Banjo

Banjo by Hercules McCord

Medium

Metal, wood

Dimensions

96cm x 34cm x 10cm

Classification

Chordophone-Lute-plucked

Culture

American

Department

Musical Instruments

Museum

Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY

Credit

The Crosby Brown Collection of Musical Instruments, 1889

Accession Number

89.4.2676

Art Historical Context

Step into the rhythmic world of 19th-century American music with *Banjo*, crafted by Hercules McCord around 9. This striking chordophone-lute-plucked instrument, tall at 96 cm high, 34 cm wide, and 10 cm deep, showcases masterful woodworking and metalwork. Its construction reflects the banjo's evolution as a beloved American folk instrument, with a taut skin head stretched over a wooden frame and strings plucked to produce its signature twang. Made in the United States during the turbulent pre-Civil War era, McCord's banjo embodies the cultural fusion of African and European traditions that d...

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