This double photo story brings images of the Barberini Harp made at the Museo Nazionale degli Strumenti Musicali some thirty years apart. The harp was restored during this period and is now displayed under more controlled conditions. Mara Galassi’s analogue images from 1985-1986 are followed by digital images taken in 2014 by Armin Linke.
Between 1985 and 1986, the harpist and researcher Mara Galassi travelled twice to Roma from Palermo, where she was the principal harpist at the Teatro Massimo to photograph the Barberini Harp. In Palermo, Galassi was exposed to Sicilian Renaissance music, marking her turn to lifelong study and performance of Early music. Curious about the famous Barberini Harp, Galassi decided to see the instrument and document her visit. This took place shortly before the first Early Harp conference in Basel (1986), at which Galassi presented the images of the Barberini Harp shown below. The founder of the Museo Nazionale degli Strumenti Musicali, Prof. Luisa Cervelli, was the director of the museum at the time. These images are also closely linked to the making of the first copy of the Barberini Harp by luthier David Brown for Galassi, in 1990.
The neck, the strings, some of the column and the top of the carved shoulder of the Barberini Harp, Museo Nazionale degli Strumenti Musicali, Roma, 1985-1986 (1 ).
The Barberini Harp as it was displayed when this image was taken in 1985-1986, Museo Nazionale degli Strumenti Musicali, Roma (2 ).
The strings, neck, the shoulder, and the top of the soundbox of the Barberini Harp, Museo Nazionale degli Strumenti Musicali, Roma, 1985-1986 (3 ).
The gilded shoulder of the Barberini Harp carved as a lion’s head, and the gilded decoration on the soundbox, Museo Nazionale degli Strumenti Musicali, Roma, 1985-1986 (4 ).
This is the part that, on any harp that has been played, bears the marks of harpist’s arm and shoulder: over time, the lacquer rubs off. We also see the stave construction of the soundbox, and we can just about see the curve of the soundboard, which is made of bent wood. Barberini Harp, Museo Nazionale degli Strumenti Musicali, Roma, 1985-1986 (5 ).
The soundboard of the Barberini Harp, with a sound hole and the tie covers showing. The buttons are arranged into three rows, each with its own row of strings. Museo Nazionale degli Strumenti Musicali, Roma, 1985-1986 (6 ).
A closer view of the strings, buttons and tie covers on the soundboard of the Barberini Harp. Museo Nazionale degli Strumenti Musicali, Roma, 1985-1986 (7 ).
The lower portion of the soundboard, missing the tie covers. Barberini Harp, Museo Nazionale degli Strumenti Musicali, Roma, 1985-1986 (8 ).
The lowest strings of the harp and some of the bottom section of the column. Barberini Harp, Museo Nazionale degli Strumenti Musicali, Roma, 1985-1986 (9 ).
The lowest strings of the harp in close proximity to the carvings on the lowest section of the column. Barberini Harp, Museo Nazionale degli Strumenti Musicali, Roma, 1985-1986 (10 ).
Detail of the lower part of the soundboard, showing the stave construction. Barberini Harp, Museo Nazionale degli Strumenti Musicali, Roma, 1985-1986 (11 ).
The base of the Barberini Harp consists of three parts, the gilded triple cornice above the black painted block, and the more recent wooden base, presumed to have been added in the 19th century for stability. Museo Nazionale degli Strumenti Musicali, Roma, 1985-1986 (12 ).
The lower part of the body, with the damaged sound hole, the base and the beginning of the column. Barberini Harp, Museo Nazionale degli Strumenti Musicali, Roma, 1985-1986 (13 ).
The central section of the Barberini Harp with three figures of youths holding up a pedestal carrying the two putti. Museo Nazionale degli Strumenti Musicali, Roma, 1985-1986 (14 ).
The Barberini Harp, Museo Nazionale degli Strumenti Musicali, Roma, 1985-1986 (15 ).
All images © Mara Galassi 2022
Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND International 4.0
In 2014, the historical harpist Margret Köll invited Armin Linke to take images of the Barberini Harp as part of her research into Baroque harp, in particular the Barberini Harp and the repertoire for it. The then director of the Museo Nazionale degli Strumenti Musicali in Roma, Dr.ssa Maria Selene Sconci kindly allowed for the harp to be removed from its protective glass box and photographed. In the museum room housing the harp there also hangs a large composite X-ray image of the instrument. The Barberini Harp can no longer be played for reasons of conservation; we do not know when it was last played. Today we can only look at this instrument as an object of Baroque culture, politics and aesthetics. We can but hypothesise as to its sound.
The Barberini Harp with the X-ray image of the harp, Museo Nazionale degli Strumenti Musicali, Roma, 2014 (16 ).
Barberini Harp, from the back. The shoulder carved in the shape of a lion’s head, leads onto the neck with carved laurels, and into the head. Museo Nazionale degli Strumenti Musicali, Roma, 2014 (17 ).
A composite X-ray image of the Barberini Harp, Museo Nazionale degli Strumenti Musicali, Roma, 2014 (18 ).
Carved lion’s head on the shoulder of the Barberini Harp, Museo Nazionale degli Strumenti Musicali, Roma, 2014 (19 ).
X-ray image of the lion’s head on the shoulder of the Barberini Harp, showing metal connecting the soundboard and the neck with the shoulder, Museo Nazionale degli Strumenti Musicali, Roma, 2014 (20 ).
A view of the harp through a harpist’s eyes: the strings and string pins on the neck of the Barberini Harp. Museo Nazionale degli Strumenti Musicali, Roma, 2014 (21 ).
The tuning pins on the neck of the Barberini Harp. Museo Nazionale degli Strumenti Musicali, Roma, 2014 (22 ).
The string pins on the neck of the Barberini Harp, and carved laurels on top of the neck itself. Museo Nazionale degli Strumenti Musicali, Roma, 2014 (23 ).
X-ray image of the section of the neck leading into the shoulder, showing the string pins, tuning pins, and pinholes. Museo Nazionale degli Strumenti Musicali, Roma, 2014 (24 ).
The strings and buttons on the soundboard of the Barberini Harp, also showing a tie cover and a section of the soundbox. Museo Nazionale degli Strumenti Musicali, Roma, 2014 (25 ).
The strings and buttons on the soundboard of the Barberini Harp, also showing a tie cover. Museo Nazionale degli Strumenti Musicali, Roma, 2014 (26 ).
X-ray image of a section of the soundboard of the Barberini Harp showing reinforcement braces and ties. Museo Nazionale degli Strumenti Musicali, Roma, 2014 (27 ).
The head and the top section of the column or the pillar of the Barberini Harp. At the very top sits the crown of the Prince of Palestrina, with the Golden Fleece collar. Museo Nazionale degli Strumenti Musicali, Roma, 2014 (28 ).
X-ray of the head of the Barberini Harp showing the metal nails and pins attaching the crown of the Prince of Palestrina with the Golden Fleece collar. Museo Nazionale degli Strumenti Musicali, Roma, 2014 (29 ).
X-ray of the head of the Barberini Harp showing the legs of the two putti holding the Barberini coat of arms. Museo Nazionale degli Strumenti Musicali, Roma, 2014 (30 ).
The Barberini coat of arms, with the bees, on the head of the Barberini Harp. Museo Nazionale degli Strumenti Musicali, Roma, 2014 (31 ).
The head, and the top and central sections of the column or the pillar of the Barberini Harp, and a view of the soundboard with the two of the sound holes. Museo Nazionale degli Strumenti Musicali, Roma, 2014 (32 ).
X-ray image of the two bambini ercoli holding the head of the Barberini Harp. The two figures form the top section of the column or the pillar of the harp. Museo Nazionale degli Strumenti Musicali, Roma, 2014 (33 ).
Moving down the column slightly, this X-ray image shows the legs and feet of the two bambini ercoli holding the head of the Barberini Harp, as well as the paws of the lion skins hanging from their shoulders, and below them the heads of the three figures making up the central section of the harp. Museo Nazionale degli Strumenti Musicali, Roma, 2014 (34 ).
This X-ray image shows more of the central section of the column of the Barberini Harp, formed of three figures of youths, holding up the top section. Museo Nazionale degli Strumenti Musicali, Roma, 2014 (35 ).
X-ray image of the heads and hands of the three youths' figures forming the central section of the column of the Barberini Harp. Museo Nazionale degli Strumenti Musicali, Roma, 2014 (36 ).
