Trombone History: Six Early 17th Century Images from Antwerp
November 16, 2009 by wkimball · Leave a Comment
The first 2 images below are paintings I just added to the Early 17th Century Timeline. One thing that has become apparent is that there is a grouping of several similar paintings from this era by a small handful of artists based in Antwerp (see also the images below the first 2 paintings in this post; for more information on individual images, see Timeline). A few things stand out about this set of images. First, many of the paintings are collaborative, a practice that was relatively common (Haeften 8). Second, it is evident that all of the works are allegorical (or mythological) in nature. Third, in every case, the trombone is pictured in the foreground resting on the ground instead of being played. Finally, as mentioned elsewhere, many of the depictions of the trombone seem to be quite similar, almost as if they were stock images.
c. 1617—Antwerp, Belgium: Hendrick van Balen and Jan Brueghel collaborate on a painting called An Allegory of the Five Senses, which includes a trombone among several instruments in the foreground (see facing detail; public domain) (Haeften, pl. 8). For other depictions of the trombone by the same painter, see c. 1610 (Banquet of the Gods), c. 1615 (Minerva among the Muses), and c. 1625 (Allegory of Music).
c. 1640—Antwerp, Belgium: Jan van Kessel’s Allegory of Hearing depicts a room with numerous instruments, including a trombone leaning against a stool (see facing detail; public domain). The image is similar to a painting on which the artist collaborated with Hendrik van Balen and Jan Brueghel (see c. 1625, above).
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Additional paintings from Early 16th Century Antwerp that include trombone:
Van Balen, Banquet of the Gods
Van Balen, Minerva among the Muses
Brueghel and Rubens, Allegory of Music
Van Kessel, Van Balen, and Brueghel, Allegory of Music
Trombone History: Two 17th Century Images
September 17, 2009 by wkimball · Leave a Comment
Below are two new 17th century images, one a painting and the other a print. The painting, shown here only in a detail of one portion of the work, has been attributed to Sebastian Vranckx and Jan Brueghel the Younger (in collaboration) and is titled The Royal Palace at Brussels. It has been dated between 1625 and 1630. A trombone rests on the ground, along with a dulcian, near an ensemble of 2 voices and 3 strings that is informally performing outdoors. Noteworthy features of the trombone include its flat stays and a slide section apparently out of proportion with the bell (Kenyon de Pascual, Two Contributions).
Vranckx and Brueghel, The Royal Palace at Brussels
The second image, an anonymous mannerist print titled Genius of the Arts, dates from approximately the same time, circa 1620 (Moir pl. 44). Below the angel (whose toga is apparently on the move) is a fairly clear representation of a trombone. The trombone is noteworthy for its bell flare, which would appear to be slightly more pronounced than that of other trombones of the time period. The image belongs to an interesting group of allegorical art works from the 17th century (1st half) that feature trombones, including Brueghel’s Allegory of Hearing, Van Kessel’s Allegory of Music, and a Czech wall painting from Rozmberk Castle titled Allegory of Music.
Anonymous, Genius of the Arts