The collectibles incorporated into the border of my interpretation of The Girl with a Pearl Earring by Johannes Vermeer tell the story of the artist's life and work.

The figurine at the bottom of the piece represents Vermeer himself. The snails at the top symbolize his famously slow working process and the relatively small number of paintings he completed during his lifetime. Paint tubes reference the costly pigments he used, including the expensive ultramarine that became a hallmark of his work.

Vermeer lived and worked in Delft throughout his life, represented here by the two Delft ceramic houses. The many female figures throughout the border reflect the fact that women were the primary subjects of his paintings.

After his marriage, Vermeer and his wife moved into the home of her wealthy mother, represented by the elderly woman in the upper right corner. There he lived and worked for the remainder of his life. The couple had fifteen children, eleven of whom survived into adulthood.

The skier references an expensive ice boat Vermeer purchased for his children, an item later recorded among his debts.

Original painting by Johannes Vermeer, c. 1665.