A young figure turns over one shoulder. The background is almost absolute darkness. Blue and yellow fabric catches the light, while an oversized pearl seems to float beneath the ear.
The clue
A. Rembrandt van Rijn
B. Johannes Vermeer
C. Frans Hals
The answer: Johannes Vermeer
Painted around 1665, Girl with a Pearl Earring is not a commissioned portrait of a named sitter. The Mauritshuis describes it as a tronie: a study of a character or type, often using unusual costume, expression and dramatic light.
Vermeer gives us very little and makes it feel complete. The dark ground removes ordinary time and place. The face is built from gentle transitions rather than sharply described lines. The blue part of the turban used costly ultramarine. The white collar is thicker and more physical, while the cloth is handled more broadly.
Then there is the “pearl.” The Mauritshuis notes that it is probably too large to be real and may represent imitation jewellery — or pure invention. Its form is almost shockingly economical: a bright stroke above and a softer reflection below. There is no visible hook.
The painting measures 44.5 × 39 cm and is signed “IVMeer” at upper left. It entered the Mauritshuis through the 1903 bequest of Arnoldus Andries des Tombe, who had acquired the neglected work in 1881 for two guilders plus a small buyer’s premium.
Anima Liriana view
The mystery is not who the girl was. The mystery is how so few marks can produce such presence. Vermeer does not finish every edge; he gives light enough room to finish the image inside the viewer.
SOURCES & IMAGE STATUS
The site uses a faithful reproduction marked Public Domain on Wikimedia Commons. The Mauritshuis downloadable file was not used because commercial reuse requires separate contact. Checked 26 July 2026.