Art History Girl with a Pearl Earring Movie Questions

Find below the questions for our discussion of the film on Monday, Feb 8, 2010!

Those will likewise be a part of your Midterm Exam on Feb 15th!

1. List the chores that Griet must perform.

2. Find ten adjectives or verbs which describe the following characters:

   1. Johannes Vermeer

   2. Griet

   3. Grandmother (Maria Thins)

   4. Cornelia

   5. Van Ruijven (Patron)

   6. Pieter

   7. Catherina Vermeer (Wife)

3. Describe the city of Delft.

4. Describe daily life in the Vermeer household.

5. Money seems to be a recurring theme throught the movie. Give examples of this.

6. How is social class reflected in the characters' clothing?

7. Provide details of Griet's increasing responsibility in the Vermeer household.

8. What can we say about the status of women in the movie?

9. What is Vermeer's process of painting as illustrated by the first painting he was working on?

10. Observing others, without their knowledge, seems to be a recurring theme. What is the significance of this?

11. What is the importance of colour in the movie?

12. What is the importance of patronage for Vermeer?

13. Describe the incident regarding the tortoiseshell comb.

14. What is the relationship between Vermeer and his wife. How does that evolve?

15. Do you think that Vermeer truly cared about Griet? Give specific examples for your answer.

Trivia Questions (Questions about DETAILS)

1. What does Maria Thins compare Griet to? Discuss the importance of this comparison.

2. What does public transport consist of in Delft?

3. What gift does Griet receive at the end?

4. What is the incident which causes Pieter to first notice Griet?

5. As Griet and Pieter are taking a walk, what does he wish her to do for him?

6. What memento does Griet bring from her home?

7. Why does Griet have to go to work?

8. What is the first confrontation which occurs between Griet and Cornelia?

9. What is the main reason why Catherine considers Griet incapable of understanding art?

10. What location does Griet change rooms to?

11. What does Griet change in one of Vermeer's paintings? Why does she do this?

12. List the things which Cornelia does to make Griet's life difficult.

13. What is the first image we get of the meat market?

14. Why does Griet not need to go to the fish market?

15. What instrument plays the music motif?