Painting "Ludovisi Concert"

 

The Lithuanian Art Museum acquired the exhibit from Renato Dalpiaz (Rome, Italy) on 30 November 2005 for the future Palace Museum. In 2009, the exhibit was transferred to the National Museum – Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania. 

 

The painting of the musicians is attributed to the Italian artist Lionello Spada (1576-1622) from Bologna (Northern Italy). This early Baroque artist studied at the school in Bologna, founded by the brothers Annibale and Lodovico Carracci. Spada is considered a follower, if not a pupil, of one of the most famous Italian painters of the 17th century, Caravaggio (Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, 1571-1610). 

 

The painting displayed at the National Museum – Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania has a predominantly musical theme. On the left of the painting, a musician wearing a feathered hat is tuning a theorbo, while probably a singer seated next to him is discussing a piece of music with a standing violinist. Five closed music books (one for each musician) and a baroque guitar are on the table. A boy leaning on the right corner of the table is probably holding a violin and puts his finger to his lips, asking everyone to be quiet. On the right, the musician plays a baroque transverse flute called a traverso.

 

This painting, especially its composition, has raised many puzzles. First, the number of music books and musical instruments on the table does not correspond. There are six music books and seven instruments - a viola da gamba at the bottom of the table, a baroque guitar on the table, a theorbo, one for the voice as an instrument, two violins and a traverso. Research on the painting revealed that the flute player on the right side of the painting was painted later.

 

Interestingly, several versions of the painting have survived worldwide, varying in size. The most exciting version of Spada's Concerto is displayed in the Louvre Museum in Paris. It is slightly smaller than the one in Vilnius. It has been accurately documented that the painting belonged to Cardinal Ludovico Ludovisi and entered the collection of King Louis XIV of France in 1662. Variants of the same painting were often painted by the same artist, his students or followers. The version in the National Museum – Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania is the largest known. Moreover, research has shown that it was even larger than that, only later reduced in size.

 

The painting attributed to L. Spada is one of the most interesting Baroque paintings displayed in the Italian Baroque ruler's room of the Palace of the Grand Dukes.