"Girl with a Pearl Earring" is kicking of its first ever North American tour. And San Francisco's own de Young museum is the first stop.
The Golden Gate Park museum will be the first U.S. venue to present Vermeer's classic masterpiece, which is part of a larger exhibition showcasing Dutch paintings from the Royal Picture Gallery Mauritshuis at the Hague. The de Young will host 35 paintings from the collection until June 2.
Vermeer's famed piece is one of only 36 of his known paintings. Its subject, often referred to as the Dutch Mona Lisa, was never identified. Vermeer's personal life was also marked by mystery.
The exhibit, titled "Girl with a Pearl Earring: Dutch Paintings from the Mauritshuis at the de Young," captures the highlights of the Dutch golden age. Throughout the period, artists began painting secular subjects and ordinary people, like the woman featured in Vermeer's portrait.
Rembrandt van Rijn's works are also featured in the exhibit. His pieces reflect a transition to informal portraiture.
Other artists include Pieter Claesz, Frans Hals, Pieter de Hooch and Jacob van Ruisdael.
After its time in San Francisco, the collection will spend the summer at Atlanta's High Museum of Art before moving to The Frick Collection in New York for October.
Check out some highlights of exhibit below: