Piccolo in D-flat
Unknown Artist
early 19th century
Medium
Wood, silver
Dimensions
L. 333 mm., Embouchure length 282 mm.
Classification
Aerophone-Blow Hole-side-blown flute (transverse)
Culture
French
Department
Musical Instruments
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Crosby Brown Collection of Musical Instruments, 1889
Accession Number
89.4.919
Art Historical Context
Nestled in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's renowned Crosby Brown Collection of Musical Instruments this Piccolo in D-flat exemplifies the exquisite craftsmanship of early 19th-century France. Crafted from wood with silver accents, this transverse flute—classified as a side-blown aerophone—measures compact 333 mm in length, with an embure hole spanning 282 mm. Its size and high-pitched D-flat tuning made it ideal for piercing melodies that cut through orchestral ensembles, a staple in military bands and concert halls of the Napoleonic era and beyond. French instrument makers during this perio...