Vioolspeler (het Gehoor)

About this artwork

mezzotint

Art Historical Context

**Vioolspeler (het Gehoor)**, created by Dutch artist Wallerant Vaillant between 165 and 1677, the sense of hearing through the image of a viola player immersed in music. Vaillant (1623–1677), a versatile painter and printmaker active during the Dutch Golden Age, this intimate work on paper, measuring just 161 × 140 mm—perfect for personal contemplation in a collector's cabinet. The title, translating to "Viol Player (Hearing)," suggests it belongs to a traditional series allegorizing the five senses, a popular motif in 17th-century Northern European art that blended moral lessons with sensory...

About the Artist

Wallerant Vaillant · 1623–1677

Wallerant Vaillant (1623-1677) was a French-born Dutch Golden Age painter and printmaker who pioneered the mezzotint technique in printmaking. Born in Lille on May 30, 1623, he died in Amsterdam on August 28, 1677, leaving behind a significant legacy as both a portraitist and innovator in graphic arts. Vaillant holds a distinguished place in art history as one of the first professional artists to...