Description
The Musicians, painted in 1597, belongs to the period when Caravaggio was under the protection of Cardinal Francesco Maria del Monte, a decisive moment in his early Roman career. The painting brings together four young men in a confined space, surrounded by instruments and sheet music as though preparing for a musical performance.
The central figure holds a lute and looks directly toward the viewer. Around him the other figures overlap closely, including a youth seen largely from behind examining music and another partially concealed figure identified by the Metropolitan Museum as a self-portrait of Caravaggio. Their physical proximity creates an unusually compact composition.
The painting represents an important stage in Caravaggio's development. At the far left appears Cupid, identifiable by his wings and accompanied by grapes.
