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Notes
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Scenes of small groups of people making music were common in seventeenth-century Dutch painting. They reflected a popular social activity among sophisticated families and as such might symbolise the harmony of family life or friendship groups. But such parties were also an accepted way for young men and women to meet and were therefore often associated with erotic encounters. In this painting, the relationship between the three characters has been left uncertain. They're not obviously flirting and their body language is neutral, but a couple of subtle clues might tempt us towards a particular conclusion. There is a bed in the background – perhaps this is also on the minds of the protagonists – and the ace of spades suggests a game of cards, which was often associated with seduction.
Title
A Woman playing a Theorbo to Two Men
Date
about 1667-8
Medium
Oil on canvas
Measurements
H 67.6 x W 57.8 cm
Accession number
NG864
Acquisition method
Bought, 1871
Work type
Painting
The National Gallery, London
Trafalgar Square, London, Greater London WC2N 5DN England
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