Portrait of a Lutenist

Portrait of a Lutenist from 1635 by Leyster combines portraiture with the musical subject matter that was central to her artistic identity. The lute was a symbol of both artistic cultivation and, in Dutch genre painting, sometimes of sensual pleasure. Leyster's musical subjects connect to the allegorical tradition of sound as one of the five senses, animated by her characteristic warm candlelight and direct informal characterization. Her musical figures often double as images of youthful plea...

The musician is rendered with Leyster's direct, confident technique, the lute painted with careful observation while the sitter's expression suggests absorption in music.