Bass viol

Barak Norman (1651–1724), London, 1705, maple, spruce, beech and ebony, gut

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 122.0 cm x width 37.0 cm x height 24.0 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’
Catalogue reference
- Peter Tourin, 'Viollist: A Comprehensive Catalogue of Historical Viole Da Gamba in Public and Private Collections', Duxbury, Verm.: P. Tourin, 1979
- 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
- 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
- Benjamin Hebbert, 'A Catalogue of Surviving Instruments by, or Ascribed to, Barak Norman', The Galpin Society Journal 54 (2001), p. 285-329: 298

Creation

Creation
musical instrument maker: Barak Norman, London
Dating
1705
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Material and technique

Physical description
naaldhout, esdoornhout, ebbenhout, beukenhout en darm
Material
Dimensions
length 122.0 cm x width 37.0 cm x height 24.0 cm

Acquisition and rights

Credit line
On loan from the Koninklijk Oudheidkundig Genootschap
Copyright
Public domain

Documentation

- Peter Tourin, 'Viollist: A Comprehensive Catalogue of Historical Viole Da Gamba in Public and Private Collections', Duxbury, Verm.: P. Tourin, 1979
- 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
- 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
- Benjamin Hebbert, 'A Catalogue of Surviving Instruments by, or Ascribed to, Barak Norman', The Galpin Society Journal 54 (2001), p. 285-329: 298

Persistent URL

To refer to this object, please use the following persistent URL:
https://id.rijksmuseum.nl/200424579