Harpsichord thumbnail 1
Harpsichord thumbnail 2
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Not on display

This object consists of 3 parts, some of which may be located elsewhere.

Harpsichord

1651 (made)
Artist/Maker
Ruckers, Andreas (The Elder) (maker)
Place of origin
Antwerp (made)

By the early 1600s, Antwerp was the main centre of harpsichord production in Europe, and the leading makers were the Ruckers family. Ruckers harpsichords were renowned for their beautiful tone and decoration. They were cherished and kept for generations, even if many surviving examples, including this one, were subsequently altered in order to keep up with the latest musical fashions. This instrument had long been associated with the composer George Frederick Handel (1685-1759), although it is now doubtful whether he ever owned it.

Object details

Category
Musical Instruments
Object type
Harpsichord
Parts
This object consists of 3 parts.

  • Harpsichord
  • Strings
  • Part
Materials and techniques
Pine case, with spruce soundboard; lid and soundboard painted; gilt rose
Pine
Spruce
Painting
Gilding
Joining
Brief description
Harpsichord, Antwerp, The Handel Ruckers, Andreas Ruckers, 1651
Physical description
Harpsichord in a pine case, painted black. Inside, the lid and part of the keyboard-surround are painted a brick red with gilded decoration and mottoes
Dimensions
  • Length: 173.1cm
  • Width: 78.5cm
  • Height: 21.2cm
Production typeUnique
Marks and inscriptions
  • ANDREAS RUCKERS ME FECIT ANTVERPIAE 1651 (1) Decoration 2) Signature; Latin; Roman; keyboard; painting; paint; Ruckers, Andreas (The Elder); 1651)
    Translation
    Andreas Ruckers made me at Antwerp, 1651
  • MUSICA DONUM DEI (1) Decoration 2) Makers's mark; Latin; Roman; Inside of front portion of lid; painting; paint; Ruckers, Andreas (The Elder); 1651)
    Translation
    Music the Gift of God
  • SIC TRANSIT GLORIA MUNDI (1) Decoration 2) Makers's mark; Latin; Roman; Inside of main portion of lid; Painting; paint; Ruckers, Andreas (The Elder); 1651)
    Translation
    So passes earthly glory.
Gallery label
(pre September 2000)
HARPSICHORD
By Andreas Ruckers, the Elder, 1651
Inscribed above the keys ANDREAS RUCKERS ME FECIT ANTVERPIAE 1651 (sic) The instrument has a compass of fifty eight notes, GG, AA - f3, one four foot and two eight foot stops, and a spruce soundboard decorated with flowers and animals.

Keyboard Catalogue No.: 15

This instrument was originally a single manual harpsichord with a range of forty-five notes, but was extensively altered in the eighteenth century. It was said to have belonged to Handel, but the evidence remains inconclusive.

1079-1868
Subjects depicted
Florilegium
Monkey's Orchestra
Flowers
Monkeys
Summary
By the early 1600s, Antwerp was the main centre of harpsichord production in Europe, and the leading makers were the Ruckers family. Ruckers harpsichords were renowned for their beautiful tone and decoration. They were cherished and kept for generations, even if many surviving examples, including this one, were subsequently altered in order to keep up with the latest musical fashions. This instrument had long been associated with the composer George Frederick Handel (1685-1759), although it is now doubtful whether he ever owned it.
Collection
Furniture and Woodwork Collection
Accession number
1079-1868

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Record createdMay 16, 2001
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O58984/harpsichord-ruckers-andreas-the/
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