|
Date: |
|
Description: | The Barnsley painting is a seventeenth-century replica of a painting in the National Gallery, London by Gabriel Metsu (NG838). The work's high quality indicates that it came from the artist's studio. The figure of the woman is particularly fine. This is the best of a number of versions of this painting. Metsu was born in Leiden where he worked until he settled in Amsterdam in about 1657 and was probably a pupil of Gerrit Dou. He specialised in scenes of middle class life. The subject of music was popular in seventeenth-century Dutch genre works. The theme of music and love are often associated, this work is therefore allegorical and is intended to symbolise courtship. It is a lesson in love rather than music. This is indicated not only by the longing glance of the teacher at the girl but by the presence of musical instruments and the dog, both of which have strong associations with love. | Subjects: | allegory (love); animal (dog); figure; everyday life; interior | Source: | Vads | Creator: | Artist: Metsu, Gabriel (Dutch painter, 1629-1667) Æ Studio of Previously attributed to Metsu, Gabriel (Dutch painter, 1629-1667) | Identifier: | http://www.vads.ac.uk/large.php?uid=8864... | Go to resource |
|
|