Researchers have used high technology methods to learn secrets about a famous painting by the Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer.

研究人员使用高科技手段来了解荷兰画家约翰内斯·维米尔一幅名画的秘密。

The painting is called "Girl with a Pearl Earring."

这幅画叫做《戴珍珠耳环的少女》。

Vermeer is considered one of the masters of his art.

维米尔被认为是其艺术领域的艺术大师之一。

He worked during the Dutch Golden Age of painting in the sixteen hundreds.

他创作于16世纪荷兰绘画的黄金时代。

The researchers' tests have not discovered the identity of the mysterious woman in the painting.

研究人员的测试还没有发现这幅画中神秘女人的身份。

But, they have revealed important information about how Vermeer did the painting,

但是，他们透露了有关维米尔这幅画的重要信息，

which is sometimes called the Dutch "Mona Lisa."

此画有时被称为荷兰版《蒙娜丽莎》。

In an online presentation this week,

在本周的一次在线演示中，

Martine Gosselink, Director of the Mauritshuis museum in The Hague,

海牙莫瑞泰斯皇家美术馆馆长马丁·戈瑟林克

described some recent research findings.

介绍了一些最新的研究发现。

"Sadly we didn't find out who this young lady was and if she ever really existed.

“遗憾的是，我们没有找到这位年轻女士是谁，以及她是否真的存在过。

But we did get a little closer to her," she said.

但我们确实离她更近了，”她说。

Researchers and museum workers placed the painting in a special glass room in early 2018

2018年初，研究人员和博物馆工作人员将这幅画放置在一个特殊的玻璃房间里，

so visitors to the museum could watch as researchers studied the work.

以便参观者在研究人员研究这幅作品时可以观看。

A careful examination of very small pieces of paint showed where some of the painting's pigments came from.

仔细检查很小的几块颜料，就能发现一些颜料的来源。

The white that helps form the earring comes from lead from the Peak District in northern England.

帮助形成耳环的白色是来自英格兰北部皮克地区的铅。

The blue is made from a valuable stone found in Afghanistan.

蓝色是由在阿富汗发现的一种珍贵的石头制成的。

The red is made from insects that live on cactus plants in Mexico and South America.

红色是由生活在墨西哥和南美洲的仙人掌植物上的昆虫制成的。

Abbie Vandivere was leader of the research project.

阿比·范迪维是这个研究项目的负责人。

She expressed surprise that Vermeer used so much blue in the painting, noting:

她对维米尔在这幅画中使用如此多的蓝色表示惊讶，并指出：

"This blue pigment was more valuable than gold in the 17th century."

“在17世纪，这种蓝色颜料比黄金更有价值。”

Vermeer, however, did not have to travel the world to get his materials.

然而，维米尔并不需要周游世界就能得到他的颜料。

He most likely bought them in his hometown of Delft.

他很可能是在家乡代尔夫特买的。

The research findings do not just show details about Vermeer's materials,

研究结果不仅展示了维米尔材料的细节，

"but also tell us about Dutch and world trade in the 17th century," Vandivere said.

“还告诉我们17世纪荷兰和世界贸易的情况，”范迪维说。

The research also uncovered the order in which Vermeer painted the girl on a piece of cloth.

研究还发现了维米尔在一块布上画这个女孩的顺序。

Infrared imaging showed that Vermeer began making the work using brown and black paint.

红外成像显示，维米尔一开始是用棕色和黑色的颜料作画。

He then drew the girl's outline in black lines before working from the green background to the foreground.

然后他用黑线画出女孩的轮廓，然后从绿色背景画到前景。

"The girl has, sadly, not revealed her identity, but we have got to know her better," Gosselink said.

戈瑟林克说：“不幸的是，这个女孩没有透露她的身份，但我们必须更好地了解她。”

A statement on the museum's website describes the woman as imaginary.

博物馆网站上的一份声明称这名女子是虚构的。

The painting "is not a portrait, but a tronie – a painting of an imaginary figure," the website says.

该网站称，这幅画“不是一幅肖像画，而是一幅‘ tronie’——一幅虚构人物的画像。”

But, the public will have to wait until they can see the painting in real life.

但是，公众要等到在现实生活中才能看到这幅画。

The Mauritshuis is currently closed, along with all other Dutch museums and galleries.

莫瑞泰斯皇家美术馆和其他所有荷兰博物馆和画廊目前都已关闭。

These closures are because of restrictions aimed at slowing the spread of the new coronavirus.

这些关闭的原因是为了减缓新冠状病毒的传播。

I'm John Russell.

约翰·拉塞尔为您播报。