One of the most beautiful portrait painting

March 12, 2011 - PRLog -- Johan Vermeer was a Dutch painter who specialized in exquisite, domestic interior scenes of middle class life. Vermeer worked slowly and with great care, using bright colours and sometimes expensive pigments, with a preference for cornflower blue and yellow. Girl with a Pearl Earring is universally regarded as one of Johannes Vermeer’s greatest masterpiece. It is also one of popular Vermeer reproductions. The popularity of the painting may also result from the many mysteries that surround the picture. From the time it was first discovered in 1882 till this day the painting still poses questions that baffles the experts like who the sitter was, with what intention it was painted, do her wide eyes signify innocence or seduction, and is there any special reason for centering the pearl earring.

"Girl with a Pearl Earring" was created during 1665-66, which is impressive 17.5" X 15.4" oil on canvas, currently gracing the Royal Cabinet of Paintings at Mauritshuis, The Hague. Often compared to Leonardo Da Vinci’s ‘Mona Lisa,’ the painting revolves a figurative theme, which is simple, yet alluring. The central character of the painting is an ordinary girl, turned sideways to look at someone behind her, most likely the viewer. Her gaze suggests curiosity and sensuousness at the same time. In fact, the intriguing expression on the girl’s face makes it difficult to associate a definite interpretation to it, and it is here, that it acquires a striking resemblance to the mixed emotions displayed in ‘Mona Lisa.’ Therefore, "Girl with a Pearl Earring" is also regarded as "Dutch Mona Lisa."

Vermeer’s masterstroke with the interplay of background light, adds life to the resplendent color scheme of the piece. The girl has worn a pale muddy brown colored turban tied in an unorthodox fashion, the inspiration of which seems to have been drawn from the masculine styles. The part of the turban, wrapped around the head, is set in a highly expensive pigment known as ‘Ultramarine,’ made out of a crushed semi precious stone, lapis lazuli. This gives a rich, glistening blue appearance to the turban. Every crease and fold of the apparel is meticulously delineated in the painting.

The girl’s large, shining pearl earring attracts enough attention to make it the focal point of the painting. Apart from its significance as a piece of jewelry, pearl also symbolizes the virginity of the protagonist. Contemporary trends influenced the design of the earring, while the size was considerably enlarged to emphasize upon the subject of an expectant virgin. Vermeer has used his characteristic speckled methodology of applying paint, known as pointille. Some part of the painting also bears a semblance with the technique of ‘Pointillism,’ as distinguished from e. For instance, the visible corner of her mouth is highlighted with light colored points. Overall, Johannes’ "Girl with a Pearl Earring" remains a masterpiece, where the artist has achieved a great feat of representing the most explicit expressions in the most subtle way, inspiring a bestseller, a play, and a successful movie with the same title!

There are many theories about who is the girl in the picture. But they remain just theories. And no one also knows earring too, Vermeer used only two brush stroke to make the beautiful earring came alive. In the book as well as in the film, it belonged to Vermeer’s wife. But we can never really know. One thing is for sure, the mysteries will live on as long as the painting will last and who ever the girl was, she and her pearl earring will be continually viewed by art lovers of ages to come.

There are lots of people love this beautiful portrait, but most of us can not afford the original masterpiece. However, thanks to art reproductions, everyone can hanging a beautiful Vermeer painting in home now.

Welcome to http://www.atlandbiz.com for Vermeer paintings.

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