A Japanese molecular biologist with a love of the works of 17th century Dutch artist Johannes Vermeer has been recognized by the museum that houses one of his most renowned paintings.
The Royal Picture Gallery Mauritshuis in The Hague, home to Vermeer's masterpiece "Girl with a Pearl Earring," recently named Shinichi Fukuoka, 54, one of 20 aficionados of the artist from around the world.
The scientist currently lives in New York, where he is a visiting professor at Rockefeller University, a leader in biomedical research. A replica of the "Girl," often called "the Mona Lisa of the North," adorns the living room of his apartment.