The role of guitar in paintings, and why it is so essential
When visiting art museums, you will find a lot of paintings about history. While visitors are passing by, there are a few who take their time to look at the painting more closely. Can you describe.... Who is represented on this painting, and what is their position in society? How old are they? What is happening in the painting? And where does the light fall in the painting - to make a significant change in the perspective of the viewer? Well, you might think: Isn't the guitar just an attribute or decor piece in a painting? You might be wrong. The guitar has been like a slightly forgotten but even so fascinating part in every painting. Let's take a look at a few examples..
Copr.: Unsplash
Historical point of view
Timeframe
The guitar that is shown in a painting, can represent the timeframe of the painting. Back in the days people had no phones or laptops to look back at what time or year the painting was made. Besides, paintings were mostly made for very special occasions and moments in history. So, would that mean a guitar would be an expensive attribute in a painting? No, not per sé. When you look closely, a guitar can give you crucial information about the timeframe.
Calculations in time
The guitar that is shown in a painting, can represent the timeframe of the painting. Back in the days people had no phones or laptops to look back at what time or year the painting was made. Besides, paintings were mostly made for very special occasions and moments in history. So, would that mean a guitar would be an expensive attribute in a painting? No, not per sé. When you look closely, a guitar can give you crucial information about the timeframe.
Calculations in time
Lutes and - later - guitars, were made in different time periods. A lot of technical improvements have been done over decades which includes it's shape, the amount of strings, a different type, the technique of playing with the right hand or in which setting it has been used.
By that fact, a painting that shows a guitar can tell you exactly the right time period of the painting. Very useful for historical scientists!
As for example, a lute with 6 strings would represent a different time period than a lute with 13 strings. And a painting where the thumb has been up or down, can say a lot about the guitartechniques that were invented around that time.
You might see some paintings with a lute, while others are with a guitar. The guitar suggests the new modern developments while the lute suggests the conservative traditions.
The guitar became a visual metaphor for the changing social and artistic landscape.
Societal developments
Back in the days, in society it was not approved to paint important people from high status with a smile. A smile would be seen as jolly or madness, drunk or unserious.
A good example is "The lute player" from Frans Hals or the copy of Judith Leyster. These paintings were represented as revolutionair due to three elements: movement, emotion and character. The main character on the painting (The Jester) has been painted with a smile: It suggest the character is singing or playing in harmony with unseen companions.
It creates a lifelike portrayal of energetic, spontanious moment. The guitar has been useful to create this type of change in perspective.
Symbol of shared experience
When you see a group of musicians or a festive event in a painting... Where a guitar is shown, it means that the guitar represents a social setting. Not only it's musical role, but mostly it's social role: a protest movement, a rural gathering or informal performances. The guitar or guitarist shown in a painting was a saying of: This group of people have the same values, class or we share the same mindset.
Besides, a guitar was easier to carry with than a heavy piano and cheaper than most classical instruments at that time.
Thematic function
The shape of the guitar has been useful for many painters to practise the composition of diagonal placements and light and shadow placements. And so the guitar has been used as a 'theme' that every painter can practise with. A lot of painters have made at least 1 painting with a guitarist/luthenist or an instrument!
Think about Vermeer's painting called "The guitar player" where we can see a young smart lady playing the guitar. She looks away from the light, instead she looks the other way where an unseen figure - likely a listener or visitor - has entered the room. The blurred lines suggest movement from playing the guitar strings. It is fascinating that a painting can't make sound, only by imagination of the representation of the guitar.
Another example is the painting of Vassily Andreevich Tropinin, called (surprise surprise) "The guitar player". In this painting we see that the right hand is hanging above the strings and the left hand is hanging in a shape of a chord but still hanging above it. With the wondering look of the person, it could represent that the musician was catching it's eye on the visitor and stopped playing. And so, by analysing paintings a story comes up without telling the story.
By that fact, a painting that shows a guitar can tell you exactly the right time period of the painting. Very useful for historical scientists!
As for example, a lute with 6 strings would represent a different time period than a lute with 13 strings. And a painting where the thumb has been up or down, can say a lot about the guitartechniques that were invented around that time.
You might see some paintings with a lute, while others are with a guitar. The guitar suggests the new modern developments while the lute suggests the conservative traditions.
The guitar became a visual metaphor for the changing social and artistic landscape.
Societal developments
Back in the days, in society it was not approved to paint important people from high status with a smile. A smile would be seen as jolly or madness, drunk or unserious.
A good example is "The lute player" from Frans Hals or the copy of Judith Leyster. These paintings were represented as revolutionair due to three elements: movement, emotion and character. The main character on the painting (The Jester) has been painted with a smile: It suggest the character is singing or playing in harmony with unseen companions.
It creates a lifelike portrayal of energetic, spontanious moment. The guitar has been useful to create this type of change in perspective.
Symbol of shared experience
When you see a group of musicians or a festive event in a painting... Where a guitar is shown, it means that the guitar represents a social setting. Not only it's musical role, but mostly it's social role: a protest movement, a rural gathering or informal performances. The guitar or guitarist shown in a painting was a saying of: This group of people have the same values, class or we share the same mindset.
Besides, a guitar was easier to carry with than a heavy piano and cheaper than most classical instruments at that time.
Thematic function
The shape of the guitar has been useful for many painters to practise the composition of diagonal placements and light and shadow placements. And so the guitar has been used as a 'theme' that every painter can practise with. A lot of painters have made at least 1 painting with a guitarist/luthenist or an instrument!
Think about Vermeer's painting called "The guitar player" where we can see a young smart lady playing the guitar. She looks away from the light, instead she looks the other way where an unseen figure - likely a listener or visitor - has entered the room. The blurred lines suggest movement from playing the guitar strings. It is fascinating that a painting can't make sound, only by imagination of the representation of the guitar.
Another example is the painting of Vassily Andreevich Tropinin, called (surprise surprise) "The guitar player". In this painting we see that the right hand is hanging above the strings and the left hand is hanging in a shape of a chord but still hanging above it. With the wondering look of the person, it could represent that the musician was catching it's eye on the visitor and stopped playing. And so, by analysing paintings a story comes up without telling the story.
Societal point of view
Mutual influences on The Arts
After the style of Romantism where everything was quite heavy, it was time for a more delicate and light style: Impressionism. Impressionism brought new perspectives by mixing the arts like poetry, paintings and music. Many artists became friends with composers and vise versa.
Great examples are the musical titles to paintings from James Whistler. Many of his paintings are called 'arrangements', 'harmonies' and 'nocturnes'. For example: 'Nocturne in Black and Gold' or 'Symphony in White'.
Since music was a form of abstract art, it was ideal for projecting the images of Impressionism.
Impressionism was about the composing style of France, and the dream-ish landscapes of Spain. Famous composers like Debussy and Ravel wrote about the influence of the Spanish guitar in their books. They even applied the flamengo style in some of their songs. Composer Poulenc did actually wrote a piece for the guitar, dedicated to the French female guitarist Ida Presti. The song is called 'Sarabande for Guitar'. Many followed in the next years ahead.
Poetists were impressed by impressionism, and wrote musical clues in their poetry. For example the poem of Pail Verlaine, called 'Claire de Lune': "Playing the lute and dancing, and almost sad beneath their whimsical costumes, even as they sing in minor mode."
After the style of Romantism where everything was quite heavy, it was time for a more delicate and light style: Impressionism. Impressionism brought new perspectives by mixing the arts like poetry, paintings and music. Many artists became friends with composers and vise versa.
Great examples are the musical titles to paintings from James Whistler. Many of his paintings are called 'arrangements', 'harmonies' and 'nocturnes'. For example: 'Nocturne in Black and Gold' or 'Symphony in White'.
Since music was a form of abstract art, it was ideal for projecting the images of Impressionism.
Impressionism was about the composing style of France, and the dream-ish landscapes of Spain. Famous composers like Debussy and Ravel wrote about the influence of the Spanish guitar in their books. They even applied the flamengo style in some of their songs. Composer Poulenc did actually wrote a piece for the guitar, dedicated to the French female guitarist Ida Presti. The song is called 'Sarabande for Guitar'. Many followed in the next years ahead.
Poetists were impressed by impressionism, and wrote musical clues in their poetry. For example the poem of Pail Verlaine, called 'Claire de Lune': "Playing the lute and dancing, and almost sad beneath their whimsical costumes, even as they sing in minor mode."
Emotional point of view
Emotional depth
Let's take a look at Modern art. Everywhere it is wellknown about the paintings of Spanish painter Picasso. The guitar has been representing a repetitive motif in his paintings. It is almost like a symbol for artistic perseverance.
Material
The guitar can represent a piece of the work itself. Guitars are made of wood, and so the material (woodcolour) could reflect against the other colours of the periods of Picasso's life.
In the style of Cubism, it might not even have been a guitar but a representation of materials combined to form a guitar. Since then people started to call the guitar as "The king of cubist music instruments".
Expression and identity
Since many painters like Picasso had a turbulent lifestyle, the guitar could be a representation of personal relationships or about the position within society. The guitar could function as a personal expression. Think about it like this: Spanish guitars and love making. The word Serenade is not only expressed for lovemaking and important life-events, but as musical style as well. The guitar might be a metaphorical way of the shape of love.
Last but not least: Sources
Let's take a look at Modern art. Everywhere it is wellknown about the paintings of Spanish painter Picasso. The guitar has been representing a repetitive motif in his paintings. It is almost like a symbol for artistic perseverance.
Material
The guitar can represent a piece of the work itself. Guitars are made of wood, and so the material (woodcolour) could reflect against the other colours of the periods of Picasso's life.
In the style of Cubism, it might not even have been a guitar but a representation of materials combined to form a guitar. Since then people started to call the guitar as "The king of cubist music instruments".
Expression and identity
Since many painters like Picasso had a turbulent lifestyle, the guitar could be a representation of personal relationships or about the position within society. The guitar could function as a personal expression. Think about it like this: Spanish guitars and love making. The word Serenade is not only expressed for lovemaking and important life-events, but as musical style as well. The guitar might be a metaphorical way of the shape of love.
Political timeframe
Personal voice
The latest exhibition was shown in 2023, which was called "Storied Strings: The Guitar in American Art". As the title shows, it was about the influence of the guitar from the early 19th century to the present day. 125 works of art including photographs, drawings, paintings and sculptures has been set together with 35 historic musical instruments (guitars).
There were nine thematic sections, with as example Guitar in Black Art and Culture, Political Guitars, Re-Gendered Instruments and Cowboy Guitars.
As you see the guitar still fulfills a role, this way a bit more in cultural heritage, self empowerment, identity, resistance and democratized voice across race, gender, class and geography.
The latest exhibition was shown in 2023, which was called "Storied Strings: The Guitar in American Art". As the title shows, it was about the influence of the guitar from the early 19th century to the present day. 125 works of art including photographs, drawings, paintings and sculptures has been set together with 35 historic musical instruments (guitars).
There were nine thematic sections, with as example Guitar in Black Art and Culture, Political Guitars, Re-Gendered Instruments and Cowboy Guitars.
As you see the guitar still fulfills a role, this way a bit more in cultural heritage, self empowerment, identity, resistance and democratized voice across race, gender, class and geography.
Last but not least: Sources
- Lorenzo Fugazza put his research in "The Impressionistic Guitar: Is there a mutual influence between the Spanish guitar and the Impressionist masters?"
- Katherine Carlotto put her research in "State of Research: Pablo Picasso's Guitars".
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