The Comedy
1743
270.0 x 398.0 cm
Mauritshuis
This ceiling painting comes from a house in Leiden (Rapenburg 48) and has been hanging here since 1912. Apollo, the classical god of the arts, is depicted on the oval centrepiece. He is surrounded by his nine muses, who stand for the various artistic disciplines. The four grisailles around the centrepiece represent the elegy, the comedy, the pastoral song and the epos. In the eighteenth century, the Amsterdam artist Jacob de Wit was the leading expert in this type of illusionist tour de force.
Jacob de Wit (1695 – 1754)
Discover Jacob de Wit: Dutch Rococo painter known for stunning ceiling & door paintings. Explore his masterful grisaille works & influence on Antwerp art.
Mauritshuis (The Hague, Netherlands)
Discover Dutch Golden Age masterpieces at Mauritshuis! Explore Vermeer’s *Girl with a Pearl Earring* & Rembrandt’s drama in this intimate palace of art. A unique, compact experience awaits!
About this artwork
- Title: The Comedy
- Artist: Jacob de Wit
- Year: 1743
- Original dimensions: 270.0 x 398.0 cm
- Format: Landscape
- Copyright status: Public domain
- Where to see it: Mauritshuis
- Color palette: Earthy
- Color hue: Green Spectrum