WILL KIMBALL» angeli musicanti

The Life of an Early Trombone Painting

wkimball — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 00:18:17 +0000

Throughout art history, you can occasionally find multiple versions of the same image. Sometimes the versions are from the same artist (e.g., preparatory sketches), sometimes they are by other artists in other media (e.g., from a painting to an engraving), and sometimes they are copycat versions by other artists.

There are several historical examples of multiple versions of the same trombone image. I’ve already mentioned some of these in earlier blog posts. See, for example, The Evolution of a Trombone Painting, about a painting by Baldassare Franceschini, or Canvas, Paper, Silver, and Glass: St. Cecilia Trombone Image in Many Forms, about an image originally by Pieter de Witte. Also, along similar lines, Young Trombonists in Four Montserrat Paintings looks at two different pairs of similar trombone paintings.

My latest find begins with a fresco painted by Guido Reni in 1609 in San Gregorio Magno, Rome. Below is a color detail of the left side of the painting, as well as a black and white of the full painting (notice that there is another angel-trombonist on the far right) (see below 2 images; public domain).

Another 17th-century image, supposedly by an anonymous artist from Southern Netherlands, is almost certainly either a preparatory sketch for or a copy of Guido Reni’s fresco (see below image; public domain) (Paris, Louvre; Wangermée vol. 1 287).

Finally, in the early 18th century, French artist Etienne Parrocel made a chalk drawing of three of the angel-musicians (see below image; public domain; Avignon Musée Calvet Inv. 996.7.31). The angel-musicians are obviously taken from Reni’s fresco; however, going from left to right in the original full image, only the first, sixth, and eighth instrumentalists are included by Parrocel. The trombonist’s left-hand grip may have been modified from the original underhand position.

Viennese Angel-Trombonist

wkimball — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 23:53:53 +0000

I just added the following image to the 18th century Trombone History Timeline. I also added it to the HubPages articles Angel Trombonists Throughout History and How to Hold a Sackbut: The Grip of the Early Trombone in Pictures.

1725-30—Vienna, Austria: A fresco by Johann Michael Rottmayr in the Karlskirche (St. Charles’s Church) includes a trombone-playing angel (see below image; public domain).

Trombone on Baroque Organ Shutters

wkimball — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 15:28:22 +0000

I just added the below image and caption to the Trombone History Timeline (17th century, first half). Another angel-trombone.

1638—Schleiz, Germany: A painting on the left organ shutter in the Bergkirche includes an angel trombonist among several angel musicians (see below image; public domain).

Angel Plays Serpent

wkimball — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 22:13:20 +0000

I just added the below image and caption to the post, Serpent & Ophicleide: History and Images, bringing the total number of images on that post to 81. The angel’s playing position is interesting—makes the instrument almost look like a bari sax!

1704-14—Saalfeld, Germany: Carlo Ludovico Castelli paints an angel playing a serpent in Saalfeld’s Schlosskapelle (see below image; public domain).

Trombone in Bavarian Abbey

wkimball — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 04:28:27 +0000

Just added the below image and entry to the Trombone History Timeline (18th century). Interesting visual perspective—and definitely an unorthodox grip if it’s a trombone.

c. 1705—Irsee, Germany (near Kaufbeuren): A fresco by Magnus Remy (1674-1734) decorating the ceiling of Irsee Abbey features angels playing various brass instruments, including what appears to be a trombone (see below image; public domain).

Angel Playing Trombone in Renaissance Painting

wkimball — Mon, 30 May 2011 23:35:28 +0000

Just added this painting to the Trombone History Timeline (16th century). Trastevere is a neighborhood in Rome, and this church is said to be one of the primary landmarks of the area. The artist collaborated on paintings in several other churches in Rome, but this painting was the first major project that he carried out on his own. Notice the pairing of instruments.

For 45 more historical pictures of angels playing trombone, see Angel Trombonists Throughout History.

1591—Rome, Italy: Artist Ferrau Fenzoni includes an angel playing trombone in a ceiling painting in the chapel of St. Francis in the church of Santa Maria in Trastevere (see lower-middle of below image; public domain) (Schwed, New Drawings by Ferrau Fenzoni).

More Angel-Trombones on Pipe Organs

wkimball — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 03:12:44 +0000

Added the below entry and picture to the Trombone History Timeline (18th century) and to an old blog post titled Perching on the Pipes: Trombone & Organ Images. What a beautiful instrument—and two trombones to top it off!

1740—Coburg, Germany: A Schuke organ is installed in St. Moriz Church. Atop the pipes are two angel-trombonists (see below image; public domain).

Bone in the Clouds: Another Baroque Angel-Trombonist

wkimball — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 01:50:23 +0000

Today I added another image to the Trombone History Timeline (17th century, first half)—yet another angel-trombonist. I’ll also be adding it to the HubPages article, Angel-Trombonists Throughout History. Below is the drawing, along with the timeline caption. The artist is actually known primarily for his work as an early art historian. The image looks like it could be a preparatory drawing for a fresco, although I haven’t had any luck tracking down a related painting.

c. 1650—German artist Joachim von Sandrart draws a red chalk “angel concert” that includes a trombone (see below image; public domain) (source: Deutsche Fotothek).

Baroque Trombone in Color!

wkimball — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 03:15:30 +0000

In 1609 a Bolognese artist by the name of Guido Reni painted a version of what is typically called an “angel concert” in one of the chapels of Rome’s San Gregorio Magno. I have already posted several black and white views of this fresco, as well as what may be a preparatory drawing, in Trombone History: From the Balcony. You can also see the painting in broader historical context in the 17th century timeline (first half). I bring it up again here because I recently came upon a couple of nice color views of the work and thought they might be worth posting. Here they are, below. In my opinion, it’s one of the most beautiful of the many Baroque artworks that include trombone. Enjoy!

3 Trombones in Early 17th-Century Salzburg Fresco

wkimball — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 21:57:48 +0000

I just added the upper image and entry to the 17th Century Timeline (1st half). It is noteworthy for a couple of reasons. 1) Although there are numerous frescoes that feature the trombone (for starters, browse the Trombone History Timeline), very few of them include this many depictions of the instrument. 2) Kloster Nonnberg (or Nonnberg Convent), the convent that houses this painting, is actually the Salzburg convent featured in the motion picture, “The Sound of Music.” Coincidentally, there is an additional trombone tie-in with “The Sound of Music”: the lower image below, a panel painting in the Mondsee, Austria parish church where, centuries later, the wedding scene in “The Sound of Music” is filmed, also depicts an angel playing trombone (c. 1682). In fact, the depiction of the angel-trombonist in the Mondsee church bears a resemblance to the two outer trombonists in the convent.

Nonnberg Convent fresco:

1625—Salzburg, Austria: A fresco by Matthäus Ostendorfer located in the Nonnenchor of Kloster Nonnberg (or Nonnberg Convent) features three angel-trombonists (see below image; public domain).

Mondsee church painting:

c. 1682—Mondsee, Austria: A panel painting in the Mondsee, Austria parish church (where, centuries later, the wedding scene in the motion picture “The Sound of Music” is filmed) depicts an angel playing trombone in the middle-bottom of the image (see below image) (Salmen, Bilder 57).