Musical paintings
The sound of music was ubiquitous in the 17th century. Whether in church, at the inn, at parades and festivals, or at home.
Musical instruments were part of everyday life. But paintings are rarely (only) an exact depiction of reality. In 17th-century paintings, instruments often had an additional meaning. For example, they might suggest the debauchery of a wild dance, the pride of the music virtuoso, the harmony needed in a marriage, or even the sensuality of a brothel scene. It is up to the beholder to decipher the exact meaning.
In this tour
You will get to see several instruments from Johannes Vermeer's paintings and discover how they must have sounded.
Tip
Keep an eye on our Google Arts & Culture page: we continually add new stories, photos and, of course, new music to the page.
