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 [...]
Two More on Paper: Sketches for St. Cecilia Trombone Images
July 13, 2010 By Leave a Comment
About a month ago I posted Canvas, Paper, Silver, and Glass: St. Cecilia Trombone Image in Many Forms, tracing the life of an image originally conceived as a painting through several artistic media. Since then I have located two sketches of the image (source: Volk-Knüttel 31-33, pl. 101; for full citation see Trombone History Bibliography). [...]
Angel Musicians of Florence’s Santissima Annunziata
June 26, 2010 By 1 Comment
Two weeks ago I added the below trombone history image & caption to the 17th century timeline (1st half), as well as posting The Evolution of a Trombone Painting, a blog post that included not only the painting, but several sketches that preceded it. 1644—Florence, Italy: Il Volterrano (also known variously as Baldassare Franceschini and [...]
Missing Something? Bell-less Trombones in Art
June 20, 2010 By 3 Comments
The slide is one of the most identifiable visual characteristics of the trombone in artwork. However, when a slide turns up without a bell, it can be problematic. Could it still be a trombone? Are we trying too hard to make it a trombone? Was it just artist error? Artistic license? A mistake in a [...]
Canvas, Paper, Silver, and Glass: St. Cecilia Trombone Image in Many Forms
June 15, 2010 By 1 Comment
Last week I posted Evolution of a Trombone Painting, which traced a painting through several sketches to fruition in a church fresco. This new post similarly shows several permutations of an image, though in this case, the images span a longer period of time, as they are copied by various artists. They also encompass an [...]
The Evolution of a Trombone Painting
June 12, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Several weeks ago I blogged about a red chalk drawing, recently added to the Trombone Timeline, by an artist named Il Volterrano (also known variously as Baldassare Franceschini and Franceschini Baldassare detto Volterrano). The image, a preparatory drawing for a 17th-century Florentine fresco, features trombone prominently among two other angel-musicians (with a possible additional vocalist). Included with the [...]
Trombone and the Art of Illusion
May 19, 2010 By 2 Comments
Quadratura is a type of illusionistic painting that interacts with a building’s architecture, often extending or altering the actual appearance of the architecture. Popular with Baroque artists, it is similar to other illusionistic techniques such as trompe-l’œil, although it tends to refer more to the “opening up” of architectural space and to a more thorough [...]
How Early Should You Start Playing Trombone? A Young 17th-Century Trombonist
May 4, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Just added another trombone image to the 17th century timeline (first half). He doesn’t look much older than my one-year-old son! c. 1629—Venice, Italy: Veronese artist Fra Semplice da Verona includes a depiction of a cherub playing trombone in Infant Jesus and Musical Angels, an image framing a pre-existing Madonna in the Convento del Redentore. [...]