Why is Vermeer's "Girl with the Pearl Earring" considered a masterpiece? - James Earle

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  • Опубликовано: 17 окт 2016
  • View full lesson: ed.ted.com/lessons/why-is-verm...
    Is she turning towards you or away from you? No one can agree. She’s the subject of Dutch Master Johannes Vermeer’s "Girl with the Pearl Earring," a painting often referred to as the ‘Mona Lisa of the North.’ But what makes this painting so captivating? James Earle explains how this work represents the birth of a modern perspective on economics, politics, and love.
    Lesson by James Earle, animation by Tess Martin.

Комментарии • 3,2 тыс.

  • @missruckaaas1706
    @missruckaaas1706 4 года назад +9719

    Some: "Is she turning away?"
    Others: "Is she turning towards?"
    Me: "... She's looking at me"

    • @senaahasan5182
      @senaahasan5182 4 года назад +187

      I used to think she was turning towards me or she was just walking past and then looked at me

    • @menamechez7777
      @menamechez7777 4 года назад +4

      Me too

    • @nurkeyali8325
      @nurkeyali8325 4 года назад +9

      She is turning towards him

    • @Tay20
      @Tay20 4 года назад +32

      Maybe she's just bored and looking over at us, maybe she's sitting.

    • @ardalla535
      @ardalla535 3 года назад +14

      "She's looking at you
      Ah, no, no, she's looking at me"
      -- Counting Crows

  • @ssy2416
    @ssy2416 7 лет назад +9407

    There are 2 types of people in the comment section:
    1) The girl with the pearl earring looks almost enigmatic in her stance and longing eyes, almost as if she is caught off guard from the presence of an unexpected individual. This painting truly portrays the economic, political and social standards of this time.
    2) She kind of looks like Lady Gaga.

  • @aapkefather1872
    @aapkefather1872 4 года назад +5412

    She would have been Vermeer's crush who never actually looked at him.

    • @mahnooooooor8263
      @mahnooooooor8263 4 года назад +56

      Lolll

    • @fuwa1276
      @fuwa1276 4 года назад +88

      shivam mishra That's kinda sad

    • @summerghost6551
      @summerghost6551 3 года назад +158

      Press F in the chat for Vermeer boys

    • @azulBjort_1406
      @azulBjort_1406 3 года назад +148

      And when she finally looked at him he took that chance to capture her imagine as a reminder of her beauty

    • @blueeyedhippiechick
      @blueeyedhippiechick 3 года назад +19

      @@summerghost6551 F

  • @jamescaldwell2357
    @jamescaldwell2357 4 года назад +9168

    Her look is timeless. Most paintings reflect the style of that day-and-age, making anyone in the painting appear antiquated. But the Girl with the Pearl Earring looks as modern as us, making her timeless.

    • @hannahm9083
      @hannahm9083 4 года назад +307

      I thought the same!! She looks so modern, somehow.

    • @thiebautjoel
      @thiebautjoel 4 года назад +283

      Her expression looks timeless ; her clothing though takes us into another age

    • @oldtimebooks5378
      @oldtimebooks5378 3 года назад +50

      this is an interesting perspective for an otherwise over hyped piece of art

    • @chennylouayala4723
      @chennylouayala4723 3 года назад +4

      Time machines

    • @barbarablue2571
      @barbarablue2571 3 года назад +29

      The opossitte side, she stops the time, but she´s the time itself, just that in what she was portrayed, she belongs to that, not another time, modern or ancient, there is anything else before or beyond....

  • @cassandra9581
    @cassandra9581 7 лет назад +21129

    She looks almost caught off-guard. A bit like a portrait was painted in the instant a photograph is taken. When you call someone's name and they turn their head to look at you, and you take the photo just as they face you. Her parted lips seem almost a result of surprise about to turn into a casual smile as she recognizes the observer.

    • @jenersharma
      @jenersharma 7 лет назад +1459

      This here is the explanation of why this painting is a masterpiece.

    • @mohamadhadi2267
      @mohamadhadi2267 7 лет назад +619

      You sir have deserve a medal

    • @changweitee
      @changweitee 7 лет назад +5

      Socksunited qq

    • @jadeendubois3709
      @jadeendubois3709 7 лет назад +166

      Cassandra I think it looks more like she was called, looked then as she turned to look back, the portrait was painted.

    • @dequanchillen3671
      @dequanchillen3671 7 лет назад +14

      Cassandra --- stfu 😂 stop trying to speak like an intellectual!

  • @rhysmuir
    @rhysmuir 7 лет назад +17927

    he probably didn't think that much about it when he decided to paint her

    • @JamesEarle
      @JamesEarle 7 лет назад +537

      disagree

    • @rhettvincent5355
      @rhettvincent5355 7 лет назад +30

      lol

    • @VegetableMigraine
      @VegetableMigraine 7 лет назад +2625

      Exactly. As much as I love art, Ive alwas hated how peope read too much into a piece. Same with literature.

    • @MrDanygonc
      @MrDanygonc 7 лет назад +50

      I disagree

    • @MrDanygonc
      @MrDanygonc 7 лет назад +443

      Michael Sotomayor fair enough, but I do think he still had in mind the facial expression, it was simply not very common to paint someone like that in that period, I do think he had something more in mind then just paint her like this.

  • @ThePopushi
    @ThePopushi 4 года назад +3068

    Despite hearing your thoughtful explanation, I still can't seem to comprehend and grasp the deep meanings these paintings have. Their places in the world, what they represent and why. I just understand that it's a beloved painting and will forever be etched into our minds as such.
    Maybe it's because I don't understand art to begin with... still, I always appreciate learning something new

    • @reuben8912
      @reuben8912 3 года назад +218

      If this helps, I pull out from the painting that it was a depiction of what life was really like back then which made it so special. Like the video said only rich merchants got their paintings done and when they did it was really over the top with jewellery and riches. This painting shows a normal, non rich girl which we can furthermore see from the fact that the earring looks almost ghostly and just appears so minimal that it’s like the expensive earring isn’t there. To me it’s a depiction of what life was really like, but also a slight loving glow in the picture as the time period had lots of war so the picture sort of brought people back to reality aswell.

    • @siushi630
      @siushi630 3 года назад +48

      art for art's sake

    • @macrocosm4442
      @macrocosm4442 3 года назад +3

      Wow

    • @lisa-el3db
      @lisa-el3db 3 года назад +47

      Painters who we revere as famous, painted with many challenges. The most important one is that they relied on light, how it was used, etc. Or perhaps they painted for income, the better or more realistic the art was, it was valued more. The pleasure and appreciation when I visit the Art Institute, how these works of art are displayed, the visitor becomes the painter's admirer, on a more intimate level. The differences from the works of El Greco to a Monet. How many used different techniques to express their emotions. The quiet and respectful atmosphere museums mandate.
      I am always trying to feel what the artist felt, etc.
      To have painted these with paint of each era, centuries ago, and they have remained intact with preservation. Some artists may have painted because there was not much to do.
      This painting 'Girl with a Pearl Earring' one of my fav.
      There used to be a board game 'Masterpiece', and it eas a game where you had know the artwork to win.
      Art is expression from one to another. It allows the person viewing it to feel whatever emotions that person may have. Or so that is my feeling.

    • @poornimashivageri96
      @poornimashivageri96 3 года назад

      Don't miss this🎬 couple
      ruclips.net/video/btc_VtBCGk4/видео.html

  • @jeanettesdaughter
    @jeanettesdaughter 3 года назад +408

    She’s beautiful. The gaze is beautiful, the light is beautiful, the blue head wrap gives a common Dutch girl the exotic look of the South, and the pearl earring turns an ordinary girl into an extraordinary subject. Our existence in the void is a mystery then and now. The portrait captures that elusive reality.

    • @isoldejaneholland8370
      @isoldejaneholland8370 3 года назад +8

      I love poetic comments like yours.

    • @trisunnaidoo3962
      @trisunnaidoo3962 2 года назад +1

      Bro….thas kinda crazy

    • @ehsome
      @ehsome 2 года назад +2

      @Star Dreamer i could write a whole essay on that (because i love this topic), but to cut short:
      someone who wants to think, will do that with anything.
      careful, this is not necessarily "reading too much into it". sometimes it can be. but sometimes it's just a really deep, yet valid interpretation, or own impression
      moreover, sometimes artists don't think the meaning thoughtfully out to detail. they're artists, and perceive the world as artists, with their own terms and perspectives (just like everyone does as who they are). and artsit may just get a feeling from an idea, and know that there is beauty in it, but not think about it more, because he wants others to have their own, special impressions, interpretations and thoughts, that were formed throught their "filters" (of perspective)
      basically, an artist can see that a painting he is about to paint is going to be full of feelings and that it's going to awake thoughts, without even starting to paint. because he can perceive that as an artist. he doesn't think "hmm red is energetic". he just perceives the concept of the color red and it's synesthetic effects
      so this comment maybe was indeed reading too much into it, maybe not. but maybe that's exactly what the artist wanted.
      regardless, to think is beautiful. and if he can see this much in a painting, i'd say it's a nice thing

    • @ehsome
      @ehsome 2 года назад +1

      @Star Dreamer gladly ^^
      i like discussing and talking with people. but the reason i was able to explain it, and wanted to comment in the first place was because of your wording.
      please don't think you should have not commented it. your comment didn't have an accusative/argumentative manner, and was formulated in a way that actually opens the possibility for discussion, namely because you asked before forming an opinion. which is a really nice thing to do.
      i try to do that as well. i try to never say "i think this is wrong/right". instead i say "i have to think more about this", "i am not knowledgeable about this topic", and after i have formed an opinion, i don't present it as an opinion, but rather an observation. "it *seems* like this is wrong/right, *because of* this and this"
      so thanks for your comment. it's always nice to see people who genuinely ask questions that actually seek an answer in a respectful way. it makes the comment section more purposeful and gives more value to the word "sharing" a comment. thanks to it i was able to think about this topic as well, and now i feel more productive :)

  • @durpddurke4633
    @durpddurke4633 6 лет назад +10794

    I just imagine her saying "sup"

    • @quincey5917
      @quincey5917 6 лет назад +459

      "So, like, how do you want me to pose for this?"

    • @trillanthropistgawd8488
      @trillanthropistgawd8488 5 лет назад +89

      Suh dude

    • @acookiecruncher1217
      @acookiecruncher1217 5 лет назад +209

      I’m never looking at this painting the same again oh my god

    • @heyya7464
      @heyya7464 5 лет назад +11

      Lol

    • @64Street
      @64Street 5 лет назад +12

      Da Dragon.....perfect. I watched this, saw your comment, and burst out laughing. 5 out of 5 Elvorays for you.

  • @alexandrarose149
    @alexandrarose149 7 лет назад +3121

    Why do all these famous painting women have no eyebrows yo

    • @brunowalker99
      @brunowalker99 7 лет назад +134

      I hope this will not become a trend

    • @plumeria66
      @plumeria66 7 лет назад +347

      Eve Eyebrows were not the fashion in those days. And, real blondes have blonde eyebrows.

    • @molly-zx9cr
      @molly-zx9cr 6 лет назад +34

      That's what was in style at the time

    • @meganmelonas9082
      @meganmelonas9082 6 лет назад +56

      Lice was a huge problem then

    • @barbaralatham5107
      @barbaralatham5107 6 лет назад +22

      Eve
      It was fashionable at the time.

  • @leahcheng4379
    @leahcheng4379 4 года назад +734

    TED-Ed: *philosophical questions and lengthy assumptions about the painting*
    Me: "Where are her eyebrows?"

    • @grammat.1183
      @grammat.1183 4 года назад +93

      No eyebrows - very pale - head wrapped with turban-style covering = the poor thing is in chemo. Don't be so harsh ; )

    • @kun8834
      @kun8834 4 года назад +5

      RJ!!

    • @nyxjones5797
      @nyxjones5797 4 года назад +35

      Time erased them.

    • @irisvandenieuwegiessen5533
      @irisvandenieuwegiessen5533 4 года назад +63

      The Mauritshuis has studied it, and she was painted with lashes and eyebrows! The background used to be green!

    • @planetprotectors.
      @planetprotectors. 4 года назад +2

      Vedio: music by WONDER BOY AUDIO
      Me : Really was there any music???

  • @bubbercakes528
    @bubbercakes528 3 года назад +143

    She’s not turning away, she’s looking right at the viewer. She’s gorgeous; and the luminescence makes her almost angelic. You cannot look away from her.

  • @naomi9413
    @naomi9413 5 лет назад +4614

    I love Vermeer's work. He captures natural light so perfectly.

    • @hlcepeda
      @hlcepeda 4 года назад +12

      @Xaris Xeros Careful. This is YT... which means some readers will go off and spread the word that Vermeer used a _film_ camera.

    • @eliasali9383
      @eliasali9383 4 года назад +3

      @@hlcepeda 😂😂😂

    • @dcdc3672
      @dcdc3672 4 года назад +7

      Haha he's my family I'm Brittany vermeer hahahahaha

    • @longnguyentuong3289
      @longnguyentuong3289 4 года назад +1

      Hector Cepeda pp

    • @longnguyentuong3289
      @longnguyentuong3289 4 года назад

      Elias Ali l

  • @andrewkiminhwan
    @andrewkiminhwan 7 лет назад +2462

    I'm more familiar with the Pearl with a Girl Earring

  • @chrisp.9385
    @chrisp.9385 4 года назад +2274

    Me: *draws a deep-meaning painting*
    My art teacher: nice
    Me: draws a face
    My art teacher: oh that's deep

  • @iriscollins7583
    @iriscollins7583 4 года назад +321

    The reason I like this painting is because the model looks like a young version of my mother.

    • @nursyahirah2714
      @nursyahirah2714 4 года назад +35

      Iris Collins plot twist: she is ur mom

    • @kevin080592
      @kevin080592 4 года назад +42

      maybe your ancestor...like your great great great great grandmother

    • @yahyeali6388
      @yahyeali6388 3 года назад +3

      Thats awsome👍

    • @erakaranwal6727
      @erakaranwal6727 3 года назад

      Gut

    • @Sidthsloth
      @Sidthsloth 3 года назад

      they found out whom the girl was. It was his maid and she just chucked in his wives clothes. Her name is Greitje

  • @s.c.o.r.p.i.o.n.i.c
    @s.c.o.r.p.i.o.n.i.c 4 года назад +1826

    Am I the only one getting the feeling that she is staring at/admiring someone she loves. The parted lips, the glossiness of her eyes aswell as the dilated pupils and the raised eyebrows. If someone were to turn around because they were called they would look a bit more tense, she looks more relaxed and there is even a bit of sadness in her gaze combined with the parted lips feels like she is holding back her feelings when she really want to express them.

  • @jennifer.kendle1409
    @jennifer.kendle1409 4 года назад +2774

    There is a book called “The Girl With a Pearl Earring” and it’s a historical-fiction book based off of the history and life of the girl in this painting! I highly recommend reading it.

    • @mankosuki4206
      @mankosuki4206 4 года назад +118

      @George Kirkpatrick that's why it's called historical 'fiction'.

    • @19ashe86
      @19ashe86 4 года назад +37

      Love the book AND THE MOVIE

    • @raspberrycrowns9494
      @raspberrycrowns9494 4 года назад +26

      @@mankosuki4206 the irony of that word

    • @malv4935
      @malv4935 4 года назад +53

      Yes I have the book on my table right now!! Lovely read, and according to the writer Tracey Chevalier, it appears that the girl was a maid in Vermeer's house

    • @vaggs75
      @vaggs75 4 года назад +1

      based off is not even a verb. Let alone based off (of).

  • @bunnywavyxx9524
    @bunnywavyxx9524 2 года назад +18

    The slightly parted red lips, gazing, glossy eyes and the overall harmony of her face from that angle is what captures people. Her facial expression is so earnest and genuine it is mesmerizing. The unforced ease & casualness of her overall expression shows her inner beauty & true essence which is simply timeless. Vermeer showcased the spirit of this girl so beautifully we cannot help but admire.

  • @LucidDreamer54321
    @LucidDreamer54321 3 года назад +64

    It doesn’t make sense to think that she is turning away. That idea contradicts a basic principle of human kinesiology. The body follows the head.

    • @6funnys
      @6funnys 2 года назад +4

      Perhaps in general, but not when we consciously choose to override that principle. She could be turning away while savoring one last moment of eye contact with us, or looking over her shoulder as she leaves.

    • @LucidDreamer54321
      @LucidDreamer54321 2 года назад +1

      @6funnys Turning away from me was the most difficult thing she ever did.

  • @Panda_Roll
    @Panda_Roll 7 лет назад +3110

    I feel like he talked alot but in the end said nothing....

    • @projektbrot
      @projektbrot 7 лет назад +350

      Kidlike101 welcome to the world of art and its critics lol

    • @FailOfKing
      @FailOfKing 7 лет назад +230

      Kidlike101 he explained why the idea was new,how it stood out from his other work how well it was made. did you and I not watch the same video?

    • @adomjonsen6131
      @adomjonsen6131 7 лет назад +246

      He explained the techniques used and the historical context that produced the painting.

    • @n.o199
      @n.o199 7 лет назад +5

      KINGFAIL no

    • @raymondv.m4230
      @raymondv.m4230 6 лет назад +52

      It feels that way because there's nothing exceptional about what was displayed. The painting is truely works of a master artist but you could say his other paintings are more impressive as they give lighting, shade, composition, etc. The girl is just in a void. She's thought provoking, and that's about it.
      What makes her a masterpiece is her history, purpose, and representation is unknown and people tried really hard to piece her story together, and because of that, it invoked a new way of thinking that gradually effected politics, love, psychology, and more.

  • @charusharma6409
    @charusharma6409 7 лет назад +1629

    i don't know why but i can almost picture the artist having an emotional connection with the girl in the pearl earring. Perhaps she was someone very close to him and for some reason she left him and this is the last position he saw her in before she went away forever.
    idk. just makes my imagination run wild.

    • @FailOfKing
      @FailOfKing 7 лет назад +148

      charu sharma thank you for existing. after seeing all this negativity in this comment section I'm glad I found someone with a little creativity.

    • @hinoname3954
      @hinoname3954 6 лет назад +64

      I love that this is what you gathered from this painting, because if you read the novel inspired by it, then... yea, that's how the author interprets it as well (the book is by chevalier)

    • @moiseshall9372
      @moiseshall9372 6 лет назад +39

      Charu Sharma he actually had some kind of affair with her, but never did something with ehr cuz he was married and she was a servant or something like that

    • @nancyalexandre
      @nancyalexandre 6 лет назад +8

      I guess you should watch the movie made based on the book made on this painting, it's called The Girl with the pearl earing, like the painting.

    • @humyrat.9792
      @humyrat.9792 6 лет назад +1

      Omg that's what I was thinking

  • @chuckgrigsby9664
    @chuckgrigsby9664 3 года назад +10

    My wife and I made our first (and perhaps only) trip to Europe with the goal of seeing that painting (among others, granted). I was both surprised that the painting is on the small side, but absolutely loved being able to get my nose right up to it (within reason). This is my favorite painting in all the world, and it was (and still is) a great event to see it in person. I recommend hiring a guide when visiting the art museums in the Netherlands. We hired one who is an expert in Vermeer (K. Kaldenbach) who took us to the Rijksmuseum and the van Gogh museum in Amsterdam, the Kroller-Mueller museum (Otterlo), the Mauritshuis (The Hague), and the Frans Hals museum (Haarlem). Worth every cent.

  • @Bum-tan
    @Bum-tan 3 года назад +31

    "Captivating" is what comes to my mind if i were to describe this painting.

  • @may007ank
    @may007ank 7 лет назад +2550

    She's gonna haunt my dreams now. She has a distinct quality that's unexplainable. She's not exceptionally beautiful but she's someone you can feel home with. She seems safe and comforting.

    • @Linda-iw7bk
      @Linda-iw7bk 5 лет назад +46

      Possibly his eldest daughter, she really is very young looking and as the eldest had to take care of the younger siblings whose number grew every year, eleven or so children when Vermeer died and her expression looks like regret to me, possibly for the pressure on her parents to feed and clothe and have a warm fire to keep them healthy.

    • @shabanamoona3231
      @shabanamoona3231 5 лет назад +72

      Same. She's beautiful in a mysterious way

    • @combatantezoteric2965
      @combatantezoteric2965 5 лет назад +74

      Nope she's very beautiful you just have big standards, or more likely you don't know what's beautiful.

    • @trishuynh
      @trishuynh 5 лет назад +51

      Nah she’s pretty

    • @MrDaiseymay
      @MrDaiseymay 5 лет назад

      muvver

  • @jongomm
    @jongomm 7 лет назад +5092

    Some confusion in the comments here, about "reading too much" into art.
    The reason artists sometimes work well when they're not thinking too much isn't because no thought goes into the work. When Lionel Messi shoots from 30 yards, he probably isn't analysing the situation and going through all his options in his head. It's his training, or a deep understanding of what he's doing, or whatever, which is guiding his instinctive choice in that moment.
    Anyway, it's OK to think a lot about art, it's OK to just look at it and enjoy it. If you don't think either option is OK, then it's nothing to do with art, and everything to do with your own insecurity.
    You should channel that insecurity into making art. It's all it's good for. :)

    • @JamesEarle
      @JamesEarle 7 лет назад +112

      Thanks! As the author of this one I totally agree with you. Love the comparison to Messi.

    • @ChristopherSobieniak
      @ChristopherSobieniak 6 лет назад +2

      Thank you!

    • @Amey2425
      @Amey2425 6 лет назад +10

      He did yesterday 30 yards from the goal! What a screamer

    • @KM-eb5yo
      @KM-eb5yo 6 лет назад +81

      Jon Gomm yes. art is expression beyond words and normally the best art doesn't need analysis. however, with historical pieces where context is lost, it is useful to revisit the environment and gain the prior knowledge that people from the time viewing the art will have had, to truly understand the meaning expressed beyond words.

    • @devina8812
      @devina8812 6 лет назад +4

      I’m going to take that with me

  • @saelaird
    @saelaird 4 года назад +30

    It has also been suggested that the girl is a manifestation of desire. The glistening pearl is hers, her glistening lower lip is the artists, both she and the artist are enamoured with something they cant have.

    • @MrArturoDominguez
      @MrArturoDominguez 4 года назад +5

      I like everything you just said, the way you said it, and in the order you said it, lol.

  • @Karl6471
    @Karl6471 3 года назад +65

    You see her stunningly beautiful eyes, you look at her head scarf, then her earring, then her parted lips, and finally your eyes are locked again on her eyes and you can't look away. That's why it's a masterpiece.

    • @AlexandraVioletta
      @AlexandraVioletta 2 года назад +3

      Jeah. It's like diving into an ocean. I could watch at her eyes for hours.
      It IS a truly masterpiece.

  • @CAlin-ro8dy
    @CAlin-ro8dy 4 года назад +498

    3:46 I wonder if you zoom in the pearl and enhance image, zoom again, enhance image again, you might see eventually the reflection of the painter.

    • @perfectcell1157
      @perfectcell1157 4 года назад +91

      If he really added this detail he is a god
      Edit : even if it might be impossible but let us enjoy our imaginations ,thx for likes !

    • @slekdidwbfi8692
      @slekdidwbfi8692 4 года назад +4

      C. Alin woooow

    • @summerghost6551
      @summerghost6551 3 года назад +7

      @@perfectcell1157 he was the closest the Netherlands had as a god

    • @kawayananazioly
      @kawayananazioly 3 года назад

      Haha

    • @kawayananazioly
      @kawayananazioly 3 года назад

      I Wish

  • @nandahafizah8263
    @nandahafizah8263 7 лет назад +2489

    i'm learning so much from this channel :)

    • @123guy5
      @123guy5 7 лет назад +12

      Nandahfz 101 all I learned from this fun channel is that the world is amazing

    • @nandahafizah8263
      @nandahafizah8263 7 лет назад +1

      123 guy yes, that is also true :)

    • @JamesEarle
      @JamesEarle 7 лет назад +15

      I'm happy you liked it (I wrote it) I have a bunch more videos like this on my personal channel (it's called AmorSciendi)

    • @juhotuho10
      @juhotuho10 7 лет назад +3

      from this video i have learned how retarded the art world really is

    • @ruoweilim7334
      @ruoweilim7334 7 лет назад +8

      can't be more retarded than the real world though

  • @fattony9227
    @fattony9227 Год назад +9

    I'm Dutch and Vermeer's "Girl with the Pearl Earring" is one of my absolute favourite paintings.

  • @bradleymayberry9060
    @bradleymayberry9060 2 года назад +4

    I saw this painting in San Francisco and it was breathtaking. No photograph, no matter how good, can bring out the beauty in this painting. If you have a chance see it. Well worth the price of admission.

    • @runrgrl35
      @runrgrl35 2 года назад

      I also had the privilege of seeing it in San Francisco. Completely agree with your comments.

  • @Komobear
    @Komobear 4 года назад +176

    She’s very beautiful, the first time I saw this painting I was stunned. And I’m no art critic or fanatic.

  • @TheKaziCo
    @TheKaziCo 7 лет назад +3181

    CUZ SHE AINT GOT NO EYEBROWS

    • @souravzzz
      @souravzzz 7 лет назад +159

      She had cancer you insensitive clod!

    • @kalevang4400
      @kalevang4400 7 лет назад +212

      This comment chain is a wreck

    • @boldanabrasevic3020
      @boldanabrasevic3020 7 лет назад +178

      Maybe she's just blond? You can clearly see the line of them though.

    • @diekje8728
      @diekje8728 7 лет назад +191

      Thin eyebrows were a sign of beauty in that time

    • @ujjainimukherjee2267
      @ujjainimukherjee2267 6 лет назад +30

      I love RUclips because of comments like these.... They make me smile even when I don't feel like facing the world...

  • @day6atemywallet78
    @day6atemywallet78 4 года назад +108

    “Is it looking towards you or away from you?
    Me: has another reason to stay up all night

  • @TheSeldamoo
    @TheSeldamoo 4 года назад +471

    Why couldn’t he have just painted a girl for the sake of painting a girl...?
    I am curious as in why we tend to think that everything has a meaning that is deep and mind blowing.

    • @niconathan6701
      @niconathan6701 4 года назад +13

      ok

    • @nickysantos3488
      @nickysantos3488 4 года назад +24

      People just make assumptions but it could also be in the books by the author himself.

    • @yohanna4266
      @yohanna4266 4 года назад +86

      An artwork can mean different things for different people- the painter could mean one thing but someone else might take it another way based on their own experiences and perspective. Good art is one that can be universally read (in my opinion anyway idk)

    • @sparkyy607
      @sparkyy607 4 года назад +3

      ikr 😂

    • @MsLuci1989
      @MsLuci1989 4 года назад +32

      Could have probably been that, but that’s the beauty of art isn’t it? The in-depth analyses.

  • @BooksRebound
    @BooksRebound 7 лет назад +874

    I don't understand how anyone think she's turning away??? Your eyes go what you're turning towards. If she was turning away then her eyes would be turning away too. Seems like common sense to me

    • @ReformedThe
      @ReformedThe 7 лет назад +6

      Matthew Bryan yes unless you want to be dizzy I don't understand their train of thought either.

    • @BlazeBluetm35
      @BlazeBluetm35 7 лет назад +188

      what if she's turning away while looking at you? You never did that?

    • @ReformedThe
      @ReformedThe 7 лет назад

      Blaze Rom that's rude, why would someone begin to say something while also turning away? Unless she doesn't want me to hear. Still a little dumb, but thought provoking so I can see where they're coming from with it being a masterpiece. Lol

    • @bored0886
      @bored0886 7 лет назад +21

      maybe bec she look uninterested,she just glance at you and walks away. i dunno i dont understand art

    • @bored0886
      @bored0886 7 лет назад +6

      i just looked closer and i think its the shoulder

  • @kuronosan
    @kuronosan 7 лет назад +1613

    Why is it a masterpiece?
    1. -Technical proficiency-
    2. -Relatively innovative-
    3. Some people with influence said it was good and thus it is so.

    • @dschonsie
      @dschonsie 7 лет назад +89

      i've absolutely no influence and it's a masterpiece

    • @kuronosan
      @kuronosan 7 лет назад +73

      I think you may have missed the point. There's plenty of works of art that are just as good that aren't considered masterpieces, the only difference being popularity (a masterpiece in the sense of being a pinnacle of human art, as opposed to a single artist's best work which maybe another interpretation of the term 'masterpiece' and most likely the original ).

    • @juhotuho10
      @juhotuho10 7 лет назад

      ***** "interesting and captivating" LOL

    • @kuronosan
      @kuronosan 7 лет назад +6

      I don't have any problem with it being called a masterpiece, this is just what I believe is the most honest answer to the title question.

    • @daringcow
      @daringcow 7 лет назад +27

      funny that i never thought art = because someone rich said so...his paintings captivated me from a very young age and this particular potrait is one of my personal favourites. his art speaks through ages, moves ppl from variety of backgrounds, imprints itself in their minds, inspires to think, to explore to learn... to me its art because it quite literally touches my soul. it influenced even silly things like choosing colours i wish to flow through my flat.. that shade of blue is just my favourite thing ever...not every painter or work of art does it.

  • @love-dk7ii
    @love-dk7ii 2 года назад +11

    This is when you put your mind, heart, soul together to form an art

  • @opwave79
    @opwave79 Год назад +4

    I was fortunate to see this masterpiece in person years ago and it was even more captivating.

  • @lilackan7227
    @lilackan7227 7 лет назад +40

    The background is actually dark green, it just faded over time

  • @GatzBcn
    @GatzBcn 7 лет назад +133

    I can't imagine how long this 4 minute video took to make. It is so well made I got lost in the image and had to replay to pay attention to words. Such attention to detail is wonderful and I greatly appreciate it.
    Congratulations on such a well done job.

  • @Zibonnn
    @Zibonnn 2 года назад +2

    Wow! That close-up shot of the pearl was... something I didn't see coming! Brilliant!

  • @ariagillette1309
    @ariagillette1309 3 года назад +5

    I remember seeing this picture on the wall of my preschool, idk why it was just so satisfying to look at it.

  • @TonyLewis42
    @TonyLewis42 7 лет назад +361

    Trips me out how much people can read into a simple painting. I wonder if the painter took all these complex issues into consideration when creating this or just simply painted it and it's us that make all of these crazy connections.

    • @FailOfKing
      @FailOfKing 7 лет назад +35

      Tony Lewis you realize weeks if not months went into some of these paintings... do you really think these artists did not put any thought into it??

    • @TonyLewis42
      @TonyLewis42 7 лет назад +24

      KINGFAIL yeah I imagine lots of thought goes into them. I still wonder if it's the type of thought they talked about in this video.

    • @HenkJanBakker
      @HenkJanBakker 7 лет назад +19

      Good point but it isn't about what the painter put in there consciously. First, this is his most famed painting. He did not set out to make this his best painting ever but there it is. Now why is it this famous? Exactly because people see in it what is described in the video.
      As a child of his time Vermeer could not help putting all of his culture in there and as his most famous painting it will be anallized to bits.

    • @eran5005
      @eran5005 7 лет назад

      Henk-Jan Bakker yeah, explain the pretentious artsy fartsy bullshit with even more pretentious artsy fartsy bullshit, just proving the OPs point.

    • @TonyLewis42
      @TonyLewis42 7 лет назад +1

      eran5005 hahaha okay that was funny.

  • @alonevera9622
    @alonevera9622 7 лет назад +86

    to me it was like you called her and she turned to look at you and waiting for her turn to speak. or she said something and you wont listen so she just smiled a bit and decided to turn away

  • @jamessgian7691
    @jamessgian7691 4 года назад +23

    She always looked like a young Shelley Duvall.
    Watching the documentary “Tim’s Vermeer” by Penn and Teller demonstrates fairly decisively just how Vermeer achieved the light effects in his paintings.

    • @windsofmarchjourneyperrytr2823
      @windsofmarchjourneyperrytr2823 4 года назад

      I think it's amazing you can use Vermeer's technique, the camera lucida, for FREE, as an app! Jmo.

    • @dianezedel5213
      @dianezedel5213 Год назад

      Shelley Duvall,besides Scarlett Johansson,could be perfect role of THIS model movie..👍👍👍

  • @jan208
    @jan208 2 года назад +1

    The magical light in her eyes are the finest brush strokes ever put to canvas.

  • @catherinestump3119
    @catherinestump3119 6 лет назад +58

    it warms my heart to see people still appreciating artists and their work. fascinating stuff

  • @AmorSciendi
    @AmorSciendi 7 лет назад +949

    If you like Art History content like this, I (the author of this video) do all sorts of art history content on my channel. Including another video on the Girl with the Pearl Earring.

  • @jonathanespinoza9328
    @jonathanespinoza9328 2 года назад +3

    Vermeer, in my opinion, is one of the greatest artists to ever live. His ability to paint light in the way he did is absolutely stunning.

  • @vangrun579
    @vangrun579 2 года назад +6

    It's presumed that it's Vermeer's 15 year old daughter. It was found in van Ruijven's inventory after he died. The painting is hauntingly beautiful. She makes direct eye contact with the viewer. I loved her immediately.

  • @deponensvogel7261
    @deponensvogel7261 4 года назад +86

    I always thought what was great about Vermeer is the photographic feel his paintings have.

  • @Socialmania1704
    @Socialmania1704 7 лет назад +244

    It seems so weird that when an old artist has a painting that seems so full and simple people admire it for being so open for interpretation and when a modern artist tries to use an audience's interpretive mind to their advantage, People call out the modern artists as being lazy and dumb because they do something that's too open for interpretation.

    • @Lewa500
      @Lewa500 5 лет назад +58

      Difference is that this here painting takes skill and craftsmanship to produce. A piece of dog poo on a pedestal does not.

    • @RekaCath
      @RekaCath 5 лет назад +19

      Ever heard of 'Who is afraid of Red, Yellow and Blue?' That's just laziness
      This painting actually was made with skill

    • @awe-inspiringrealities8700
      @awe-inspiringrealities8700 4 года назад +5

      @@Lewa500 hey, let's leave the dogs out of this. It's most likely the "modern artist's" poo. Anyway, i laughed at your comment so much that it is worth a like.

    • @stacybrenda9409
      @stacybrenda9409 4 года назад +4

      The old artists probably faced the same things too

    • @conniemcmurry9589
      @conniemcmurry9589 3 года назад

      Performing: People are funny, aren't they ??!!
      Keep creating, sweetie...do it for yourself, not the audience.
      As you can see from these comments, all kinds of people....all different interpretations.💕

  • @brendadrew834
    @brendadrew834 Год назад

    It's the lighting of course that the great Vermeer was famous for! To me it looks like she's looking directly at the artist as he was painting her, judging by the pupils of her eyes! Her mouth is slightly opened as if she were about to say something to him and one wonders what is on her mind and what she is going to say! Have always loved this iconic painting since I'm blue eyed, fair, have some Dutch ancestry on my paternal grandmother's side and am a professional artist, retired former NYC fashion illustrator/painter......thank you Ted Ed!💙🎨🖌🖼♥

  • @conniemcmurry9589
    @conniemcmurry9589 3 года назад +2

    I am touched and drawn to this painting, to stop whatever I am doing and just look at it. My eyes follow each part of this lovely representation...and I will alway believe, now, since I have seen the movie and read the book, that, yes, this IS a portrait of lovely, Griet ❤

  • @rosamundtang5942
    @rosamundtang5942 4 года назад +95

    A lot of people are talking about how the painting was "over analysed"
    As a learning musician I can totally understand this narrating, there's a reason why art is so difficult. Maybe for visuals it's slightly different, but for this era a lot of thought is put into art.

    • @AlexandraVioletta
      @AlexandraVioletta 2 года назад +1

      There is a video on yt called "why is modern art so bad" by PragerU. Look at it

  • @antonleimbach648
    @antonleimbach648 7 лет назад +100

    It's the eyes. Beautiful!

  • @Coquettekk
    @Coquettekk 8 часов назад

    One of my favorite paintings and on of the things that got me into art

  • @user-qv4zh6lg2k
    @user-qv4zh6lg2k Месяц назад

    I can’t stop looking at it. Another favorite painting of mine is Albrecht Durer 1500 portrait. Brilliant.

  • @drsdg1234
    @drsdg1234 7 лет назад +45

    I was at a restaurant, and I saw this painting amongst hundreds of different ones. It definitely stood out to me. Funny thing is, I saw it in the washroom mounted on the wall behind the toilet.. still very beautiful

  • @SecretBandito
    @SecretBandito 7 лет назад +355

    More of these art analysis videos please these are great!

    • @JamesEarle
      @JamesEarle 7 лет назад +21

      If you like these, I (the writer) have a channel filled with similar videos. It's called AmorSciendi

    • @vliegendegieter106
      @vliegendegieter106 7 лет назад +2

      This was a very good video! :) It felt like a short piece of my art history classes

    • @nyxfairy6538
      @nyxfairy6538 7 лет назад +1

      atomicbrett i see frank ocean

  • @ishitaagrawal1752
    @ishitaagrawal1752 3 года назад +3

    its as if she turned suddenly to see if someone called her name or not. just like how sometimes we fell that someone is calling us and we turn but we realize no one was calling us and we turn back around.

  • @PuffaJacket
    @PuffaJacket 3 года назад +2

    there was a copy of this. painting up on my bedroom wall as a child for a long time, so its almost refreshing to see the image of it, at least for me.

  • @naveennandhanan547
    @naveennandhanan547 5 лет назад +31

    I thought I had no taste for paintings and it would always be like that.....but this great artist's paintings are just so amazing and captivating that I hv changed my mind.....

  • @michelleshean5116
    @michelleshean5116 7 лет назад +161

    Has anyone read the book? It's clearly fiction but I always like to pretend that it's the true story behind the painting hehehehe

    • @frichickenishqua
      @frichickenishqua 6 лет назад +4

      Michelle Shean I'm reading it right now!!!!

    • @deliedell
      @deliedell 6 лет назад +6

      There's even a movie about this by Scarlett Johannson

    • @theresahall6197
      @theresahall6197 5 лет назад +10

      I read a book about the possible story. The girl was a maid for a painter and wife. Their love of color made a connection with each other. He wanted to do a painting of her and needed the earrings to make it more noticeable. The wife when the painting was almost finished caught them working on it. The girl leaves and marries the butcher. If anyone knows the name of the book I love to know? I haven't read this since high school.

    • @CrypTales007
      @CrypTales007 5 лет назад +3

      yes about 10 years ago, really good...since then I was captivated by this painting about which I had no idea before reading the book. And there is also a movie

    • @CrypTales007
      @CrypTales007 5 лет назад +8

      Girl With a Pearl Earring: ....by Tracy Chevalier

  • @Daysed.and.Konfuzed
    @Daysed.and.Konfuzed 3 года назад +25

    Saw in a documentary that the girl was identified
    as being Scarlett Johansson.
    Seemed legit.

  • @kimsherlock8969
    @kimsherlock8969 2 года назад +4

    A masterpiece is appreciated in the eyes understanding.
    To my eye seeing the painting in perspective of the frame showed me so much brilliance of this Artist.
    Yes the image appears to move with grace yet not move but give the impression of life.
    Incredible work in a cruel sadistic world they saw beauty and we still love it 😀 ❤

  • @camillachopinet3828
    @camillachopinet3828 7 лет назад +11

    I can't really believe that I managed to see that😍 Her gaze is so catching

  • @sirgerbilmacintosh9101
    @sirgerbilmacintosh9101 7 лет назад +389

    She's wonderful and i'm a gerbil.

  • @michaeltheophilus5260
    @michaeltheophilus5260 4 года назад +6

    I always loved to way vemeer made paint look so delicate. Where others made paint look heavy, Vermeer painted with light itself

  • @solarie.sirena
    @solarie.sirena 4 года назад +1

    I think the captivating quality of this painting comes from the mystery of this girl, with this elegant and graceful attire of a lady, yet the innocent gaze of a child. The simplicity of it, the absolute focus that is given to her, and particularly her eyes has created this feeling of getting a glimpse into her soul. Notice how much more attention has been given to her face, to allow this radiance to shine through - the clothes are in fewer brush strokes.Perhaps it is the simplicity of it, the absolute focus on her that has allowed her energy to shine through. And the eyes, oh the eyes they hold mysteries Mona Lisa could only dream of knowing 👀

  • @piyodsbl1900
    @piyodsbl1900 4 года назад +3

    She just looks so ethereal and quiet. It feels so calm and like she’s just about to warmly smile at you.

  • @rosier1135
    @rosier1135 4 года назад +7

    She heard a voice calling her name. A voice that comes from someone she deeply loves and adores.

  • @snailofkale
    @snailofkale 4 года назад +2

    She looks like she's either giving a surprised hello or a sorrowful goodbye

    • @kevin080592
      @kevin080592 4 года назад

      okay emo kid...i'll give you a like because I like pick up lines with a tinge of heartbreak in it #hugotpamore

  • @ArtHistorywithAlder
    @ArtHistorywithAlder 3 года назад +1

    Great video. The context and history surrounding art brings so much more meaning to each artwork, as was done beautifully in this video

  • @akshayagarwal129
    @akshayagarwal129 7 лет назад +391

    how someone could derive so much from just a painting

    • @klaussone
      @klaussone 7 лет назад +116

      In the same way wine experts do. You make it up and mix it with historical facts.. add a small amount of romanticism.... and cook for centuries.

    • @loremipsum7513
      @loremipsum7513 7 лет назад +1

      +kalussone muh skill cap

    • @loganbowlin9170
      @loganbowlin9170 7 лет назад +65

      Akshay Agarwal a picture says a thousand words

    • @akshayagarwal129
      @akshayagarwal129 7 лет назад +3

      klaussone hahahha well said man....... well said!

    • @TheDeathstriker123
      @TheDeathstriker123 7 лет назад +37

      Well by having an open mind to start with. I hope someday you experience what that's like

  • @rihannaun4197
    @rihannaun4197 5 лет назад +37

    “Hey can you look here a bit?”
    “Hm?”
    “Woah...❤️”

  • @pragatisingh2884
    @pragatisingh2884 4 года назад

    Completed this book yesterday. Loved it❤️

  • @ugomuin9684
    @ugomuin9684 Год назад

    Thank you for this brief and yet insightful reflection of this work.

  • @margaritam.9118
    @margaritam.9118 6 лет назад +147

    Unlike Mona Lisa, Girl With A Pearl Earring is beautiful and not just famous for being famous.

    • @juhi4
      @juhi4 Год назад +2

      True!

  • @ihopeatrainrunsmeover3351
    @ihopeatrainrunsmeover3351 5 лет назад +51

    *I see her looking at me not turning her back*

    • @333pinkelephant333
      @333pinkelephant333 4 года назад +6

      To me, it seems like she's holding her gaze on me one last moment before she fully turns her back.

  • @bautistakeithcharles3302
    @bautistakeithcharles3302 4 года назад +1

    The level of detail of the girl reading a letter by the windo is stunning

  • @annedwyer797
    @annedwyer797 4 года назад +12

    Most interesting! I love Vermeer, and I especially love this painting (I have a small print of it in my living room). The color, the light, the young girl's expression and the capture of the moment of intimacy make it wonderful. I agree with an earlier comment that this is a superior painting than the Mona Lisa, which I don't have much emotional reaction to when I see it (though Da Vinci is a master!).

  • @roosvervelde3180
    @roosvervelde3180 7 лет назад +22

    If you ever visit the Netherlands, you definitely have to visit all the art museums you can. They are all so great :D Also, Holland is bigger than just Amsterdam! Visit the Hague for instance, and there are a lot of other cute little villages as well! xx

    • @brittgroenewegen654
      @brittgroenewegen654 6 лет назад +2

      Roos Vervelde cute villages😂😂 geweldig gewoon, maar je hebt wel gelijk, je ziet die I love Amsterdam spullen echt overal maar een I love Den Haag tas kom je hier niet tegen

  • @casinomann
    @casinomann 7 лет назад +25

    Can a brother get a 24 hour loop of that intro music?

  • @nicholasschroeder3678
    @nicholasschroeder3678 2 года назад +1

    She's a great combination of lovely innocence with a hint of maybe not so innocent. So it's intriguing.

  • @ForteExpresso
    @ForteExpresso 4 года назад

    The most casual works of an artist always turns out to be his/her best one

  • @andreafortuin581
    @andreafortuin581 7 лет назад +145

    when the Dutch are mentioned, 90% of the internet turns Dutch

    • @Crick1952
      @Crick1952 7 лет назад +4

      Andrea Arr Productions Vooral schrijven we in het Engels maar we zijn trots op onze cultuur en geschidennis ook 😌

    • @cyberinsomnia3573
      @cyberinsomnia3573 7 лет назад

      are u a Dutch and a cricket fan?

    • @brittgroenewegen654
      @brittgroenewegen654 6 лет назад

      I already am, but why would they all turn Dutch?

    • @Widdekuu91
      @Widdekuu91 5 лет назад +7

      @@brittgroenewegen654
      What she means is..we suddenly start commenting that we are Dutch.
      We already make up a large portion of the internet and we just stop speaking English when Dutch gets mentioned and reveal our Dutchness.

    • @maggot_4_life
      @maggot_4_life 5 лет назад +2

      Dutch....
      Van der Linde hA GoT eM

  • @niboe1312
    @niboe1312 7 лет назад +257

    Does anybody paint like this nowadays?

    • @redj1101
      @redj1101 7 лет назад +21

      Yes ??

    • @niboe1312
      @niboe1312 7 лет назад

      J Dornier Who ??

    • @spodermen7266
      @spodermen7266 7 лет назад +5

      No videos here Artists in general.

    • @niboe1312
      @niboe1312 7 лет назад +8

      Spodermen Why don't any of their paintings get famous nowadays?

    • @redj1101
      @redj1101 7 лет назад +77

      No videos here Different reasons. For one, it has become much easier for people to acquire artistic skills, and much, much easier for artists to share their art. There are so many talented artists out there that it takes someone TRULY remarkable to make waves outside of artistic circles. And while beautiful, this style of art has been around for a very long time, so it's not anything new. Artists become famous by bringing novel ideas and techniques to the world of art, by making viewers think, not necessarily by mastering a style that's already been around for centuries.

  • @somegirlfromgermany7659
    @somegirlfromgermany7659 4 года назад +6

    I. Love. Art.
    this is such an interesting short document. It's so enlightening and informative! And a wonderful analysis of the painting!

  • @peepinR
    @peepinR 2 года назад +1

    I've seen this painting in person. The first thing that struck me was the vividness of the blue. Almost like you could touch it. Also the painting isn't very big physically. It's a beautiful portrait and I prefer it over the Mona Lisa. Though I admit I haven't seen that in person.

  • @JamesBradlee1
    @JamesBradlee1 7 лет назад +2609

    She kinda looks a bit like lady gaga

    • @lorenboy9608
      @lorenboy9608 7 лет назад +31

      James Bradlee this is real not all fake like lady gaga

    • @lucasmarques5645
      @lucasmarques5645 7 лет назад +45

      don't be a hater dear

    • @p..._...p6437
      @p..._...p6437 7 лет назад +14

      James Bradlee Oh my god, that's all I see now.

    • @angelmints
      @angelmints 7 лет назад +21

      I've ALWAYS thought that!

    • @MonsterGagaLee
      @MonsterGagaLee 7 лет назад +6

      James Bradlee omg I thought I was the only one who thought so! She looks just like Gaga!

  • @Oliwolf78
    @Oliwolf78 7 лет назад +203

    I have this painting hanging in my stairway.

    • @noemirios7902
      @noemirios7902 7 лет назад +14

      GrumpyGibbon
      I painted this as my final for art.

    • @hellothere4485
      @hellothere4485 7 лет назад +4

      +Noemi Rios wow what did you get

    • @noemirios7902
      @noemirios7902 7 лет назад +34

      A hundred I was the only one who actualy did the assignment correctly.
      I also used my own supplies, painted in sweat blood and oils.

    • @hellothere4485
      @hellothere4485 7 лет назад +2

      +Noemi Rios Awesome!

    • @noemirios7902
      @noemirios7902 7 лет назад +14

      Thanks!
      *gives some candy*🍫🍫🍫🍬🍬🍬🍭🍭🍭

  • @harzelslake2414
    @harzelslake2414 4 года назад

    I just painted this yesterday then I found this video. Love it.

  • @thaliagrace6631
    @thaliagrace6631 2 года назад +3

    Its a masterpiece that demands your attention and then leaves absolute mystery behind it which adds to its beauty.

  • @SingSongThePegasus
    @SingSongThePegasus 7 лет назад +3

    We literally just learned about this in my AP Euro class!!! Also now that you pointed out the earring I can't not see it!

  • @ggeiser3
    @ggeiser3 5 лет назад +5

    Is she looking back? Is she saying goodbye? Is she startled and just looking? Nobody knows any of this. Nobody even knows who she was who posed for this masterpiece. Here is what I know/believe: This is the finest work of art produced ever! And that, friends, is what Vermeer wanted!

  • @Alam_Khan521
    @Alam_Khan521 Год назад +3

    Another reason the girl in the pearl earring is timeless is that , even in modern times almost no one really poses for a photo like this. It feels like you're present in the moment . She is looking at you trying to say something. And you just fell in love with her. you can't see anything but her.

  • @frame0freference
    @frame0freference 3 года назад +1

    The girl has a subtle aura that holds the attention of the viewer. Simple yet spectacular. And in a way that is the most difficult thing to achieve.