Harpsichord
This harpsichord was made in Florence around 1750-60 and was probably played at fashionable entertainments. The harpsichord was thought to be by Vincenzo Sodi but recently a scholar has shown that in fact this instrument is not Sodi’s work. A Florentine dealer called Leopold Franciolini probably added Sodi’s name in about 1900. This would increase the harpsichord’s value. Franciolini probably added the painted scenes of seascapes, floral sprays and the infant Moses at this time too.
It once belonged to a lady who lived in Florence in the 1920s. She left it to her nephew who lived in Devon. In 1934 his family gave it to RAMM.
Harpsichords are stringed instruments played with a keyboard. When you press a key, a string is plucked. This harpsichord can produce five octaves instead of the more usual four which made it suitable for compositions by composers like Domenico Scarlatti (1685-1757).
Italy was the foremost producer of harpsichords. They were very expensive. Their lids were often painted with landscape scenes. On this one there is a scene of Moses in the bulrushes under the main cover. Paintings of ships and mountain scenes as well as floral arrangements decorate the rest of the instrument. We do not know exactly who made these paintings. Many harpsichords were replaced by pianos after 1800.
It once belonged to a lady who lived in Florence in the 1920s. She left it to her nephew who lived in Devon. In 1934 his family gave it to RAMM.
Harpsichords are stringed instruments played with a keyboard. When you press a key, a string is plucked. This harpsichord can produce five octaves instead of the more usual four which made it suitable for compositions by composers like Domenico Scarlatti (1685-1757).
Italy was the foremost producer of harpsichords. They were very expensive. Their lids were often painted with landscape scenes. On this one there is a scene of Moses in the bulrushes under the main cover. Paintings of ships and mountain scenes as well as floral arrangements decorate the rest of the instrument. We do not know exactly who made these paintings. Many harpsichords were replaced by pianos after 1800.
Object Summary
- Accession Loan No.
- 105/1934/3
- Collection Class
- Musical instruments
- Material
- cypress (painted)sprucesteel and brassoak (boxwood veneered )walnut (boxwood veneered )
- Common Name
- Harpsichord
- Simple Name
- musical instrument
- Inscription Transcription
- IHS; JMJ (or IMI)
- Period Classification
- George III (1760-1811)
- Production Town
- Florence
- Production Country
- Italy
- Production Date
- 1782
- Production Person Initials
- Vincenzio
- Production Person Surname
- Sodi
- Production Year Low
- 1781
- Production Year High
- 1782
