

For two years, art scholars studied the world-famous painting Girl with a Pearl Earring. They scanned and scrutinized. High-tech tests performed by The Girl in the Spotlight Project gave some answers about the artist’s process and materials. But one key question remained: Who was the painter’s subject?
Johannes Vermeer is considered one of the greatest painters of the Dutch Golden Age. Many people appreciate the sheer beauty of his 1665 Girl with a Pearl Earring. They enjoy details like the shining face, striking costume, and, of course, the lustrous earring.
There has never been an artist like the Creator. Trees, clouds, animals, and especially people—all of His creation is fascinating and beautiful. The ability to appreciate beauty is part of being human, and it’s one of God’s good gifts.
In early 2018, the project researchers placed Girl with a Pearl Earring in a glass room. Visitors to the Mauritshuis museum in The Hague, the Netherlands, could watch machines and researchers scan and study the painting.
The project’s findings revealed interesting details. Microscopic paint samples pinpoint the source of Vermeer’s pigments. The white lead of the earring comes from northern England. The red is cochineal, made from bugs that live on cactus plants in Mexico and South America. The ultramarine blue is ground lapis lazuli stone found in present-day Afghanistan.
“It’s surprising how much high-quality ultramarine Vermeer used in the girl’s headscarf,” says conservator and project leader Abbie Vandivere. “This blue pigment was more valuable than gold in the 17th century.”
Research also revealed the order in which Vermeer painted. Infrared imaging showed that he began drawing with shades of brown and black. He then outlined the girl in black before working from the green background to the foreground. Final touches included her face, her yellow jacket, white collar, blue headscarf, and lastly, the quick dabs of white that create the pearl. Upon completion, he signed the canvas at the top left.
Microscopic scans show tiny fragments from Vermeer’s paintbrushes embedded in the girl’s skin. Scans also indicate that Vermeer originally included eyelashes on the girl, but they’ve faded over the years.
One of the most amazing findings revealed that the background is not just dark, empty space. Imaging shows diagonal lines and color changes representing folded fabric in the upper right-hand corner. The girl is sitting in front of a green curtain! The curtain has mostly disappeared, says Vandivere, because of light damage and chemical changes in the green paint.
Some mysteries remain. “The girl has, sadly, not revealed her identity,” says Martine Gosselink, director at the Mauritshuis. “But we have [gotten] to know her better.”
I love this painting. I
I love this painting. I studied it in school for art study, and I think it's one of my favorites so far. It's beautiful, and mysterious considering we have no idea who the girl was. I wish we knew who she was. Maybe we'll find out someday.
This is Mylee
Once I tried to paint this picture but it didn’t look to Good lol. I really do wonder who this mysterious lady is............. I guess we will never know....
Mystery...
Mystery...
from us both
btw, what curriculum('s) r u all doing 4 school this year? our list is posted below: (it would b cool some of us were doing the same stuff! btw, we're homeschooled :)
Math: Teaching Textbooks
Language Arts: Learning Language Arts Through Literature
History: Sonlight Old World History
Science: Apologia Human Anatomy and Phisology
5th comment
It amazes me what some artists can do. This picture is soooo realistic, and totally beautiful. I know I have seen it before, and I think we studied it in school, but I am not sure about that part, just to be totally honest. It is amazing how they can figure out all of those things!!!! If you want my opinion, I think it is cool when we don't know who it is. It gives the painting a more mysterious, more respectful look. If you know what I mean.
This was a true masterpiece.
This was a true masterpiece. As a junior artist myself, I'm impressed with how realistic it looks. One of the reasons is, I like Manga (a form of anime art) and I always had a hard time drawing things in front of me.
this is Every (pronounced Avery)
This is London
i think the painting is beautiful if they found the right person they could see there decendants. it is a mystery
Beautiful
i think it was beautiful. i just wish i new who the girl was. The earing was my favorite part of the picture
cool !
That's so cool how they were able to figure -out how ( and/or witch order) Vemeer painted this pretty painting! :) <3
Its almost unbelievable how
Its almost unbelievable how realistic this painting looks for that time I mean my sister paints and it takes her a long time and she uses oil paints and has lots of tools most of which didn't even exist then!!!! Its amazing!!!
Hey! I know this article!
This was in WORLDKids once! Does anyone want to know how I knew about this? Because I used to be in WORLDKids.