Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier (2001, Paperback, Reissue)

Synopsis
Tracy Chevalier uses one of the greatest masterpieces in art history as the starting point for this ethereal novel, which conjures an unrequited love between Johannes Vermeer and Griet, his teenage maid. Millions have marveled at Vermeer's painting "Girl with a Pearl Earring," but no one knows the identity of the subject or why the style is so different from conventional portraits of the time. In Chevalier's rendering, each nuance of the work becomes further evidence of the unspoken passion between the genius painter, who remained unrecognized in his lifetime, and the girl who methodically cleaned his studio, under strict instruction to that everything must be placed back exactly as it was. As Griet becomes more and more involved in the life of her master, they form a unique kinship which takes them each beyond the dutiful love they feel towards their respective families. Chevalier supplements her riveting tale of impossible love by revealing the grueling processes hidden behind the pristine canvasses of 17th-century Dutch art.

Key Details
Author:	Tracy Chevalier
Language:	English
Publisher:	Plume
Format:	Paperback
ISBN-10:	0452282152
ISBN-13:	9780452282155

Additional Details
Edition Description:	Reissue

Size
Length:	233 pages
Thickness:	0.5 in
Weight:	8 oz

Publisher's Note
A poor seventeenth-century servant girl knows her place in the household of the painter Johannes Vermeer, but when he begins to paint her, nasty whispers and rumors circulate throughout the town

A poor seventeenth-century servant girl knows her place in the household of the painter Johannes Vermeer, but when he begins to paint her, nasty whispers and rumors circulate throughout the town. Reprint.

Industry Reviews
"Chevalier's exploration into the soul of this complex but naive young woman is moving, and her depiction of 17th-century Delft is marvelously evocative."
(01/23/2000)

"Tracy Chevalier has written a vibrant, sumptuous novel....Ms. Chevalier doesn't put a foot wrong in this triumphant work....It is a beautifully written tale that mirrors the elegance of the painting that inspired it."
(01/14/2000)

"[A]n engaging fictionalization....Fittingly, Chevalier's writing style adopts a painterly approach: The elegant prose evokes contemplation, the pace is slow and cumulative, the drama emotional rather than visceral. In other words, the world Chevalier so vividly captures is a far cry from the whirl and white noise of our own....Looking at the painting after having read the novel, the reader thinks, Yes, Chevalier got it right--that was the story hidden behind those eyes, silent for centuries."
(01/02/2000)

"[A] delicately perceptive little novel....Chevalier draws the reader into the world of the painting, into the mood of the masterpiece she explores: moving, mysterious, at times almost unbearably poignant. Sometimes it seems so strong the reader can almost sense it, feel it breathing all around."
(09/18/1999)

"This is a wonderful novel, mysterious, steeped in atmosphere and yet firmly rooted in the drudgery and denial of a servant's life. It is deeply revealing about the process of painting and is best read with a volume of Vermeer's paintings open beside you - it then becomes a truly magical experience."
(08/07/1999)