Music & Art | The Symbolism of Music in Dutch Genre Painting

Explore the fascinating hidden symbols in Dutch genre painting with art historian Mariska Beekenkamp-Wladimiroff.

Dutch genre paintings are full of symbols giving extra layers of meaning to the image on show. But what do they tell us? In this talk, art historian Mariska Beekenkamp-Wladimiroff will look at the fascinating hidden meaning of music and musical instruments in Dutch genre paintings from the 17th century. Discover how this unique symbolism bought together the two disciplines of art and music, opening up this genre of painting to an audience that did not always share the same spoken or written language.

Mariska Beekenkamp-Wladimiroff is the founder of Art Historical London, a cultural events organisation aimed at exploring well-known and much-loved collections with fresh eyes. She holds both a BA and MA in Art History, where she majored in art from the 17th century Dutch Baroque, at the Courtauld Institute of Arts in London. She has been a lecturer for a number of prestigious organisations including the London Art History Society, Orleans House Gallery, Dulwich Picture Gallery and arts education society NAFDAS.

The talk will serve as an introduction to the topic, and no prior knowledge is necessary to join us! Attend live at the Museum or stream online from your sofa. This event is part of the public programming for our exhibition A Grand Chorus: The Power of Music.

Tickets are available to watch either ONLINE or IN-PERSON at the Foundling Museum; in-person tickets include Museum entry.