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Graphic, designed on a dark purple background, with a uniquely shaped bowed string instrument, with text that reads "Musical Bodies"
Exhibition

Musical Bodies

OverviewExhibition ObjectsRelated ContentInside the ExhibitionExhibition Playlist
Mannequin Bass, Kenneth Lee Butler American, Mixed media
On loan to The Met
Mannequin Bass
Kenneth Lee Butler
2012
A Santal Fiddle (Dhodro Banam), Wood and hide, Eastern India, probably Jharkhand
A Santal Fiddle (Dhodro Banam)
Eastern India, probably Jharkhand
19th Century
Marble female figure, Marble, Cycladic
Marble female figure
Cycladic
ca. 3200–2700 BCE
"Gould" Violin, Antonio Stradivari Italian, Maple, spruce, ebony, Italian (Cremona)
"Gould" Violin
Antonio Stradivari
1693
Bell: Face, Lower Niger Valley caster, Brass, Lower Niger Bronze Industries
Bell: Face
Lower Niger Valley caster
19th–20th century (?)
Liturgical miscellany featuring a Guidonian hand, Brown, red, and blue ink on parchment, Italy
On loan to The Met
Liturgical miscellany featuring a Guidonian hand
Italy
Between 1450 and 1499
Pair of clappers, Hippopotamus ivory
Pair of clappers
ca. 1900–1640 B.C.
Penis whistle keyring with orb charm, Vivienne Westwood British, Brass and rhodium
On loan to The Met
Penis whistle keyring with orb charm
Vivienne Westwood
2016
Zitty (Bagpipe), Leather, wood, skin, Indian
Zitty (Bagpipe)
Indian
19th century
Thirteen-course lute, Thomas Edlinger German, Spruce, hardwood, yew, maple, ebony, bone, possibly fruitwood, paper
On loan to The Met
Thirteen-course lute
Thomas Edlinger
Wendelin Tieffenbrucker
ca. 1548-1612 and 1724
Śankh, Shell (Turbinella pyrum), brass, wax, Indian
Śankh
Indian
19th century
Dril-Bu and Dorje, bronze, Tibetan
Dril-Bu and Dorje
Tibetan
19th century
Violin sabot, Antoine C. Freze, Maple, beech, spruce, French
On loan to The Met
Violin sabot
Antoine C. Freze
19th century
Singanga, Wood, hide, Makonde people
Singanga
Makonde people
early 20th century
Bass Clarinet in C, Nicola Papalini Italian, Olive wood, brass, Italian
Bass Clarinet in C
Nicola Papalini
ca. 1810
Stroh Violin, George Evans & Co. English, Mahogany and aluminum, British
Stroh Violin
George Evans & Co.
first quarter 20th century
Ridgewing Guitar, Serial No. 4, Ridgewing Inc. American, Investment-cast aluminum body frames; carbon-fiber grilles; rosewood fingerboard; composite neck; self-tuning headstock; under-saddle piezo pickup; integrated preamp; LED light-show system
On loan to The Met
Ridgewing Guitar, Serial No. 4
Ridgewing Inc.
2015
Ehecachichtli, Clay, Mexican
Ehecachichtli
Mexican
ca. 1200–1521
The Singer in Green, Edgar Degas French, Pastel on light blue laid paper
The Singer in Green
Edgar Degas
ca. 1884
Whistle, Bobo Fing or Samo tribe Burkinabe, Wood, Burkinabe
Whistle
Bobo Fing or Samo tribe
late 19th century
Ocarina, Ceramic, Tairona People; Gayraca style
Ocarina
Tairona People; Gayraca style
1300–1500
Tap Shoes, Capezio Inc. American, Leather, steel, velcro, form padding, various materials, American
Tap Shoes
Capezio Inc.
1996
Kasengosengo (whistle), Wood, Chokwe
Kasengosengo (whistle)
Chokwe
1950
Whistle, Wood, Kuba
Whistle
Kuba
early 20th century
Drum, Wood, hide, metal, Luba
Drum
Luba
early 20th century
The Whistlers, Tip Toland American, Stoneware, paint, pastel, synthetic hair
The Whistlers
Tip Toland
2005
Poster for the Organophonic Band, Letterpress and lithograph
On loan to The Met
Poster for the Organophonic Band
1853
Announcement for the Organophonic Band, Letterpress and lithograph
On loan to The Met
Announcement for the Organophonic Band
ca. 1850
Santal or Munda Fiddle (Huka Banam), Wood and hide, Eastern India, Probably Jharkhand
Santal or Munda Fiddle (Huka Banam)
Eastern India, Probably Jharkhand
19th century
Jingle Dress and Accessories, Shannon Gustafson, Dress: Velveteen, cotton, jingles<br/>Accessories: Melton wool, seed beads, smoked deer hide, cotton, silver-colored metal snaps, Anishnawbe
Jingle Dress and Accessories
Shannon Gustafson
2020 and 2026
Electric Hawaiian Guitar, Semie Moseley American, Wood, rubber, brass, and chrome
On loan to The Met
Electric Hawaiian Guitar
Semie Moseley
1984
TV Cello, Nam June Paik American, born Korea, Cathode-ray tube monitors, acrylic, neon, string, wood, and other mixed media, American
On loan to The Met
TV Cello
Nam June Paik
1995
"Apocalypse Suite" cover art pencil study, Gabriel Bá Brazilian, Graphite pencil
On loan to The Met
"Apocalypse Suite" cover art pencil study
Gabriel Bá
2008
"Apocalypse Suite" cover art shade, Gabriel Bá Brazilian, India ink
On loan to The Met
"Apocalypse Suite" cover art shade
Gabriel Bá
2008
Cellist, Robert Cook (American, 1921-2017) American, Bronze
On loan to The Met
Cellist
Robert Cook (American, 1921-2017)
1950
Untitled preliminary study, Robert Cook (American, 1921-2017) American, Watercolor
On loan to The Met
Untitled preliminary study
Robert Cook (American, 1921-2017)
20th century
Kustom Electronics "The Bag" Poster, Offset lithograph
Kustom Electronics "The Bag" Poster
1969
“The Bag” Talk Box Guitar Effect, Kustom, Velvet, metal, plastic, American
“The Bag” Talk Box Guitar Effect
Kustom
1969
đàn K'ni, Quốc Hùng Nguyễn Vietnamese, Bamboo for the body; Rosewood for the tuning peg & the base; Metal string for the string; Bamboo for the bows, Vietnamese
đàn K'ni
Quốc Hùng Nguyễn
2025
Theremin, Radio Corporation of America (RCA) American, Wood, vacuum tubes, electrical wiring, American
Theremin
Radio Corporation of America (RCA)
1929
Khong Wong Yai, Wood, metal, cord, Thai
Khong Wong Yai
Thai
20th century
Cornet-trompe in D, Alphonse (Antoine) Sax Belgian, Brass, French
Cornet-trompe in D
Attributed to Alphonse (Antoine) Sax
ca. 1862
Violino Harpa Forma Maxima, Thomas Zach Austrian, Wood (spruce, maple, ebony), metal strings, Austrian
On loan to The Met
Violino Harpa Forma Maxima
Thomas Zach
1874
MiMU MIDI Gloves, MiMU Gloves Limited British, Yulex, cotton, and other high-performance technical fabrics
On loan to The Met
MiMU MIDI Gloves
MiMU Gloves Limited
2025
PianoArc 360 with Sumo Stand, PianoArc American, Aluminum, 3D-printed ABS, steel, and acrylic
On loan to The Met
PianoArc 360 with Sumo Stand
Manufacturer PianoArc
2025
Drum, Wood, polychrome, skin, trade beads, plastic, Akan Ashanti people
Drum
Akan Ashanti people
early 20th century
Drum, wood, hide, Kuba (Shoowa)
Drum
Kuba (Shoowa)
late 19th–early 20th century
Lira da braccio, Giovanni d'Andrea, Varnished softwood and maple, ivory, ebony, bone, parchment, brass, gut strings, Italian
On loan to The Met
Lira da braccio
Giovanni d'Andrea
1511
Ensemble, Thom Browne American, (a) wool, cotton, silk, synthetic; (b) wool, metal; (c) cotton, silk; (d) wool, cotton, cupro; (e, f) cotton, nylon, silk; (g, h) leather, silk, American
Ensemble
Designer Thom Browne
spring/summer 2018
Picta poesis vt pictvra poesis erit, Barthélemy Aneau French, Woodcut
Picta poesis vt pictvra poesis erit
Author Barthélemy Aneau
1552
Symbol Guitar, Wood, metal, plastic
On loan to The Met
Symbol Guitar
Late 1990's-Early 2000's
Pochette with sympathetic strings, Wood, ebony, ivory, French
Pochette with sympathetic strings
French
ca. 19th century
Pochette, wood, ivory, French
Pochette
French
ca. 19th century
Pochette, Wood, ivory, German
Pochette
German
17th or early 18th century
Pochette, Wood, ebony, metal, Probably European
Pochette
Probably European
ca. 1800–1900
Pochette, Wood, mother-of-pearl, possibly Italian
Pochette
possibly Italian
late 18th century?
Pochette (Kit), Wood, ivory, European
Pochette (Kit)
European
19th century
Banjo, Wood, various materials, British
Banjo
British
mid-19th century
Lift Every Voice and Sing (The Harp), Augusta Savage American, Cast metal with dark patina, American
On loan to The Met
Lift Every Voice and Sing (The Harp)
Augusta Savage
1939
Portable Irish harp, John Egan Irish, Spruce, walnut, maple, lime wood, brass, ivory
On loan to The Met
Portable Irish harp
John Egan
ca. 1821
Breasted Drum, Wood, skin, paint, Akan, Ashanti
Breasted Drum
Akan, Ashanti
ca. 1940
Repatriation of Tipu’s Tiger, Saba Qizilbash Pakistani, Graphite, water soluable graphite, Suminagashi ink on mylar
On loan to The Met
Repatriation of Tipu’s Tiger
Saba Qizilbash
2022
Rockford "Little Dick" Guitar, Hamer Guitars, Mahogany and ebony, American
On loan to The Met
Rockford "Little Dick" Guitar
Manufacturer Hamer Guitars
2008
Woman’s Under-Kimono (Nagajuban) with Piano Keys and Libretti from Two Songbooks , Silk with printed design, Japan

Woman’s Under-Kimono (Nagajuban) with Piano Keys and Libretti from Two Songbooks

Japan
ca. 1930s
"Piano Keys" suit, Jim Lapidus, Velvet, sequins, bugle beads, glass, crystal, rhinestones
On loan to The Met
"Piano Keys" suit
Designer Jim Lapidus
Manufacturer JC Costume Company
1973
Poster for a performance by Henri Huerta, Anonymous, Lithograph, French
Poster for a performance by Henri Huerta
Anonymous
1871
“Le Royaume de Harmonie,” (The Kingdom of Harmony) from the theater production of La Poule aux Oeufs d’Or , (The Goose that Laid the Golden Eggs) in the Galerie Dramatique, Hand colored lithograph
On loan to The Met
“Le Royaume de Harmonie,” (The Kingdom of Harmony) from the theater production of La Poule aux Oeufs d’Or , (The Goose that Laid the Golden Eggs) in the Galerie Dramatique
1848
For a Musician, Paa Joe in 2025 Ghanaian, Emele, enamel, cloth, Ghanaian
On loan to The Met
For a Musician
Made by the artist Paa Joe
2025
Shrine sistrum of King Apries, Faience
Shrine sistrum of King Apries
589–570 BCE
Costume Bell, metal, Possibly French
Costume Bell
Possibly French
19th century
Double-chambered bottle, Wari artist(s), Ceramic, slip, Wari artist(s)
Double-chambered bottle
Wari artist(s)
800–900 CE
Bell and Beater, Wood, iron, cotton, Baule people
Bell and Beater
Baule people
20th century
Bell Mallet (Lawle), Baule artist Baoulé, Wood, Baulé people
Bell Mallet (Lawle)
Baule artist
mid-20th century
Bun’ya no Asayasu (no. 36), from the series A Pictorial Commentary on One Hundred Poems by One Hundred Poets (Hyakunin isshu eshō: Bun'ya no Asayasu), Utagawa Kunisada Japanese, Woodblock print (nishiki-e); vertical ōban; ink and color on paper, Japan
Bun’ya no Asayasu (no. 36), from the series A Pictorial Commentary on One Hundred Poems by One Hundred Poets (Hyakunin isshu eshō: Bun'ya no Asayasu)
Utagawa Kunisada
ca. 1844
Shakuhachi, Bamboo, horn, lacquer, Japanese
Shakuhachi
Japanese
19th century
The Music Lesson, John George Brown American, born England, Oil on canvas, American
The Music Lesson
John George Brown
1870
The Music Lesson, Chelsea Porcelain Manufactory British, Soft-paste porcelain, British, Chelsea
The Music Lesson
Factory Chelsea Porcelain Manufactory
Modeler Joseph Willems
After two engravings by François Boucher
ca. 1765
A-ndëf, Wood, hide, Baga people
A-ndëf
Baga people
late 19th century
Hasapi, Wood, bone, wire, Indonesia (Sumatra, Toba Batak people)
Hasapi
Indonesia (Sumatra, Toba Batak people)
ca. 1930
Venus and the Lute Player, Titian and Workshop Italian, Oil on canvas
Venus and the Lute Player
Titian
ca. 1565–70
Courtesan and the blind cupid, Pietro Bertelli Italian, Engraving
Courtesan and the blind cupid
Publisher Pietro Bertelli
ca. 1588
Harpsichord, Alessandro Trasuntino, Cypress, ivory covers, gesso, poplar, walnut, parchment, gold, fruitwood (apple?), beechwood, Italian
On loan to The Met
Harpsichord
Alessandro Trasuntino
1531
Shepherd and Shepherdess Making Music, Wool warp; wool and silk wefts, South Netherlandish
Shepherd and Shepherdess Making Music
South Netherlandish
ca. 1500–1530
The Musician, Bartholomeus van der Helst Dutch, Oil on canvas
The Musician
Bartholomeus van der Helst
1662
Division Viol, Richard Meares British, Spruce, ebony, maple, British
Division Viol
labeled Richard Meares
ca. 1680
Rebecchino, Boxwood, rosewood, ebony, Italian
Rebecchino
Italian
ca. 1420
Rebecchino, Pearwood, Italy
On loan to The Met
Rebecchino
Italy
15th century
Violon d'Ingres, Man Ray American, Gelatin silver print
On loan to The Met
Violon d'Ingres
Man Ray
1924
English violet (Viola d'Amore), Paulus Alletsee German, Spruce, maple, German
English violet (Viola d'Amore)
Paulus Alletsee
1726
Il Merlo Maschio poster, Offset lithograph
On loan to The Met
Il Merlo Maschio poster
1971
Hurdy gurdy, Ivory, paste, tortoise shell, brass, silver, lacquer, carving, purfling, eding, turning<br/>Sycamore body, carved and turned ivory, other parts of turtle shell inlaid with silver and brass piqué work (some turtle shell lacquered with silver and brass piqué work), silver roses, and partly silvered brass keys inset with faceted rock crystal and engraved mother-of-pearl, French
On loan to The Met
Hurdy gurdy
French
ca. 1770-1785
Custom-made "legs" guitar, Art Department, New Line Cinema American, Wood, metal, polyvinyl chloride, polyurethane, and polyester paint, American
On loan to The Met
Custom-made "legs" guitar
Art Department, New Line Cinema
2005
Alto saxophone (E-flat), C.G. Conn Ltd., Gold plated brass, mother-of-pearl, clear-glass jewels
On loan to The Met
Alto saxophone (E-flat)
C.G. Conn Ltd.
ca. 1922
Untitled
Tomi Ungerer
1969
Poster design for the 1992 Berlin Jazz Fest, Günther Kieser, Offset lithograph
Poster design for the 1992 Berlin Jazz Fest
Günther Kieser
1992
Front to Back, Vinyl, paper, American
Front to Back
American
2013
Sax-a-Go-Go, Vinyl, paper
Sax-a-Go-Go
1993
Women, Vinyl, paper, Guadeloupe
Women
Guadeloupe
1985
Drumkit for Alex González of Maná used during the 2023-2024 México Lindo y Querido tour, John Douglas American, Maple and aluminum
On loan to The Met
Drumkit for Alex González of Maná used during the 2023-2024 México Lindo y Querido tour
John Douglas
Manufacturer Drum Workshop Inc.
2023
The Dance of Death, Anonymous, German, 16th century German, Pen and brown ink, brush and brown ink, watercolor, gouache, gold paint
The Dance of Death
Anonymous, German, 16th century
16th century
Damaru, Wood, skin, cloth, shell, Tibetan
Damaru
Tibetan
19th century
Rkangling (end-blown trumpet), Copper alloy, brass, stone, and paint, Tibetan
On loan to The Met
Rkangling (end-blown trumpet)
Tibetan
ca. 1960
Six-armed Mahakala, Gilt copper alloy with semi-precious stones, Mongolia
On loan to The Met
Six-armed Mahakala
Mongolia
18th century
Speculum humanae salvationis, Vellum
On loan to The Met
Speculum humanae salvationis
ca. 1400
Reconstruction of a medieval psaltery, Auguste Tolbecque French, Softwood (spruce, walnut, pearwood), gut strings, paper, French
On loan to The Met
Reconstruction of a medieval psaltery
Auguste Tolbecque
1896
Hairwork wreath in the form of a lyre, Human hair, paper, wire, and wood
Hairwork wreath in the form of a lyre
ca. 1870
Alberto Martini, trentuna fantasie bizzarre e crudeli preceduto dalla diabolica imagine di Niccolò Paganini e dall'autoritratto dell'uomo palladio, Alberto Martini, Drypoint
Alberto Martini, trentuna fantasie bizzarre e crudeli preceduto dalla diabolica imagine di Niccolò Paganini e dall'autoritratto dell'uomo palladio
Alberto Martini
Publisher Officine Grafiche Ricordi
1924
Gaita de boto (bagpipe), Jordi Aixalà Basora Spanish, Boxwood, pewter, textile, Gore-Tex®, synthetic polymer, cork
Gaita de boto (bagpipe)
Jordi Aixalà Basora
2023
Teponaztli (slit-drum), Wood, Mixtec
On loan to The Met
Teponaztli (slit-drum)
Mixtec
1200 - 1521
Sermon, Terry Adkins American, Manipulated steel, drum, ribbons, buttons
On loan to The Met
Sermon
Terry Adkins
2002
Ngombi, Wood, nylon, hide, fiber, Tsogo
Ngombi
Tsogo
mid-20th century
Pixar's "Coco" edition Guitar, German Vazquez Rubio Mexican, Wood, abalone shell, 24k gold inlay
On loan to The Met
Pixar's "Coco" edition Guitar
German Vazquez Rubio
Córdoba Guitars
2017
Atingting kon (slit gong), Wood, Ambrym
On loan to The Met
Atingting kon (slit gong)
Ambrym
early 20th century
On loan to The Met
Indestructible Object
Man Ray
1963