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Mandolino
Benedetto Gualzatta (Italian, about 1688–after 1729)
1724
Object Place: Rome, Italy
Medium/Technique
Maple, spruce, mother-of-pearl, ivory
Dimensions
Length 55.5 cm, width 14.4 cm, depth 8.5 cm (Length 21 7/8 in., width 5 11/16 in., depth 3 3/8 in.)
Credit Line
Frederick Brown Fund and Musical Instruments Curator's Fund
Accession Number1992.1
CollectionsEurope, Musical Instruments
ClassificationsMusical instruments – Chordophones
DescriptionBack comprised of thirteen ribs of maple, each separated by strips of ivory, with capping strip. Belly of fine-grain spruce with carved rose (substantially repaired) in geometrical pattern. Edges bound with ivory. Neck and pegbox of maple, terminating in square finial veneered with pearl engraved with geometrical designs. Tuning pegs (some modern) of rosewood with collars and buttons of ivory. Fingerboard of pearl (replaced) engraved with foliate designs, and bound with ivory. Diamonds of pearl set in black mastic along edges of fingerboard and pegbox. Nut and eight frets (modern) of ivory. Bridge of maple (?) with cap of ivory, pearl, and black mastic. Iron ring screwed into bass side of belly for player's strap. Twelve strings in six pairs. Dark-brown varnish on body, neck, and pegbox. Internal construction: Five lateral braces on belly (two above soundhole and one crossing soundhole).
InscriptionsManuscript label: Benedetto Gualzatta/ Roma 1724
Provenance1977, sold by source unidentified, Cremona, Italy, to Andrew Dipper, Minneapolis, Minnesota; 1992, sold by Dipper to the MFA. (Accession Date: January 22, 1992)
Largo from Concerto in C (RV 425), 1720s
Composed by Antonio Vivaldi
Performed by Olav Chris Henriksen