Name: Finding the story inside the painting
Uploaded: 2012-07-25T15:27:46Z
Duration: 14 min 4 s
Description: When Tracy Chevalier looks at paintings, she imagines the stories behind them: How did the painter meet his model? What would explain that look in her eye? Why is that man ... blushing? She shares three stories inspired by portraits, including the one that led to her best-selling novel "Girl With a Pearl Earring."

When Tracy Chevalier looks at paintings, she imagines the stories behind them: How did the painter meet his model? What would explain that look in her eye? Why is that man ... blushing? She shares three stories inspired by portraits, including the one that led to her best-selling novel "Girl With a Pearl Earring."

Finding the story inside the painting

Gallery fatigue is a common experience, leaving many feeling guilty or disconnected after viewing countless paintings. Instead of forcing a connection with every artwork, one can curate their own art experience by focusing on pieces that spark personal curiosity. By inventing stories about these select paintings—like imagining the secrets behind 'Girl with a Pearl Earring'—people find deeper meaning and return again and again. Storytelling helps make sense of art’s mysteries and brings the human experience to the foreground.