Lady at the Virginal

A young lady stands immersed in thought by the harpsichord. The work arouses a feeling of sheer elegance, enticing, indeed almost compelling the viewer to observe it in silence – a peculiar analogy to the way in which one would listen to the couple’s music if it were not “only” painted. However, nothing is revealed of the means with which the picture was produced. As the most significant master of the Leiden School next to Gerard Dou, Frans van Mieris does not leave any trace of his brushwork anywhere on the painting.