Girl With A Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier

A historical reimagining of 17th-century Delft and the young housemaid who inspired Vermeer’s most famous portrait.

In 1665, sixteen-year-old Griet becomes a servant in the household of the painter Johannes Vermeer. Her work is strictly defined: she must clean the artist's studio without moving a single object. However, Griet possesses a natural eye for color and composition that Vermeer finds nowhere else in his home. As he begins to involve her in his creative process, their quiet collaboration sparks tension with his jealous wife and draws the dangerous attention of his wealthiest patron. Girl with a Pearl Earring is a close-up look at the rigid social hierarchy of the Dutch Golden Age and the personal cost of becoming a master's muse.