[Scriptoris] girl with pearl earring

[nweders at mail.utexas.edu]

Girl with a pearl earring is actually set past our period, though I really 
enjoyed it and I really enjoyed the whole concept.  The book is quite good 
as well.

I do know that this fall PBS will be coming out with a miniseries about 
Henry VIII which looks to be excellent.  I saw the fall previews for it and 
it contains a stellar cast with excellent costuming and such.

If I can track it down there is a very good web site on Vermeer that 
discusses the types of artwork he was known for and the fact that his work 
was largely unappreciated until the 20th century.  It was mostly owned by 
one individual.  Of course they are also finding hidden ones by him as well 
as forgeries.  Dutch genre painting is good for finding details of work and 
day to day things that won't have changed all that much from the 16th 
century.  THe painting itself "Girl with a Pearl Earring" wasn't always 
called that.... it was also called "Head of a Young Girl" or "Young girl 
with Turban".

One thing I would like to say in defense of the Vermeer family that was 
portrayed inaccurately in the movie.  Vermeer and his wife were quite close 
and didn't have the difficulties that was pictured in it.  They were very 
poor however, and he spent a considerable amount of time painting things to 
suit his patron.  They do not know who sat for the portrait but there is a 
style of painting exotics, that picture somewhat falls under but the name 
escapes me off the top of my head..

I say that and it sounds like I didn't but I thought the movie was 
extremely good and very lovely.

Regards,

Clare