Portrait of a Girl

My name is Isabella, and I'll be your guide today! We're going to look at a very special painting. It's a tiny picture, but it tells a big story! It's called Portrait of a Girl, and it was painted a long, long time ago, in 1660. Can anyone guess how old that is? (Pause for answers). That's right, it's very, very old! nn --- nn This painting is so small you could almost hold it in your hand! It's only this big (gesture to indicate a small size). The artist, Gerrit Dou, was incredibly skilled. He painted this little girl using tiny brushstrokes. It's like he painted every single hair on her head! Look closely at her face. What do you see? (Pause for answers). Yes, her cheeks are rosy, like she's been playing outside! nn --- nn See her clothes? She's wearing a pretty white collar, a dark blue dress, and a yellow shawl. It's like a puzzle of colors, isn't it? And look at her earring! It's a shiny pearl. What do you think she's thinking about? (Pause for answers). Maybe she's dreaming, or maybe she's listening to something. The artist didn't paint a background, so all our attention is on her. nn --- nn The artist used light and shadow to make the girl look real. It's called chiaroscuro – a fancy word for how light and dark make things look three-dimensional. Can you see how the light makes her face look round and her clothes look soft? It's amazing how he did that with just paint! nn --- nn This painting is a wonderful example of art from a time called the Dutch Golden Age. It shows us how artists back then were so good at painting people and making them look real. It's a tiny painting, but it's full of details and tells us a lot about this little girl and the time she lived in. What do you think is the most interesting part of the painting? (Pause for answers). I'm so glad you all came to see this amazing artwork! Now, let's go look at some more!