Artwork
The Music Lesson
The Music Lesson is an oil painting by the Baroque artist Gerard ter Borch. It dates from 1670 and is held in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago.
About this work
Overview
The Music Lesson is a small-scale oil on canvas painting depicting a woman playing a double-headed lute with a man accompanying her.
Subject & Meaning
The scene shows a woman playing a musical instrument while a man marks the tempo, but the nature of their relationship is ambiguous due to their similar ages and the presence of a bed in the background.
Technique & Style
The painting features a notable use of light and depth, achieved through techniques such as glazing, creating a sense of intimacy and subtlety in the scene.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Gerard ter Borch (Dutch: ; December 1617 – 8 December 1681), also known as Gerard Terburg (Dutch: ), was a Dutch Golden Age painter mainly of genre subjects.
