Reading Time: 4 minutes
Monika critiques the famous painting ‘Girl with the Pearl Earring’, by the 17 th Century artist, Jan Vermeer van Delft, revealing it’s enigma. A Different Truths exclusive.
It’s very interesting to know that many art historians have placed Vermeer’s this enigmatic creation in the genre of paintings known as ‘Tronie’ and not as a ‘Portrait’, which no doubt is an unmistakable conclusion. Tronies have their origin from the Lowlands around Dutch Golden Age. This novel art illustrates an embodied character in a hyperbolised stature.
‘Girl with the Pearl Earring’ unveils a juvenile woman’s portrait in a dark
background. She has a blue and gold turban on her head with a hint of white shade as well and is dressed in a golden gown with a white collar.
‘Girl with the Pearl Earring’ unveils a juvenile woman’s portrait in a dark background. She has a blue and gold turban on her head with a hint of white shade as well and is dressed in a golden gown with a white collar. The girl is wearing the eponymous pearl earring. A perplexed expression on the face undoubtedly attracts spectator’s observation. The expression on her face speaks of an obvious bewilderment. There is an assertion of a surprise in her eyes and her mouth gaped partly as if to say something. The slightly parted position of the lips portrays a sense of celerity so great as to imply notable affinity to the onlooker.
This enigmatic expression and the mystery shrouding the girl’s existence has led to the painting’s analogy with Leonardo Da Vinci’s ‘Mona Lisa’ (c. 1503-06), therefore clinching it a name ‘Monalisa of the North’. However, unlike Da Vinci’s creation, the girl’s existence is not specified. Apart from this title, the painting is known by few other names like ‘Girl in a Blue Turban’ and ‘Head of a Young Girl’.
In this masterpiece, Vermeer’s subject matter is a typical young girl in exotic costume and portrays exaggerated facial expression. The creation is an exemplary depiction of light on the girl’s face which is delicately modeled revealing Vermeer’s extraordinary skill of incorporating light instead of line impression. His mastery in defining light and reflection on the face, lips and
on the earring makes this painting an interesting art case study and most importantly ‘A Golden-Age Paragon’. In most of the Vermeer’s paintings, the subjects are shown in the light that enters through a window (always to the left) capturing them in relation to the task they’re performing.
As the Dutch master’s unique style avoids hard lines, it is believed that Vermeer
might’ve used a mechanical way to accentuate light and shade presence on the girl’s face by camera obscura phenomenon.
As the Dutch master’s unique style avoids hard lines, it is believed that Vermeer might’ve used a mechanical way to accentuate light and shade presence on the girl’s face by camera obscura phenomenon.
However, this 19th century legacy of Johannes Vermeer has always been shrouded in rumours. It continues to prompt curiosity and colloquies. Among the three Tronies, Girl with the Red Hat, Girl in the Study and Girl with the Pearl Earring; the last one remains the most mysteriously beautiful. There’s no evidence of the identity of the girl in the painting, however few speculations are made. According to the journalist, Vaudoyer-Jean Louis, the young girl is Maria, the eldest daughter of Vermeer who probably is featured in another work ‘Girl with the Pearl Necklace’. The portrayal of pearl earring in Vermeer’s few other paintings, like ‘The Love
Letter’, ‘The Woman writing a Letter’ and few more contradicts this theory.
The pigment study reveals a minimal palette used, making it simply wonderful.
Though, the paint used for the girl’s turban was the most expensive. It was
supposedly extracted from semi-precious stone lapis lazuli.
The pigment study reveals a minimal palette used, making it simply wonderful. Though, the paint used for the girl’s turban was the most expensive. It was supposedly extracted from semi-precious stone lapis lazuli. Only handful of affluent artists could afford this extravagance at that time. But it was Vermeer’s friend and patron Pieter Van Ruijven who supported him. Recent research suggests that the black, negative space behind Vermeer’s muse was originally painted
glossy dark green.
In 2014, Vincent Icke, a professor of Theoretical Astronomy, wrote in New Scientist that the light reflecting off the earring in ‘Girl with a Pearl Earring’ wouldn’t match that of an actual pearl so she might be flaunting a handcrafted pearl earring.
Johannes Vermeer is one of the most famous Baroque Dutch painters. He started
with historical paintings and landscapes but later changed his genre journey.
Johannes Vermeer is one of the most famous Baroque Dutch painters. He started
with historical paintings and landscapes but later changed his genre journey. The impeccable execution of his resentation on canvas earned him a reputation of a perfectionist. Famous French art historian and a critic, Étienne-Joseph-Théophile-Thoré’s appraisal gained Vermeer further eminence. Vermeer has 34 paintings in his credit, with a question mark on few as those have been mistakenly accredited to some other painters. Although Vermeer was among the leading artists in 17th century working in Delft, he was completely forgotten after his death in 1675.
The charm of ‘Girl with a Pearl Earring’ regained Vermeer’s lost legacy. In 1995, the success of megahit exhibition at National Gallery of Art, Washington DC and thereafter in 1999, the publication of the bestselling novel by Tracy Chevalier with the same name made Johannes Vermeer a household name. The novel delineated the painting’s subject into a housemaid named Griet who works in Vermeer’s home and becomes his helper as a paint mixer. Later in 2003, it was adapted in an Oscar-nominated film directed by Peter Webber, starring Colin Firth
as Vermeer and Scarlett Johansson as the fictional Griet.
As rightly put by Albert Einstein, "The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion that stands at the cradle of true art and true science.” No wonder, mystery and enigma of ‘Girl in the Pearl Earring’ makes it not only the most probed but also the sought one.
Pictures sourced by the author from the Internet.
