Square piano: M/F.12-1938

Current Location: In storage

Maker(s)

Maker: Erard Frères
Maker: Erard, Sébastien

Entities

Square piano

Categories

Musical instrument

Description

Rectangular wooden case with painted decoration

Notes

History note: H. Hirsch, March, 1912

Legal notes

L.D. Cunliffe Bequest, 1937

Measurements and weight

Depth: 22 in
Height: 30 3/4 in
Width: 58 3/4 in

Place(s) associated

Paris ⪼ France

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Bequeathed (1937) by Cunliffe, Leonard Daneham

Dating

18th Century, Late
Louis XVI
Production date: AD 1790 : dated

Note

Square pianos, a development of the clavichord, were introduced in the mid-eighteenth century. Their sound is produced by hammers striking the strings. Sébastien Erard made his first square piano in Paris in 1777, and in 1780 founded a company to produce them commercially. The painting on the exterior was added after manufacture. The crossbanding of the unpainted case case can be seen underneath the paint.

School or Style

Components of the work

Case composed of wood
Decoration composed of paint

Inscription or legends present

Inscription present: the o of No is raised

Text: Erard Freres a Paris 1790/No 1918
Location: On soundboard by bridge
Method of creation: Hand-written in black
Type: Serial number

Inscription present: the o of No is raised

Text: Sebastien Erard et, Frere/Compag Privilegiée du Roi, Rue du Mail No 37
Location: Above the keyboard
Method of creation: Painted in black
Type: Inscription

Identification numbers

Accession number: M/F.12-1938
Primary reference Number: 137703
Serial number: 1817
Stable URI

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Monday 1 June 2020

Associated departments & institutions

Owner or interested party: The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department: Applied Arts

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Citation for print

This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:


            The Fitzwilliam Museum (2024) "Square piano" Web page available at: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/137703 Accessed: 2024-04-20 04:00:15

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            {{cite web|url=https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/137703
            |title=Square piano
            |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2024-04-20 04:00:15|publisher=The
            University of Cambridge}}

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