Trombone History: Trombone Among the Angels

A few months ago I added the following painting and entry to the Trombone History Timeline (18th century):

St. Lawrence1704—Tönning, Germany: A painted ceiling by Barthold Conrath at the Church of St. Lawrence depicts a group of angels playing wind instruments and percussion, including a jubilant angel-trombonist on the far left (see above image; public domain) (Bowles, The Timpani 167).

Toenning_laurentius_orgelSince then I have also come across this wikimedia image (public domain) showing a wider view of the interior of the church. The group of musicians pictured originally in the black and white detail is directly above the organ (but not suspended in the clouds). Click on the picture for a larger image.

What’s a little surprising about the painting, in my opinion, is its relatively late date (1704). The majority of similar visual depictions of trombonists among angel musicians–at least those I have been able to locate–originate from the previous two centuries. See 16th Century and 17th Century.