Artwork
An African Lyre Player (recto); Calligraphy (verso)
An African Lyre Player (recto); Calligraphy (verso) is an unspecified painting. It dates from 1650 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. The work presents a solitary figure engaged in music-making.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The recto depicts an African lyre player, while the verso presents calligraphic text, suggesting a dual function of visual and literary expression.
The recto depicts an African lyre player, while the verso presents calligraphic text, suggesting a dual function of visual and literary expression. The figure is understood to represent a musician engaged with African cultural traditions, and the calligraphy may reflect contemporary artistic practices of the period. Together, the two sides convey a layered interpretation of identity and artistic exchange, aligning with the Cleveland Museum of Art's holdings and contextualizing the work within 17th‑century artistic conventions.
History & Provenance
The work An African Lyre Player (recto); Calligraphy (verso) is dated to 1650, a date established by its classification and historical attribution. The painting has been part of the Cleveland Museum of Art’s collection since its acquisition in 2013, where it is cataloged under accession number 2013.289. No prior ownership history or commissioning details for the work are documented in available sources.
Created by an unidentified artist, the painting reflects mid-17th-century conventions but lacks specific records of its early provenance or circumstances of production.
The work titled An African Lyre Player (recto); Calligraphy (verso) is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art in Cleveland. It is cataloged under the accession number 2013.289. The painting, dated to 1650, is attributed to an unknown artist within the museum's records.
Overview
The work presents a solitary figure engaged in music-making. He is depicted playing a rounded, pink‑tinged stringed instrument with an extended neck, using a bow to draw the strings while his other hand steadies the body of the instrument. The scene is set against a muted sky dotted with clouds, and a few sprigs of green foliage appear at the performer’s feet.
Technique & Style
Rendered in a clear, linear style, the painting emphasizes the contours of the musician and his instrument. The palette is restrained, with soft pinks for the lyre, muted whites and greens for clothing, and a pale sky background. Fine brushwork delineates the feathered hat and the delicate clouds, while the minimal vegetation grounds the figure without distracting from the central action.
Context
The composition reflects an interest in African musical practices, likely produced during a period when European artists were documenting non‑Western cultures. The inclusion of both a visual depiction (recto) and calligraphic elements (verso) suggests the work may have served an educational or ethnographic purpose, pairing image with textual description.
Artist & collection
