Virginal by Vanini, F
Maker:
Vanini, F
Year:
1672
Museum:
National Music Museum, North America
Date Range
1650-1700
Current Location:
[object Object]
Material:
Cypress
Painter:
Type:
Virginal
Charles Burney wrote in 1771 (The Present State of Music in France and Italy), "Throughout Italy they have generally little octave spinets to accompany singing, in private houses, sometimes in a triangular form, but more in the shape of our old virginals; of which they keys are so noisy, and the tone so feeble, that more wood is heard than wire." This miniature virginal is perhaps even smaller than the instruments Burney wrote about. Made of cypress with a spruce or fir soundboard, it has a single set of strings pitched two octaves above normal pitch.
Compass: c/e-f2 (2+ octaves)
Cypress with spruce or fir soundboard
Pine or spruce bottom board
Parchment gilded rose
Boxwood natural keys and boxwood and ebony striped sharps
Beech key sticks
Decoratively engraved storage lid with ivory turned knob