1594
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
Dominant colour
Orpheus Charming the Animals is a 1594 by Nicolaes de Bruyn, a Renaissance work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.
This painting depicts a man playing a lyre, surrounded by various animals. The man, dressed in a tunic, sits on a rock with his right leg bent and his left leg extended. He holds the lyre in his left hand and plucks its strings with his right. The animals, including deer, a unicorn, a boar, and a lion, gather around him, seemingly entranced by the music. The scene is set against a dark background, which contrasts with the light tones of the man and the animals. The overall effect is one of harmony and balance, as if the music has brought the creatures together in a moment of peace. To learn more about the Renaissance movement, which this painting is a part of, explore the works of other artists from this period.
Nicolaes de Bruyn (Antwerp, 1571 – Rotterdam, 1656) was a Flemish engraver, who after training in Antwerp was active in the Dutch Republic.
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