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William Michael Harnett, The Old Violin, 1886, National
Gallery of Art, Washington, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Richard Mellon Scaife
in honor of Paul Mellon 1993.15.1 |
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John Frederick Peto, The Old Violin, c. 1890, National
Gallery of Art, Washington, Gift of the Avalon Foundation 1974.19.1 |
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Peto's Old
Violin, with its broken string and damaged body, hangs at a precarious
angle, while Harnett's (in better condition) is squarely suspended on the
door. Both paintings speak to the effects of time's passage, the nostalgic
associations of music, and the interplay between illusion and reality.
 
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