Young Woman with a Pearl Necklace — History & Facts
A young woman stands near a window, her profile illuminated by soft daylight entering from the left. To her right, a drawn-back yellow curtain frames the window, its folds rendered with subtle gradations of tone. A heavy, dark cloth is draped over the table, its deep folds contrasting with the luminous textures of the woman’s clothing.
The composition is tightly arranged, with the woman set against a largely bare wall, focusing attention on her poised gesture and the play of light across her figure. Vermeer’s brushwork is smooth and controlled, with subtle transitions between light and shadow, especially on the woman’s face and the folds of her jacket. A rectangular box with a patterned lid rests against the wall, just behind the table's surface.
The lower right corner shows the corner of a wooden chest or stool, upholstered in red fabric and decorated with brass studs. The wall behind the woman is pale and unadorned, with a faint network of cracks visible in the paint surface. Painted in Delft in 1664, Woman with a Pearl Necklace is a characteristic work by Johannes Vermeer, a leading figure of the Dutch Golden Age painting. The subject, a woman engaged in her private ritual of adornment, is typical of Vermeer’s focus on interior scenes and the daily lives of cultured citizens.
The use of yellow and blue, the depiction of a woman, and the presence of domestic objects and drapery are hallmarks of Vermeer’s style. The light entering from the left, the expressive profile, and the presence of a mirror all contribute to the sense of intimacy and psychological depth that define Vermeer’s work.
Sources: Gemäldegalerie Berlin, record 912B · Wikidata Q151143 · Wikipedia: Woman with a Pearl Necklace
More Artworks by Johannes Vermeer

View of Delft
Johannes Vermeer

Girl with a Pearl Earring
Johannes Vermeer

Woman in Blue Reading a Letter
Johannes Vermeer

Girl Reading a Letter at an Open Window
Johannes Vermeer

The Love Letter
Johannes Vermeer

The Music Lesson
Johannes Vermeer

A Girl Asleep
Johannes Vermeer

A Lady Writing a Letter
Johannes Vermeer

The Astronomer
Johannes Vermeer

The Lacemaker
Johannes Vermeer





