michael barnaart + girl with a pearl earring

THE HAGUE, the Netherlands – On the occasion of the Year of the Golden Age, Hague designer Michael Barnaart designed a brooch as an ode to the Girl with the Pearl Earring. ‘There is no Hague icon more iconic than this masterpiece by Johannes Vermeer,’ Michael Barnaart states. ‘As the Dutch equivalent of the Mona Lisa, the Girl with Pearl Earring in the Mauritshuis thrills people from all over the world.’

In addition to the beauty and incisive gaze that Golden Age painter Vemeer imparted to the mysterious youth, the use of colour and composition are also of such simplicity and power that the image immediately captivates. This iconic quality inspired Michael Barnaart to design a brooch based on the painting: “By simplifying the colours even further and abstracting the shapes, an exciting interplay of geometric elements was created. With the pearl at its centre, of course.”

The enamelled brooches (41 mm x 51 mm) are engraved and each has its own number. This new piece of jewellery fits into Barnaart’s design tradition, in which strong images from both high and popular culture play an important role. Previously, Barnaart’s designs include a brooch as a nod to the Mondrian dress he launched in 2011.

The brooches are available for €39 at the Michael Barnaart+ shop and at the Mauritshuis.