Girl with a Pearl Earring
ArtistJohannes Vermeer
Year1665
MediumOil on canvas
LocationMauritshuis, The Hague
About Girl with a Pearl Earring
Called the Mona Lisa of the North. Not a portrait but a tronie, a study of expression. The pearl is likely too large to be real, possibly tin or silver. Vermeer used ultramarine pigment made from lapis lazuli, more expensive than gold. The background was originally dark green, not black. The book and movie renewed global interest.
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