The Masterpiece:

Girl With A Pearl Earring

 

Often referred to as the "Dutch Mona Lisa", Girl With A Pearl Earring is most definitely considered Vermeer's masterpiece. Currently located in the Royal Cabinet of Paintings Mauritshuis in The Hague, this work is mysterious in all senses of the word. Little is known about the early history of the painting, and, as a tronie, it was likely not commissioned by anyone specific. The first known transfer of the work is not until 1881, when art collector Arnoldus Andries Des Tombe purchased it in The Hague for just two guilders and thirty cents, in poor condition. 

 

It is the first of Vermeer's paintings to focus on a prominent single figure against a dark background, making the girl's smooth, clear skin, parted lips and captivating gaze capture the viewer's attention immediately.

 

Vermeer utilizes color, light and brushwork to create his masterpiece. He uses a striking ultramarine, blending of cream skin pigments and a dark green undercoat for the background to make his subject stand out. His lighting techniques help define shadows in the foreground and a shimmering throughout the painting. Finally, he uses many smooth brushstrokes to define texture and depth, while the iconic pearl consists of just two simple brushstrokes.

 

Although Vermeer created over forty portrayals of women in his work, this is considered to be one of only two tronies, a Dutch study of a head representing a specific figure type. In this case, he creates the icon of an exotic/Oriental female, contrasting the style of turban-less Dutch girls of the time. This detachment from the fashion and artistic trends of the time has made it difficult to date this image, along with its striking stylistic differences from Vermeer's early interior genre scenes or later portraits.

 

In viewing Vermeer's catalogue as a whole, it is obvious that this painting stands out as a unique image. The striking young woman in exotic garb, against an unambiguous background, gives no specific historical or iconographic context. This recognizable yet detached image in turn creates a sense of timelessness that is classically beautiful and irreplaceable.