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There are three versions of the artwork Lute Player, and there are only subtle differences between them. This version is the one that is currently located in the Hermitage Museum, and it was probably painted in the year 1600, a few years after Caravaggio had moved into the household of Cardinal Francesco Maria del Monte when the artist had established his fame and did his first religious-themed pieces.
When Caravaggio painted the Lute Player, he was already broadly known, and his pieces were extremely desired. A few years later he would become the most famous artist in Italy. This painting shows the evolution of the tenebrism that Caravaggio was developing over the course of the last few years. If we contrast this piece with its predecessors, it has more drama and contrast, a feature that would become even more intense throughout the next few years.
The layout of this piece had already been seen on similar previous pieces like Bacchus and his studies on boys with fruits. In front of the boy, there is a table filled with music sheets, a violin, some fruits and a vase of flowers. On the Wildenstein Collection version of this painting, the marble table is covered with a red piece of tapestry, but on this version, it’s possible to see the material. Caravaggio was known for his obsession with realistic details, and that translates into this piece in details like the crack on the lute and the holes and black spots on the fruits.
The boy has luscious brown hair, a wig likely seen on other pieces like Bacchus. During many years it was suspected that the model was Caravaggio himself, painting from a mirror, but now the theory more accepted is that this would be a portrait of his good friend Mario Minniti. The boy has smooth pale skin, rosy cheeks and is wearing a loose white tunic and a white piece of cloth on his hair. As mentioned before, Caravaggio was deepening his tenebrism technique, and this makes the central figure stand out and contrast with the background.
The music sheet on top of the table reads in French: "Vous savez que je vous aime et vous adore...Je fus vôtre", translated as "You know I love you and adore you...I was yours".
Real Oil Paints, Real Brushes, Real Artists, Real Art. The Certificate of Authenticity which arrives with every painting provides an assurance and verifies the authenticity of the hand painted fine art reproduction you purchased. Each oil painting is created by hand using only the finest canvas and oil paints available.
Important Notes About Your Painting:
If you have any request to alter your reproduction of Lute Player c. 1596,
you must email us after placing your order and we'll have an artist contact you.
If you have another image of Lute Player c. 1596
that you would like the artist to work from, please include it as an attachment. Otherwise, we will reproduce the above image for you exactly as it is.
Free shipping is included in the price of the painting. Once the painting is ready and dry enough to ship, we will roll it and ship it in a sturdy cardboard tube.
We always ship express via courier to ensure your order reaches you as soon as possible - normally within three business days. The total delivery time from the moment you place your order until the package is delivered to your door is normally between three to four weeks.
If, in the unlikely event you were dissatisfied with the painting after reviewing it in person, it can be returned for a full refund for up to 365 days after delivery.
When you receive the painting; you are free to return it for more revisions or else for a full refund minus our actual shipping cost -- which is, on average, $25 per painting.
1st Art Gallery provides a full warranty covering manufacturing and material defects for paintings purchased from our website. The warranty covers damage for normal use. Damage caused by incidents such as accidents or inappropriate use are not covered.
Depending on the degree of damage to the warranted painting, it will either be repaired or replaced. This warranty service is provided free of charge.
When purchasing a painting on its own, it will arrive rolled inside a secure tube with an extra 1.5" of white canvas on all sides so you can easily frame it in any local frame shop.
You may choose to purchase your painting framed, in which case, it will arrive "ready to hang". We offer more than 20 beautiful models, all hand finished and expertly assembled by our experienced framers.
Note that for safety reasons we can only frame up to a certain size. Once the maximum size is reached the framing option is automatically disabled.
If you are planning to frame your painting yourself,
use an existing frame, or frame it locally, you may choose to order your painting with a stretching service,
meaning that it will arrive mounted on wooden bars.
If you're considering not framing your painting at all, you may opt for a Gallery Wrap. The term Gallery Wrap refers to the way the canvas is stretched, which is by wrapping it around thick stretcher bars, about 1.5 inch thick, with the canvas being secured to the back rather than the sides of those bars.
All orders ship with UPS, FedEx or DHL and will arrive directly to your home or office. A tracking number will be emailed to you as soon as the order leaves our studio so you can track it online. All orders ship express and usually arrive within 4-5 days from the shipping date. Due to shipping restraints, many of our framed, stretched, and oversize paintings may take 6-21 days for arrival depending on the safest route determined by the postal service.