The artwork titled “Fiddler (study for the Jolly Flatboatmen)” was created by George Caleb Bingham in 1846. Executed with indian ink, pencil, and wash, this piece belongs to the Romanticism and Naïve Art (Primitivism) movements and falls under the genre painting, sketch and study genres. It is housed at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City, Missouri, United States.
The artwork portrays a detailed study of a fiddler, who is seated on a wooden barrel and playing his instrument. The artist skillfully captures the texture of the man’s clothing and the wooden barrel through meticulous shading and line work. The fiddler’s relaxed posture, with his head slightly bowed and his hat covering his face, conveys a sense of immersion in his music. The simplicity of the composition draws attention to the subject and the fine detail in the violin and the man’s attire, reflecting Bingham’s adeptness in sketch and study.
