> In the 17th century, which Dutch artist created the painting Girl with a PearlEarring?And the answer: Johannes Vermeer. Photo credit: Ian Dagnall/Alamy.While many artists create hundreds of paintingsin their lifetimes, Vermeer only created 36, most of which depict women in dailylife. For centuries, Girl with a Pearl Earring has captivated observers, as thepainting focuses on a girl wearing a turban, looking over her left shoulder,with a pearl earring dangling from her ear.Often referred to as the "Mona Lisa of the North," Girl with a Pearl Earring hasthe allure and subtlety that is characteristic of Vermeer's work. However, italso stands apart. Often, in his pieces, Vermeer gives us a sense of intimacywhile maintaining a sense of distance. A girl reading a letter, a portraitartist at work, and a piano lesson are all narrative scenes depicted by Vermeer– each seemingly moments captured in time, yet those which we, the viewer, arenot a part. Vermeer demonstrates a command of perspective and balance in his works through atechnique known as foreshortening, which gives the illusion of distance throughthe physical manipulation of objects in space. As such, Vermeer's manipulationleads to subtle discrepancies in favor of creating an overall effect. Forexample, in one painting, Vermeer omits the leg of an easel altogether tomaintain visual symmetry. The absence of these elements brings Girl with a Pearl Earring to life. In thiswork, the entire background is obscured in darkness. Instead of a set piece in ascene, she stands alone, open mouthed, perhaps opening her mouth to speak. Inthis piece, the qualities that are suggested, rather than described, create theillusion of a slippery reality: is she turning away from us? How should we readher look? The bold, visibility of the brushstrokes forces the viewer to reckonwith her artifice: Vermeer is an illusionist. Learn more about this masterpiece below.