Chevalier, Tracy: *1962

Girl with a Pearl Earring, 1999 - Background

  • Dutch Art in General
  • About the Painting
    • About the Painting from Smarthistory (Excellent university-level explanations that remain easy to understand.)
    • Why is Vermeer's "Girl with the Pearl Earring" considered a masterpiece? (Good introductory video suitable for students)
    • Painting Analysis: Vermeer painted Girl with a Pearl Earring around 1665 using oil paint on canvas.
    • The Disappearance of Vermeer's Girl with a Pearl Earring: "The story of the disappearance and rediscovery of Vermeer's Girl with a Pearl Earring, revealing how the iconic portrait was disregarded for years." (Interesting history of the painting's rediscovery)
    • The mysterious masterpiece by Vermeer (Nice overview explaining why the painting fascinates viewers)
    • Analysis of the Girl with a Pearl Earring: "The relatively large scale of this figure reveals how Vermeer enhanced the sense of realism through his expressive paint techniques." (Excellent technical and historical analysis) Johannes Vermeer Homepage
    • An investigation: Describes various aspects of the painting.(pdf 12 pp) (Good in-depth reading. Academic style)
    • Podcast
      What makes the painting, and its creator, so special? (Excellent for learners who prefer listening. Good complement to the articles.)