The Musicians by Caravaggio - 1595 Metropolitan Museum of Art The Musicians by Caravaggio - 1595 Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Musicians

oil on canvas •
  • Caravaggio - 29 September 1571 - 18 July? 1610 Caravaggio 1595

Time for one of my favorite painters—Caravaggio!

The Musicians is not a depiction of a contemporary concert, but an allegory of Music and Love. Usually in these times painters were presenting Music as a single, idealized female figure. Caravaggio has conceived the allegory in a style that remains intentionally and provocatively ambivalent. Love is being symbolized by the Cupid reaching for grapes. Art historians agree that the cornetto player is Caravaggio’s self-portrait, and it is possible that the lutenist is Caravaggio’s companion Mario Minniti.

The manuscripts show that the boys are practicing madrigals celebrating love, and the eyes of the lutenist are moist with tears—the songs presumably describe the sorrow of love rather than its pleasures. The violin in the foreground suggests a fifth participant, implicitly including the viewer in the tableau.

I know we are an art app but as we are talking about music... I want to share with you the music video of one of my favorite Polish bands called Kamp! If you like synth-pop you're gonna love them! ;) Here is the YouTube link. Enjoy! :)

Zuzanna

P.S. Here's more about Caravaggio's The Musicians.