The Girl with a Pearl Earring– Book and The Story of Its Filming
"The Girl with a Pearl Earring" is a historical novel by Tracy Chevalier, published in 1999. The story is set in 17th century Holland and revolves around the creation of the famous painting of the same name by Johannes Vermeer.
The novel is narrated by Griet, a young girl who becomes a maid in Vermeer's household. Griet is initially intimidated by the artist, but as she assists him with his work and gets to know him better, she becomes drawn to his artistic talent and the beauty of his paintings.
As Griet spends more time with Vermeer, she catches the eye of the painter's patron, Van Ruijven, who becomes obsessed with her and commissions Vermeer to paint her portrait. This leads to tension and conflict within Vermeer's household, and Griet must navigate the complex relationships between the various characters while also dealing with her own growing feelings for Vermeer.
The novel has been praised for its vivid depiction of 17th century Holland, as well as for its exploration of the themes of art, love, and power. It has been translated into over 30 languages and has been adapted into a successful film and stage play.
The Story of the Girl with the Pearl Earring's Book Being Turned into a Movie
After the publication of Tracy Chevalier's novel "The Girl with a Pearl Earring" in 1999, it was quickly optioned for film rights. In 2003, the movie adaptation of the book was released, directed by Peter Webber and starring Scarlett Johansson as Griet and Colin Firth as Vermeer.
The film closely follows the plot of the book, with some minor changes to the characters and events. It was praised for its visually stunning depiction of 17th century Holland, as well as for its faithful adaptation of the novel's themes and character relationships.
The film was a critical and commercial success, earning three Academy Award nominations and winning numerous other awards. It also brought greater attention to Chevalier's novel, which became a bestseller following the release of the movie.
In addition to the film adaptation, "The Girl with a Pearl Earring" has also been adapted into a stage play, which has been performed in theaters around the world. The success of these adaptations has helped to cement the novel's status as a beloved classic of historical fiction.
Actors Who Starred in the Movie Girl with a Pearl Earring
The movie adaptation of "The Girl with a Pearl Earring" was released in 2003 and starred the following actors:
Scarlett Johansson as Griet: a young girl who becomes a maid in Vermeer's household and inspires him to paint the famous portrait of her.
Colin Firth as Johannes Vermeer: a renowned Dutch painter who hires Griet to assist him in his studio and becomes infatuated with her.
Tom Wilkinson as Pieter Van Ruijven: Vermeer's wealthy patron who commissions him to paint a portrait of Griet and becomes obsessed with her.
Cillian Murphy as Pieter: Griet's love interest, who is a butcher's son and belongs to a lower social class.
Judy Parfitt as Maria Thins: Vermeer's mother-in-law who disapproves of Griet's presence in the household and is protective of her daughter, Vermeer's wife.
The performances of these actors were praised by critics and contributed to the success of the film.
