The Singer and the Lute Player (c. 1495): Artwork and History

The Singer and the Lute Player (c. 1495) is in the Art Institute of Chicago collection. The museum lists its creator attribution as Israhel van Meckenem the Younger German, c. 1440/45-1503.

The work and its context

The Art Institute of Chicago describes the work:

This engraving by Israhel van Meckenem is from a series of 12 prints that depicts amorous couples in elaborately furnished interiors. Its suggestive scene depicts a young couple eagerly anticipating a liaison—musical or otherwise. In his lap, the man holds a lute, an instrument frequently likened to the female body, and he stares intently at his companion, who pauses in reading her musical scroll to return his gaze. The small dog in chains near his feet is meant to symbolize the captivating power of music and beautiful women.

Object facts

• Title: The Singer and the Lute Player
• Date: c. 1495
• Artist attribution: Israhel van Meckenem the Younger German, c. 1440/45-1503
• Place of origin: Germany
• Medium: Engraving in black on tan laid paper
• Dimensions: 15.5 × 10.7 cm (6 1/8 × 4 1/4 in.)
• Type: Print
• Department: Prints and Drawings
• Reference number: 1956.851

Collection credit

Bequest of Mrs. Potter Palmer, Jr.

View the original

Explore the artwork in the Art Institute's collection, including its image and the museum's current catalogue details.

The description above is credited to the Art Institute of Chicago and reused under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0; HTML formatting has been converted to plain text. Other catalogue metadata and the public-domain image are provided under CC0 1.0.