Artwork
The Concert
The Concert is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Johann Bruederle. It dates from 1617 and is held in the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections.
About this work
Overview
The Concert, an oil painting by Johann Bruederle from 1617, captures a moment of suspended music-making among three individuals in a dimly lit interior.
Subject & Meaning
The scene portrays three musicians paused in performance: a harpist with a surprised expression, a red-hatted figure gazing upward, and a violinist mid-bow. An abandoned open book and quill suggest an interruption, inviting interpretation of the narrative pause.
Technique & Style
Bruederle employed strong chiaroscuro, using deep shadows against the dark background to accentuate the sharp, expressive faces of the musicians, creating a dramatic, almost theatrical effect.
History & Provenance
The Concert is part of the collection at the Alte Pinakothek, though specific details of its acquisition or earlier ownership are not provided in the available information.
Context
Created in 1617, the painting reflects the genre scene traditions of its time, focusing on everyday or intimate moments, while the use of chiaroscuro links it to broader Baroque lighting techniques prevalent in early 17th-century European art.
Artist & collection
Artist
This German painter made small, intimate oil scenes of everyday music-makers in the early 1600s.
