The Lute Player (c.1670). Jan Steen (Dutch, 1626-1679). Oil on canvas. The Wallace Collection.This p
The Lute Player (c.1670). Jan Steen (Dutch, 1626-1679). Oil on canvas. The Wallace Collection.This picture presents a cautionary tale of sensual overindulgence. The figure of the young man on the left, a self-portrait of Steen, conveys the sense of smell through the pipe he smokes, and the sense of taste in the wine glass he holds up. In the background an embracing couple represent touch, while the elegant lute player in the foreground illustrates sound through music, and sight by the beauty of her own person. She is dressed in a shimmering costume of lilac, blue and yellow silks, itself a testimony to the sensual delight of vision and the painter’s art. -- source link
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