Milwaukee Art Museum Showcases Orpheus Painting with Harpsichord Origins

The Milwaukee Art Museum is currently displaying 'Orpheus,' a 17th-century painting by Adriaen van Nieulandt the Younger, as part of the exhibition 'Art, Life, Legacy: Northern European Paintings in the Collection of Isabel and Alfred Bader' through January 28, 2024. The artwork depicts the mythological musician Orpheus enchanting animals with his harp. Research revealed the painting originally served as decoration on a harpsichord lid, evidenced by a missing sky section and decorative back panel. Alfred Bader acquired the piece from a woman in Portsmouth, Ohio, who discovered it in her mother's barn. The painting's history was uncovered during conservation, highlighting the Baders' contributions to the museum's European art program.