A Franco-Flemish double-manual harpsichord, originally a transposing harpsichord made in Antwerp in 1617, and then ravalé in Paris, possibly by François Étienne Blanchet in 1750, and then in stages by Jacques Barberini, Paris, c.1775 and by Nicolas Hoffman, 1786.

 

 

The spine side and the top of the stand of the Franco-Flemish harpsichord

 

 

 

          This photograph shows the stunning decoration on the spine side and also part of the stand underneath the Franco-Flemish harpsichord.  The decoration on the spine is lacking any of the 'fine art' paintings attributed to François Boucher and found on much of the rest of the instrument. 

This decoration, and the decorations surrounding the Boucher paintings on the rest of the instrument, has been attributed to

Christophe Huet (1700 - 1759), Paris, 1750.

The spine decoration is perhaps the most elegant and refined decoration on the instrument.

 

A detail of the spine-side decoration attributed to Christophe Huet.

 

Important Features of this harpsichord

 

A brief history of the musical and decorative states of the Franco-Flemish harpsichord

 

Details of the original state of the instrument

 

Details of the eighteenth-century states of this harpsichord

  

 Details of the modern history of this harpsichord

 

 A problem encountered in the ethical restoration of this harpsichord

 

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