Music 1557

Paolo Veronese’s “Music” (1557), housed in the Biblioteca Marciana in Venice, depicts four figures engaged in musical performance. A woman in the center plays a viol, while a young boy stands behind her, and a man to the right plays a lute. A fourth woman sits on the left, listening to the music with a serene expression. The figures are arranged in a circular composition and seem to be on a terrace, suggesting a scene of elegant leisure. Veronese was known for his masterful depiction of Venetian life, and this painting captures the spirit of musical enjoyment that was prevalent in the city during the 16th century.