Photo:CC BY 3.0, viaWikimedia CommonsThis post may contain affiliate links.
If you make a purchase, My Modern Met may earn an affiliate commission.
yo readour disclosurefor more info.
Photo:CC BY 3.0, viaWikimedia CommonsThis post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase, My Modern Met may earn an affiliate commission. Please readour disclosurefor more info.
In the 17th century, the Netherlands experienced a period of artistic prosperity known as theDutch Golden Age.
Known as the Mona Lisaof the North, this painting represents the best of Dutch art.
Johannes Vermeer, The Milkmaid, ca.
Johannes Vermeer, “The Milkmaid,” ca. 1660 (Photo: Public domain, viaWikimedia Commons)
1660 (Photo: Public domain, viaWikimedia Commons)
Vermeer paintedGirl with a Pearl Earringaround 1665.
It is one of just 35 paintings attributed to the painter, who saw moderate success during his lifetime.
However, it did not attain international fame at its time of completion.
Johannes Vermeer, “Girl with a Pearl Earring,” ca. 1665 (Photo: Public domain, viaWikimedia Commons)
And what is left are her extraordinary eyes, turned directly to meet your gaze across time.
Subject Matter
Johannes Vermeer, Girl with a Pearl Earring, ca.
In addition to an exquisite blue and yellow turban, she dons a large, tear-shapedpearl earring.
Popular during the Dutch Golden Age, a tronie is a painting of an individual intended as a study.
A true tronie,Girl with a Pearl Earringdoes not depict a specific person.
Light
Vermeer is known for his ability to create contours and forms using light rather than line.
To achieve this aesthetic, Vermeer followed a meticulous four-step technique popular with 17th-century artists.
First, he would invent, or create an initial drawing on the canvas.
Then, he crafted a monochromatic underpaintinga technique known asdead-coloring.
Next, he added color.
This paint is made out of pigment derived from lazurite, a mineral found in the semiprecious stonelapis lazuli.
From a distance, this large piece ofjewelryappears to be rendered in exquisite detail.
Legacy
Today,Girl with a Pearl Earringremains one of the most famous paintings in the world.
WhereasGirl with a Pearl Earringis right there there is nothing between her and us.
