Klavierspeelster 1767

"Klavierspeelster," a 1767 etching by Johannes Körnlein (17??-1772), depicts a woman seated at a harpsichord, her gaze directed downwards as she reads sheet music. This small-scale work (221mm x 176mm) is housed in the Rijksmuseum and provides an intimate glimpse into the world of a 18th-century musician. The delicate lines and subtle shading of the etching capture the quiet contemplation of the subject, suggesting the contemplative nature of music making.