Portative Organ
Unknown Artist
ca. 1800–1889
Medium
Various
Dimensions
Overall: 75.8 x 49.8 x 22.7cm (29 13/16 x 19 5/8 x 8 15/16in.)
Classification
Aerophone-Organ
Culture
German or French
Department
Musical Instruments
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Crosby Brown Collection of Musical Instruments, 1889
Accession Number
89.4.3105
Art Historical Context
Nestled in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's renowned Crosby Brown Collection of Musical Instruments this portative organ (ca. 1800–1889) exemplifies the of 19th-century instrument-making from either Germany or France. Measuring 75.8 x 49.8 x 22.7 cm, its compact size made it truly portable—a rarity among organs, which were typically large and stationary. Classified as an aerophone-organ, it produced sound through wind generated by hand-operated bellows, with keys played by the musician's other hand, allowing solo performance during processions, chamber music, or religious ceremonies. Portativ...