Girl with a Pearl Earring: Dutch Paintings from the Mauritshuis

by Lea van der Vinde (Editor), Quentin Buvelot (Contributor), Emilie Gordenker (Contributor)

Housed in a splendid 17th-century palace in The Hague, the Royal Picture Gallery Mauritshuis is home to some of the world's most beloved paintings--including Vermeer's Girl with a Pearl Earring--and has become a destination for art enthusiasts from around the world. This engaging, accessible companion volume to a long-awaited exhibition guides readers through the highlights of the collection as if they were wandering the historic rooms themselves. A lavish plate section features 35 works, each accompanied by texts that explore its historical provenance and individual significance. Curatorial essays describe the building's founder, Count Johan Maurits, and his experience as a Dutch colonist in the New World; the formation of the collection; and also recent discoveries about the materials and techniques employed by these great artists. Fans of Vermeer's iconic masterpiece will delight in discovering that it is one of many beautiful artworks in the Mauritshuis's elegant rooms.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Art, Fiction, Classics, Historical, Art History, Romance

144 pages, Hardcover

First published January 17, 2013

Reviews

[Alexander Speer · Rating 1 out of 5]

I feel like the author got a lobotomy and to test if the procedure went according to plan, they asked them to write something down, and this garbage is what came out.

[William West · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'll admit that I always thought the title painting a tad over-rated, but upon seeing it in the flesh (in the canvas?) I was impressed. There's an immediacy to the expression that mechanical-reproduction, by definition, can't capture.
Comparatively less iconic artists, such as the moralist-allegoricist Jan Steen, the landscapsits Ruisdael and Berekheyde, and the still-life specialist Pieter Claesz broadened my palate for Dutch painting of the period.
My main-man de Hooch stole the show, though, with his great "Man Smoking and a Woman Drinking in a Courtyard" which made characteristically sublime use of depth and space. I think De Hooch the Wim Wenders of the seventeenth century! (I'm a film nerd at heart...)

[Sekerakb · Rating 3 out of 5]

Written through the perspective of the a maid of an arist in the 18th ce. It is colourfully descriptive and whistfully takes the reader away to a simpler time. A light and delicately delightful read. It was made into a movie, one could find at the library which does bring the book justice.

[Permanently 23 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book years ago and enjoyed it, so gave it another whirl. It’s a quiet read and small things in the 1600s are often big things. But nonetheless still quite a page turner. I very much enjoy being transported to this world in a readable way.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I came here for Griet, I left for Pieter.

[Jaime Vachon · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. This book felt elegant and kind of whimsical to read. The different time period and Intricate relationships were presented simply but enough that the reader is able to fill in any blanks or thoughts that the main character may have. I wish it was a little longer but I appreciate what a detailed world and story the author was able to create with so little. Definitely a book I’ll be thinking about for a while and wishing I could read it again for the first time.

[Yorke Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

He was a real painter!

[Joan Fernandez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Haunting portrait behind the portrait

What a pleasure! This book has been on my TBR pile for awhile (the movie version with Colin Firth is on my MoviesToWatch list too). The painting by the same name was created in 1665 by the Dutch Golden Age painter Johannes Vermeer. Author Tracy Chevalier names her protagonist, the girl in the painting, Griet. Her lovely face is haunting, elusive, young, pretty with flushed cheeks and barely-parted glossy lips—the perfect canvas for Chevalier to imagine the story of a girl-turning-into-a-woman, holding a crush for an older man, negotiating the female power-politics of her employer (wife, mother-in-law, a naughty 7-year-old and another servant). The contained world of this wealthy household in turn is contained in the small world of Griet’s village. Griet is trapped in both. Eventually she chooses to escape one but stays entrapped in the other. Wonderful characters and simple world-building in this novel. So glad I got it off my TBR.

[Nancy Hausladen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a Historical Fiction novel based on Vermeer's painting "The Girl With A Pearl Earring". Griet comes to the artist's home to work as a maid. One of her duties is to clean Vermeer's studio. He has special instructions, nothing is to be moved. One of Vermeer's customers takes a special interest in Griet and wants a painting of her. It is a custom that a girl must never show her hair, so she always has a cap on. Vermeer does not want the cap, so has Griet devise a covering from pieces of blue and gold he has available. She spends many hours posing for him, thus begins her relationship with the artist.

[Connie Cook · Rating 3 out of 5]

Told from the point of view of a servant girl during the 1600’s hired by the Vermeer family. She works hard and has difficulties with one of his daughters. She has this thing about her master and secretly assists him by grinding stuff for paint. Vermeer appreciates her talent, but his wife feels threatened. I didn’t understand the secrecy of her grinding and why she had to be locked in the attic. Maybe she acted the way she did because she was a servant.

[Tara · Rating 2 out of 5]

A friend gave me this book. It's not something I would normally pick up to read myself as I'm more of a non fiction reader. The book is elegantly written, however my advice to readers would be to try and get into the mindset of the social qualms of the 17th century. This was definitely not a book that I couldn't put down. Instead I felt like I kept waiting for something to happen, and after finishing the book in its entirety, nothing ever did.

[Laurel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book popped up as one of my suggested readings, and I realized I hadn't added it to my library. This was one of my favorite books for a long time. I read this so long ago (2015?) - don't specifics, just that I loved the book, as much as I've always loved the painting. Seeing the cover makes me want to read it again!

[Bernice · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my all time favourites!

[Vickie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a great read. Greit was a strong level headed girl who was able to navigate the tricky and yes dangerous life she had to lead as maid

[Kayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exquisite!

[Alicia Glass · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite books read in college

[Mira · Rating 5 out of 5]

No words, absolutely stunning

[Leslie B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful exploration

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this story!

[Leah Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this book!

[Lopsided · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF - might try again some other time.

[Sanjay Pasari · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like this book and also like to recommend to those people who loves to paint.

[Cecilia D. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect in every way 💕

[Adriana · Rating 5 out of 5]

wonderfully refreshing and enticing. a bit drab at parts yet all in all it was good enough to make me wish to not put it down.

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 1/2 stars. This was a book club selection and not a book that I would usually read so I was pleasantly surprised that I like it so much although initially I struggled to give the time to read it.

[Kim Viano · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a rather sad story of how a young girl dealt with her life circumstances in the 1600's. She was resilient in the face of few choices.

[Sarah Wagner · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars!

[Emilia Norstrand · Rating 5 out of 5]

Would give it more than 5 stars if I could

[Kesstra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bastante moñas muy moñas pero es el primer libro que me he leído en inglés y a veces se hacía agotador entenderlo pero lo entendí oleeee

[Caglaw367gmail.Com · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story unfolded slowly and was a pleasant, relaxing read for me