Last year, researchers released of Johannes Vermeer’s most-recognized artwork, “Girl With a Pearl Earring.” While their findings didn’t include the subject’s highly sought-after identity, they did reveal that the gray backdrop is actually a dark green curtain and that the figure has eyelashes only visible with magnification. Thanks to Emilien Leonhardt and Vincent Sabatier, of , we all can study the intricacies of Vermeer’s elusive work and peer directly into the paint cracks with an interactive .
The duo began the undertaking to determine the surface condition of the iconic piece after multiple restorations, measure the space between the fractured pigments, and elucidate the artist’s technique. Using a custom microscope, Leonhardt and Sabatier took 9,100 photographs of the painting that were then woven together into the massive panorama. It reveals particulars down to 4.4-microns per pixel.
Head to to explore the incredible intricacies of “Girl With a Pearl Earring” in both 2- and 3-D, and watch above for details into the technical aspects of capturing minuscule details. (via )









