Girl with a Pearl Earring (novel) anticipating that the match will be to their benefit. Apart from "Girl with a Pearl Earring" itself, in which Griet is the sitter, several more of Vermeer’s paintings feature in Chevalier’s novel. At the very start, "View of Delft" is recalled by Griet’s father. When Griet enters the household, Vermeer is working on "Woman with a Pearl Necklace" and Tanneke mentions soon after that she had been Vermeer’s model for "The Milkmaid". His next subject is "Woman with a Water Jug", for which the baker’s daughter models. Griet describes the painting to her father and also witnesses its creation in
Johannes Vermeer floor. His wife gave birth to 15 children, four of whom were buried before being baptized, but were registered as "child of Johan Vermeer". The names of 10 of Vermeer's children are known from wills written by relatives: Maertge, Elisabeth, Cornelia, Aleydis, Beatrix, Johannes, Gertruyd, Franciscus, Catharina, and Ignatius. Several of these names carry a religious connotation, and the youngest (Ignatius) was likely named after the founder of the Jesuit order. It is unclear where and with whom Vermeer apprenticed as a painter. There is some speculation that Carel Fabritius may have been his teacher, based upon a controversial interpretation