Be very careful about reading too much into period depictions of
instruments. While they are a valuable resource, their value is
difficult to determine. Many of the artists who made such images seem
to have been more familiar with other artists' renditions than with
the instruments themselves, and very often the instruments were used
to evoke certain social settings, not necessarily to accurately depict
them. Imagine someone in the future trying to accurately determine HG
technique from stills in Captains Courageous, for instance. (At least
there you get an accurate image of the instrument itself). If you
browse the pages of the Galpin Society Journal, there are quite
frequently articles on reconstructing instruments that discuss the
difficulties of determining all sorts of characteristics of them.
Iconographic evidence is more often used to provide dates for
instruments than accurate forms. (That said, the stuff in the Portico
in Santiago is unusually detailed and suggests careful observation
rather than putting something vaguely HG shaped in a picture.)
Another way of looking at this: how accurate are the other images of
instruments in that picture? The fidula on the left gets the shape
right, and that's about it (plus the bow there is HUGE). The harp has
the right general shape, but it's not quite right in the details, and
the psaltery probably isn't being played (it's in the wrong position)
but is reasonably shaped (but is missing bridges). I'd expect the HG
there to be about as accurate as the other instruments, and since they
aren't super accurate, don't rely on the HG illustration too much
either.
What I would take away from most of these images is a general
impression for shape, and that's about it. In the case of this
instrument it suggests a plausible shape. But I would not look for any
detail beyond that, not even for the sound hole type and placement.
While it is possible that the keys are sticking out of the body, it
doesn't seem likely since the strings aren't in the body. So if the
left hand is supposed to be manipulating keys you know you have an
unworkable mechanism.
-Arle
On Feb 13, 2008, at 5:24 PM, Chris Nogy wrote:
Could this be a type of sinphone, with the works inside a slightly
waisted and round-ended box?
Is it just a fancification based on someone who knew certain
instruments but maybe didn't know anything about gurdies?
I like the body shape, the figure 8 instruments like the early crwth
kind of speak to me.
But rant on, Alden, I am very interested to hear your take.
Chris
