Culturally english filmmaking since the 1990s, author andrew higson notes that the film overcomes the novels subjective narration device by having the camera. Girl with a pearl earring summary and study guide supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides for challenging works of literature. Girl with a pearl earring study guides and book summaries. The elegant prose evokes contemplation, the pace is slow and cumulative the drama emotional rather than visceral. Chevalier presents a fictional account of vermeer, the model and the painting. Girl with a pearl earring is an engaging fictionalization. Sixteen year old griet, who would eventually be vermeers inspiration for his masterwork, girl with a pearl earring, is living with her family in the dutch city of delft. The new york times bestselling novel by the author of a single thread and at the edge of the orchard. It is about things not said, opportunities not taken, potentials not realized, lips unkissed. Girl with a pearl earring by tracy chevalier book club. Scarlett johansson stars as griet, a young 17thcentury servant in the household of the dutch painter johannes vermeer played by colin firth at the time he painted girl with a pearl. The painting shows a young woman regarding us over. Girl with a pearl earring, is set in the year 1664, when dutch painter, johannes vermeer is wellknown, but had hit an artistic roadblock.
Dec, 2018 buy girl with a pearl earring 01 by chevalier, tracy isbn. The book is based on real life painting girl with a pearl earring which influenced the books setting. This leads art historians to believe that vermeer intended to produce a tronie rather than a portrait. Once again, tracy chevalier finds inspiration in an unsung. Making up a history for vermeers girl with a pearl earring vermeers famous girl with a pearl earring has returned to the united states for the first time since 1995. The gorgeously filmed girl with a pearl earring is a commentary on artistic imperatives, the creative process, and the way we look at things. The meaning of the girl with a pearl earring the final but most noticeable feature of this picture is the girl s enormous, tearshaped pearl earring. Chevaliers imagining of vermeer and his world, and griet, the maid who becomes the girl with a pearl earring, has actually become my understanding of the painter and the painting. Sep 17, 2019 tracy chevalier is drawn to the beauty of historical places, so its no surprise that the author of the bestselling 1999 novel girl with a pearl earring has made winchester cathedral the. Girl with a pearl earring is an amazing work of art, bringing to life an era that i know little about but now want to know better. Delft was a town full of noise and chatter when greit lived there. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Girl with a pearl earring is a fictional account of how jan vermeer may have conceived and painted his bestknown and loved work of the same name.
The girl with a pearl earring study guide contains a biography of tracy chevalier, 100 quiz questions, a glossary, major themes, a list of characters, and a full summary and analysis. What are the advantages and disadvantages of films compared to novels with reference to girl with a pearl earring. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading girl with a pearl earring, the. The novel centers on griet, the protestant daughter. May 01, 2020 for one, the dutch artist evidently spared no expense in bringing girl with a pearl earring to life.
Feb 01, 20 making up a history for vermeers girl with a pearl earring vermeers famous girl with a pearl earring has returned to the united states for the first time since 1995. Sep 18, 2018 vermeer painted girl with a pearl earring around 1665. Set in 17thcentury delft, holland, the novel was inspired by local painter johannes vermeers girl with a pearl earring. Fittingly, chevaliers writing style adopts a painterly approach. Girl with a pearl earring tracy chevalier, 2000 penguin group usa 240 pp. See all 14 formats and editions hide other formats and editions. Mar 15, 2001 girl with a pearl earring tells the story of griet, a 16yearold dutch girl, who becomes a maid in the house of the painter johannes vermeer. Clearly, one of the central themes of this excellent. Girl with a pearl earring quotes by tracy chevalier.
Griets family is destitute, and now she must work as a maid in the vermeer household, cleaning up the famous painters workstation. This study guide consists of approximately 44 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of girl with a pearl earring. Girl with a pearl earring is the story of 16yearold griet, whose life is transformed by her brief encounter with genius, even as she herself is immortalized in canvas and oil. A tronie was a study of a head designed to represent a particular figure type and the girl in this painting represents an exotic, oriental female. The entire section contains 3 answers and 660 words. It was interesting to suppose what might be the story behind both the artist and the subject of the girl with a pearl earring. Dec 28, 2003 on the eve of its cinema release, tracy chevalier describes how she felt as she saw her bestselling novel girl with a pearl earring being transferred to the screen sun 28 dec 2003 17. This 39page guide for girl with a pearl earrings by tracy chevalier includes detailed chapter summaries and analysis covering 4 parts, as well as several. This film, adapted from a work of fiction by author tracy chevalier, tells a story about the events surrounding the creation of the painting girl with a pearl earring by 17th century dutch master. Find books like girl with a pearl earring from the worlds largest community of readers.
It is one of just 35 paintings attributed to the painter, who saw moderate success during his lifetime. In fact, the origin of the word baroque actually means a pearl of irregular form. Girl with a pearl earring time and place the setting. For one, the dutch artist evidently spared no expense in bringing girl with a pearl earring to life. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. The work has been in the collection of the mauritshuis in the hague. Reading guide for girl with a pearl earring by tracy chevalier. The novel opens with vermeer and his disheveled wife, catharina, visiting griets family to have a look at the girl they hope to hire. The protagonist of tracy chevaliers novel girl with a pearl earring is a sixteenyearold girl the one mentioned in the title, of course, so the story was presumably written with a young adult.
It did at times feel a little slow, but that was okay by me. The screenplay was adapted by screenwriter olivia hetreed, based on the 1999 novel of the same name by tracy chevalier. He slowly draws her into the world of his paintings and ultimately has her sit for him as a model. However, it did not attain international fame at its time of completion. Girl with a pearl earring is a 1999 historical novel written by tracy chevalier. Making up a history for vermeers girl with a pearl. Chevalier transports readers to a bygone time and place in this richly imagined portrait of the young woman who inspired one of vermeers most celebrated paintings. Griet was the daughter of a protestant delft tile painter. It is hard not to like this good and obedient protagonist, for she struggles with universal yearnings such as love and an escape from poverty. Set in 17th century delft, holland, the novel was inspired by delft school painter johannes vermeers painting girl with a pearl earring.
Who is vermeers anonymous girl with a pearl earring. Girl with a pearl earring is a quiet movie, shaken from time to time by ripples of emotional turbulence far beneath the surface. Girl with a pearl earring depicts life in 17th century delft, a small dutch city. Read free book excerpt from girl with a pearl earring by tracy chevalier, page 1 of 1. All of these elements are guessed at by the filmmakers as they regard a painting made in about 1665 by johannes vermeer. She wears a blue and gold turban, the titular pearl earring, and a gold jacket with a visible white collar beneath. Clearly, one of the central themes of this excellent novel is the way in which characters are. The novel centers on griet, the protestant daughter of a delft tile painter who lost his sight in a kiln accident.
Girl with a pearl earring by tracy chevalier is a sharp, sensitive and absorbing novel of 17th century netherlands, combining history art and fiction. Girl with a pearl earring major character analysis supersummary. Girl with a pearl earring tracks the coming of age of a teenage girl, griet, given as a servant to the family of famous painter, vermeer. Going by various names over the centuries, it became known by its present title towards the end of the 20th century after the large pearl earring worn by the girl portrayed there. Streets are named, journeys to the market revealed and the sights and sounds along the way beautifully rendered in words. With scarlett johansson, colin firth, tom wilkinson, judy parfitt. Her calm and perceptive manner not only helps her in her household duties, but also attracts vermeers attention. Making up a history for vermeers girl with a pearl earring. This film, adapted from a work of fiction by author tracy chevalier, tells a story about the events surrounding the creation of the painting girl with a pearl earring by 17th century dutch master johannes vermeer.
The girl with a pearl earring represents the ideals of good art in the baroque time period. Listen to girl with a pearl earring by tracy chevalier at. This is one of the most evocative and atmospheric novels you can read. Girl with a pearl earring, sager eidt says, shifts its focus from a young girl s evolving consciousness to the class and power relations in the story. Vermeer painted girl with a pearl earring around 1665. Tracy chevalier on the filming of girl with a pearl earring. In her novel girl with a pearl earring, tracey chevalier, explores many thematic concerns in relation to women, in the iboos. The film has scarlett johansson and her uncanny resemblance to the woman in the painting to its benefit, and is beautifully shot so that the film itself in many ways can be compared to a masterful. Content includes books from bestselling, midlist and debut authors. Girl with a pearl earring tells the story behind the advent of this famous painting, all the while depicting life in 17th century delft, a small dutch city with a burgeoning art community.
Girl with a pearl earring tells the story of griet, a 16yearold dutch girl, who becomes a maid in the house of the painter johannes vermeer. Johannsons face is as complex and haunting as the portrait of the anonymous girl she portrays. Chevalier presents a fictional account of vermeer, the model, and the painting. The movie superbly captures the shadows and lights of vermeers delft. Girl with a pearl earring is a thoroughly engaging novel that follows the lifechanging experiences of quiet griet over the two years she serves the delft painter, johannes vermeer. A similar item of jewellery can be seen in a woman brought a letter by a maid aka lady with her maidservant c. Its a thought provoking story, not meant to be rushed, anyway. Buy girl with a pearl earring 01 by chevalier, tracy isbn. Goodreads members who liked girl with a pearl earring also liked. Girl with a pearl earring summary and study guide supersummary. A young peasant maid working in the house of painter johannes vermeer becomes his talented assistant and the model for one of his most famous works. The remarkable author tracey chevalier fleshes out and embellishes the story who the. Girl with a pearl earring by tracy chevalier, paperback.
Girl with a pearl earring, tracy chevalier girl with a pearl earring is a 1999 historical novel written by tracy chevalier. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Travel booktrail style to delft via girl with the pearl earring. The novel revolving around the painting vermeer created of the girl with a pearl earring, the entire plot builds up to the modeling and painting of griet, the maidservant become an artists canvas subject. New details in vermeers girl with a pearl earring mental. Tracy chevalier transports readers to a bygone time and place in this richlyimagined portrait of the young woman who. A site dedicated to book lovers providing a forum to discover and share commentary about the books and authors they enjoy. Girl with a pearl earring represents a young woman in a dark shallow space, an intimate setting that draws the viewers attention exclusively on her. Sep 18, 2011 girl with a pearl earring depicts life in 17th century delft, a small dutch city. Girl with a pearl earring croatian paperback january 1, 2002 by tracy chevalier author 3. At the time girl with a pearl earring was created, dutch girls did not generally wear turbans. On the eve of its cinema release, tracy chevalier describes how she felt as she saw her bestselling novel girl with a pearl earring being transferred to the screen sun 28 dec 2003 17. Looking at the painting after having read the novel.
Girl with a pearl earring is a 2003 drama film directed by peter webber. The book trail girl with a pearl earring the book trail. Along with another genre painting titled the milkmaid, girl with a pearl earring is vermeers most wellknown work of art. Baroque artists tried to capture the spiritpersonality of the individuals painted and vermeer accomplished that endeavor quite well. Sep 10, 2000 girl with a pearl earring is an amazing work of art, bringing to life an era that i know little about but now want to know better. Girl with a pearl earring major character analysis griet as the narrator and subject of this bildungsroman, griet is the central character of this book and the only one whose mind we have access to as readers. The girl with a pearl earring is the story of griet, a sixteenyear old girl who is hired by the famous painter, vermeer, to clean his studio. This was a very enjoyable story about a fascinating painting. One theme of girl with a pearl earring is the move from innocence to experience.
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