Artwork
Young Man Playing the Hurdy-Gurdy
Young Man Playing the Hurdy-Gurdy is an ink print by the Baroque artist Jan Stolker. It dates from 1762 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Jan Stolker’s 1762 mezzotint, titled Young Man Playing the Hurdy‑Gurdy, presents a solitary figure absorbed in music. Executed on blue laid paper, the image captures a youthful sitter turned slightly away, his face illuminated by a narrow light source that reveals a tranquil expression amid a predominantly dark background.
Subject & Meaning
The work portrays a young man engaged with a hurdy‑gurdy, a stringed instrument that enjoyed widespread popularity across 18th‑century Europe. By focusing on the act of playing, the print reflects contemporary interest in everyday leisure activities and the modest, itinerant musicians who often performed in public spaces.
Technique & Style
Stolker employs the mezzotint process to achieve pronounced chiaroscuro, using deep tonal contrasts to model the figure’s features and clothing. The gradations of black and gray create a sense of volume, while the limited palette and near‑black backdrop heighten the dramatic effect and draw attention to the illuminated face and hands.
History & Provenance
Born in Amsterdam and trained under Jan Maurits Quinkhard, Stolker was active as a portraitist and as a reproducer of earlier Dutch works. He later joined the Confrerie Pictura and the Rotterdam Guild of Saint Luke, institutions that supported his printmaking activities. The mezzotint reflects his skill in translating painted subjects into the tonal language of print.
Context
During the mid‑1700s, Dutch printmakers frequently produced mezzotints to disseminate popular images and genre scenes. Stolker’s choice of a musical subject aligns with the period’s fascination with genre depictions that combined modest domesticity with a touch of theatricality, catering to a market for affordable, collectible prints.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Jan Stolker (1 July 1724 – 10 June 1785) was a Dutch printmaker, painter, painting dealer, and art collector.
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