11/02/2025
Incredibly Curious Secrets Hidden in Famous Artworks
In Vermeer’s famous painting of the Girl with the Pearl Earring, you might think you see a shiny pearl hanging from her ear. But look closer. The pearl isn’t really there. With just a few clever strokes of white paint, Vermeer has tricked our brains into seeing a pearl where there isn’t one.
If you squint, you’ll notice there’s no actual loop connecting the pearl to her ear. The sphere is an illusion, created by a simple, tiny shape. Vermeer’s pearl is a masterful optical trick that makes us reflect on the way we, too, create illusions about the world around us.
