Creator Granello, Niccolò

Medium Artwork: Fresco

City Escorial | Region Madrid | Old kingdom Castile

ARTWORK
A pastoral figure playing a vihuela from a scene described by Corona-Alcalde (corona2004-1, 23, n. 31) as an “Allegory of Music, by Nicholas Granello, who was active at El Escorial in the decoration of the building from 1581-1591.

INSTRUMENT
The whole instrument was not depicted. The pegbox and most of the neck were not painted. The instrument has quite a large body with one central soundhole, lower than usual, and with the bridge in low position. Bellow describes it as a 5-course guitar, and dated it as 1563-84, although this has now been shown to be too early (bellow1970). The instrument appears painted with 5 or 6 single strings.

Bellow, Alexander. The Illustrated History of the Guitar. New York: Franco Colombo, 1970.

Bellow, Alexander. The Illustrated History of the Guitar. New York: Franco Colombo, 1970.

Corona-Alcalde, Antonio. “L’organologie de la vihuela”. Aux origines de la guitare: la vihuela de mano. Ed. Joël Dugot. Paris: Musée de la Musique, 2004. 16-28.