"Girl with a Pearl Earring" is an oil painting created in 1665 by the 17th-century Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer. It is one of Johannes Vermeer's masterpieces. It is now collected in the Mauritshuis, The Hague, Netherlands.
In this painting, Vermeer depicts a girl wearing a yellow coat and a yellow and blue headscarf. The girl in the painting has an extraordinary temperament, and her expression of tranquility and calmness, as well as her hesitation to speak, is lifelike. This kind of sad expression that is both implicit and melancholy, and seems to be absent, shines in Vermeer's pen, and it is a startling glimpse. Looking back, she is like a bright light in the darkness, dazzling, and her plain emotions have the charm of purifying the human soul.
Another eye-catching aspect of the picture is the teardrop-shaped pearl earring worn on the girl's left ear, which seems to be visible in the shadow of the girl's neck. It is not only the finishing touch, but also has a special meaning. Pearls often symbolize chastity in Vermeer's paintings, so some experts believe that this painting was probably painted on the eve of the girl's marriage.
Johannes Vermeer - "Girl with a Pearl Earring", 1665, Maurice Museum, The Hague, The Netherlands; oil painting on canvas, 46.5cm×40cm; 1665, Maurice Museum, The Hague, The Netherlands 32
