The Lute Player and the Singer c. 1495 - 1503

"The Lute Player and the Singer" is a print by Israhel van Meckenem, a prominent German engraver active in the late 15th century. The image shows a young man, dressed in a fashionable, long-sleeved doublet, playing a lute for a woman, likely a noble lady, seated on a chest, her fingers delicately placed on a sheet of music. This intimate scene, with the man's attentive gaze and the dog patiently waiting beside him, evokes the allure of music and its power to captivate. The fine detail and meticulous shading in this engraving, characteristic of Meckenem's style, highlight the richness of the scene's details.