Harp
1859–66
Medium
Wood, bronze, and gilt gesso
Dimensions
90 x 60 in. (228.6 x 152.4 cm)
Classification
Harp
Culture
American
Department
The American Wing
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Edward V. Jones, 1971
Accession Number
1971.152.2
Art Historical Context
Step into the opulent world of 19th-century American parlors with this magnificent harp crafted by J. F. Brown & Co. between 1859 and 1866. Standing at an impressive 90 x 60 inches (228.6 x 152.4 cm), the instrument is a tour de force of materials: richly carved wood forms its elegant frame, accented by bronze fittings and lavish gilt gesso—a technique where intricate plaster-like gesso is gilded to mimic gold, adding a shimmering, luxurious glow. Produced during the Civil War era, it exemplifies the height of American decorative arts in the Victorian period. J. F. Brown & Co., a prominent Ph...