Artwork
Cistern Player
Cistern Player is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Cornelis Pietersz Bega. It dates from 1662 and is held in the collection of the Gemäldegalerie Berlin.
About this work
Overview
Cistern Player is a 1662 painting by Cornelis Pietersz Bega, a Dutch Golden Age artist known for his genre scenes and interior settings.
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts a woman playing a cittern, dressed in simple attire and seated in a dimly lit room with a few visible furnishings. Her focused posture and expression suggest she is absorbed in her music.
Technique & Style
Bega's use of chiaroscuro creates a sense of depth and highlights the subject, drawing attention to the woman and her instrument. This technique was characteristic of his style, developed under the influence of his teacher Adriaen van Ostade.
History & Provenance
The painting is part of the Gemäldegalerie Berlin collection. Created in 1662, it reflects Bega's mid-17th-century artistic output, which often featured everyday scenes and figures.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Cornelis Pietersz Bega, or Cornelis Pietersz Begijn (1631/32 – 27 August 1664) was a Dutch Golden Age painter and engraver.
