Theory and Fruit

Speaking of Jan Vermeer... I just thought of another person I want to meet.
The young woman who posed for Girl with a Pearl Earring.
All right, so we've all seen the painting, read the book, and watched the movie. But who was it REALLY?! I've just got to know! Oh, imagine meeting her... I don't care if her story is dull and not at all as dramatic and controversial as Tracy Chevalier's story. I really don't care if it was simply a portrait done of a random girl. I just want to know who she was.
I mean, look at that painting. It's grown to almost be an old cliche, like the Mona Lisa. But seriously, someday, just look at it! The girl... of course she's lovely and attractive, but that's only the half of it. She gazes, unblinking, back at us over her shoulder, and the look in her eyes tells us, clearly, that she craves something. She's waiting for something to come to her. Her parted lips and interested glance demonstrate some kind of desire. She wants something from us.
That's why I find the painting to be so utterly captivating. Here's what I want to know: Why would a young woman look at Johannes Vermeer that way? I mean, come on. It's not like she was hungrily staring at a plate of fruit sitting beside him.

Heheheh.

Yeah, I know, everybody has their theories about mysterious paintings. We all want to know why Mona Lisa is smiling at us like she knows a dirty secret. We all want to know why The Portrait of Innocent X by Velasquez looks like Pope Innocent X is going to bite your head off in a couple moments if you stand there stuttering at his holy, perfumed toes any longer.
(Both of these paintings I've seen in person, and let me tell you, it's like staring into the face of God. No shit. Powerful stuff.)
I mean, you know you're a good artist when people make cults surrounding your artwork *cough* Da Vinci *cough*.