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Is it possible that this lute, with its string height and particular fret setting might have been recognizable as typically French, taking account of what Val points out. Some of those French dance pieces (dating from just before the painting, see Pierre Attaignant, Paris 1529-30) les Basses Dances, the Branles, etc, might have sounded quite good with such a bray harp buzz. ------ I guess this high and important person, ambassador of Francis the 1st to the court of England was more playing his King favorit lutenist Alberto di Mantova's music than popular tunes (Painting is from 1533, coming of Alberto to the French court in 1528, both could have met, as the ambassador was painted here for his installation, so he was newly in England in 1533. Another point he probably bring his own lute (as said before he his painted twice by Holbein with this instrument, and that means probably he was a good player, at least a regular one...) is the lute case on the floor under the furniture. All guesses... V. To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
