Rectangular Octave Virginal

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Rectangular Octave Virginal
Year16th century
LocationMetropolitan Museum of Art
Accession No.89.4.1778 Edit this on Wikidata
IdentifiersThe Met object ID: 502325
[edit on Wikidata]

Rectangular Octave Virginal is a 16th-century

virginal in the style of Samuel Biedermann the Elder, probably made in Augsburg about 1600. It is in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.[1]

Early history and creation

Little is known of the early history of this specific instrument. It was donated by

Crispijn van de Passe I
.

Description and interpretation

The left engraving shows the return of Tobias, showing the scene where the angel Raphael from

The Book of Tobit takes leave of old Tobit and Sarah before flying off into heaven (his flight can be seen through the window). Tobit seated next to his bride under the cloth of honor looks at the angel. The right engraving shows a scene from the Book of Daniel when a hand writes the prophecy on the wall during Belshazzar
's feast (his murder can be seen in the background).

Later history and influence

A Young Lady Playing a Clavichord, an impression of how such an instrument was still being used a half-century later

The presence of the engravings helps to both date the piece as well as give a glimpse into the popular scenes from the bible after the

Protestant Reformation
.

See also

  • Ottavini (singular form: Ottavino) — miniature virginals with octave higher pitch, produced by both Italian and northern schools.
  • Double virginals — known as Mother and Child (moeder und kind), the instruments combined a normal virginal and ottavino, produced by Flemish school, in particular the Ruckers family.

References

  1. ^ "Rectangular Octave Virginal". Metropolitan Museum of Art. Retrieved 2017-08-19.
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