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Mandore

Mandore

  • Place of origin:

    France (made)

  • Date:

    1640 (made)

  • Artist/Maker:

    Boissart (maker)

  • Materials and Techniques:

    Carved and hollowed-out pearwood back and neck, with pine soundboard

  • Museum number:

    219-1866

  • Gallery location:

    In Storage

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Mandores are an early version of the mandolin, said to have been first used by shepherds in Northern Spain from about 1500 or earlier. They were first mentioned in France in 1587, where they were fitted with four single strings or more. This example has six and may well have been tuned liked a lute. It is dated 1640 and signed by Boissart, an otherwise unknown but highly skilled maker. The back of the peg box is decorated with the head of Medusa, and the back of the body with the Judgement of Paris, a popular decorative theme which depicted the mythical beauty contest between the goddesses Juno, Minerva and Venus.

Physical description

'Body, neck and pegbox carved in one piece of pearwood. The shallow, rounded back is beautifully carved with a scene of the Judgement of Paris, amid strapwork and floral scrolls. The neck is almost plain, but the back of the pegbox is carved with a vigorous representation of Medusa's head. The belly is carved with a rose and has a black border. The neck is veneered with ebony, flush with the belly, and two slender ebony beards are set into the belly continuing the line of the neck. There are five very small pegs, an ivory nut, and no frets.'

Anthony Baines, Catalogue of Musical Instruments in the Victoria and Albert Museum: Part II: Non-Keyboard Instruments(London, 1978), p. 38.

Place of Origin

France (made)

Date

1640 (made)

Artist/maker

Boissart (maker)

Materials and Techniques

Carved and hollowed-out pearwood back and neck, with pine soundboard

Marks and inscriptions

Boissart 1640

Dimensions

Length: 42 cm total, Length: 21 cm body, Depth: 3.5 cm maximum, Width: 122 mm

Bibliographic References (Citation, Note/Abstract, NAL no)

London, Victoria & Albert Museum: Catalogue of Musical Instruments in the Victoria & Albert Museum. Part II, Anthony Baines: Non-keyboard instruments (London, 1998), p. 38

Labels and date

MANDORE
FRENCH (Paris); 1640
Pearwood
Signed BOISSART and dated on the edge of the body
The mandore is the smallest of the lute family. This example, of 1640, with its carved relief of the Judgement of Paris, provides a striking example of the survival of mannerist themes in the Fontainebleau style well into the 17th century. [pre July 2001]

Materials

Pine; Pearwood

Techniques

Carving; Planing; Sawing

Subjects depicted

Venus; Minerva; Juno; Paris

Categories

Musical instruments

Production Type

Unique

Collection code

FWK

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Qr_O61535
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