Hearing (De Fiool Speelder)

Description

Cornelis Visscher completed a number of genre scenes during his career that portray satirical figures gathering in jovial settings. The Concert was made after a painting by Adriaen Brouwer, a Flemish artist known for his innovative peasant scenes. Famous for his striking realism, including unidealized drunkards, Brouwer allowed the viewer a glance at a boisterous world that makes no apologies for celebrating. This scene boasts energy and harmony, as the musician’s song narrates the suspicious characters’ actions. Though not his own design, it resonates with Visscher’s vision—one that captured the eccentricities of Dutch life.

Hearing (De Fiool Speelder)

Cornelis Visscher

c. 1649-58

Accession Number

9399

Medium

Engraving in black on ivory laid paper

Dimensions

Plate: 26.7 × 19.5 cm (10 9/16 × 7 11/16 in.); Sheet: 27.4 × 20.2 cm (10 13/16 × 8 in.)

Classification

etching

Museum

The Art Institute of Chicago

Chicago, United States

Credit Line

Gift of Horace S. Oakley