Statuette belonging to a monkey orchestra
Unknown Artist
ca. 1745
Medium
Alabaster
Classification
Sculpture-Miniature
Culture
Italian
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of R. Thornton Wilson, in memory of his wife, Florence Ellsworth Wilson, 1977
Accession Number
1977.216.22
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delightful alabaster statuette, dating to around 1745, is a charming fragment of an Italian "monkey orchestra"—a whimsical ensemble where anthropomorphic monkeys play musical instruments like flutes and violins Crafted as a miniature sculpture, it exemplifies the playful decorative arts of 18th-century Italy during the Rococo era, lighthearted motifs of animals mimicking human pursuits adorned the homes of the elite. These fanciful scenes, known as *singeries*, poked gentle fun at societal vanities while showcasing sculptors' virtuosity. Carved from alabaster, a soft yet luminous stone q...