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Girl with a Pearl Earring (novel)
Encyclopedia
Girl with a Pearl Earring is a 1999 historical novel
written by Tracy Chevalier
. Set in 17th century Delft
, Holland, the novel was inspired by Delft school
painter Johannes Vermeer
's painting Girl with a Pearl Earring
. Chevalier presents a fictional account of Vermeer, the model, and the painting. The novel was adapted into a 2003 film of the same name
and a 2008 play of the same name
.
Girl with a Pearl Earring
. She bought the poster as a nineteen-year-old, and it hung wherever she lived for sixteen years. Chevalier notes that the "ambiguous look" on the girl's face left the "most lasting impression" on her. She describes the girl's expression "to be a mass of contradictions: innocent yet experienced, joyous yet tearful, full of longing and yet full of loss." She began to think that the girl had directed all these emotions at the painter, and began to think of the "story behind that look".
Chevalier's research included reading the history of the period, studying the paintings of Vermeer and his peers, and spending several days in Delft. Pregnant at the time of researching and writing, she finished the work in eight months, because, as she admitted, she had a "biological deadline".
magazine critic Sheppard writes, Chevalier presents "an exquisitely controlled exercise that illustrates how temptation is restrained for the sake of art".
Richard Eder of The New York Times described the work as a "brainy novel whose passion is ideas", and the prepublication review in Time notes the fullness of the characters. Atlantic Monthly praised Chevalier's effort "in creating the feel of a society with sharp divisions in status and creed", in describing Protestant Griet joining the household of the Catholic Vermeers.
Historical fiction
Historical fiction tells a story that is set in the past. That setting is usually real and drawn from history, and often contains actual historical persons, but the principal characters tend to be fictional...
written by Tracy Chevalier
Tracy Chevalier
Tracy Chevalier is a bestselling historical novelist. She lives in London with her husband and son.Chevalier was raised in Washington, D.C and graduated from Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School in Bethesda, Maryland. After receiving her B.A...
. Set in 17th century Delft
Delft
Delft is a city and municipality in the province of South Holland , the Netherlands. It is located between Rotterdam and The Hague....
, Holland, the novel was inspired by Delft school
Delft School (painting)
The Delft School is a category of mid-17th century Dutch Golden Age painting named after its main base, Delft. It is best known for genre painting: images of domestic life, views of households, church interiors, courtyards, squares and the streets of that city...
painter Johannes Vermeer
Johannes Vermeer
Johannes, Jan or Johan Vermeer was a Dutch painter who specialized in exquisite, domestic interior scenes of middle class life. Vermeer was a moderately successful provincial genre painter in his lifetime...
's painting Girl with a Pearl Earring
Girl with a Pearl Earring
Girl with a Pearl Earring is a painting by Johannes Vermeer.Girl With a Pearl Earring may also refer to:* Girl with a Pearl Earring , by Tracy Chevalier* Girl with a Pearl Earring...
. Chevalier presents a fictional account of Vermeer, the model, and the painting. The novel was adapted into a 2003 film of the same name
Girl with a Pearl Earring (film)
Girl with a Pearl Earring is a 2003 drama film directed by Peter Webber. The screenplay was adapted by screenwriter Olivia Hetreed based on the novel by Tracy Chevalier. The film stars Scarlett Johansson, Colin Firth, Tom Wilkinson, and Cillian Murphy. The film is named after a painting of the same...
and a 2008 play of the same name
Girl with a Pearl Earring (play)
Girl with a Pearl Earring is a 2008 play. Adapted from the novel of the same title by Tracy Chevalier, it premiered at the Cambridge Arts Theatre. It then received its London premiere at the Theatre Royal Haymarket on 29 September 2008, directed by Joe Dowling and designed by Peter Mumford...
.
Background
Tracy Chevalier's inspiration for Girl with a Pearl Earring was a poster of Johannes Vermeer'sJohannes Vermeer
Johannes, Jan or Johan Vermeer was a Dutch painter who specialized in exquisite, domestic interior scenes of middle class life. Vermeer was a moderately successful provincial genre painter in his lifetime...
Girl with a Pearl Earring
Girl with a Pearl Earring
Girl with a Pearl Earring is a painting by Johannes Vermeer.Girl With a Pearl Earring may also refer to:* Girl with a Pearl Earring , by Tracy Chevalier* Girl with a Pearl Earring...
. She bought the poster as a nineteen-year-old, and it hung wherever she lived for sixteen years. Chevalier notes that the "ambiguous look" on the girl's face left the "most lasting impression" on her. She describes the girl's expression "to be a mass of contradictions: innocent yet experienced, joyous yet tearful, full of longing and yet full of loss." She began to think that the girl had directed all these emotions at the painter, and began to think of the "story behind that look".
Chevalier's research included reading the history of the period, studying the paintings of Vermeer and his peers, and spending several days in Delft. Pregnant at the time of researching and writing, she finished the work in eight months, because, as she admitted, she had a "biological deadline".
Characters
- Griet, a sixteen-year old girl working as a servant in the Vermeer household, is the protagonist and narrator in the novel. Chevalier describes her as intelligent and perceptive, and that "she had an aesthetic eye that simply needed encouragement in order to flourish."
- Johannes Vermeer, a Dutch painter and Griet's master. Chevalier noted she was "reluctant to flesh him out", and that she wanted to keep him mysterious since very little is known about his personality historically.
- Catharina Vermeer, Johannes Vermeer's wife. Chevalier stated that it was easy for her to imagine Catharina's character since she herself was pregnant when she wrote the book; is very jealous of Griet because Griet is the first and only to help Johannes Vermeer.
- Maria Thins, Vermeer's mother-in-law, who is cordial toward Griet.
- Tanneke, the Vermeers' other older household servant who initially guides Griet through her duties.
- Maertge, Vermeer's eldest daughter who befriends Griet.
- Cornelia, the Vermeer's third daughter who antagonizes Griet throughout her stay.
- Pieter, the butcher's son who is in love with Griet
- Agnes, Griet's 10-year-old sister who dies of the plague.
- Van Ruijven, a patron of Vermeer who molests maids. His eye is caught by Griet, and he requests a portrait of her.
Themes
Rather than writing a story of Vermeer having an illicit relationship with the household maid, Chevalier builds tension in the work with the depiction of their restraint. As TimeTime (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
magazine critic Sheppard writes, Chevalier presents "an exquisitely controlled exercise that illustrates how temptation is restrained for the sake of art".
Reception
Published in the United States in January 2000, the book became a New York Times bestseller, and went on to sell over two million copies in thirty-six languages. In 2001 Plume Press released the paperback edition with an initial print-run of 120,000 copies; a year later the book had been reprinted 18 times with close to 2 million copies sold.Richard Eder of The New York Times described the work as a "brainy novel whose passion is ideas", and the prepublication review in Time notes the fullness of the characters. Atlantic Monthly praised Chevalier's effort "in creating the feel of a society with sharp divisions in status and creed", in describing Protestant Griet joining the household of the Catholic Vermeers.
Editions
- 1999: HarperCollins, First UK edition. ISBN 0-002-25890-0
- 2000: Dutton. First US edition. ISBN 0-525-94527-X
- 2000: HarperCollins. First UK trade paperback edition. ISBN 0-006-51320-4
- 2001: Plume Press. US paperback edition. ISBN 0-452-28215-2
- 2003: HarperCollins. UK paperback film tie-in edition. ISBN 0-007-17282-6
- 2005: HarperCollins. UK special edition with full colour plates, published in celebration of one million copies sold. ISBN 0-007-21800-1
External links
- Tracy Chevalier discusses Girl with a Pearl Earring on the BBC World Book ClubWorld Book ClubWorld Book Club is a radio programme on the BBC World Service. Each edition of the programme, which is broadcast on the first Saturday of the month with repeats into the following Monday, features a famous author discussing one of his or her books, often the most well-known one, with the public...