Meisje met de parel
The Artist
- Who? Jan Vermeer van Delft
- Born: (baptized) October 31, 1632 in Delft, South Holland (died: December 15, 1675)
- Style: Barock
Jan Vermeer van Delft also called Johannes Vermeer was one of the most famous Dutch painters of the Baroque period. There is no definite information about Jan Vermeer's education, but he became a member of the St. Luke's Guild as a Freimeister on December 29, 1653. To be accepted into the guild, one must first complete a six-year apprenticeship with an artist recognized by the guild.
Since he painted on average only two pictures per year, he must have had other sources of income. In 1662 and 1663, as well as in 1670 and 1671, Vermeer was dean of the St. Luke's Guild.Already during his lifetime, Jan Vermeer was able to achieve good prices for his paintings and the artist painted very few pictures for the free art market.
In addition to his artistic activities, Jan Vermeer also worked as an art expert. For example, he verified the authenticity of a collection of Venetian and Roman paintings.
In the last years of his life, Vermeer's economic situation deteriorated, so that he had to take out loans. As a result of the French-Dutch War, which broke out in 1672 and lasted until 1679, he was unable to sell any more paintings. In 1675 Vermeer became ill and died within a few days. On December 15, 1675, he was buried in the family vault in the Oude Kerk in Delft.
The Artwork
- Name: Meisje met de parel
- Created around: between 1665-1667
- Technique: Oil on canvas
"The Girl with the Pearl Earrings" is a tronie, that is, a fantasy head and 44.5 x 39 cm. Unlike portraits, the models were almost always anonymous. Like Vermeer's other models, the girl was never identified.
"The Girl with the Pearl Earrings" shows a girl wearing a blue turban with a yellow falling cloth. The turban was painted wet on wet, a technique in which fresh paint is applied to paint that is still wet in the painting. The headgear contrasts with the brownish yellow jacket with white collar. What catches the eye is the "pearl" which is not a pearl, due to its size and metallic reflections it resembles a glass painted "drop earring" rather than a natural pearl. The background is black, but was originally dark green, but due to the deterioration of color and luster, this layer has become darker over the centuries.
Until 1995 the painting was known as Turban Girl, only in the Mauritshuis Museum it was decided that "Girl with the pearl earrings" is a better name.
