Why it matters
Girl with a Pearl Earring is not a portrait but a tronie: a 17th-century Dutch study of a 'head' in exotic dress. Her identity has never been settled, which only adds to the intimacy of her gaze. Research in 2018 showed that the dark background was once a green curtain, painted in a glaze whose pigments have since faded.
Did you know?
- It only acquired its present title towards the end of the 20th century.
- It is signed 'IVMeer' but not dated; it is thought to have been painted around 1665.
- In 2014 an astrophysicist argued that the 'pearl' looks more like polished tin, because of its reflection, shape and size.
- It has been in the Mauritshuis since 1902.
Based on the Wikipedia article Girl with a Pearl Earring (CC BY-SA 4.0).
