The National Gallery presents 'Vermeer and Music: The Art of Love and Leisure' until September 8 - an exhibition exploring the concept of music as a popular motif in Dutch painting, and as a daily pastime of the elite in the northern Netherlands during the 17th century. The exhibition has at its heart several well-known paintings by Johannes Vermeer, as well as works from a number of his contemporaries.
 
The Academy of Ancient Music is resident ensemble at the National Gallery and gives a series of micro-concerts on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, and two illustrated performances on Sunday lunchtimes (July 7 and September 1), all held within the exhibition space. The repertoire includes music by Jan Pieterzoon Sweelinck, Willem de Fesch and Joannes Florentius a Kempis.

For full details and performance times visit the National Gallery website.

You can also read Martin Cullingford's blog on the Vermeer exhibition.

To see paintings from the exhibition, click the first image to launch the gallery.