Girl with a Pearl Earring

About the book

In seventeenth-century Delft, sixteen-year-old Griet enters the household of Johannes Vermeer as a quiet, observant maid. Her primary duty involves cleaning the painter’s studio without disturbing the precise placement of his objects. Over time, Vermeer recognizes Griet’s innate understanding of light and color, leading him to recruit her as a secret assistant who grinds pigments and prepares canvases. Their growing intimacy creates friction with Vermeer’s pregnant wife and his shrewd mother-in-law, eventually resulting in the clandestine modeling session for the famous portrait.

This book serves readers of historical fiction who value technical details regarding artistic craft and the rigid hierarchies of the Dutch Golden Age. It appeals to those interested in the domestic tensions created by class differences and the technical process of oil painting. Readers finish the story with a clear perspective on the physical labor required to produce classical art and the social risks faced by women navigating the homes of the wealthy.

Details

Published

1999

Publisher

Plume/Penguin

ISBN

9780452287020

Language

EN