There are many factors that cause us to accept a painting as one of the most important works of art in history. But these factors are sometimes just a bit of simplicity and mystery. The Girl with a Pearl Earring, painted by Johannes Vermeer in the Dutch golden age known as the Renaissance of the North, is the most important example of this situation. Because we don’t know who the Girl with the Pearl Earring is, what her story is.
The reason why Girl with a Pearl Earring is so mysterious is that its painter Johannes Vermeer is equally mysterious. This young painter, who produced far fewer works than his contemporaries, but still managed to get his name written in the history of art, is just as extraordinary as his works. Let’s take a closer look at the interesting information about the Girl with a Pearl Earring, some of which you will hear for the first time.
Interesting facts about the mysterious story of Girl with a Pearl Earring:
- The painter of Girl with a Pearl Earring had been forgotten for many years.
- The story of the painting or who the girl is is unknown.
- This legendary painting is actually quite small.
- The cover of Girl with a Pearl Earring is the most expensive part of the painting.
- The Girl with the Pearl Earring is not actually the girl with the pearl earring.
- Many religious elements are thought to be hidden in the painting.
- Girl with a Pearl Earring was sold for a handful of coins.
- Maybe all the predictions we’ve made are wrong.
The painter of Girl with a Pearl Earring had been forgotten for many years:
Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer, who was born in 1632 and died in 1675 at a very young age, is considered not wealthy because he left a large debt at his death. But, interestingly, he is a baroque painter who did not hesitate to use the most expensive paints of the period in his paintings. Forgotten until discovered by art critic Thore Bürger in 1866, Johannes Vermeer is thought to have painted 35 works during his lifetime. Although forgotten, his name was inscribed among the most important painters of the Dutch golden age after it was discovered.
The story of the painting or who the girl is is unknown:
We have no idea who the woman we see in the Girl with a Pearl Earring is depicted from an orientalist perspective. Some say that the painter was Maria, the eldest of ten children. According to some, the pictured girl is a model. But considering that Johannes Vermeer is not a very wealthy person, it is clear that the probability of hiring a model is very slim.
We don’t know who Girl with a Pearl Earring is, but we’re pretty sure she’s someone. In 2018, the painting was examined with a scanner with special X-rays. As a result of the examination, the artist’s step-by-step brush strokes were seen. Experts interpreting these pulses; they decided that the painter did not draw an imaginary figure, but drew it by looking at someone, that is, using a model, and that the changes made during the drawing were arranged according to the model movements. When we look at it from this point of view, the possibility of Vermeer’s daughter increases.
This legendary table is actually quite small:
The biggest mistake of those who are interested in the art of painting as an amateur is that they think that paintings such as The Girl with a Pearl Earring are painted on large canvases. However, the painting was painted on a canvas with a width of 44.5 x 39 cm. That’s what makes it interesting anyway. Despite working on such a small surface, even the smallest details were not overlooked, and more importantly, considering the paint prices of the period, the mouth of the purse was opened.
The cover of Girl with a Pearl Earring is the most expensive part of the painting:
As you can appreciate, we are talking about the 17th century and paints at that time were produced with natural materials, not chemicals like today. One of the most expensive among these is the dark blue paint obtained from a stone called lapis lazuli. Johannes Vermeer must have had such confidence in this painting that he didn’t hesitate to use this most expensive color on the cover of Girl with a Pearl Earring. Of course, his own financial situation would not allow it. It was thanks to Pieter van Ruijven, who was his supporter at the time, that he used such an expensive paint.
The Girl with the Pearl Earring is not really the girl with the pearl earring:
Vincent Icke, professor of Theoretical Astronomy, wrote in New Scientist magazine in 2014 that the pearl earring in the Girl with a Pearl Earring did not look like a real pearl. According to curators Quentin Buvelot and Ariane van Suchtelen, pearls of this size were extremely rare at the time, and only a few very wealthy people owned one. When we evaluate according to all these comments, the pearl earrings worn in the girl’s ear in the painting were either glass pearls from Venice or jewelry made of silver and shaped like pearls.
It is not known whether it is related to the authenticity of the pearl earring, but the name of the Girl with a Pearl Earring was not always like this. At first, it was known with interesting names such as the Veiled Girl, the Veiled Girl’s Head, the Veiled Young Girl, and the Young Girl’s Head. We think that in the following years, the focal point of his painting was not the veil, but the pearl, and it began to be known as we know it today. Because of the similarity of the period and the works, Girl with a Pearl Earring is called the Mona Lisa of the North.
Many religious elements are thought to be hidden in the painting:
Since the story of the Girl with a Pearl Earring is not known for certain, some art historians, as a result of their investigations, named the famous bishop of the period, St. They discovered a connection between the teachings of Francis De Sales and the painting. Accordingly, the painting is a portrait of virginity. According to the religious story, Diarrhea gave Rebecca earrings as a sign of her love. Metaphorically, the ear is the first place a man desires and must be faithfully guarded, and only sweet words should enter the ear. It’s a bit of a forced story, but okay.
Girl with a Pearl Earring sold for a handful of coins:
The Girl with a Pearl Earring was painted by Johannes Vermeer in 1665, but it was only in 1881 that it was discovered and put up for auction. At the auction, the Girl with a Pearl Earring was sold to Dutch army officer and art collector Arnoldus Andries des Tombe for a ridiculous price of 2 guilders and 30 cents. After Tombe’s death, the painting on his will was sent to the art museum Mauritshuis in The Hague.
Maybe all our guesses are wrong:
All painting lovers and art historians want all works that have left their mark throughout history to have a meaning. It may not. For example, the Girl with a Pearl Earring may seem like a simple portrait, but it is actually depicted as a tronie. In other words, it is a work in which baroque artists paint a bit exaggeratedly to draw different colors and techniques.
When art historians Arthur K. Wheelock and Ben Broos made a comment based on the genre of the painting, they said that Johannes Vermeer was neither drawing a person nor using a model. In other words, the Girl with the Pearl Earring belongs to no time and no place; it can only be an imaginary young girl in exotic clothes. Isn’t that much more interesting?
We talked about the extraordinary information and little-known details about the Girl with a Pearl Earring by Johannes Vermeer, one of the important painters of the Dutch golden age. What do you think, is the painting a bit exaggerated or is it really as fascinating as they say?
If you like this type of content, you might also want to check out:
3126
