It looks pretty realistic to me.
> The pistagne looks as if it was a whool twisted strand: I can't imagine > the > way you would realise this in wood. My guitarron (Mexican bass guitar) has a very similar border made from alternating pieces of different colored wood. > > Certainly the rosette looks rather odd - but this may be something to do > with the state of the painting. Can't tell from the online image. Looks like the rosette might be a picture rather than an abstract design, but that's certainly believable. > What I have always thought is rather strange is the way she is holding the > instrument- especially the position of the left hand. It is almost as if > she was using the thumb to stop the lower courses. I've seen an awful lot of modern untrained guitar players hold their left hands just like that - it's a natural comfortable position. Also common with thinner necked instruments like a violin - or a 4-course guitar. >The right hand looks > as > if she is playing "thumb inside" which is not a very convenient position > for > strumming chords. > Looks like thumb-in to me. With her little finger anchored to the sound board, I doubt she's strumming. I've heard a lot about renaissance guitar players strumming, but all the written music I've seen was obviously intended to be plucked like a lute. -- Rough-edged songs from a dark place in the soul: http://DoctorOakroot.com
