The Music Lesson
Encyclopedia
The Music Lesson or Lady at the Virginals with a Gentleman by Johannes Vermeer
, also known as Jan Vermeer, is a painting of young female pupil receiving the titular music lesson
. It has been estimated to have been painted between 1662 and 1665. The medium of the work is oil on canvas
. It measures 74.6 cm by 64.1 cm.
the elder because of a misinterpretation of the signature. The painting wasn't correctly attributed to Vermeer until 1866 by Théophile Thoré. It's said that George III didn't even intend to buy The Music Lesson, but the work was part of a lot being sold by Consul Joseph Smith which included books the king wanted, so the monarch had to take the picture, too. The picture was sold in May 1696 in Delft, part of the collection of Jacob Dissous, which included a score of Vermeers. It was later acquired by Venetian artist Giovanni Antonio Pellegrini
in 1718, with Pellegrini’s collection later being bought by Smith.
Johannes Vermeer
Johannes, Jan or Johan Vermeer was a Dutch painter who specialized in exquisite, domestic interior scenes of middle class life. Vermeer was a moderately successful provincial genre painter in his lifetime...
, also known as Jan Vermeer, is a painting of young female pupil receiving the titular music lesson
Music lesson
Music lessons are a type of formal instruction in playing a musical instrument or singing. Typically, a student taking music lessons meets a music teacher for one-on-one training sessions ranging from 30 minutes to one hour in length over a period of weeks or years...
. It has been estimated to have been painted between 1662 and 1665. The medium of the work is oil on canvas
Oil on Canvas
Oil on Canvas is a live album by the British band Japan, released in 1983 by Virgin Records. Although it is a live recording of their established material, the album also contains three new studio tracks , recorded separately by Sylvian, Sylvian/Jansen and Barbieri respectively...
. It measures 74.6 cm by 64.1 cm.
History
The Music Lesson has been part of the Royal Collection of Great Britain since the reign of King George III. However, when the piece was acquired it was believed to be a work by Frans van MierisFrans van Mieris
Frans van Mieris is the name of:* Frans van Mieris, Sr., Dutch painter* Frans van Mieris, Jr., his grandson, Dutch painter...
the elder because of a misinterpretation of the signature. The painting wasn't correctly attributed to Vermeer until 1866 by Théophile Thoré. It's said that George III didn't even intend to buy The Music Lesson, but the work was part of a lot being sold by Consul Joseph Smith which included books the king wanted, so the monarch had to take the picture, too. The picture was sold in May 1696 in Delft, part of the collection of Jacob Dissous, which included a score of Vermeers. It was later acquired by Venetian artist Giovanni Antonio Pellegrini
Giovanni Antonio Pellegrini
Giovanni Antonio Pellegrini was a widely-travelled Rococo decorative painter from Venice, where he was born and died...
in 1718, with Pellegrini’s collection later being bought by Smith.