Portrait of a Musician is an oil on wood painting attributed to Leonardo da Vinci by some scholars. It was probably painted in 1490.
The man in the painting was at one time thought to be Franchino Gaffurio, who was the maestro di cappella of the Milanese Cathedral. Although some believe it to be a portrait of Gaffurio, others think the man is famous Leonardo da Pistoia (monk) of the court of Cosimo de' Medici painted after his discovery of the ancien texts of the Corpus Hermeticus or an anonymous courtman. The piece of paper he holds is at least one part of a musical score; it has notes written on it. The painting was greatly restored and repainted, and Leonardo probably left the portrait unfinished but close to completion.
The man is positioned in a three-quarter position and he is holding a partition sheet. The musician stares at something outside the spectator's field of vision. Compared to the detailed face of the musician, the red hat, his tunic and his hair seem to be painted by a completely other painter. Art historians have recognized the fine art of da Vinci in the young man's face, though the partition sheet and his hand may have been added on to the original work.
Siegfried Woldhek, a Dutch illustrator, has claimed that 'Portrait of a Musician' is one of three self-portraits by Leonardo.
Famous quotes containing the words portrait of a, portrait of, portrait and/or musician:
“I had rather see the portrait of a dog that I know, than all the allegorical paintings they can show me in the world.”
—Samuel Johnson (1709–1784)
“Long before Einstein told us that matter is energy, Machiavelli and Hobbes and other modern political philosophers defined man as a lump of matter whose most politically relevant attribute is a form of energy called “self-interestedness.” This was not a portrait of man “warts and all.” It was all wart.”
—George F. Will (b. 1941)
“The explanation of the propensity of the English people to portrait painting is to be found in their relish for a Fact. Let a man do the grandest things, fight the greatest battles, or be distinguished by the most brilliant personal heroism, yet the English people would prefer his portrait to a painting of the great deed. The likeness they can judge of; his existence is a Fact. But the truth of the picture of his deeds they cannot judge of, for they have no imagination.”
—Benjamin Haydon (1786–1846)
“I think
The nightingale, if she should sing by day
When every goose is cackling, would be thought
No better a musician than the wren.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)