The Story Behind The Girl With a Pearl Earring

Rumours have surrounded Johannes Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring ever since it was rediscovered in the late 19th century, and this iconic painting still continues to spark intrigue, debate and speculation.
Although Vermeer was among the most successful artists working in Delft during the 17th century, he was almost completely forgotten after his death in 1675. Even during his lifetime, Vermeer’s influence was mainly limited to Delft where he earned a reasonable living as a painter and art dealer. What’s more, Vermeer’s name is rarely mentioned in historical records and he left behind barely any other documents that relate to his career or personal history.
Very little is known about Girl with a Pearl Earring as no one at the time thought to chronicle Vermeer’s efforts. Nevertheless, art historians have ascertained several important facts about the painting concerning its composition and subject matter.
Recent research suggests that the black, negative space behind Vermeer’s model was originally painted dark green. Many other contemporary artists employed similar techniques in order to accentuate antithetical, light-shaded colours or sharpen central images and Vermeer seems to have enhanced this framing device by adding an indigo gloss to the painting’s background to draw out its deep, green undertones.