Oboe
Medium
Boxwood, ivory, silver
Dimensions
L. 54.6 cm (21 1/2 in.)
Classification
Aerophone-Reed Vibrated-double reed
Culture
German
Department
Musical Instruments
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, Robert Alonzo Lehman Bequest, 2005
Accession Number
2005.81a–g
Art Historical Context
This exquisite oboe, crafted around 1830 by the esteemed German makers B. Schott fils, Johann Adam Heck, and August Jehr, exemplifies the pinnacle of early 19th-century wood instrument making. Fashioned from richly grained boxwood—the traditional material prized for its resonance and workability—the instrument features ivory fittings and silver keys, blending functionality with elegant ornamentation. Measuring 54.6 cm in length, its slender form and intricate keywork reflect the transitional designs of the Romantic era, bridging Baroque simplicity and the more complex mechanisms that would def...
About the Artist
B. Schott fils|Johann Adam Heckel|August Jehring (German|German|German) · 1817 |1812 |1798 –1840 |1877 |1837
German, active Mainz ca. 1817–ca. 1840|Adorf, Germany 1812–1877 Biebach, Germany|German, Adorf 1798–1837 Mainz