Who painted Man Playing a Lute [recto]?

Man Playing a Lute [recto] was painted by Matteo Rosselli in 1614.

Where can I see Man Playing a Lute [recto]?

Man Playing a Lute [recto] is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Man Playing a Lute [recto]?

Man Playing a Lute [recto] is associated with Renaissance.

Artwork

Man Playing a Lute [recto]

Matteo Rosselli , 1614

Man Playing a Lute [recto] is a chalk drawing by the Renaissance artist Matteo Rosselli. It dates from 1614 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. Created in 1614, this red‑chalk drawing on laid paper depicts a seated figure absorbed in playing a lute.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1614, this red‑chalk drawing on laid paper depicts a seated figure absorbed in playing a lute.

Created in 1614, this red‑chalk drawing on laid paper depicts a seated figure absorbed in playing a lute. The work is attributed to Matteo Rosselli, an Italian artist whose career bridged the late Florentine Counter‑Mannerist phase and the emerging Baroque sensibility. Though Rosselli is chiefly remembered for expansive historical canvases, this intimate study demonstrates his facility with drawing and his engagement with musical subjects.

Subject & Meaning

The composition centers on a solitary musician, his posture relaxed as he holds the lute against his body. The focus on a private act of music‑making suggests an interest in everyday cultural practices, offering a glimpse into the domestic leisure of early‑seventeenth‑century Italy. The figure’s concentration conveys a contemplative atmosphere rather than narrative drama.

Technique & Style

Executed with red chalk, the drawing exploits the medium’s warm tonal range to model flesh and fabric. Subtle gradations create a soft transition between light and shadow, echoing the sfumato approach that softened edges in earlier Renaissance works. The laid paper surface adds a faint texture that interacts with the chalk, enhancing the drawing’s delicate atmosphere.

Context

Rosselli worked during a transitional period when Florentine art was moving away from the artificiality of Mannerism toward the dynamism of the Baroque. This piece reflects lingering Florentine traditions, such as careful drawing and attention to anatomical accuracy, while also hinting at the emerging emphasis on naturalism that would characterize later Baroque art.

History & Provenance

The drawing remains documented as part of Rosselli’s oeuvre of paper studies, which were often produced as preparatory sketches or personal exercises. Its survival in good condition provides valuable evidence of the artist’s practice beyond his large‑scale oil paintings, illustrating the breadth of his output in the early seventeenth century.

Artist & collection

Artist

Matteo Rosselli

Matteo Rosselli (10 August 1578 – 18 January 1650) was an Italian painter of the late Florentine Counter-Mannerism and early Baroque. He is best known however for his highly populated grand-manner historical paintings.