Artwork
Still Life—Violin and Music
Still Life—Violin and Music is an oil painting by the Impressionist artist William Harnett. It dates from 1888 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. William M.
About this work
A violin, sheet music, and a flute lie on a wooden table, so convincingly painted you want to reach out and touch them. Harnett built the scene in thin layers of oil, making the wood grain and paper edges seem to lift off the canvas. The Met bought the work in 1955, long after his death.
Technique & Style
Still Life, Violin and Music is an oil painting on canvas. The canvas support measures 101.6 by 76.2 centimeters, providing a vertical format for the composition. No further details on brushwork, handling, condition, or formal stylistic qualities are recorded in the provided sources.
History & Provenance
William Michael Harnett painted Still Life, Violin and Music in 1888, as recorded in the work's metadata. The oil-on-canvas still life is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, specifically its American Wing. No further information about the painting's commission, early ownership, or provenance chain is provided in the available sources.
Overview
It features a violin, sheet music, and a flute arranged on a wooden surface, rendered with such precision that they appear almost tangible.
William M. Harnett's Still Life, Violin and Music is an oil on canvas painting renowned for its highly realistic depiction of everyday objects. This work exemplifies the artist's mastery of trompe-l'œil, a technique designed to deceive the viewer's eye into perceiving painted forms as three-dimensional realities. It features a violin, sheet music, and a flute arranged on a wooden surface, rendered with such precision that they appear almost tangible.
Subject & Meaning
The composition presents a violin, a flute, and several sheets of music casually arranged on a wooden tabletop. Harnett's choice of these musical instruments and printed scores suggests a moment of pause or an artist's studio setting. The primary intent of such a work lies in its ability to challenge the viewer's perception, inviting close inspection to discern the boundary between painted representation and actual object.
Artist & collection
Artist
William Michael Harnett (August 10, 1848 – October 29, 1892) was an American painter known for his trompe-l'œil still lifes of ordinary objects.
