The decoration
of these instruments
The outer case
It was desired to decorate the
cases of the instruments in a style that was contemporary both with the instruments of
Onofrio Guarracino, active in Naples in the second half of the seventeenth
century, and with some of the other Neapolitan instrument-builders of this
period. A number of sources was used as
inspiration for the decoration in addition to the decoration actually found on
instruments (for example see the decoration on the
anonymous harpsichord in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York): church altars, pattern
books, engravings, decorations inside buildings (the castello in Sasso
Morelli, the rafaelesco decorations in the Castel Sant’Angello in Rome),
etc.
The decoration work
of instruments 1, 3 and 4 was carried
out by
Stefano Pessione
in Rome.
The decoration of the
decorated
cases are given below. Click on the smaller images for a full-sized view
with more details:
Instrument number 1
Click on these images for further details:
For details of the lid painting click on the image below:
Instrument number 2
Cheek decoration:
Bentside decoration:
Tail decoration:
Fallboard decoration:
Lid decoration:
Instrument number 3
Instrument number 4
Click on these images for further details:
Instrument number 4 is decorated using Pozzuoli red as a pigment for the base colour,
with a typical mannerist decoration consisting of plant-like figurations
emanating from animal, human or mythological figures painted in yellow ochre.
The soundboard rosettes
The elaborate stands
All of these instruments have
now been sold. For further details click here.
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