Bass viol

Barak Norman, 1705

Barak Norman’s viols have been described as made in ‘the elegant English style’. Around 1700 Norman preferred to make cellos, though bass viols continued to be made. The viol has frets, while the cello does not have this facility. The viol also has more strings. Inside, the viol is related to lute building traditions, the cello belongs to the tradition of violin building.

  • Artwork typebowed instrument, musical instrument, stringed instrument, viola da gamba
  • Object numberBK-NM-12548
  • Dimensionslength 122 cm x width 37 cm x height 24 cm
  • Physical characteristicsnaaldhout, esdoornhout, ebbenhout, beukenhout en darm

Identification

  • Title(s)

    Bass viol

  • Object type

  • Object number

    BK-NM-12548

  • Description

    Basviola da gamba met zes snaren, toets en staartstuk versierd met ranken en bladwerk waartussen vogels en grotten benevens een landschap. Aan de voorzijde getekend: Barak Norman London fecit. Aan de binnenzijde etiquet: Barak Norman at the Bass Viol in St. Pauls Alley, London fecit 1705 en: gerepareerd door K. van der Meer 1917. Aan de achterzijde een monogram. Vermoedelijk is één snaar later bijgemaakt.

  • Inscriptions / marks

    • signature: ‘Gerepareerd door // K. van der Meer // Amsterdam 1917’
    • signature: ‘Barak Norman // at the Bass Viol // St Pauls Alley // London fecit 1705’

Creation

  • Creation

    musical instrument maker: Barak Norman, London

  • Dating

    1705

  • Search further with

Material and technique

  • Physical description

    naaldhout, esdoornhout, ebbenhout, beukenhout en darm

  • Dimensions

    length 122 cm x width 37 cm x height 24 cm

Acquisition and rights

  • Credit line

    On loan from the Koninklijk Oudheidkundig Genootschap

  • Copyright

    Public domain

Documentation

    • L.G. Langwill, 'Musikinstrumenten-Sammlung des Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam ausgestellt im Gemeente Museum, Den Haag 9. Oktober - 24. November 1952', Glareana: Nachrichten der Gesellschaft der Freunde alter Musikinstrumente 2, nr. 2 (1953), p. 1-3: 2
    • Gesina Liedmeier; Michael Latcham, 'Two bass viols labelled John Roos at the Gemeentemuseum, The Hague', The Galpin Society Journal 62, (Apr., 2009), p. 167-181, 198-199: 167, 175
    • Benjamin Hebbert, 'A Catalogue of Surviving Instruments by, or Ascribed to, Barak Norman', The Galpin Society Journal 54 (2001), p. 285-329: 298
    • Peter Tourin, 'Viollist: A Comprehensive Catalogue of Historical Viole Da Gamba in Public and Private Collections', Duxbury, Verm.: P. Tourin, 1979

Persistent URL

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  • Bass viol
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