Artwork
<i>A Musical Party</i>
<i>A Musical Party</i> is a paint painting by the Romanticist artist John Masey Wright. It dates from 1800 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
_A Musical Party_ is a painting from around 1800. It's a work by Wright, John Masey.
The scene is set in a tavern, where singers and musicians have gathered. This was a common practice at the time, with music clubs and glee clubs springing up throughout the eighteenth century.
To learn more about the style of this painting, look up the movement: Romanticism.
Overview
A Musical Party is a painting by John Masey Wright, created around 1800. It depicts a gathering of singers and musicians in a tavern.
Subject & Meaning
The scene shows a group of men entertaining themselves with music, while one figure in the corner appears to be asleep or ignoring the activity. This reflects the tradition of male music clubs and glee clubs that were popular during the 18th century.
History & Provenance
Wright was an amateur musician himself, having worked as a piano tuner and for an organ builder before becoming an artist. This background likely influenced his depiction of the musical gathering.
Context
The painting captures a moment in the evolution of social entertainment, which would eventually develop into Music Hall with its professional performers and variety acts.
Artist & collection
Artist
John Masey Wright (1777–1866) was a British watercolourist. He was the son of an organ-builder and was apprenticed to the same business, but, as it proved distasteful to him, he was allowed to follow his natural…
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