The Girl with the Pearl Earring Art Critique

Janelle M. Gray

12/13/2018

Art Foundations- Ms. Rojas

Art Critique

“The Girl with the Pearl Earring”

                        “The Girl with the Pearl Earring” is a famous painting by Golden Age artist Johannes Vermeer. The painting is very simple, featuring a teenage girl with a scarf on and a big pearl earring. The painting is very famous in the Netherlands, being voted the most beautiful painting in the country. There was even an award-nominated movie about the titular girl’s story that featured A-list actress Scarlett Johansen. The painting seems very simple, but the details reveal a story deeper than the normal person could decipher. It was created in 1665. The medium used was oil paint.

            “The Girl with the Pearl Earring” includes elements, such as color, form, and direction. This painting displays subtle a color scheme. Form is used in this painting to create dimension to make the painting look more realistic. Hints of black is used throughout the painting using value to create dimensionality.

            This painting shows a calm young girl with one pearl earring showing. The girl is dressed like a maid, I inferred that is why she acts in a calm, put together manner. This painting is pretty mysterious. You can interpret as mysterious, seductive, or innocent.

            The painting is worth 3 million. I believe that is worth this cost because although it is simple, this painting it can be complex because a lot can be interpret from this painting. The artist uses technique to make the painting look realistic. I think this artwork is amazing.