FOLLOWER OF GERARD TER BORCH | Woman playing a lute with a cavalier, in an interior

oil on oak panel, unframed A period copy after the painting by Gerard Ter Borch, datable to 'circa' 1658, in The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (inv. no. 14.40.617).1 There is also a related drawing in the British Museum, London (inv. no. 1846,0509.204), which was probably a study for the original work – there are even smudges of oil paint on the sheet, suggesting it may have been side-by-side the painting during its execution.2 Gerard Ter Borch was a pioneer of the genre scene during the Dutch Golden Age. He is most celebrated for painting interiors with richly-dressed figures often engaged in quotidian activities, which belie hidden symbolism and reflect social behaviour of the time. Ter Borch inspired the greatest proponents of this genre, including Johannes Vermeer, Gabriel Metsu and Gerard Dou. Music was an integral part of Dutch culture in the 17th century, with intimate musical gatherings facilitating social interaction, particularly between men and women. Music became synonymous with love and harmony, and so became the ideal vehicle for depictions of amorous scenes, such as this. 1 https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/4357172 http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=710060&partId=1&searchText=ter+borch&object=22909&page=1

All paintings available to view at the Sotheby’s Greenford Park warehouse, 5 - 7 and 10 – 13 September (10 - 4pm), by appointment. The panel is uncradled, flat and stable. The paint surface is slightly dirty and the varnish is discoloured. Inspection under ultraviolet light reveals a milky and uneven varnish, beneath which a few strengthenings are visible in the dark pigments of the tablecloth, lower centre, in the background between the pillars, upper left, and along the left margin.
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