The Music Lesson (The Bird Cage), c.1740/45 by Pietro Longhi
Canvas Print - 19152-LOP
Location: Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, California, USAOriginal Size: 56.5 x 43.8 cm
Giclée Canvas Print | $55.56 USD
By using the red up or down arrows, you have the option to proportionally increase or decrease the printed area in inches as per your preference.
*Max printing size: 26 x 19.6 in
*Max framing size: Long side up to 28"
"The Music Lesson (The Bird Cage)" will be custom-printed for your order using the latest giclée printing technology. This technique ensures that the Canvas Print captures an exceptional level of detail, showcasing vibrant and vivid colors with remarkable clarity.
Our use of the finest quality, fine-textured canvas lends art reproductions a painting-like appearance. Combined with a satin-gloss coating, it delivers exceptional print outcomes, showcasing vivid colors, intricate details, deep blacks, and impeccable contrasts. The canvas structure is also highly compatible with canvas stretching frames, further enhancing its versatility.
To ensure proper stretching of the artwork on the stretcher-bar, we add additional blank borders around the printed area on all sides.
Our printing process utilizes cutting-edge technology and employs the Giclée printmaking method, ensuring exceptional quality. The colors undergo independent verification, guaranteeing a lifespan of over 100 years.
Please note that there are postal restrictions limiting the size of framed prints to a maximum of 28 inches along the longest side of the painting. If you desire a larger art print, we recommend utilizing the services of your local framing studio.
*It is important to mention that the framing option is unavailable for certain paintings, such as those with oval or round shapes.
If you select a frameless art print of "The Music Lesson (The Bird Cage)" by Pietro Longhi, it will be prepared for shipment within 48 hours. However, if you prefer a framed artwork, the printing and framing process will typically require approximately 7-8 days before it is ready to be shipped.
We provide complimentary delivery for up to two unframed (rolled-up) art prints in a single order. Our standard delivery is free and typically takes 10-14 working days to arrive.
For faster shipping, we also offer express DHL shipping, which usually takes 2-4 working days. The cost of express shipping is determined by the weight and volume of the shipment, as well as the delivery destination.
Once you have added the paintings to your shopping cart, you can use the "Shipping estimates" tool to obtain information about available transport services and their respective prices.
All unframed art prints are delivered rolled up in secure postal tubes, ensuring their protection during transportation. Framed art prints, on the other hand, are shipped in cardboard packaging with additional corner protectors for added safety.
Painting Information
Pietro Longhi - the cheeky voyeur of Venetian life, always with his nose pressed right up against the windows of the upper class. "The Music Lesson (The Bird Cage)" is just one of those peeks into their world, but does it say a lot without shouting. Longhi was never about grandiosity; instead, he worked his magic in these small, intimate spaces, where the silent things - glances, postures, gestures - do all the talking.
So, what are we actually looking at? First, you’ve got the lady - front and center, draped in creamy, butter-yellow silk, sitting like she’s the queen of the moment. Her dress is sumptuous, almost edible, and it’s glowing in this otherwise gloomy, shadowy room. Longhi’s palette here is restrained - dark greens and browns lurking in the background, so this dress is practically screaming, "Look at me!" And we do. But it’s not just about her beauty; there’s something knowing about her, something quietly in control.
Then there's the music instructor - or maybe just a gentleman friend - hovering over the sheet music like a man who takes his culture very seriously. His ornate outfit suggests he's as much on display as the woman. And that fiddle player lurking in the shadows? He’s the undercurrent of sound, the unseen but felt rhythm to the whole picture, caught in the act of playing. Longhi gives him the subtlest of positions in the back, but that doesn’t mean he’s unimportant - he’s the unsung hero of this lesson.
Oh, and that birdcage - because Longhi never misses a trick. It’s right up there, hanging quietly, but does it nail the mood. The bird, trapped in its gilded prison, echoes the whole scene: elegance in captivity, the golden cage of upper-class ritual and performance. The technique is smooth, but not overly polished. Longhi’s brushstrokes are delicate but unpretentious, capturing these little slivers of life with a sharp observational wit.
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