Artwork
An African Lyre Player (recto)
An African Lyre Player (recto) is an unspecified painting. It dates from 1650 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. The work depicts a seated figure engaged in music, positioned on a grassy patch dotted with flowers.
About this work
Technique & Style
It belongs to the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art and is catalogued under the accession number 2013.
The work is a painting created circa 1650 on a rectangular support, depicting an African lyre player. It belongs to the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art and is catalogued under the accession number 2013.289.a. The painting's condition is noted as stable, with no documented conservation issues reported.
Stylistically, the composition emphasizes a figure rendered in a naturalistic manner, employing chiaroscuro to model form and a muted palette that underscores the cultural specificity of the subject. The brushwork demonstrates a blend of fine linear detail and broader tonal washes, characteristic of 17th‑century European technique adapted to a thematic subject drawn from African life.
History & Provenance
An African Lyre Player (recto) is a painting attributed to an unknown artist, created in 1650. It entered the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it remains on view. The work was produced during the mid-17th century and is catalogued as part of the museum's holdings under the accession number 2013.289.a.
An African Lyre Player (recto) is held by the Cleveland Museum of Art. Within the museum's holdings it is catalogued under the accession number 2013.289.a.
The work is documented as part of the Cleveland Museum of Art's collection, with no further exhibition history recorded in the available sources.
Overview
The work depicts a seated figure engaged in music, positioned on a grassy patch dotted with flowers. He is attired in a white tunic, a white turban accented with a yellow band, and green trousers patterned in red. A red sash encircles his waist, and a long white cape drapes over his shoulders.
The background consists of a beige field beneath a blue sky scattered with white clouds, framed by a decorative border.
Subject & Meaning
The central figure is an African lyre player, captured in the act of plucking the instrument while appearing to sing, his mouth open and gaze directed upward. The composition emphasizes the act of musical performance, suggesting a celebration of cultural expression through music.
Artist & collection
