A Girl I Cannot Remember Where I Saw — A Memory of Vermeer— July 1, 2026 (Wed) Reiwa 8

I saw a newspaper advertisement for the upcoming exhibition of Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring.

At that moment, I suddenly felt very strongly that I had seen this painting somewhere before. However, I cannot remember where. I do not know whether it was in Japan or abroad.

I have traveled to many European countries other than the Netherlands. I also remember spending quite a long time at the Louvre Museum when I was younger. But even now, I cannot connect this girl to any specific place I visited.

What is strange is not the fact that I cannot remember the location, but rather that the strong impression of the painting itself remains so clearly in my mind.

I do not usually prefer portrait paintings. I am more drawn to Impressionist landscapes, such as Monet’s water lilies, where light and color seem to blend and dissolve into one another. That is why it is unusual for me to be so strongly affected by a portrait.

This painting shows almost no background or story. There is only a girl turning back in a moment, a pearl earring, and her gaze toward the viewer. Perhaps it is precisely this simplicity that made it leave such a deep impression.

Another detail that stayed with me is the Japanese word “耳飾り” (mimikazari). In English, it is translated as “earring,” but the Japanese expression carries a quiet resonance that feels slightly more poetic than a simple accessory.

I do not know whether I will actually be able to visit the exhibition. Physically and financially, it may be difficult. Still, simply remembering and thinking about it already feels like a small journey in itself.

I cannot remember where I saw it. And yet, I am certain that I did see it.

⸻

Hashtags

#Vermeer #GirlWithAPearlEarring #ArtMemory #EuropeanTravel #Impressionism #ArtEncounter #MuseumExperience #MemoryAndArt #Exhibition #Painting