The Musician
Tuning the strings of her theorbo-lute, a beautiful musician directs an engaging glance at the viewer. The foreground of the picture displays a viola da gamba and sheet music for tenor and soprano voices, suggesting that the lute player anticipates a duet. Dutch painters of the seventeenth century frequently associated music-making and courtship with amateur concerts, providing opportunities for mingling and flirtation.
Artwork Details
- Title: The Musician
- Artist: Bartholomeus van der Helst (Dutch, Haarlem, born ca. 1612–15, died 1670 Amsterdam)
- Date: 1662
- Medium: Oil on canvas
- Dimensions: 54 1/2 x 43 3/4 in. (138.4 x 111.1 cm)
- Classification: Paintings
- Credit Line: Purchase, 1873
- Object Number: 73.2
- Curatorial Department: European Paintings
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