Pieter Leermans (1655 – Leiden – 1706) A young woman with a guitar, probably an allegory of the senses oil on panel Provenance:
A painter of portraits, genre scenes, and religious themes of the seventeenth century, Pieter Leermans lived in Leiden, though he is not mentioned in the records of the guild. His genre scenes are reminiscent of the works of Gerrit Dou and Frans van Mieris. Dou, who may have been Leermans’ teacher, was the founder of the Leiden fijnschilders, or fine painters. As the term denotes, the style developed by Dou and the fijnschilders involved meticulously fine brushwork, highly-finished surfaces, and a close observation of objects and textures. In this charming scene, a lady holding a guitar emerges from a stone arched window in pursuit of a butterfly. This compositional device–depicting a figure within a window niche–was popularized by Dou in the 1640s. Shortly after, variations of window scenes would occur frequently in the works of the Leiden School, with the window frames becoming more elaborately decorated and the inclusion of drapes more prevalent. Leermans was fond of including minute accessories in his work. The guitar, which emerged as one of the most popular instruments in Europe between 1600 and 1730, became a favorite object in Dutch genre painting. Draped over the ledge is a luxurious swath of red velvet with gold fringe; resting upon it, a music book so meticulously painted that one can observe the notes on the page. The whimsical carvings adorning the terra cotta pot further enliven the scene. The present work most likely represents an allegory of the senses: Hearing would be evoked by the guitar; Sight and Touch by the elegant butterfly fluttering near the lady’s fingertips; Smell from the delicate, white flowers blossoming on the topiary; and finally, Taste from the succulent oranges on the stone ledge.
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