A Musical Party
- Artist: Jan Olis
- Date: 1633
- Medium: oil on wood
- Museum: The National Gallery
- Collection record: The National Gallery website
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About this artwork
This is the A Musical Party by Jan Olis. Painted in 1633, this beautiful piece showcases a gathering of musicians in a neutral interior. The fair-haired woman, dressed in a vibrant pink dress with gold-trimmed sleeves and elaborate lace collars, takes centre stage as she plays her viola da gamba. She's bathed in sunlight that catches the curves of her instrument.
The other musicians around the table wear more muted colours and are mostly cast in shadow. Only the left side of the man playing a lute and the lower part of the flautist's face catch the light. It's likely an edited version of the original composition, as a figure was painted out during restoration work in 1969-70.
This type of scene was quite common in seventeenth-century Holland, reflecting popular pastimes among young people and associated with ideas of harmony and love. However, hints of less respectable activities were often subtly included, especially if alcohol and tobacco were involved. In this case, only a slightly conspiratorial look from the flautist suggests anything untoward might be happening.
The painting's style shows the influence of Dutch masters like Willem Duyster and Pieter Codde, while Olis may have also been influenced by Caravaggio and his followers after visiting Rome.
See it in person
A Musical Party hangs in The National Gallery on Trafalgar Square, London — free to enter. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
