There are many myths surrounding the famous “girl with a pearl earring” - now researchers have made sensational discoveries.
- Johannes Vermeer's “ Girl with a Pearl Earring ” dates from the 17th century.
- Researchers have now examined the world famous painting more closely.
- They made fascinating discoveries.
The Hague - delicate eyelashes, a green curtain and a floating pearl: international researchers have solved some of the puzzles of the world-famous painting " Girl with a Pearl Earring " after a good 350 years. The largest scientific study to date of Johannes Vermeer's masterpiece (1632-1675) yielded surprising new insights into the painter and his way of working. "We have come much closer to the picture than ever before," said the director of The Hague Mauritshuis , Martine Gosselink , on Tuesday.
"The results of the research project offer an insight into a much more" personal "painting than previously thought," continued the Hague Art Museum Mauritshuis, in which the picture is exhibited.
The Hague: The “girl with the pearl earring” does not reveal her identity
But the biggest secret, namely who the girl in the picture is, was not revealed by the researchers. The director also regretted this: " Unfortunately , the girl does not reveal the secret of her identity , but we got to know her much better."
The “Girl with a Pearl Earring” (1665-1667) is Vermeer’s most famous painting and a favorite of visitors to the Mauritshuis. The young woman with the exotic blue turban, the fine skin, the red shimmering mouth and the matt pearl on the ear fascinates people worldwide.
The Hague: "Girl with a pearl earring" examined using modern technology
Two years ago, an international and multidisciplinary team of researchers examined the painting with the most modern scanners and technologies, millimeter by millimeter, through all layers of color. Now the museum announced the results at a virtual press conference. The last major scientific study of the masterpiece before was in 1994.
Research director Abbie Vandivere looks at the artwork “Girl with a Pearl Earring” by Jan Vermeer that hangs in the Mauritshuis Museum.
© Ivo Hoekstra / Mauritshuis Museum / dpa
When examining with an X-ray scanner , it was discovered, among other things, that tiny eyelashes are around the girl's eyes that are invisible to the viewer.
To their surprise, the researchers discovered that Vermeer had originally painted a green curtain behind the girl . It had disappeared over the centuries, the color faded.
The study , which has been running since February 2018 , also revealed how the Dutch master worked with different layers of colors. He changed the composition of the painting by shifting the position of the ear, the end of the scarf around the girl's head and the neck.
The Hague: Pearls in “Girls with a Pearl Earring” are just an illusion
"The pearl is just an illusion," write the scientists. The earring is floating because there is no tick with which it should be attached to the ear.
According to research, the Dutch painter had built up the painting from layers of different shades of brown and black. These are below the color visible today. Then Vermeer had drawn the contours of the girl and, in the course of the creative process, also slightly corrected it in some places. After the background, he brought the shimmering skin of the face to the canvas, then painted the yellow jacket, white collar, turban, and earring. The researchers even found some brush hair in the signature .
Thanks to the investigation, Vermeer's color palette has now been described in detail for the first time . "The dyes came from all over the world," reports the museum. Vermeer strikingly used a lot of ultramarine of very high quality for the intense blue headgear and jacket. It was made from lapis lazuli stone . According to the Mauritshuis, this was such a complex and expensive process "that the dye was even more valuable than gold in the 17th century".
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What pigments did Vermeer use to paint his Girl with a Pearl Earring and where did they come from? Abbie shows you the new discoveries resulting from the examination of the painting, and gives you a behind-the-scenes look at the conservations department. The results tell us something about Vermeer's materials, but also about Dutch trade in the seventeenth century! #girlwithapearlearring #girlinthespotlight #vermeer #meisjemetdeparel #meisjeindeschijnwerper #pigments #pigmentsen #thehague #mauritshuis #mauritshuismuseum #mauritshuisathome #denhaag
A post shared by Mauritshuis (@mauritshuis_museum) on Apr 29, 2020 at 8:05 p.m. PDT
Gosselink makes it clear: "This is not the end point of our research."
The unknown also inspired writer Tracy Chevalier for her book of the same name. This was in turn successfully filmed with Scarlett Johansson and Colin Firth in the leading roles.
A US couple also made a fascinating discovery after buying their house. It becomes really bizarre in an underground car park.
dpa / AFP
List of rubric lists: © Ivo Hoekstra / Mauritshuis Museum / dpa
