A Musical Company 1730 - 1757

Curator: Oh, the subtle grace! Just look at “A Musical Company” thought to be completed by Melchior Brassauw somewhere between 1730 and 1757. A playful, elegant scene unfolds… Editor: Elegant is one word for it, I see mostly the sheen of oil paint used to create this little gathering—all those heavy costumes and the cello. Feels weighty, not exactly playful. Curator: Weighty in the best way! Think of it, though, all the labour gone into their clothes. But perhaps not as much as the instruments; you see a certain tenderness, too? In the way, they lean towards one another? It has a lovely intimacy. Editor: Intimacy bought and paid for. Think of the wool dyed for the clothes of the performers; each one a display of capital. It's worth pointing out the role textiles played, not only to represent status but the economy they were literally built upon. And they used quite a bit in the Baroque era, as the painting so clearly illustrates. Curator: But look beyond the surface! Surely it speaks to the joys of camaraderie, a brief respite from the rigidity of courtly life? I feel the urge to participate and listen to the string quartet in person! The colors themselves feel almost edible, that blush pink! Editor: Oh, they knew how to display! Let's also consider that even mixing paint in those days was labor intensive, all those ground pigments… and they're right in the centre of it, directing, owning… I imagine what they could tell about who made the cloth under which this party sit to this day… if fabrics could speak. Curator: I love how you make this piece sing through its earthly making. Editor: Someone needed to track those shipments, but indeed I wonder if it wouldn't change our experience of art. Let's hear it for materials.