David Leeuw with his Family 1671
painting, oil-paint
portrait
baroque
dutch-golden-age
painting
oil-paint
group-portraits
genre-painting
Abraham van den Tempel’s “David Leeuw with his Family” (1671) is a Dutch Golden Age group portrait depicting a wealthy family engaged in musical activities. The family is posed in an elegant garden setting, highlighted by a young boy playing the viol, a young girl playing the harpsichord, and sheet music visible in the foreground. The painting's harmonious composition reflects the family's affluence and cultural refinement, making it a quintessential example of Dutch portraiture from the period. This 190 cm x 200 cm oil painting, now housed in the Rijksmuseum, embodies the Dutch artistic tradition of celebrating domestic life and musical appreciation within the context of familial bonds.
Comments
During the 17th century music making signified harmony. The wealthy merchant David Leeuw thus had himself and his family portrayed making music as an expression of harmonious family life. Their unity is underscored by Leeuw’s proud hand gesture, and his wife’s gentle embrace of their children. They also convey their piety by performing religious music (the notes and text are legible).
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