Italian Virginal: Museum Object and Cultural History
Italian Virginal: date made: 17th century. Object Name: harpsichord. Physical Description: wood (overall material).
The object in the museum catalogue
This harpsichord was made by an unknown maker in Italy, in the 17th century. It is a rectangular-shaped virginal with a compass of C/E - c3, and a disposition of 1 x 8’. The instrument has a cypress soundboard, and boxwood naturals and ebony accidentals. The soundboard contains a parchment rose in a six-segment pattern .
The inseparable case is made of painted wood with painted garlands, bows and fruit. The instrument was acquired without a stand or legs.
Materials, dates and provenance
- date made: 17th century
- Object Name: harpsichord
- Physical Description: wood (overall material)
- Physical Description: paint (overall material)
- Physical Description: cypress (sound board material)
- Physical Description: boxwood (naturals material)
- Physical Description: ebony (accidentals material)
- Physical Description: leather (plectra material)
- Measurements: overall: 9 1/2 in x 54 1/2 in x 17 1/2 in; 24.13 cm x 138.43 cm x 44.45 cm
- place made: Italy
- ID Number: MI.095236
- accession number: 26256
- catalog number: 95236
- Data Source: National Museum of American History
Sources and reuse
Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of American History through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed.
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