Mandora

Gregori Ferdinand Wenger

1726 · Maple, spruce, ebony · Musical Instruments

The mandora is a type of lute that developed in the eighteenth century in Germany, possibly as a simplified, more accessible version of the very complex lutes of the Baroque era. The body of the mandora is smaller and has fewer courses (usually six or seven); this example features six courses, five of them double and one single course. The body alternates ribs of figured maple and bird's eye maple, producing a very subtle yet elegant effect. Ink letters found on the back of the neck correspond with letters of the lute tablature. The unusual bridge is not original. (Jonathan Santa Maria Bouquet, 2009)

Artist

Gregori Ferdinand Wenger

Date

1726

Medium

Maple, spruce, ebony

Culture

German

Department

Musical Instruments

Credit line

The Crosby Brown Collection of Musical Instruments, 1889