The Lute Player, flemish school of the 18th century

Gabriel Metsu (Leiden, 1629 – Amsterdam, 1667) follower

The Lute Player

First half of the 18th century

Oil on canvas 61 x 47 cm Framed 76 x 61 cm

This high-quality painting belongs to a genre much appreciated by collectors of Flemish painting from the “Golden Age”, which focuses on the family intimacy that existed within the wealthy homes of the bourgeoisie of the time, with settings overflowing with ornamental details.

The genius and success of these images lies in their ability to capture a particular domestic situation through a sort of photographic still image, all through skilful painting that draws on great attention to detail and the play of light.

The paintings thus become snapshots that capture moments of everyday domestic life of the time, transporting us to the living rooms of the era.

In our case, we are looking at an important, richly furnished residence, with furniture, paintings and valuable objects, from the stone fireplace with pilasters in the shape of fantastical figures, surmounted by porcelain tableware, to the sideboard with gilded statues, the paintings hanging on the walls and the damask tablecloth on which a silver jug and fruit are placed.

The protagonists of the canvas are a married couple immortalised in a moment of everyday life: the husband is seated playing a lute, one of the most popular pastimes for the wealthy bourgeoisie of the time, while his wife, sumptuously dressed in a light satin gown and a feathered headdress, is seated at his side and entertaining their little dog by giving it a biscuit in exchange for its obedience.

Each painting tells a story, because the works of 17th-century Dutch artists have the ability to create a striking atmosphere, immediately transporting us back in time to the Golden Age of the Netherlands. The work, highly refined in its details, is attributed to an artist active between the late 17th and early 18th centuries, and echoes the compositions created by Gabriel Metsu (Leiden, 1629 – Amsterdam, 1667), who was mainly active in Amsterdam, where he became a successful and fashionable painter, creating genre works with an abundance of detail, especially conversation pieces depicting bourgeois life, revealing the influence of Johannes Vermeer, the great master of Delft.

A similar painting is present in the RKD collection, as a follower) Among his pupils was Michiel van Musscher (Rotterdam, 1645 - Amsterdam, 1705), who often took up his compositional ideas, applying the same care to the rendering of details.

One detail that stands out at first glance is the care that has been taken in rendering the dress; the sheen of the silk satin is a masterful touch. The same can be said of the theatrical treatment of light, which highlights the main figures.