The Old Violin
Date1888
Artist
Jefferson David Chalfant
(American painter, 1856–1931)
MediumOil on canvas on board
Dimensions40 x 28 1/4 in. (101.6 x 71.8 cm)
frame: 43 x 32 in. (109.2 x 81.3 cm)
frame: 43 x 32 in. (109.2 x 81.3 cm)
Credit LineLouisa du Pont Copeland Memorial Fund, 1940
Object number1940-6
On View
On viewCollections
ClassificationsPAINTING
Label TextThis work belongs to the trompe l'oeil (or "fool the eye") tradition of still-life painting that was popular in late-19th-century America. Indeed, the violin, glasses, and sheet music seem to protrude three-dimensionally, and the artist has painted convincing shadows for these elements. This painting technique, an inventive approach to representing still-life subject matter, requires excellent technical skills.
