Explore the Guitar about the Visual analysis of this artwork.
Vermeer's depiction of a young girl making music is associated with the nobility found in artistic inspiration, as well as the art of painting in the seventeenth century. The guitar originated in Spain, and was keenly sought after in the Dutch Republic. Compared to the lute, the guitar was cheaper and easier to play. This instrument has been decorated with a combination of ivory, ebony, tortoiseshell, and mother-of-pearl. The soundhole is created with multiple layers of ornately scrolled paper. In the seventeenth century, the guitar was used as both a continuo (harmonic) instrument, and a solo instrument. The music the guitar produces is bolder than that of the lute, and this is due to the design of the cords. The guitars strings reverberate deeper and fuller than that of past instruments. It does not play as loud as the modern flamenco guitar, and the gut strings are played with fingers. This painting depicts a five-course guitar, which was standard for most solo musicians.Vermeer's depiction of a guitar suggests a move into the modern world of music, in which the lute is left behind with its contemplative and conservative traditions. The depiction of this guitar was created with immense attention to detail. The sound hole is created with a depiction of a finely tooled gold rose, where Vermeer has created an abstract arrangement of painted strokes. These strokes are highlighted with hazy accents of lead-tin yellow paint. The decorative white and black trim of the guitars border intensifies the painting's cheerful atmosphere. The small detailed sound hole was created with blobs of impasto paint, which portrays the light reflecting across its slick uneven surface. The most influential and well thought out technique Vermeer used in this painting focusses on the guitar's strings. Some of the strings are blurred, this suggests that they have been strummed and are vibrating. Because of this, we can assume she is in the midst of playing a song.
tortoiseshell Dutch Republic Spain gut strings ivory mother-of-pearl impasto five-course guitar Guitar pearl ebony flamenco guitar