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Do you know Miffy? She’s an adorable, world-famous bunny with Dutch origins. Her cute appearance, designed by late artist Dick Bruna, has made Miffy a star in Japan, where she rules alongside the myriad of local kawaii characters. This has made her the perfect ambassador for yet another Dutch-Japanese endeavor—the temporary exhibition of Johannes Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring in Osaka’s Nakanoshima Museum of Art. The painting will be on loan while its home gallery, Mauritshuis in The Hague, is being renovated.
This venture goes beyond serving a symbol of friendship and admiration between both countries. Miffy got a full Girl with a Pearl Earring-inspired makeover, which was debuted during a press conference at the Japanese museum. The creative team behind the transformation didn’t skimp on any details, as “Miffy With a Pearl Earring” boasts a bright blue turban and a mustard-colored robe just like the one donned by the mysterious young woman in the iconic painting, not to mention the titular accessory.
If anything, the design has sparked debate as to where Miffy should wear the earring. The current design shows the glowing bauble next to her cheek, rather than her upstanding ear, surely positioned to match the original composition of the painting. Others have argued that the correct placement would be at the very top of her ears, where an earring should go. The third option (a sort of compromise) would have Miffy flop one of her ears so the earring is actually on the ear yet still positioned near the face, in accordance with the painting. However, the official character designs shows her ears always standing tall, so this option is perhaps out of bounds.
Regardless of this creative decision, “Miffy With a Pearl Earring” has been a smash success. Not only has it gone viral around the world, truly helping spread the word about this once-in-a-lifetime exhibition, but it has also inspired a series of products that have flown off the shelves, like plushies, pens, keychains, and bags.
As for the painting, which hasn’t traveled outside the Netherlands in more than a decade, it will be on view in Osaka until September 27. Then, it will likely return home for good. As one of Vermeer’s most famous works, and one of the most important pieces of Dutch art of all time, conservationists worry about the damage travel can inflict on the artwork. “Maybe this is her last tour, since she is ‘advancing in age’ like all of us,” Gilles Beschoor Plug, the Dutch ambassador to Japan, wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
If you are in Japan and want to see this masterpiece in person, you can learn more and plan your visit on the exhibit’s website.
Johannes Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring is on loan at Osaka’s Nakanoshima Museum of Art, and the beloved character Miffy has received a makeover to mark the occasion.
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The creative team behind the transformation didn’t skimp on any details.
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The design has, however, sparked debate as to where Miffy should wear the earring, as the current design shows the glowing bauble next to her cheek.
Ver esta publicación en Instagram
“Miffy With a Pearl Earring” has also inspired a series of products that have flown off the shelves, including plushies, pens, keychains, and bags.
Ver esta publicación en Instagram
Miffy is truly helping spread the word about this once-in-a-lifetime exhibition.
Ver esta publicación en Instagram
Exhibition Information:
Johannes Vermeer
Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring—Masterpieces of 17th-Century Dutch Art Back in Japan
August 21–September 27, 2026
Nakanoshima Museum of Art, Osaka
4-3-1 Nakanoshima, Kita-ku, Osaka, 530-0005, Japan
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Watch Cute Japanese Mascots Get Adorably Stuck in Elevators, Trains, and Doorways
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