Young man in a white shirt plays a lute behind a table with music books, a violin, a recorder and a small keyboard

The Lute Player

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What you see

A young man with chestnut hair, a ribbon in it and a billowing white shirt, plays the lute behind a table. His lips are parted as if he were singing. Other instruments lie in front of him: a small keyboard on the left, open music books, a violin with its bow and, in the foreground, a wooden recorder.

The background is dark, and light from the left falls on the shirt, the face and the glossy wood of the lute. The red rug with its geometric pattern warms the lower part. Look at the lute’s neck with its row of tuning pegs, the fingers on the strings, and the inscription “F. 13.” in the lower right corner.

About Caravaggio

Michelangelo Merisi, called Caravaggio after his family’s home town, painted scenes as if they were happening on a dark stage lit by a spotlight. He used ordinary people from the street as models, which was very daring at the time. His use of light and shadow inspired painters all over Europe.

All 12 works by Caravaggio