Feb 8, 2007
Jul 31, 2013
Jul 22, 2013

A Musical Company

A Musical Company

c. 1668

Jacob Ochtervelt

(Dutch, 1634–1682)

Oil on canvas

Framed: 73 x 64.5 x 5.5 cm (28 3/4 x 25 3/8 x 2 3/16 in.); Unframed: 58.5 x 48.9 cm (23 1/16 x 19 1/4 in.)

Leonard C. Hanna, Jr. Fund 1991.23

Description

Despite the calm demeanor and elegant disposition of the figures, this interior scene probably represents the interior of a brothel, signaled by the row of female portraits in the background, rarely found in other paintings of this period. The depiction of music provides another clue to the subject. The recorder and violin, played without scores, were perceived as cruder instrumentation and associated with prostitution, versus the elegant and complicated musicmaking seen in the work by Pieter de Hooch in the museum's collection.

See also

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