Princess Aiko opens Vermeer exhibition in Osaka

Princess Aiko of Japan officially opened a new exhibition of Johannes Vermeer’s masterpiece, ‘Girl with a Pearl Earring’, at the Nakanoshima Museum of Art in Osaka. The exhibition features a unique presentation where the painting is displayed alongside a large Miffy (Nijntje) figure dressed as the subject of the portrait.

The painting, on loan from the Mauritshuis in The Hague, is considered one of the museum’s most significant works and is rarely loaned internationally. Martine Gosselink, director of the Mauritshuis, noted that the artwork is treated with near-sacred reverence in Japan. Due to the immense popularity of the piece, which previously drew 1.2 million visitors during a 2012 tour, the museum’s ticket system crashed during pre-sales, forcing organizers to implement a lottery system for entry.

The exhibition is being held under strict international security standards. The loan is occurring while the Mauritshuis undergoes renovations, and experts suggest this may be the final time the painting travels such a great distance.