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Girl with a Pearl Earring
Johannes Vermeer’s painting Girl with a Pearl Earring has inspired a book and then a movie
Girl with a Pearl Earring is one of Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer’s
35 works. The biographical knowledge of Vermeer is scant and has
inspired works of speculative fiction. His paintings of domestic
life define the Dutch golden age, but nothing has given a glimpse
into his life. Like the Mona Lisa, the subject of Girl with a Pearl
Earring and her relationship with the artist has been a curiosity of
art lovers.
Girl with a Pearl Earring is the name of Tracey Chevalier’s novel
that centers around the relationship between Vermeer and the subject
of the painting. A piece of fiction, this book follows a budding
relationship between a 16 year old servant who Vermeer employs as an
assistant. Later, she sits for the painting. Like Vermeer’s
paintings, Chevalier explains daily life with a gloss.
The movie, also called Girl with a Pearl Earring, stars Colin Firth
as Vermeer and Scarlett Johansson as the servant, Griet. The story
is taken from the book and adapted into a screenplay by Olivia
Hetreed. The story of domestic life and the dynamics between
husband, wife, servant and even Vermeer’s mother-in-law are there
for viewing. For more
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