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360-Year-Long Mystery Solved as Identity of Girl With a Pearl Earring Muse Revealed
Express ^ | Mon, Oct 13, 2025 | Laura Zilincanova

Posted on 10/13/2025 2:07:41 PM PDT by nickcarraway

Possible identity of "Mona Lisa of the North" has been revealed by a British art historian.

A mysterious girl with a pearl earring from Johannes Vermeer's famous painting was likely the daughter of the painter's commissioner, a historian has revealed. The 17th-century Dutch painter Vermeer worked almost exclusively for Pieter van Ruijven and Maria de Knuijt, a Dutch husband and wife in Delft. This has been revealed by Andrew Graham-Dixon, the art historian and TV presenter, claiming the girl wearing the pearl earring in the renowned oil painting is likely the couple's daughter, Magdalene.

The wealthy family were members of a rebellious religious sect known as the Remonstrants, while the wife belonged to the Collegiants, an even more radical group. The evangelical Christians were a prohibited organisation who held Quaker-like beliefs, such as pacifism and the pursuit of an egalitarian society. They were also advocates of feminism and the absolute equality of men and women. According to a new book on Vermeer by Graham-Dixon, Maria was the painter's principal commissioner.


TOPICS: Arts/Photography; History; Weird Stuff
KEYWORDS: andrewgrahamdixon; art; baroque; collegiants; earring; epigraphyandlanguage; girlwithpearlearring; godsgravesglyphs; johannesvermeer; laurazilincanova; magdalene; mariadeknuijt; muse; pearl; pietervanruijven; remonstrants; renaissance; vermeer
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Girl With a Pearl Earring Targeted by Climate Activists

Scans of Girl With a Pearl Earring Reveal Painting's Hidden Secrets

1 posted on 10/13/2025 2:07:41 PM PDT by nickcarraway
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To: nickcarraway

Beautiful! I had not seen that until now.


2 posted on 10/13/2025 2:17:04 PM PDT by GingisK
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To: nickcarraway
The wealthy family were members of a rebellious religious sect known as the Remonstrants, while the wife belonged to the Collegiants, an even more radical group. The evangelical Christians were a prohibited organisation who held Quaker-like beliefs, such as pacifism and the pursuit of an egalitarian society.

Well, the Remonstrants were not "evangelical Christians" as most Evangelicals would acknowledge them today, especially those of a Calvinistic bent, as they were actually Arminians. The article also mentions that the mother of this family was Catholic, perhaps with Remonstrant sympathies.

3 posted on 10/13/2025 2:18:00 PM PDT by fidelis (Ecce Crucem Domini! Fugite partes adversae! Vicit Leo de tribu Juda, Radix David! Alleluia!)
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To: GingisK

The movie, ‘Girl with the pearl earring’ is really good, not at all true but very beautifully done. You might watch that.


4 posted on 10/13/2025 2:21:15 PM PDT by Beowulf9
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To: nickcarraway

I saw it on exhibit in DC. Absolutely breathtaking! Vermeer total paintings were less than 50 I believe. Not prolific but a genius of the art.


5 posted on 10/13/2025 2:29:01 PM PDT by Fungi
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To: GingisK

This is news?

What other ugly girl would a guy paint than the commissioner’s ugly daughter or wife?

She probably hated it so never came forward.


6 posted on 10/13/2025 2:41:16 PM PDT by If You Want It Fixed - Fix It
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To: nickcarraway

Banksy got it better

girl with a blown eardrum

Trulli
7 posted on 10/13/2025 2:53:17 PM PDT by Macoozie (Roll MAGA, roll!)
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To: mairdie; StayAt HomeMother; Ernest_at_the_Beach; 1ofmanyfree; 21twelve; 24Karet; 2ndDivisionVet; ...

8 posted on 10/13/2025 2:54:32 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (NeverTrumpin' -- it's not just for DNC shills anymore -- oh, wait, yeah it is.)
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Waldemar Januszczak challenges the traditional notion of the Renaissance having fixed origins in Italy and showcases the ingenuity in both technique and ideas behind great artists such as Van Eyck, Memling, Van der Weyden, Cranach, Riemenschneider and Durer.
The Great Myths Of The Renaissance
(Waldemar Januszczak Documentary)
| 59:51
Perspective | 494K subscribers | 1,465,333 views | September 12, 2020
The Great Myths Of The Renaissance (Waldemar Januszczak Documentary) | 59:51 | Perspective | 494K subscribers | 1,465,333 views | September 12, 2020

9 posted on 10/13/2025 3:06:51 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (NeverTrumpin' -- it's not just for DNC shills anymore -- oh, wait, yeah it is.)
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To: Beowulf9; SunkenCiv

A few years ago I read a book with that title. I wonder if it was the same story. In the book it was a servant girl in the household where the artist was working or living. I wonder if the owner’s daughter would have been wearing such a plain headdress, so the idea of this being a servant girl made sense to me.


10 posted on 10/13/2025 3:27:38 PM PDT by gleeaikin (Quest/ion Authority: report facts, and post their links.isT)
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To: gleeaikin

A novel?


11 posted on 10/13/2025 3:39:45 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (NeverTrumpin' -- it's not just for DNC shills anymore -- oh, wait, yeah it is.)
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To: gleeaikin

https://search.brave.com/search?q=the+girl+with+the+pearl+earring&summary=1

[snip] The work acquired its current title in the late 20th century, having previously been known as Girl with a Turban. [/snip]

Book:
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/292577/girl-with-a-pearl-earring-by-tracy-chevalier/

Movie:
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0335119/


12 posted on 10/13/2025 3:42:52 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (NeverTrumpin' -- it's not just for DNC shills anymore -- oh, wait, yeah it is.)
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To: GingisK

There are really two Girl With a Pearl Earring paintings. The one most people are familiar with has tan skin tones and yellow highlights. Once it was restored and the aged varnish removed about thirty years ago, the girl’s skin became pink and the highlights opened up. I have both versions hanging in different parts of my house and I go back and forth about which one I like better. One surprise the restored version revealed is that what was always thought to be a pearl earring was probably polished tin.


13 posted on 10/13/2025 3:43:05 PM PDT by PUGACHEV
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To: PUGACHEV

Interesting. Those would add a lot of charm to anyplace.


14 posted on 10/13/2025 3:57:27 PM PDT by GingisK
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To: nickcarraway; GingisK; fidelis; All

https://incrediblethings.com/entertainment/video/video-of-paintings-coming-to-life/


15 posted on 10/13/2025 4:48:37 PM PDT by grey_whiskers (The opinions are solely those of the author and are subject to change without notice.)
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To: nickcarraway

16 posted on 10/13/2025 5:04:28 PM PDT by Albion Wilde (“Columbus Day! We're back, Italians! We love the Italians, okay?” Trump said. )
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To: grey_whiskers

Funny 😄


17 posted on 10/13/2025 6:25:34 PM PDT by 11th_VA
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To: SunkenCiv

That guy is so entertaining. Have watched several of his videos. Very insightful.


18 posted on 10/13/2025 8:54:56 PM PDT by Beowulf9
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To: Beowulf9

Wholeheartedly agree.


19 posted on 10/13/2025 8:56:04 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (NeverTrumpin' -- it's not just for DNC shills anymore -- oh, wait, yeah it is.)
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To: nickcarraway
Without the pearl, it's just another painting.

Vermeer paints wth light. Tthe glistening pearl shining in a darker background draws one's attention to the maid's goodnsss, innocence, and peace, seeming to invite you to share her moment of quiet silence.

Just rambling about my most favorite illustration of an ordered calmness that blesses one's soul. A way to find rest.

20 posted on 10/13/2025 9:34:38 PM PDT by imardmd1 (To learn is to live; the joy of living: to teach. Fiat Lux! )
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