The Old Violin (Harnett)
1886 · Oil on canvas · National Gallery of Art, Washington
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About this work
- Artist
- William Michael Harnett (1848–1892)
- Year
- 1886
- Medium
- Oil on canvas
- Original size
- 96.5 × 60 cm
- Collection
- National Gallery of Art, Washington
- Movement
- Realism
A violin and bow hang on a weathered green door with rusted iron hinges, beside a sheet of music, a calling card and a newspaper clipping, all painted so exactly that they seem to stand off the canvas. When it was shown at the Cincinnati Industrial Exposition in 1886, a guard was posted to stop visitors trying to touch it. It is in the National Gallery of Art, Washington.
This exhibition-poster edition shows the whole work beneath original typography set in-house. The original is in the public domain.
Where it works
A tall trompe-l'oeil violin for a music room, study or hallway in a dark wood frame. It is the classic gift for a violinist and suits deep green, charcoal or warm white walls.
Style, size & framing detail
- Style
- Exhibition poster of a Realism painting
- Era
- 19th century (1886)
- Orientation
- Portrait
- Palette
- cream & beige
- Mood
- calm
- Rooms
- hallway or entryway, study or library, living room, dining room, dorm room
- Good gift for
- housewarming, art lovers
Size. Prints at 12×18, 16×24, 24×36 in — 12×18 for a shelf, desk or a gallery-wall grid; 16×24 above a desk, console or in a hallway; 24×36 as the statement piece above a sofa or bed.
Framing. Exhibition posters sit best in a slim black frame with no mat — the typeset margin is the mat.
Pairing. Pairs as a set of three with other famous painting prints (10% off three or more).
Details & materials
Shipping & returns
Is this the whole painting, or a crop?
Is The Old Violin in the public domain?
What is it printed on?
When was The Old Violin painted, and in what medium?
What size works above a sofa or bed?
About this design
The Madten promise
A fine-art print
The same artwork as a clean fine-art print — the image shown large with a minimal caption.




























