5. Griet: a sixteen-year old girl working as a servant in the Vermeer household, is the
protagonist and narrator in the novel.
Johannes Vermeer: a Dutch painter and Griet's master
Catharina Vermeer: is very jealous of Griet because She is the first and only to help
Johannes Vermeer.
Maria Thins: Vermeer's mother-in-law, who is cordial toward Griet.
Maertge: Vermeer's eldest daughter who befriends Griet.
Cornelia: the Vermeer's third daughter who antagonizes Griet throughout her stay.
Pieter: the butcher's son who is in love with Griet
Van Ruijven: a patron of Vermeer who molests maids. His eye is caught by Griet,
and he requests a portrait of her.
Agnes: Griet's 10-year-old sister who dies of the plague.
Tanneke: the Vermeers' other older household servant who initially guides
Griet through her duties
Father: is a blind tile-painter
6. Delft in Vermeer’s Time
Delft was a very quaint village , it was small and civilised. Tapestries, tiles, paintings,
monuments, porcelain and sculptures defined the village of the artistic culture.
7. Story
• The novel sets out in
the year 1664. 16 year-
old Griet is living with
her family in the Dutch
city of Delft. Her father
went blind through an
accident at work and
therefore he isn't able
to work anymore.
8. • Griet is forced to take up
work as a maid for the
famous painter Vermeer
and his Catholic family.
• Her special task is to
clean Vermeer's studio
without moving anything.
The items which he is just
portraying have to stay
exactly at their place.
9. •Inspired by Griet,
Vermeer resumes his
painting after having
sold the picture which
he had been working on
for a long time. From
now on Griet is his
personal assistant, but
nobody should know.
She is the only person
he has confidence in.
10. • When Van Ruijven,
Vermeer's rich client,
sees Griet, he orders
Vermeer to paint a
picture of her. Catharina
should not know anything
about this project.
Therefore, he paints Griet
in secret.
11. • Vermeer is not happy
with the picture since
something seems to be
missing. After a while he
realizes that these are
the unique pearl earrings
of his wife, and he insists
that Griet should wear
them.
12. • Catharina becomes aware of the picture and
gets very angry. She attacks her husband for
painting Griet and not herself.
13. •Griet turns on her heel
and leaves the house
and she knows that she
will never come back.
14. • Ten years later Griet is married to Pieter, the
butcher's son, and has two children. She
learns that Vermeer has recently died and in
his last will is put down that she should get
Catharina's pearl earrings.
