Charles van Beveren, Belgian
“Hey, Don’t Look at Me — I Wanted To Play the Flute. But My Academic Advisor Said This Stupid Thing Would Get Me Into Stanford,” ca. 1840
Oil on panel
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/// This fine painting is called “The Duet,”
which describes two musicians, and yet…
To the side is a fellow
fixed on playing his cello,
while the girl with a lute plays coquette.
/// She’s been posed in a prominent place,
brightly lit, filling most of the space.
Her bold eye-to-eye stare
makes some viewers aware
of a come-hither look on her face.
/// (The consensus is that she’s annoyed,
and not hinting what might be enjoyed.
The expression employed
with no context is void;
to determine her motives call Freud.)
/// We cannot know what’s in this girl’s heart.
It may be she’s devoted to art.
But the way she’s portrayed
it appears that she’s made
a choice playing a more solo part.