Woman Playing the Virginal

Molenaer was a Haarlem genre painter of the Dutch Golden Age who specialized in lively scenes of music-making, drinking, and domestic life. Musical subjects were among the most popular themes in Dutch painting, elevated to their highest expression by Vermeer and Ter Borch. Molenaer’s contribution to this tradition lies in his ability to combine the convivial energy of tavern scenes with the refined intimacy of domestic music-making.