Girl with a Pearl Earring once cost only two guilders when it surfaced dirty and forgotten at an auction

Johannes Vermeer painted the Girl with a Pearl Earring in 1665, yet the masterpiece spent centuries in obscurity before reappearing at an 1881 auction in a neglected state, selling for a mere two guilders. It was eventually bequeathed to the Mauritshuis in 1902, where it remains a central attraction. The painting's global fame has surged in recent decades, bolstered by a 1999 bestselling novel and a subsequent film adaptation that heightened public fascination with the enigmatic subject.

A new two-part documentary explores the enduring mystery surrounding the portrait, including debates over the identity of the model and the authenticity of the oversized pearl. Experts suggest that such an accessory would have been exorbitantly expensive during the 17th century, implying the jewel was an artistic embellishment. The documentary also highlights the painting's massive international appeal, illustrated by the significant cultural impact it generated during an exhibition in Japan, where it became a widespread commercial phenomenon.