The Musician
by HELST, Bartholomeus van der, Oil on canvas, 118 x 111 cm
In style and execution this painting is a typical work of Bartholomeus van der Helst’s mature years. The woman tunes a theorbo-lute, and a viola da gamba rests in front of her. Some scholars have considered the picture to be an allegory or personification of music. Later writers have treated the painting as a genre scene, comparing works by Gerrit Dou, Johannes Vermeer, and other contemporary artists. The picture is very close in date and in its main motifs to Vermeer’s Woman with a Lute near a Window. However, it was also suggested that the artist’s wife, Anna du Pire might have served as a model for the Musician.
Suggested listening (streaming mp3, 14 minutes):
George Frideric Handel: Concerto for harp, lute and theorbo in B flat major