Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring: Dutch masterpieces of the 17th century is being organized by the Nakanoshima Museum of Art, located in Osaka’s Kita Ward, The Asahi Shimbun Co. and Asahi Television Broadcasting Corp from 21 August to 27 September 2026.
The exhibition is structured around the development of 17th-century Dutch painting, featuring significant loans that illustrate the era’s mastery of light, genre, and naturalism.
Key Works on Display
The exhibition will feature several hallmark pieces from the Mauritshuis collection, including:
- Johannes Vermeer, Girl with a Pearl Earring (c. 1665): A definitive example of the “tronie” genre, noted for its use of Dutch ultramarine and subtle chiaroscuro.
- Johannes Vermeer, Diana and her Nymphs (c. 1653–1654): An early mythological work by the artist, representing a rare departure from his later domestic interiors.
- Jan Steen, “As the Old Sing, so Pipe the Young” (c. 1668–1670): A complex genre painting depicting a chaotic household, serving as a moralizing commentary on upbringing and behavior.
- Paulus Potter, Cows Reflected in the Water (1648): A significant work in the development of Dutch animalier painting and landscape realism.
- Maria van Oosterwyck, Flowers in an Ornamental Vase (c. 1670–1675): A highly detailed floral still life, showcasing the technical precision and botanical accuracy of one of the period’s most prominent female artists.
Exhibition Scope and Logistics
This collection of works highlights the diversity of the Dutch Golden Age, from the quietude of Vermeer to the boisterous social scenes of Jan Steen and the meticulous still lifes of Van Oosterwyck.
The Nakanoshima Museum of Art will serve as the sole Japanese venue for these specific loans. Due to the high insurance valuation and the physical requirements of the canvases, strictly regulated climate controls and security protocols will be in effect throughout the five-week period.
- Venue: Nakanoshima Museum of Art, Osaka (5F Galleries)
- Dates: August 21 – September 27, 2026
- Entry: All visitors must secure a date-and-time-specific ticket prior to arrival.
Tickets will go on sale in June, with further details to be announced on the official website (vermeer2026.exhibit.jp) in late May.