Cécilium
ca. 1880
Medium
Maple, brass.
Dimensions
H.: 119.6 cm (47-1/8 in.); W.: 50.1 cm (19-3/4 in.); Bow L.: 32.3 cm (12-3/4 in.)
Classification
Aerophone-Free Reed
Culture
French
Department
Musical Instruments
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Crosby Brown Collection of Musical Instruments, 1889
Accession Number
89.4.2839
Art Historical Context
Step into the enchanting world of 19th-century French musical innovation with *Cécilium*, crafted around 1880 by Arthur Quentin Gromard. This striking aerophone-free reed instrument standing nearly 120 cm tall and fashioned from polished maple wood with gleaming brass accents, exemplifies the era's blend of artistry and engineering. The maple provides a resonant, lightweight body, while brass likely forms the precise free reeds that vibrate to produce its distinctive tones—hallmarks of instruments like accordions and harmoniums that captivated audiences during the Belle Époque. Free-reed aero...