Why is Vermeer's "Girl with the Pearl Earring" considered a masterpiece?
Listen to the Story: 5 minutes
Audio-only: (best on mobile)
Description:
Is she turning towards you or away from you? No one can agree. She’s the subject of Dutch Master Johannes Vermeer’s “Girl with the Pearl Earring,” a painting often referred to as the ‘Mona Lisa of the North.’ But what makes this painting so captivating? James Earle explains how this work represents the birth of a modern perspective on economics, politics, and love.
Lesson by James Earle, animation by Tess Martin.
First Floor: Vermeer Room (1)
"Girl with a Pearl Earring"
Johannes Vermeer - Girl with a Pearl Earring (1665)