I don’t usually do famous paintings, but I’ve always been really fascinated by Girl with a Pearl Earring, far more than the Mona Lisa or other famous portraits. Painted around 1665, this is Johannes Vermeer’s most famous painting. This genre of painting is considered a “Tronie” – a painting of an imaginary figure or character, meant to exaggerate an expression or meaning. I’m sure Vermeer used a model for this work, but we don’t know much about her at all. We don’t even know the color of her hair, so I’ve made some guesswork here. She is meant to represent an ideal young beauty of the time. The reason this painting is so captivating is in part because of Vermeer’s use of light and shadow. The highlights on her lips and eyes and the barely visible contour of her nose all guide the viewer in. It’s also quite different from much of the other stiff portraiture from this time period, with her parted lips and direct gaze.