Adriaen van Ostade, "The Violinist"


    Welcome to the Netherlands!  Not only have we traveled across an ocean, but also back in time.  It is 1673 and our artist is Adriaen van Ostade, (1610-1685).  This style painting is called, genre, meaning showing the daily lives of ordinary people, and van Ostade made a profession of it.   One of the interesting things about this period and location in history, is that many people had a high standard of living and there was a strong demand for paintings inside reasonably average homes.  But the populace van Ostade portrayed, generally escape much of this prosperity.   Here we have a relaxed moment of leisure for peasants.   

    Van Ostade was a prolific painter.  Hundreds of his paintings survived and are spread across many museums around the world.   They are popular because he displayed peasants without social comment, often in a moment of fun and humor.
    I find the composition of this work interesting.  Notice it is divided in half, with the people/scene
on the bottom portion, so we can understand a portion of the building and setting.  The number of people and the sign next to the entrance could indicate this is not a home, but an inn of some type.
Now look at the groups of people.   Notice how they are arranged in groups of three, which when assembled, form a zigzag, with the cute puppy right in the middle, pointing up into it..
    A delightful, fun moment of people enjoying a moment of music.  I find it difficult to peek in on them without smiling.  
   "The Violinist' is an oil on canvas painted in Haarlem, The Netherlands in 1673.   It is not a very large painting measuring 45 x 42 cm, or 17.7 inches by 16.5 inches.   I was unable to find the location of this specific painting.  One by a similar title was up for auction at Christies, but it was not the same.  I will continue to research to see if I can find where this painting is located.   
   Make Art a part of your life, it's a beautiful thing to do.
 
    


 

Comments

  1. Char HarguthMarch 8, 2022 at 6:21 AM

    Everything about this painting gives me a warm feeling, from the sheltering leaves overhead, to the soft colors, to the interactions of the figures. Their standard of living does not affect their joy in everyday life, particularly the man in the middle with the jug!! It is such a serene, comfortable gathering. The fiddler adds to the rhythm of life in this pleasant peasant setting. I wasn't aware of the compositional groupings until you mentioned it. How interesting. The building itself, is quite intriguing with its rustic look. I would like to see inside. Like this one a lot!!

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