls.
Vermeer creates in painting with full-bodied and clean brushstrokes, except for the very delicate and nuanced complexion. The volumes are defined by the same contrast between the areas hit by the light and the black background that puts others in the shade. For example, the pearl is circumscribed only by a few clear and separate brushstrokes: it is the perception of the human eye that restores its entire shape.
“The girl with a pearl earring”: curiosity about the jewel worn
Regarding the work “The girl with a pearl earring”, the curiosities about the jewel worn by the protagonist are different. The jewel undoubtedly catches the eye for two reasons: it is painted in the center of the canvas and has truly remarkable dimensions. The opulence of the earring would be in stark contrast to the modest clothes worn by the girl. Only noble or upper-class women could wear such a jewel. Moreover, pearls were very rare at the time, sometimes imported directly from remote places Orientwith all the consequent difficulties. According to the theories of gem experts and art historians, pearl earrings so large and teardrop-shaped they would not exist in nature. This would lead us to hypothesize that the one worn by the girl comes from Venice and is a blown glass imitation.
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“Girl with a Pearl Earring”: where is the work?
Being able to observe the most famous works of art with your own eyes is a privilege that is not so difficult to achieve. Normally the painting is kept in the Mauritshuis Museum in The Hague, nei Netherlands. However, if anyone is planning a trip to Amsterdamcan admire the masterpiece at Vermeer exhibition at the Rijksmuseumscheduled until June 4, 2023, which presents itself as one of the largest collections of works by the Dutch painter.