OCHTERVELT, Jacob
(b. 1634, Rotterdam, d. 1682, Amsterdam)

Itinerant Musicians

1660-65
Oil on oak, 56 x 47 cm
Staatliche Museen, Berlin

This domestic tableau by Ochtervelt contrasts the security of a wealthy home with the hazards of itinerant musicians who stand outside its opened door. Firmly placed within the extended space of the residence, the viewer is aware of the poverty of those without.

Suggested listening (streaming mp3, 21 minutes):
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: A Musical Joke (Village Musicians) K 522