“What are the approximate dimensions of ‘Girl with a Pearl Earring’ in centimeters?” The painting measures 44.5 × 39 cm.
Those dimensions describe the physical canvas: it is approximately 44.5 centimeters high and 39 centimeters wide. That makes it a relatively small painting, closer to the size of a substantial sheet of paper than to a large public-history canvas or altarpiece.
Its compact scale contributes to the painting’s intimate effect. The figure is shown against a nearly black background, and the viewer’s attention is concentrated on the girl’s face, blue-and-yellow head covering, and luminous earring. The restrained size also helps explain why the work can feel personal despite its international fame.
The painting is an oil on canvas by Johannes Vermeer, generally dated to about 1665. It is often confused with a portrait because of its single figure and lifelike expression, but it is classified as a tronie: an imagined or unidentified head study rather than a named sitter’s formal portrait. Its proportions are also not the same as the larger reproductions commonly seen in books and exhibitions.