Painting of the Day: The Cello Player, 1658

The Cello Player
Gabriel Metsu, 1658
The Royal Collection

This 1658 painting by Gabriel Metsu shows the Seventeenth Century Dutch fascination with perspective. Metsu has boldly played with perspective here as he depicts a young woman descending a flight of stairs. The painting was also a bold declaration of physicality. The woman’s languorous pose as she seductively presents sheet music to the cello player was quite daring for the time.


The romantic nature of the painting was reinforced by the artist’s original inclusion of a painting of a nude above the head of the instrumentalist. Evidently, Metsu changed his mind and over-painted the nude with a map. However, a poor Nineteenth Century restoration of the painting partially revealed the nude, and what remains is a rather muddy, confusing patch on the wall.

The painting was purchased by George IV while still Prince Regent and is one of many Dutch treasures in The Royal Collection.