The Musicians

Four young men gather to make music in this warm scene painted by the Italian master Caravaggio around 1597. One carefully tunes a lute, another leafs through sheet music, and a third glances back over his bare shoulder, catching our eye and pulling us right into the room. Caravaggio made this work early in his career, shortly after finding a wealthy supporter, Cardinal Francesco Maria del Monte, a music lover who liked to surround himself with gifted young artists and performers.

Hidden among the figures are small clues about the painting's meaning. The winged boy on the left holding a bunch of grapes is Cupid, a gentle hint that love and music belong together. Rather than painting perfect, idealized faces, Caravaggio used real people he knew as his models, which is why these young men feel so believable. A few art historians think the lute player might even be Caravaggio himself.

This is a lovely example of the early Baroque style, full of rich color, soft skin, and careful everyday detail. Missing here are the deep shadows and high drama that would later make Caravaggio's name, but the painting offers something quieter and just as appealing: a friendly peek into the music-filled world of Rome as the sixteenth century came to a close.