The Music Lesson

John George Brown

1870 · Oil on canvas · The American Wing

At a time when women were gaining independence from their traditional roles as wives and mothers and birthrates were dropping, Brown celebrated romance and marriage by depicting music making, an approved activity for courting couples. Underscoring the message of potential nuptials are several details in the well-furnished middle-class parlor: the planter filled with ivy, which could signify women who cling to men for support; the harp, a common symbol of love; and the framed picture of a haloed female figure. The couple’s complementary attire and shared concentration signal their compatibility.

Artist

John George Brown

Date

1870

Medium

Oil on canvas

Culture

American

Department

The American Wing

Credit line

Gift of Colonel Charles A. Fowler, 1921