Review. Girl with a pearl earring
Girl with a pearl earring is a novel written by Tracy Chevalier in 1999.
The inspiration came to her after hugging the poster of the famous Vermeer’s picture
for sixteen years wherever she lived. The book shows the oppressive atmosphere
of a catholic family over a protestant sixteen-year-old girl who became their
maid after her father, who was a respected artisan, is blinded. The duties of
Griet, the young girl, involve not only the household chores, but cleaning the
master’s studio. The relationship between the painter and the girl rouses the jealous
and envy of the master’s wife Catharina, who is not allowed to enter in the
studio. The moments more fascinating are
when Vermeer is painting Griet, at this moment, we can perceive her nervousness
and contradictory emotions to the master who has asked her for to wear his wife’s
pearl earrings for the painting.
The author shows the life in 17th century in Delft, where
Chevalier spent several days in order to gather information. The characters are
well-developed and apart from Griet and Vermeer, it should be pointed out Catharina
Vermeer, his wife; Maria Thins, Vermeer’s mother-in-law; Tanneke, Vermeer’s
household servant who shows Griet through her duties and finally, Pieter, butcher’son
who is in love with Griet.
In my opinion, the novel is a charming and involving story that I strongly
recommend reading as well as if you have the opportunity, visit the painting referred
to as “the Mona Lisa of the North” which is kept in the Mauritshuis gallery in
The Hague.
Lourdes Fernández Casas
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