Italian Single Manual Harpsichord
Italian Single Manual Harpsichord
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- Description (Brief)
- This harpsichord was made by an unknown maker in Italy, in the 19th century. It is a single manual harpsichord with a compass of C/E - c3, and a disposition of 1 x 8’. The harpsichord has a cypress soundboard with an unusually large rose of gilt parchment and canvas surrounded by raised beading of gilt gesso, and boxwood naturals and ebony accidentals. There is a spurious nameboard that is inscribed: “Giovanni Andrea Menegoni. Venetus. Ficit. [sic] 1690.”
- The inseparable outer case is elaborately painted with a pale yellow background with panels outlined in relief decorations. The panels feature medallions with profile heads surrounded by painted floral and rope designs. The interior of the lid is painted with a landscape with figures and buildings. The two painted front legs are joined by a lyre and the third leg carved differently and painted with similar decorations.
- There are examples of Menegoni harpsichords in the Historisches Museum Basel and in the Hans Adler Collection in the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Object Name
- harpsichord
- date made
- 19th century
- place made
- Italy
- Physical Description
- wood (overall material)
- metal (overall material)
- paint (overall material)
- Measurements
- overall (instrument only): 8 1/4 in x 28 7/8 in x 69 3/4 in; 20.955 cm x 73.3425 cm x 177.165 cm
- overall: 9 in x 28 3/4 in x 69 1/2 in; 22.86 cm x 73.025 cm x 176.53 cm
- ID Number
- MI.332174
- accession number
- 93944
- catalog number
- 332174
- Credit Line
- Gift of Hugo Worch
- See more items in
- Cultural and Community Life: Musical Instruments
- Music & Musical Instruments
- Harpsichords
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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