JOHANNES VERMEER THE YOUNG GIRL WITH PEARL

The Girl with the Pearl was (probably) created in 1665 by Johannes Vermeer.

This is not the original title, however, and was thus named at the end of the 20th century; the original title was The Turban Girl. This work is considered a classic work of Western art and is sometimes called the Mona Lisa of Northern Europe.
It is more than likely that the character of the painting is the oldest girl Vermeer, who would have been in his late teens at the time of execution. It could appear in many of his paintings in fact, although it is difficult to determine with certainty because of Vermeer's style and his work on light that can represent the traits of a person differently according to the tables.

Vermeer has painted dozens of paintings depicting women, and he seems to have been fascinated by the reproduction of the various daily domestic roles of the women around him. He seemed to admire women's goals as housewives working to keep the home out of chaos, working tirelessly to educate the next generation according to biblical principles.
In this painting, the viewer has the distinct impression that the woman is interrupted, that he has just called her and that she turns to face him. There is something mysterious in its appearance, in the sharpness of its gaze that sets the viewer with something that looks like waiting. A distant light source strikes the side of her face and the bright white pearl in her ear, which could have a religious meaning and could be a symbol of the chastity of the young woman. An identical earring (or perhaps the same, since Vermeer tends to use the same accessories and locations in several works) appears in another Vermeer painting, Lady with her maid holding a letter. The young woman's turban, wrapped tightly around her head, is a deep blue color, draped in a curiously organized and geometric way, a common element in Vermeer's representations of fabrics. His mouth is slightly ajar.
While the background of the painting is currently black, it is more than likely that it was initially dark green, but the original pigments have deteriorated over the years, turning black little by little.

We do not know much about Vermeer and his work and in fact, this particular picture is not even dated. We do not know if it was really a portrait or if it was commissioned by a specific person.

Vermeer's techniques are usually mysterious and questionable. Because of Vermeer's masterful mastery of shadows and light, many people think that he would have used an obscure camera to achieve his effects and that he would have painted over the projected image of the scenes he wished. In fact, this track is explored in the movie Tim's Vermeer, a documentary following Tim Jenison in his attempts to recreate the conditions of Vermeer's masterpieces by making his own obscure camera and paying tribute to the greatest works of the artist through his paintings.