Bagpiper

In 1611 Bloemaert co-founded the Guild of St Luke in Utrecht, and is considered one of the fathers of the Utrecht school of painting. He trained many students, including Hendrick ter Brugghen, Gerard van Honthorst, Cornelis van Poelenburgh, Jacob Gerritsz. Cuyp and Jan Baptist Weenix.
The "Bagpiper" marks his transition from his early mannerist, romantic ideal of beauty, still evident in the fine painting of the fingers, to his Caravaggiesque style of the 1620s, expressed here in the luminarist treatment. The musician’s facial features show him to be a man of the people, his sidelong gaze inviting the viewer to listen to his music – representing "Hearing" in the tradition of the Five Senses. In Dutch society, music and singing were popular pastimes, part of almost every family celebration and festivity.

Habersatter Thomas: Abraham Bloemaert, Bagpiper, in: Ducke Astrid, Habersatter Thomas (Hrsg./Edi.): von | from 0 auf | to 100. Residenzgalerie Salzburg 1923-2023. Salzburg 2023, S./p. 108-109