From the 17th century onwards, Caravaggio’s influence spread throughout Europe.
Hendrick Ter Brugghen was one of the most brilliant representatives of Caravaggio’s style in Utrecht, in the Netherlands. He had seen some of the artist’s work during a trip to Italy and used the musician theme on several occasions, copying Caravaggio’s characteristic tight, half-body frames, or the play of contrasts between light and shade. This contrast, called “chiaroscuro”, is less dramatic however in this painting. The effect seems to be softened by the northern light, delicately modulating the tonal values in a restrained palette of colours. Whites, ochre and greys are juxtaposed here with a skilful rendering of materials from the silky sleeve to the fluffy feather in the beret. The singer has his back almost turned away from us in a daring frame which drastically shortens the perspective of his face, seen in profile.
This fantastical figure has often been interpreted as an allegory of hearing, but the warm tint of the eyes and nose suggest that it might also be a critique of the immoral and ephemeral pleasure of music!