A Woman standing at a Harpsichord, a Man seated by her
- Artist: Jacob Ochtervelt
- Date: probably 1675-80
- Medium: oil on canvas
- Museum: The National Gallery
- Collection record: The National Gallery website
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About this artwork
This is "A Woman standing at a Harpsichord, a Man seated by her" painted in the Dutch tradition. The lady, clad in a luxurious red satin dress with gold embroidery, is standing with her back to us in front of a harpsichord. She looks down at the keyboard, while the singing man sitting opposite gazes adoringly at his love interest. A servant bringing wine appears in the doorway, but only the dog turning its head has noticed the intruder.
This painting highlights Jacob Ochtervelt's specialty - depicting elegant companies in lavish interiors. He enjoyed great success with these kinds of scenes and it shows in the attention to detail and richness of the colours used here. The brushstrokes are smooth and confident, giving a sense of movement and energy to the scene.
The lady's dress is particularly striking, with intricate gold embroidery that catches the light. It's interesting to note that this dress appears in other works by Ochtervelt as well, suggesting it was a familiar subject for him. This painting dates back to probably around 1675-80, a time when Dutch art was flourishing.
See it in person
A Woman standing at a Harpsichord, a Man seated by her 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.
