Le Concert de Famille

The almost blossom-like scenery shows a family in a social round in house music. Representations like these are attributable to genre painting, but this is rather a representative family portrait, which, as can be seen from the picture, was dedicated to Christian VII, King of Denmark. Home music in the family Circles were a favorite pastime in the 17th century. Dealing with music was a sign of prosperity and education. It becomes clear from representations like these that making music was not only reserved for trained musicians, but also played a major role in the private circle and could be of high quality. The interior is very dark, no windows can be seen. A chandelier can be seen above the group, but it does not burn. So one wonders where the light came from, which illuminates the scene, it seems to appear from the right behind the curtain. Thus it illuminates the face and apron of the lady sitting on the left at the table, flipping in a notebook and looking dreamy to the right, her left hand seems to move in the beat of music. Next to her is a man with a pub looking at the notes. This is followed by a man who also sits at the table, holds notes in his hands and sings. The man on the far right plays the violin. Behind the group is a man who looks at the viewer and does not seem to fit the scene in the foreground. Perhaps the painter who created the template for the copper engraving presented himself here as a self-portrait. The template is by the Dutch painter Godfried Schalcken (1643-1706). The painting, which is sideways to the present engraving, he created between 1669 and 1670. It is now in the Royal Collection. In the present engraving, executed by the German copper engraver Johann Georg Wille (1715-1808), the dog sleeping peacefully rolled on Schalcken’s painting is missing at the bottom left of the leaf margin. Signature: Peint par G. Schalken. Grave par I. G. Wille Graveur du Roi et de S. M. Imp. et Royale apres le Tableau Original qui est dans son Cabinet. a Paris chez l 'Auteur Quay des Augustins. [top] Dreytzente Plaque 1767. C8. C9. Caption: LE CONCERT DE FAMILLE. Dedie a Sa Majeste Christian VII Roi de Dannemark, Nora, des Vandales et de Goths, Duc de Sleswic, Holstein, Stormarn et des Ditmarses. Comte d 'Oldenbourg et de Delmenhorst & c.& c. Par son tres humble tres obeissant et tres foumis Serviteur, Jean George Wille. ((Händel-Haus Halle Foundation)