Woman With the Pearl Necklace*
by Vermeer 1664 - 1665
Woman With the Pearl Necklace*
by Vermeer 1664 - 1665
No pessimist ever discovered the secret of the stars,
or sailed to an uncharted land,
or opened a new doorway for the human spirit.
~ Helen Keller
All that we love deeply ... becomes
a part of us.
~ Helen Keller
Only the mediocre
are always at their best.
~ Jean Giraudoux
Any fool can criticize, condemn,
and complain - and most fools do.
~ Dale Carnegie
* The second painting of Vermeer's mentioned in The Girl With a Pearl Earring!
The unidentified woman in the painting holds her pearl necklace staring into a mirror. It is sometimes assumed that this painting symbolizes pride, truth and self-knowledge. One of the reasons this painting remains interesting is that it has multiple interpretations.
Vermeer provides no explicit commentary about how one should interpret the scene, one of the reasons this work is so endlessly intriguing. Nevertheless, the figure's dignified pose and the flow of light flooding the room do encourage a positive interpretation of the image. Indeed, through these means, as well as through the woman's serene expression, Vermeer infuses the painting with a sense of spiritual purity.