Johannes Vermeer’s ‘Girl with a Pearl Earring’ goes on rare overseas trip to Japan

One of the world’s most celebrated paintings has traveled to Japan for a limited, historic exhibition.

Johannes Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring will be on view at the Nakanoshima Museum of Art in Osaka for five weeks.

Loaned from the Mauritshuis in the Netherlands, the artwork leaves its longtime home because the institution is undergoing major renovations that will shut the museum for roughly six months.

This constitutes the seventh‑consecutive international touring so far—the masterpiece’s first overseas journey in more than a decade.

Mauritshuis general director Martine Gosselink clarified that the loan was motivated by the need to conserve the canvas rather than simply highlight its priceless status. “Although this painting is certainly our most prized asset, the priority lies in restoring it while the space is rebuilt.”

Multiple nations expressed willingness to host the work, including South Korea, China and Singapore. Japan was ultimately chosen thanks to an enthusiastic domestic market: the Mauritshuis receives a large number of visitors from Japan annually, underscoring the artist’s enduring appeal.

The exhibition also features another Vermeer piece, Diana and her Nymphs, expanding the programme with complementary works.

The show opens today and runs through 27 September.

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