New scans of Girl with a Pearl Earring reveal painting's hidden secrets

Using the latest imaging technology, including a new 108-billion-pixel scan by 3D digital microscopy company Hirox, researchers were able to better understand what this work may have looked like when Vermeer first painted it around 1665.
Originally published on June 16th, 2023.
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[@Averyr91]

So glad I’m not the only one whose super expensive brushes STILL shed into my paintings

[@Pirates.27]

I think that is a universal artist experience

[@ricapica2093]

Ikr

[@mightymeatymech]

😭💀 lmfaooo i can feel the rage and frustration

[@bhunyee]

when they’re too hard to pull out, i push them along a natural edge in my composition and make them part of the artwork

[@jhalfaro]

I will forever SLANDER Escoba paint brushes, they’re so expensive and for what? they shed so much

[@JolynBowler]

My Dad was a portrait artist. He loved this painting and studied Vermeer. He would have loved to see this... 🌻

[@annabizaro-doo-dah]

Love the sunflower nod to all things Dutch. I got a thrill seeing that brush hair! Bet your dad would have!

[@SpoonbillSnooze]

I think this is a beautiful example of perspective, that little hair might have been noticeable to the artist and only them but that’s something that they may have looked at with frustration and there are so many people in the world who look and admire this painting and would probably never guess there is a little hair left on the painting because it’s not something we would be looking for. Art is such a wonderful thing but sometimes we get too focused on the small details not allowing us to see its full beauty

[@DomDomTheFirst]

My ex partner is an incredible artist and I always had to say similar things to them over their works. The same can be said for our own imperfections ✌️

[@Bergja]

Its not that deep

[@r1s1nggodz1lla]

@@Bergjaeverything is that deep

[@asdszf]

Shut up Marta.

[@EsmeClips]

​@@r1s1nggodz1llait's not, the artist just can't see those microscopic brush hairs

[@lillyrose1077]

This painting is absolutely breathtaking and beyond beautiful. How godly gifted he was with his talent and sadly never got to know how amazed and bewitched millions of people would be of this beautiful girl still for centuries after.

[@tonycalderon2268]

I saw two of Vermeer's paintings at the Frick Museum in NY. Wished I had like opera glasses to view them because they are very small. I believe he wasn't super prolific and so his paintings are like priceless.

[@Intheslithytoves]

@@tonycalderon2268 Here's some scale for everyone. (This was one of two Vermeer exhibitions wherein I saw "Girl with the Pearl Earring" and "Girl in a Red Hat.")

[@beverlystraus9300]

I saw this fabulous portrait painting in Amsterdam about two years before COVID. I thoroughly marveled at the Van Gogh Museum also!

[@shawnwalford6578]

Thank you very much, it took me two days. 🖌️

[@bertiejansevanrensburg3835]

Some cl@₩n somewhere in a university will now give a lecture on the painter's mindset when this painting was done

[@byngostar6895]

How fragile, vulnerable, and interesting is art. What optical illusions paintings can be. Dabs and spots and stokes of ancient pigment, leaving us so emotional…

[@valswhitewolf6611]

All art yet I think money could have been better spent. Jobs are scare to Iowa's older then 64.Surviving on next to nothing. That's from a poet's perspective whose sixty six surviving on $800 a month

[@chazlabreck]

what you are seeing is the soul of an artists visions translating through a physical medium ...it truly is a fantastic thing we humans can do when we build not destroy

[@Floatingaxe]

My favourite. Love Vermeer. As a teen, I reproduced this in chalk pastel. As an artist now, 60 years later, I want to paint this woman again. Inspiring!

[@mehere337]

Do you still have that chalk pastel?

[@mehere337]

It's been two weeks...have you begun your painting?

[@mehere337]

Do you still have that chalk pastel?

[@mehere337]

It's been two weeks...have you begun your painting?

[@autumnleaves8553]

I hope you enjoy this project no matter how long it takes. I love this painting, too.

[@stlmtossc]

Watch the documentary called Tim's Vermeer. They conduct experiments to discover how Vermeer achieved such realism in his paintings.

[@timwendt1935]

It's essentially a photograph painted a pixel at a time. Amazing.

[@joyenergytarot1615]

I saw a part of this the other night and he was ahead of his time the way he set his studio up. Very clever before cameras were invented ❤

[@DuckyQSimmons]

Thx for the tip!!!

[@arioctober]

Thanks for the recommendation I love art documentaries!!!

[@kurtishowell3255]

Scammers gonna have a hard time making fakes

[@khanch.6807]

Nah... Just make a few brush stocks and give it to you rich friends to sell them for you. They'll bribe an appraiser and use your art for tax evasion. You also get a cut. Everybody wins. Except maybe poor people.

[@ValeRay2]

​@@khanch.6807you know what they mean.

[@diananoonen2262]

Exactly

[@LivingDeadBabyDoll]

Because everyone has access to a 3D scanner that advanced right 😂

[@hrose5484]

@@khanch.6807Way to spoil everything!

[@user-ig4cd1hm8i]

A great artist , his work speaks to us forever.

[@SheilaRough]

Never realized how beautiful this painting is

[@davidweihe6052]

Well, I did, but only because of the movie with Scarlett Johansson.

[@user-ig4cd1hm8i]

There was a wonderful cinema film made about the story if this Vermeer wonderful painting.

[@Hypatia52]

@@user-ig4cd1hm8i yes, with Colin Firth and Scarlett, and the book is fascinating. It won the Mann-Booker prize.

[@chiralityraven337]

One of my all time favorite paintings

[@dazofthemoo1531]

Im really just admiring this deeply for the first time. Beautiful. How old is it.

[@TestUser-cf4wj]

I'll still take Edvard Munch every day.

[@susantang287]

@@dazofthemoo1531Over 300 years I think. Not too sure.

[@LAtheYoung61]

@@dazofthemoo1531 C. 1665

[@terryl858]

It’s so quiet my thoughts?

[@superlynnie]

The Vermeer Exhibition at The Rijksmuseum was AMAZING!

[@steveandme63]

I'm so jealous! I've seen this painting and it was breathtaking... it seemed to glow.

[@etcetc6790]

I've seen it at The Met years ago. It was amazing.

[@zt2058]

I disagree, I am from Delft which is the birthplace of Vermeer. I have seen his influence all around the city. I was hoping for something more, but the exhibition really let me down. There were so little paintings and not even a sign or something. It was just at a random wall…

[@sipjedekat8525]

​@@zt2058You expected more because you're already inundated with Vermeer your whole life. Tourists just marvel at something they encounter maybe only once in their lives. They don't care about the lack of signage, because it's completely unimportant compared to seeing the actual painting.

[@zt2058]

@@sipjedekat8525 my point being, a lot of tourists missed the paintings cause there were barely any signs. That’s what I disliked about it the most

[@Snaakie83]

This piece of art was over two hundred years old when an art historian pleaded not to let the piece get sold to foreign collectors. A friend then bought the piece for just over two Guilders, which would be around €25 in todays money. After he died he left it to the Mauritshuis museum where its still on display. This piece could've been lost a million times... we're lucky its not. Probably worth over a hundred million...

[@zt2058]

2 gulden is worth 90 cents not €25

[@Snaakie83]

@@zt2058 yeah, it was 2 guilders in 1880. This was the price with inflation etc in mind.

[@zt2058]

@@Snaakie83 ah my bad I didn’t read it like that, I only read “todays money” hahah

[@kimberlypatton205]

It has no price.. it is a masterpiece of genius!

[@RoanPretorius-de7xv]

I love this painting and would trade the mona Lisa for it! 😂

[@神崎アオイ-o4o]

This is actually really cool to see how something artists struggled with so many years ago is still a thing and something people would share the same feeling over.

[@boogiebong420]

I never realized how massive that painting is

[@dahliam77]

It isn't big

[@NiKiMa023]

A quick googles says 17.5x15”

[@JoeZUGOOLA]

You didnt watch the video properly.. it scans the tiny painting and blows it ups big. 😐

[@boogiebong420]

@@JoeZUGOOLA i was literally only talking about the first 2 seconds of the video, didn't realize it'd be such a big deal damn

[@Raphael-2]

I liked your comment but then I read the rest and realized we were wrong it was not the painting, but the zooming. You might want to edit your comment because there are still much more people who see your comment without realizing it's wrong.

[@chicken]

It's amazing how even the tiniest details in art can have such a big impact, like that little brush hair. The level of detail in these old paintings is truly incredible.

[@kellyoneill-hinckley2955]

My favorite Vermeer painting Girl with a Pearl -her gaze is so haunting, the colors so rich, the subject so innocent and beautiful 🫠✨♥️✨💫🫶

[@catie5939]

If you haven't seen it yet, everybody needs to watch the documentary Tim's Vermeer. Absolutely mind blowing. 💜

[@christinetully1542]

Thanks will do

[@sakitoby1581]

Yes, it was sooo good. Watched it yrs ago. I should rewatch, thnx for reminder.

[@sakitoby1581]

@@christinetully1542Yep. It's fascinating.

[@chrisantoniou4366]

Obsessive? Yes! Correct? Almost certainly.

[@lindsayschilling8707]

I will watch it, Thanks. 🎨

[@AGM-ts5bb]

One of the most beautiful paintings in the whole world.

[@s_for_short2400]

No its just famous

[@toflrost]

@@s_for_short2400seriously, it's not even one of the most remarkable paintings by vermeer.

[@luckerd_2810]

right its so enchanting

[@inkenhafner7187]

It's beautiful, he was a master of light.

[@TestUser-cf4wj]

I cringe at your conception of beauty. Otto Dix knew what beauty was.

[@sheilasullivan1950]

I had a copy of this in my flat in Ireland. 80s until 94 when I left for the USA. miss it. It always lifted me up and made me smile. used to own pearl earrings. given by my parents for my 21st bday. got stolen here in the USA.

[@pav688]

Makes me glad im moving To Ireland

[@vikkihays3869]

The close up style and details is what I've always enjoyed and found amazing about paintings!

[@eaindraysukyaw4238]

I would be so nervous if they pulled out a whole damn microscope to look at my painting

[@joysmith1213]

😂

[@maryreyes368]

I enjoyed everything about this subject. Read the book, saw the movie, viewed the oil painting at SF museum. Such a small pic for such a large audience and media.

[@robertfansler7800]

Had to visit this painting twice, when it came to San Francisco. It’s mesmerizing!

[@chloesilva6138]

If that was my painting there would be sooooo many cat hairs 😂😂😂😂

[@sweetpealee056]

Underrated comment 😂😂😂😂

[@Ali_art]

Do paintings about cats. It fits the narrative

[@TestUser-cf4wj]

If it was my painting it would be black and the image would exist only in the brush strokes. WHY DON'T MY PAINTINGS SELL???

[@lindsayschilling8707]

😆 🤣 😂

[@larsgroenewegen63]

Try painting “meisje met de kat” (girl with the cat), who knows over a couple of hundreds years ….😉

[@HopefulDarkness]

The artist in his grave: “Vince said they’d never notice that eyelash in the painting since it was so small. TELL ME VINCE, WHAT DO THEY SEE NOW HUH?!?!”

[@wolf.eye._-]

LOL

[@lindsayschilling8707]

😆 🤣 😂

[@bodhiswayze1892]

I know absolutely nothing about art but this painting has always made me feel so happy & relaxed 😊

[@TestUser-cf4wj]

Have you tried Valium?

[@Evergreen_Trees_are_cool]

I want a scaled up 3D printed version of that scan. I think the texture would be so cool. What if they stuck one in front of the display? Cool for the visually impaired and the tactile-y curious

[@skram1000]

Wow, we gotta save all the paintings with this level of detail

[@cmoore7821]

Vermeer used a camera obscura to paint his art. If you notice almost all his work takes place close to a window where there is plenty of light. Not that there is anything wrong with his technique. Very beautiful piece.

[@peepandstitch]

Goes to show that the things we might consider imperfections about our art or our passions are truly beautiful to others 😊

[@florb0413]

I wonder how detailed scans like this will impact restoration attempts for pieces in the future

[@Hirox3D]

It already does help a lot of restorers in prestigious museums 🙌

[@TestUser-cf4wj]

It's going to complete f**k art forgers. Damn it.

[@themeitarrubin]

My cat David lowkey looks like the girl with the pearl earring. Whenever he turns his head over his little shoulder, he just instantly looks like he was painted by Vermeer. That little stinker is a work of art, truly.

[@anceptus]

This comment alone cured my depression

[@vigil4Jesus]

is David truly lowkey, if he is a Vermeer kitty? :-) HNY, a lot of Vermeer glances and thank you for making me smile :-).

[@lizbeskalis6735]

@themeitarrubin hello I'm sure that your kitty is so cute and adorable you're so lucky to have each other enjoy your time together and take care of each other have a wonderful weekend 💗🙏💯💤🐈 Im a cat mom too she is a tortie kitty very sassy and spicy baby lol 🐾🐾

[@wolf.eye._-]

What a beautiful kitty ❤❤❤

[@lindsayschilling8707]

Loved your comment 😊

[@herreaper486]

That’s amazing. Literally can make the Art come alive 😊

[@robertBuckinghamB-uh5nx]

I never really took a lot of notice of this painting but this has made me sit in a completely different light and also the beauty of that young girl thanks for posting this video🙏🙏🙏👍♥️♥️♥️

[@euls868]

They found out how Vermeer painted the painting - he used a brush.

[@TestUser-cf4wj]

Nah, he made one of his students do it.

[@sarahalbers5555]

It has that "lit from within" gorgeous, almost luminous, effect. It is truly amazing.

[@Sullivanandfamily]

I dont know why but I found this so exciting

[@louise7552]

This is my FAVOURITE painting. It has followed me around the world. Copies in my motel rooms in various countries. It's so bizarre, I opened up my last motel room in Spain, and there she was above my bed. This beautiful girl looks after me. Thankyou Johannes. ❤❤

[@MegaLivingIt]

Our favorite iridescent masterpiece by Vermeer.❤

[@Broody58]

Probly every time fido or fluffy yelped, he had a new brush.

[@anoial5181]

It's just as gorgeous with the scan🥰 & it shows the depth of true artistic beauty. How amazing!

[@emilienleonhardt9072]

Thank you!

[@kaybegreen7021]

I loved the movie about this painting!

[@boondocks8002]

Finally! Went through the comments to see if someone mentioned it. I love it too!

[@ameliagfawkes512]

One of my favourite paintings. I appreciate that sometimes new technology can be useful, but I, as the viewer, don't want my enjoyment spoiled with this level of investigation. Some things are better left alone.

[@francevenezia]

Girl With The Pearl Earring: "And you thought you were being scrutinized....".

[@vitoriapureza7018]

Once I headed all the way from Brazil to Haia just to spent two hours examining that painting. True love.

[@the_darkhorse1826]

Why do we underestimate the greatness of people from long time ago?

[@terrylong6457]

Exactly

[@ak22gml85]

We don’t. Most were underestimated in their own time and likely lived in poverty unless they had a rich benefactor or a major commission. Those artists are since considered great, lauded, studied, celebrated for their artistic brilliance. Entire museums are built to house their works to share it with the world. No, we do not underestimate their greatness.

[@davidthurman3963]

Because " now we really know" is a tradition for each and every generation.

[@ak22gml85]

@@davidthurman3963 Less about esteeming their greatness and more about making obscene amounts of money out of trading the works of the greats of the past.

[@kheventplanner]

It makes me so grateful someone had the forethought to protect so many pieces of art feom back then. Imagine all the ones that were overlooked and tossed away because nobody thought they would be important!

[@Givingawayfreehugs]

The tiny hair could also be from those repairs paintera

[@RevLeigh55]

I am awestruck when looking at these artistic masterpieces to think the artists died centuries ago, but yet they still live through the paintings they left humanity.

[@torontoyao]

This is amazing! Wow!

[@Hirox3D]

Thanks 🙏

[@davidandtom8238]

MY HUSBAND AND I HAVE BEEN LUCKY TO SEE THIS PAINTING TWICE. ONCE IN THE NETHERLANDS AND ONCE IN BOSTON.

[@Corzappy]

If I ever get close enough to this painting I’m going to steal that singular brush hair and nobody will know.

[@cortney213]

😂

[@phoenix_teardrops5588]

Maybe not before but now they definitely will know!

[@theparanoidandroid3583]

It's probably essentially been glued on by the varnish :(

[@JLYT2024]

😂 half a mill easy

[@RaccoonWithInternetConnection]

​@@JLYT2024do yall really think the painting is just there free to be touched by anyone

[@anthonycantu8879]

I have always had a special place in my heart for this masterpiece. ❤

[@elenaflores1774]

I wonder if they could make an approximate of what it first looked like

[@faeriefire99]

This is amazing! Thank you for sharing! Will there be a long form video about this??

[@Juniper_berries]

Wow! All this to discover a painting had layers and micro brush bristles! What an excellent use of time and resources.

[@RavenTheElder]

Being a painter, part of me has come to appreciate the little bits of flotsam that find their way into the finished piece-a brush hair here, a little smudge there, maybe even a stray hair from a beloved pet. It’s precious to think of how the things that matter to the artist can be immortalized in such subtle ways within our work

[@flo6051]

Vermeer: F*CK a hair... nah no one will notice A few centuries later:

[@HellBentMonk2024]

Vermeer is the only painter I've ever dreamed of. I was 6, and then as an adult, I saw his documentary on how they discovered his painting technique. The shock and surprise, in my dream, I saw what they discovered. Funny how life is.

[@pamelahawn9300]

Things like this cause you to believe in reincarnation.

[@cheesegrater11]

That hair from his brush is gonna go for $300,000,000,000,000 at auction

[@user-sr2gz7lj7p]

His genius can be seen in the little details making such beauty 💖

[@laurelbozman6997]

An amazing painting

[@cathieludemann5879]

A weird coincidence: About 5 hrs ago I went to look for a book to read. I reached into a bag and pulled out Girl With a Pearl Earring. While I had seen it several times before, I didn't choose to read it until tonight when something said this is a good book to read. Started it about 3 hours ago and now I turn on You Tube and this post pops up for the first time!

[@straypaper]

Well I guess there wouldn't be any other use for a 108 billion pixel 3D scanner. Thanks inventor guy for one fun fact about one painting.

[@mobiusZero2]

Dinosaurs bones, aircraft pieces( crash ones ), human anatomy.

[@straypaper]

@@mobiusZero2 we've seen enough of human anatomy with electron microscope thanks. Dinosaurs are also another useless fun fact unless you can unlock the secret to life after seeing how many bumps are on their bones

[@S_Carol]

There are way too many uses for those scanners? If someone can afford them, let them buy them. That means more money going into scanner development. I use high res 3D scanners at work. I'd bet you're glad someone is using those scans to teach error detection algorythms, that will then be used during the production of planes and ships, to make sure you're not walking into a death trap the next time you travel.

[@naughtydumpling1342]

The one taps are crazy and crispy

[@sladewilson2595]

Thats cool af

[@DavidRice111]

This work is truly art. Makes you want to sit & study.

[@Yattish_Sharma]

Even the atrist himself would have never thought that one day researchers will do so deep analysis of his paintings. 😂😂😂😂

[@jtischCB]

Thankfully so, or that scrutiny might have broken their concentration. A centipede was happy quite Until a frog, in fun, Said, "Pray, which leg comes after which?" This raised his mind to such a pitch, He lay distracted in a ditch Condidering how to run.😁

[@chairde]

Talent really does astound me. I know practice and hard work but still it is a joy to behold. How many lifetimes would an average person need to get that good? The more I learn about anything the more impressed I am with these talented people.

[@KORONORI_YT]

What was the purpose of this

[@eniej]

Its cool

[@MelanieFromCanada]

They not only learned about the painting, but also about the camera. Educational is the basic answer.

[@MouthyMama376]

She is a softly stunning beauty. Vermeer definitely knew how to show naturally provided contradiction in his subjects. She has SO many subtle expressions in that young, lovely face. Exquisite, even for an art layman like me. Especially those eyes.

[@totallynotpaul6211]

we got this before gta 6 💀

[@bonniejosavland3227]

We were in Rome & Street Artists from various countries used chalk & made a huge pic of the girl with the pearl earring on the cobblestone street! They also had small to large chalk drawings for sale. We picked out a couple & the artists always had cardboard to help keep them straight & not creased for the trip back to the USA!

[@vcxlll]

That unemployed friend on a Tuesday:

[@Quqo.]

Lmao straight on point

[@kabernat]

I’ve always loved this portrait!

[@Psi34ax]

What’s the “secret”? That his paintbrush left behind tiny hair particles? 😂

[@tiagodagostini]

No... but you did not expect to see the imporatant stuff in a Short right? What most non artist fail to understand on the alure of this picture is not the image itself, is how he made it with so few brushstrokes. The pearl itself has only 2 brushstrokes.

[@lionbear7706]

Penn and teller did a movie called Tim’s Vermeer and it was amazing Vermeer was an incredible artist

[@chrisantoniou4366]

Tim was obsessive, but he was probably right about how Vermeer painted.

[@sohammahendrakar4247]

The shit people spend money one rather than combating climate change, finding cures for common causes of death, making a sustainable future for all of us. P.S. I am NOT saying that this specific ally is the problem. Just wanted to say there is a lot or unnecessary spending going on when that could be used for something productive.

[@lorblauh]

Shut up. You're not doing anything about those things personally, stop pretending you're doing anything about them by complaining in the comment section.

[@AnonymousOneThree]

Spend it yourself. YOU do the work.

[@_.hybrids._1680]

You do realize that art and climate change are two extreme ends of expertise, yes? Both can exist.

[@hanawolfgang]

Why do you think white supremacists have anything to worry about?

[@bruhmoment9573]

Because the people who are passionate about art are the ones responsible for climate change.

[@CharlesFlahertyB]

It's absolutely extraordinary in person.

[@downtime86stars17]

So amazing! My favorite painting.

[@ffelegal]

I didn't know the painting was that big in real life, amazing

[@chrisantoniou4366]

It's not. The actual painting is 44.5cm by 39cm.

[@lindaj5492]

Scaled up for the exhibition 😊

[@truthbtold2910]

No real surprise here. Each of us is multi layered. Every experience adds to us as a 'full picture." Each hug, each hurt adds an impression...leaving a remarkable picture, at the point of our death.

[@georgespalding7640]

How did these great artists get the skin tone so perfect? It is a skill which I do not comprehend.

[@francisvantuyle]

I saw the girl with pearl ear rings at the Mauritz house in Den Hage in the Netherlands with my wife who has passed from lung Cancer. This Vermeer and others are beautiful works of art.

[@seaninness334]

Granted I haven't studied the art world like my PHD sister in law, but sometimes I'm stunned how large some paintings are in real life or how small they can be.

[@amandajburke9976]

I saw this last week. Really amazing!! 🎨🖌️

[@Katya-zj7ni]

I love this painting, everything about it. I could look at it for hours.

[@kringle-jelly]

Perfect music for this. Beautiful and haunting..

[@mabby5615]

As a geographer this shit is so cool. I hope we can map the human body really easily in the future using surface tech, then you can track any changes to skin etc.

[@randomtinypotatocried]

I always look seeing the close ups of paintings

[@nappyfries]

So cool! I think all of that adds to its character.

[@philipwall1025]

The size of the actual painting is intimidating, when most people realize its true size, they realize they actually didn't know it was so massive!

[@chrisantoniou4366]

It's not. 44.5cm by 39cm.

[@finch45lear]

So we learned that the artist applied paint....with....a brush. Fascinating.

[@sethnorbeck2260]

At that time and even now the pearl she is wearing would be one of the most valuable gems in the world.

[@oscarsilva4120]

At my age a few things impressed me, however I was blown away by this matter piece discovery.

[@derekc180]

So glad that we are able to break down these paintings to the atomic level instead of simply enjoying them for their aesthetic beauty.

[@greensky01]

I am pretty sure the actual artists who painted some the well know works did t give as much thought to them as much as people do now.

[@alipotter0613]

The Glass of Wine by Vermeer is astonishing. How he paints the glass and the stained glass blows my mind.

[@lucianafigini486]

This painting give me goose bumps 😮

[@paul48526]

such a beautiful creation. I wish I could see it with my own eyes..

[@crazynanaailese]

It's my Favorite painting of all time❤❤❤❤thanks for sharing