Discover The Relationship Between Vermeer And Music

Tabish Khan
By Tabish Khan Last edited 128 months ago
Discover The Relationship Between Vermeer And Music
Johannes Vermeer (1632 - 1675)
The Guitar Player, about 1672
On loan from English Heritage, The Iveagh Bequest (Kenwood)
© English Heritage
Johannes Vermeer (1632 - 1675) The Guitar Player, about 1672 On loan from English Heritage, The Iveagh Bequest (Kenwood) © English Heritage
Johannes Vermeer (1632 - 1675)
A Young Woman standing at a Virginal, about 1670-2
The National Gallery, London
© The National Gallery, London
Johannes Vermeer (1632 - 1675) A Young Woman standing at a Virginal, about 1670-2 The National Gallery, London © The National Gallery, London
Johannes Vermeer (1632 - 1675)
A Young Woman seated at a Virginal, about 1670-2
The National Gallery, London
© The National Gallery, London
Johannes Vermeer (1632 - 1675) A Young Woman seated at a Virginal, about 1670-2 The National Gallery, London © The National Gallery, London
oil on canvas  73.3 x 64.5 cm  The Royal Collection
Johannes Vermeer (1632 - 1675) The Music Lesson, about 1662-3 Royal Collection Trust © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2013
Lute, ebony and ivory, c. 1630, probably from Venice, Italy, front view | Photo Credit: [ The Art Archive / Victoria and Albert Museum London / V&A Images  ]   82 x 30 x 46 cm
Anon Lute, about 1630, Venice Victoria and Albert Museum, London © The Art Archive / Victoria and Albert Museum, London / V&A Images
Cittern, pine, maple, sycamore, possibly German, formerly thought to be Venetian or Neopolitan, 17th century, front view  | Photo Credit: [ The Art Archive / Ashmolean Museum  ]  76 x 23.3 x 5cm
Anon Cittern, early 18th century, Italy Ashmolean Museum, Oxford © The Art Archive / Ashmolean Museum, Oxford

The National Gallery's summer exhibitions are usually a more introverted affair compared to the spring blockbusters. They encourage us to take a different look at the paintings in the Gallery's collection. This year the focus is on the role of music in 17th century Netherlands and its depiction in paintings from that era.

The Dutch Golden Age brought a change in painting, moving the focus away from religious themes towards more domestic scenes such as still life and portraits. And it's evident from the works on display here that music was an integral part of life. All the still life scenes feature a musical instrument and there are plenty of domestic and outdoor scenes of musicians playing or practising.

Interspersed with the paintings are exceptionally well preserved instruments from the era, including a lute, a violin and a cittern (an early stringed instrument). Throughout the exhibition, modern musicians will be playing music from the time to provide a fully immersive experience for visitors.

Of the painters on display, the most famous is Vermeer. There are five of his works in this exhibition and they distinguish themselves from the others for their use of shade and colour. The last section in this show looks at the scientific reasons why his work stood out, including his use of rare and expensive pigments. Though this is clearly a well researched section, the findings almost serve to demystify the talent of Vermeer and made us less appreciative of his outstanding ability as a painter.

As a selection of paintings, there's nothing here that a walk around the National Gallery couldn't provide, but the mix of music and art is a natural fit and fans of both art forms will find this to be an engaging exhibition.

Vermeer and Music: The Art of Love and Leisure is on at National Gallery until 8 September. Tickets are £8 for adults, concessions available.

Last Updated 06 July 2013