painting (oil): ["The Music Party"]

A musical gathering of five men and four women. The instruments being played left to right are the soprano recorder, violin (played in the French manner) and lute. A woman reading from a music score raises her right hand as if conducting. A selection of plates and bowls decorate the mantelpiece. In the foreground, there is a sword and a collection of instruments, including a lute, a bass violin and a cittern. Virag 12/12/2004, Between 1984 and 1985, a research assistant, Dr. Brendan Cassidy, was employed by Nottingham Castle Museum to research and write a catalogue of the foreign oil paintings in their collection. The catalogue never materialised, but drafts and notes relating to Cassidy's research can be found in the Artist Files and in the Archive at the Museum. All references to Cassidy relate to these documents. In 17th century Dutch genre painting, the representation of music-making was understood as shorthand for courtship and sexual flirtation. The musical instruments that appear in NCM 1904-89 have been identified by Frances Palmer at the Horniman Museum, London (See correspondance in Artist File between Neil Walker and Frances Palmer, March/April 1994) On the front: There is extensive cracking in areas of the panel which is probably being exacerbated by the cradle on the reverse. The worst of the cracks are at lower left near the standing man's shoes and at upper left. There are also areas of re-touching around these cracks. There is slight damage to the paint surface along the top edge which may have been caused by a frame. There are two small holes in the panel; at lower left on the standing man's knee and at upper right, near the top edge. On the reverse: A large cradle is attached to the back of this panel composed of 6 horizontal and 8 vertical bands. There is worm damage on the back of the cradle. The holes found on the front may be worm tunnel exits. 1. Stamp (upper centre): this is indecipherable, but is probably an NCM accession mark 2. NCM accession number(s) 3. Lower left in black pencil: "4026" 4. Label at top of frame: Return address sticker from Norwich Castle Museum. 5. Label: Norwich Castle Museum, "Music and Painting" exhibition, 1961. Virag 12/12/2004, Collection of Richard Godson Millns.