Saint Cecilia Playing the Spinnet 1621

Orazio Gentileschi painted Saint Cecilia Playing the Spinnet in oil paint, sometime in the early 1600s. The luster of oil paint is fundamental to this work; it gives an attractive sheen to the figures' clothes, which would have been highly desirable fabrics at the time. But what I find particularly intriguing is the spinnet, an early keyboard instrument that the Saint is playing. Think of all the hands involved in making such a thing: the joiners and woodworkers who would have made the case, the metal smith who made the delicate wire strings, and the keyboard maker. All of these skilled makers were essential to the work; it is the synthesis of these artisanal trades that allows the Saint to make music. Next time you see a painting, try thinking beyond the artist's hand. Consider the many makers whose work is indirectly represented. After all, they too are part of the story.