to quote tracy chevalier and the originator of this pseudo historical rubbish and girl with a pearl earring be a story about a painting and how it come into be . however and girl with a pearl earring be not a story about a painting a she put it while it be the title of a famous masterpiece that have be admire for over three century while the exquisite work of dutch master johannes vermeer . unfortunately and the title girl with a pearl earring be appropriate by chevalier to serve a the title of what would have be and if not for the co opt allure of the famed artist and his well know masterpiece and consider a run of the mill and garden variety historical romance while certainly nothing special . a many art historian fear and the transference of chevalier fabrication to the silver screen be sure to create misconception about the vermeer legacy in the mind of those who be limit to the confines of contemporary awareness and that be and most of the population . chevalier apparently gain an edge in the writer market by exploit the fame and creative effort of an artist who have long be dead and be therefore unable to defend himself or the member of his family against the negative characterization concoct by this mediocre novelist . director peter webber be quote a say and girl with a pearl earring be really inspire by the painting of the same name . inspire . doesn not he mean that the painting of the same name be practically steal and paint over for posterity with chevalier 21st century glitter glue . the fact that chevalier and others have make a killing by irresponsibly trash the memory of vermeer and the member of his family to create an erotically suggestive tale say a lot about our culture . all marketing and no integrity . what do the vermeer family ever do to chevalier to merit such post mortem character assassination . they be merely relate to the famous artist . one wonder how chevalier would feel if she be likewise negatively depict by some stranger after her death . because the vermeer be real person who live at one time and it be wrong to villify them in fiction three century later . the central character in chevalier novel be not and a chevalier suggests and merely spun from scant memory of person who be know to have live at one time . chevalier contradicts or ignore the known fact of vermeer life . by all account and his marriage to catherina who he do in fact paint several time ( in contrast to what be suggest in chevalier storyline that he never paint her because she do not understand or appreciate his work ) be a happy marriage . by the way and the vermeer have only the one maid and tanneke and whom vermeer also use a a model for some of his work . chevalier defame vermeer wife and family by craft very unflattering and rather unimaginative character from their memory represent vermeer be the stereotypical brooding artist and his wife a vicious and ill temper and mean spirit and and jealous bitch . catherina demonic portrayal be obviously necessary a a literary device to justify and evoke sympathy for the illicit undertone in the relationship between vermeer and the fictional griet . vermeer daughter cornelia be depict a a child whose behavior be so pathologically anti social and she would probably be judge today a a child at risk for grow up into a serial killer . come to think of it and while ms. chevalier fictional ingénue surface a the only noble character in the entire story and her fictional rendition of the vermeer family cast them a the horrid folk from which she must attempt to shield herself . so henceforth and as far a popular culture be concern and vermeer be trap in a miserable marriage and his wife and daughter be cold hearted witch and his mother in law the head shrew and and his patron the most lecherous man in delft . the bad thing about the film version of girl with a pearl earring however and be that the image that will appear in association with vermeer masterwork in the future and will be scarlett johansson griet . hers be a performance that could only be describe a vapid and which consist mainly of johannson perpetual look of dumb surprise and her mouth hang open continually and which although be probably mean to be seductive and look more a general lack of intelligence or a contrived expression of feigned innocence . she be supposedly demure but appear more or less bovine . it be a face that i grow so tired of by the end of the film and that i dearly wish the wicked and capricious ( per chevalier fictional interpretation ) catherina would have give it a good slap when she go all out in her tirade in the final scene .