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Harpsichord

'The finely japanned case and framed stand of seven spiral-turned legs are decorated with vaguely chinoiserie scenes and figures in gold, silver and bronze tones on a black ground based on engravings by Jacques Stella. The crudely executed red and gold ornamentation inside the instrument is said to have been added to match the decorative colour scheme of the room in the Château de Savigny-les-Beaune, where the harpsichord was housed until shortly before it was acquired by the Museum.' Howard Schott, Catalogue of Musical Instruments in the Victoria and Albert Museum. Part I: Keyboard Instruments (London, 1985), p. 63. Following the Netherlandish custom, the harpsichord soundboard is decorated with naturalistic flowers. The parchment rosette (the soundboard hole) is decorated in the Gothic style, as are the arcadings of the keys.

  • Date:
    1681 (made) 1681 (made) 1970s (made) 1681 (made) 1681 (made)
  • Maker:
    Jean-Antoine Vaudry
  • Collection:
    Victoria and Albert Museum
  • Inventory number:
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  • Place of production:
    Paris
  • Culture:
  • Period:
  • Materials:Japanned walnut case; spruce soundboard; walnut bridges
  • Specific materials/techniques:
  • Decorative elements:
  • Inscriptions:Vaudry A Paris 1681 Vaudry at Paris 1681
  • Hornbostel-Sachs category:
  • Repository:Victoria and Albert Museum
  • Measurements:Height: 94 cm closed, Width: 81 cm, Length: 219 cm [Harpsichord] Height: 94 cm, Width: 81 cm, Length: 219 cm