Mandolino
This typical Roman mandolin, with six double courses of gut strings, thirteen alternating ribs of ebony and ivory with floral engravings, and a sickle-shaped peg box, is shown with its carrying box. It is the type of mandolin for which Antonio Vivaldi wrote his numerous mandolin concerti. The double eagle in the rose is most likely refers to the German Tieffenbruckers in Venice and Padua. Magno Tieffenbrucker (1500–1560) used this type of eagle to mark his lutes in Venice, where he owned a house called “L’aquila nera.” The instrument was probably not made by a member of the famed Tieffenbrucker family, but by a maker following the tradition of their lute production, removed from their centers of Venice and Padua. Indicating a long playing life, the fingerboard was widened in the eighteenth century in order to accomodate its current six courses from its original construction with five courses. The instrument is similar to mandolins by Giovanni Francesco Smorsone found in Berlin and Rome.
Technical description: Teardrop shaped body with two-part spruce top and rose with a double eagle; ebony neck inlaid lengthwise with two rectangular ivory plaques bordered with mother-of-pearl dots, plaques once engraved; curvilinear pegbox terminating with sickle-shaped finial with mother-of-pearl inlay bordered by ivory, the back of the pegbox of rosewood veneer with mother-of-pearl inlaid dots and hearts; oval boxwood pegs; six courses (five double courses and one single course in the treble); ivory and rosewood bridge; bowl made of thirteen alternating ribs of rosewood and engraved ivory with ebony borders; alternating pattern continues in veneer on underside of neck and peg box; original, form fitted leather covered wood case (only leather on lid remains)l lid with embossed and gilded cartouches filled with lattice-like cross-hatching.
Technical description: Teardrop shaped body with two-part spruce top and rose with a double eagle; ebony neck inlaid lengthwise with two rectangular ivory plaques bordered with mother-of-pearl dots, plaques once engraved; curvilinear pegbox terminating with sickle-shaped finial with mother-of-pearl inlay bordered by ivory, the back of the pegbox of rosewood veneer with mother-of-pearl inlaid dots and hearts; oval boxwood pegs; six courses (five double courses and one single course in the treble); ivory and rosewood bridge; bowl made of thirteen alternating ribs of rosewood and engraved ivory with ebony borders; alternating pattern continues in veneer on underside of neck and peg box; original, form fitted leather covered wood case (only leather on lid remains)l lid with embossed and gilded cartouches filled with lattice-like cross-hatching.
Artwork Details
- Title: Mandolino
- Date: ca. 1710
- Geography: Italy
- Culture: Italian
- Medium: Spruce, ebony, ivory, mother-of-pearl
- Dimensions: 21 1/16 × 5 × 2 11/16 in. (53.5 × 12.8 × 6.9 cm)
- Classification: Chordophone-Lute-plucked-fretted
- Credit Line: Purchase, Amati Gifts, 2008
- Object Number: 2008.2a, b
- Curatorial Department: Musical Instruments
More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Matteo Sellas
ca. 1630–50
David Tecchler
ca. 1725
Jean-Baptiste Voboam
1697
Giacomo (Jacob) Ertel
late 17th century
Antonio Stradivari
1711
Research Resources
The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.
To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.
Feedback
We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.