Garden music (detail from The four seasons)
Unknown
Valckenborch, Frederik van (1566-1623) (formerly attributed to)
Additional titles
Musizierende Gesellschaft im Freien
- Germanisches Nationalmuseum
[Museum inv. no.: Gm1615]
Item location
Description
Painting on a spinet lid depicting the family of Lucas Friedrich Behaim von Schwartzbach (who commissioned the painting) in the lower half. The upper part shows signs of the zodiac and planet gods in seven individual fields. The inside painting is an outdoor musical scene: the Behaim family and guests gathered in the park of the Thumberg manor. This musical scene is enclosed in a landscape that shows other Nuremberg manors. The Schopperhof manor is associated with works typical for spring; the Gleißhammer manor is connected to summer activities.The musical group in the foreground of the image presents a group of men performing a piece for four stringed instruments and basso continuo. Johann Staden is playing clavorganum, Lucas Friedrich Behaim von Schwartzbach is playing bass viol, one playing tenor viol, one playing viola, and one playing violin. In the left foreground is Paulus II. Behaim von Schwartzbach presented, the father of Lucas Friedrich. He hold his grandson (Georg Friedrich) between his knees. On the left side is Anna Sabina, the daughter of Lucas Friedrich. His wife, Anna Maria Pfinzing von Henfenfeld, is presented behind the group. She and her sister, Maria Pfinzing, are serving fruits.
To the right of the group in the foreground are presented the following people (from right to left): Steffan Cuntz the organ builder (presented with an organ pipe), the maker of the spinet, Peter Wißmaier (also known as Wissmayer, Wißmeher or Wißmar), and the painter of the image himself.
Seven additional fields are decorated with the seven planet gods, the twelve signs of zodiac, allegorical scenes and events from the life of Lucas Friedrich.
People as subjects
Behaim von Schwartzbach, Lucas Friedrich (1587-1648) (Non-musician/dancer)Staden, Johann (1581-1634) (Musician)
Behaim von Schwartzbach, Paulus II. (1557-1621) (Non-musician/dancer)
Behaim von Schwartzbach, Georg Friedrich (1616–1681) (Non-musician/dancer)
Behaim von Schwartzbach, Anna Sabina (1615 -1681) (Non-musician/dancer)
Pfinzing von Henfenfeld, Anna Maria (1591-1654) (Non-musician/dancer)
Pfinzing von Henfenfeld, Maria (1589-1653) (Non-musician/dancer)
Cuntz, Steffan (ca. 1575-1629) (Musician portrait)
Wißmaier, Peter (Musician portrait)
Instruments [MIMO Code] (notes)
Claviorgan [2246]Viola da gamba [3604]
Tenor viol [3591]
Viola [3561]
Violin [3573]
Spinet [2256]
Organ [2266]
Image URLs
image link 1image link 2
Detail of musical content
Bibliographic references
Haacke, Walter. Am Klavier: Werke europäischer Maler aus sechs Jahrhunderten (Konigsten im Taunus: Hans Koster, 1968) 12. RILM 1972-2871.Kendall, Alan. The world of musical instruments (London: Hamlyn, 1972) 33.
Lesure, François. Musik und Gesellschaft im Bild: Zeugnisse der Malerei aus sechs Jahrunderten, mit einem Vorwort von Pierre Francastel (Kassel: Bärenreiter, 1966) 60, pl. 19.
Pilz, Kurt Pilz. "Nürnberg und die Niederlande", Mitteilungen des Vereins für Geschichte der Stadt Nürnberg 43 (1952), 1-153, particularly 108-112, fig. 9 (detail).
Zirnbauer, Heinz. "Lucas Friedrich Behaim, der Nürnberger Musikherr des Frühbarock: Neue Dokumente zur städtischen und privaten Musikpflege in Nürnberg zur Zeit des Dreißigjährigen Krieges", Mitteilungen des Vereins für Geschichte der Stadt Nürnberg 50 (1960) 330-351.