English Horn in F
ca. 1800
Medium
wood, leather, horn, brass
Dimensions
L. ca. 760 mm., Diam. of bell 52 mm., Lenth of tube ca. 760 mm.
Classification
Aerophone-Reed Vibrated-double reed
Culture
Italian
Department
Musical Instruments
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Crosby Brown Collection of Musical Instruments, 1889
Accession Number
89.4.888
Art Historical Context
This English Horn in F, crafted around 1800 by the Italian maker Grassi, represents a refined example of late Classical-era woodwind instruments. As a double-reed aerophone, it belongs to the oboe family and produces a warm, mellow tone suited for orchestral and chamber music of the period. Its Italian origins place it within a rich tradition of instrument making that emphasized both acoustic precision and elegant craftsmanship during a time when wind instruments were gaining prominence in European ensembles. Constructed from wood with leather wrapping, a horn bell, and brass fittings, the in...