Girl with a Pearl Earring

Originally, is it a novel or a painting?
Which came first?

It's originally a painting that had no much information about, no story no background on it nor on the painter, he is Dutch called Johannes Vermeer ,, I love wiki

Then in 1999 a novel was written, by the American Tracy Chevalier, who took the painting as an inspiration to write that novel about a young girl called "Griet" who had to work as a maid in the Artist house "Vermeer's" ,, afterwards he paints her wearing his wife's pearl earring which caused her to be fired, then married a man who she was in love with "Pieter",,,, the rest can be seen in the movie! Produced in 2003

Three things made me write this post:

1- I liked the painting
2- If the reader, movie watcher did not know that the novel is built on the painting but does not relate to its real story "which is unknown, and there might not be one! it could be a simple portrait noting attached to it" ,, then that lack of knowledge could build a base for who might say the novel tells the story of the painting.
3- I do not like the fact that most artists, are not well appreciated in their life as much as they are in their death.