Square Piano
ca. 1791
Medium
Mahogany, iron, stained hardwood, ivory, bone, various materials
Dimensions
Case length: 157.8 cm frame with 4 square tapered legs on casters- Measurements: H. 25 1/2 in. W. ~60 in. D. 29 1/2 in.
Classification
Chordophone-Zither-struck-piano
Culture
American
Department
Musical Instruments
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, The Crosby Brown Collection of Musical Instruments, by exchange, 1978
Accession Number
1978.379
Art Historical Context
Step into the elegant world of early American music with this exquisite square piano crafted by Dodds & Claus 1791. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Department of Musical Instruments, thisophone—classified as a zither-str piano—measures approximately 60 inches wide, 29.5 inches deep, 25.5 inches, resting gracefully on four square tapered legs with casters for easy. Its compact, rectangular form made it a favored choice for genteel homes in the post-Revolutionary United States, bridging the gap between harpsichords and the grander pianos of later eras. Constructed from rich mahogany ...