Exhibition on Screen Presents, Girl with a Pearl Earring

The film seeks to answer the questions that have haunted art lovers for decades: who was she? Why is it so popular? Why and how was it painted?

In EXHIBITION ON SCREEN: Girl with a Pearl Earring – and other treasures from the Mauritshuis in The Hague, the camera offers an exclusive view of world-renowned Mauritshuis Museum, going behind-the-scenes to look at the extraordinary Girl with a Pearl Earring. The film seeks to answer the questions that have haunted art lovers for decades: who was she? Why is it so popular? Why and how was it painted? Many of the clues that the film finds lie in other masterpieces housed in the collection. 

Johannes Vermeer is one of the great Dutch masters and his Girl with A Pearl Earring from c. 1665 is one of the most enduring paintings in the history of art. He was the master of light, a talent that is beautifully depicted in Girl with a Pearl Earring in the softness of the girl’s face, the glimmers of light that touch her lips and of course the shining pearl. 

A recent world tour garnered huge queues lining up for a glimpse of its majestic beauty. Over a million visitors came to see it in Tokyo – the biggest exhibition in the world in 2012. Interest in the most iconic of Vermeer’s works was clearly heightened by Tracy Chevalier’s blockbuster novel Girl with a Pearl Earring and Peter Webber’s subsequent 2003 drama, starring Hollywood stars Scarlett Johansson and Colin Firth. But there’s more to the story than that. 

Following two years of extensive renovations The Mauritshuis in The Hague was reopened by King Willem-Alexander in June 2014. A bright and spacious new underground foyer connects the Royal Dutch Shell Wing to the historical seventeenth-century building which has been thoroughly renovated and embellished. The world art critics gave a unanimous 5-star review to this wonderfully refreshed venue. 

The Mauritshuis displays a collection of world-famous paintings by Dutch and Flemish masters from the Golden Age. Masterpieces such as The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp by Rembrandt, The Goldfinch by Fabritius, The Bull by Potter and of course Vermeer's Girl with a Pearl Earring, are on permanent display in the intimate rooms of this majestic seventeenth-century house. 

Cinema audiences will enjoy unparalleled access to what some call ‘The jewel of Northern Europe’s museums’ and detailed, fascinating, illuminating insight into an extraordinary work. Acclaimed British actor Hugh Bonneville narrates.

Important Information:

Film Start Time: Doors open at 3:00pm, and Exhibition on Screen will begin promptly at 4:00pm. As our films are general admission seating, please be sure to arrive early to secure your seat. Beer, wine, and concessions will be available.

Free Parking: We’re pleased to offer complimentary parking for all attendees. Simply bring your parking ticket from the library parking lot (across from the Main Library on Rock Street) or the parking deck (next to the Main Library on Rock Street) inside the theater, and our friendly box office staff will validate it for you. Validations are for paid ticket holders only.

Important Information:

Film Start Time: Doors open at 3:00pm, and Exhibition on Screen will begin promptly at 4:00pm. As our films are general admission seating, please be sure to arrive early to secure your seat. Beer, wine, and concessions will be available.

Free Parking: We’re pleased to offer complimentary parking for all attendees. Simply bring your parking ticket from the library parking lot (across from the Main Library on Rock Street) or the parking deck (next to the Main Library on Rock Street) inside the theater, and our friendly box office staff will validate it for you. Validations are for paid ticket holders only.