The Music Lesson
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| Artist | Johannes Vermeer |
|---|---|
| Year | 1662–1665 |
| Type | Oil on canvas |
| Dimensions | 74.6 cm × 64.1 cm (29.4 in × 25.2 in) |
| Location | Royal Collection, St. James's Palace, London |
The Music Lesson or Lady at the Virginals with a Gentleman by Johannes Vermeer, also known as Jan Vermeer, is a painting of young female pupil receiving the titular music lesson. It has been estimated to have been painted between 1662 and 1665. The medium of the work is oil on canvas. It measures 74.6 cm by 64.1 cm.
History
The Music Lesson has been part of the Royal Collection of Great Britain since the reign of King George III. However, when the piece was acquired it was believed to be a work by Frans van Mieris the elder because of a misinterpretation of the signature. The painting wasn't correctly attributed to Vermeer until 1866 by Théophile Thoré, though some scholars were skeptical whether it was Vermeer or not.[1] George III did not intend to buy The Music Lesson, but the work was part of a lot being sold by Consul Joseph Smith which included books the king wanted, so the monarch had to take the picture, too.[2] The picture was sold in May 1696 in Delft, part of the collection of Jacob Dissous, which included a score of Vermeers. It was later acquired by Venetian artist Giovanni Antonio Pellegrini in 1718, with Pellegrini’s collection later being bought by Smith.[1]
In popular culture
The 2013 documentary film Tim's Vermeer documents[3] inventor and entrepreneur Tim Jenison's attempt to recreate[4] The Music Lesson in order to test his theory that Vermeer painted with the help of optical devices.
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "The Royal Collection". The Royal Collection. Retrieved 2013-12-24.
- ↑ "The Lowlifes Take over the Palace, The Sunday Mail, May 1, 2005". Findarticles.com. Retrieved 2013-12-24.
- ↑ Andersen, Kurt (November 29, 2013). "Reverse-Engineering a Genius (Has a Vermeer Mystery Been Solved?)". Vanity Fair.
- ↑ Tim Jenison's Vermeer, The Music Lesson
Further reading
- Liedtke, Walter A. (2001). Vermeer and the Delft School. Metropolitan Museum of Art. ISBN 9780870999734.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to The Music Lesson (Vermeer). |
- The Royal Collection, A Lady at the Virginals with a Gentleman (‘The Music Lesson’)
- The Music Lesson - Analysis and Inspiration