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Introducing our new article series with writer Maha Harada. Dive deeper into the world of pearls through her essays and stories exclusive to Mikimoto.
Vol.3
My promise to Vermeer
If I get to see the exhibition, I’ll dedicate a story to it.
That’s the promise I made. To Vermeer.
As an art historian and writer, I found myself out of options in midwinter Amsterdam.
Desperate to see the sold-out Vermeer exhibition,
I rushed over from Paris without a plan...
Part 3
Read Part 2I see. I wasn’t surprised. She’s a hotel concierge working in Amsterdam, so she must have had early access to tickets. What did surprise me were the words that followed.
“I’ll give you that ticket.”
I blinked in confusion. I couldn’t take in what she was saying.
She then continued. “Can you come to the main entrance of the Rijksmuseum just after 4 o’clock today? I’ll bring your ticket over after I finish work at 4. I’m a Friend of the Rijksmuseum, so I’ll take you into the museum with my membership card and accompany you to the exhibition entrance. So yes...”
“No, wait — wait a minute!” I automatically got up from my chair and stopped her mid-sentence. “Oh, that’s too much to ask from you... If you give me your ticket, you won’t be able to see the exhibition yourself.”
“That’s ok with me,” she responded, smiling.
“I’m sure I can get a canceled ticket at some point through my job. And I’m always in this city, so there’s every chance I’ll be able to see it. You’re only here for three days, aren’t you? You’ve also got research to do. You should be given priority.”
She then said, “Please keep your promise to Vermeer,” as her eyes sparkled like the girl in Vermeer’s painting.
The façade of the Rijksmuseum boasted an imposing and magnificent brick architecture and was decked with a massive banner for the “VERMEER” exhibition, presenting a close-up of a woman’s neck area graced with a pearl necklace and earrings.
The enormous museum square was fully exposed to the winds and unbearably cold to stand. I started stamping my feet again as I waited for the concierge. Despite arriving in this city without any kind of plan, my trip immediately took an unexpected turn and now I had mixed emotions, feeling both thankful and sorry.
It all seemed too good to be true that I almost wondered if Vermeer had set the stage for me. Of course, I was happy, but I was about to go into an exhibition that the lovely concierge was supposed to see. I couldn’t let myself just be happy. A short while later, she arrived wearing jeans and a down jacket. Filled with gratitude beyond words, I ran up to her and gave her a big hug. She smiled a little shyly.
We chatted like old friends as we made our way into the grand museum. When we reached the entrance of the Vermeer exhibition, she pulled a ticket out of her pocket and handed it to me.
“...Thank you.”
My heart was full before I had even stepped into the exhibition.
“Have a wonderful time,” she said.
“Will you be at the hotel tomorrow?” I asked.
“I’m off tomorrow and the day after,” she responded.
“Oh right... I guess I won’t be able to see you again.”
I felt my heart sink a little.
“Please come to Amsterdam again. I’ll be in this city for a while,” she said cheerfully as if to make me feel better.
“Is your family also in Amsterdam?” I asked casually.
She shook her head. Then, turning her deep gaze to me, “My home is in St. Petersburg,” she answered.
I gasped silently.
Without looking away from me, she continued, “I love art and I used to work as a tour guide at the Hermitage Museum...”
For a moment, she seemed to be searching for the next words. I held my breath and waited but she never finished her sentence. She gave me a wave and headed into the crowd of people in the museum. I watched until I could no longer see her.
The Vermeer exhibition. An incredibly large venue showcasing incredibly small paintings, with light particles embedded in pearls.
Come to think of it, she too had small pearls on her ear lobes.
I wondered how it was that these white round particles were radiating a harmonious glow through time and space, enchanting me right here in this moment.
I’ll write a story, just as I promised. And one day, I’ll share my story. With the girl that loves art. And with you, Vermeer.
To be continued
Coming soon
Maha HARADA
b. 1962 Tokyo, Japan
Based between Tokyo, Paris, Kyoto, and Nagano, Maha Harada is a creative visionary and exceptional storyteller who has produced world-class, category-defying writing.
Harada is one of the founding curators of Tokyo’s acclaimed Mori Art Museum; when it was established, she was sent to represent the Museum as a project researcher at its principal cultural partner, The Museum of Modern Art, New York. It is for this reason that Maha Harada is renowned as Japan’s leading creator of art novels and art entertainment.
She is among Japan’s most talked-about writers and creatives, and her extraordinary experiences give her an unparalleled ability to blend art and literature. Harada’s art novels journey into the past to breathe fresh life into some of the world’s most beloved artists, who still enchant countless people today. These stories transcend time and generation crossing the boundaries of nation and region. At the same time, they are rooted in the experiences of a woman born and raised in Japan.
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