Pardessus de viole
Alternate name(s)
- Treble viola da gamba
- Treble viol
Maker
François Gavinies
Date1728
Place MadeBordeaux, France, Europe
Serial No.none
SignedWritten in black ink on paper label with cut corners affixed to back brace: gauinies / a bordeux / 1728MarkingsIllegible cursive pencil text written on base of pegbox
DescriptionThe pardessus de viole is the smallest member of the viola da gamba family of instruments. It was created in France at the end of the seventeeth century to allow viol players an instrument with the range of the violin. This very well preserved six string example was created at the height of the instrument's popularity, which waned in the last third of the eighteenth century.
Top: two-piece, quarter-cut spruce: fine grain; flat with break in upper bout
Back: two-piece, quarter-cut maple: very broad, faint, intermittent curl
Ribs: maple cut off-the-quarter: very broad, faint, intermittent curl
Head and neck: maple: plain; dark-brown stained maple turned ornament affixed to each side of head ornament, with domed ivory pins at center
Arching: no recurve on top; back flat with break in upper bout
Purfling: two black-painted lines
Varnish: golden
Fingerboard: spruce veneered with black, open-pored hardwood, possibly bog oak
Nut: ebony overlaid with bone
Tailpiece: ebony with saddle and scalloped lower end; probably later
Tailpiece attachment: ebony bar and hook; later
Pegs: three original dark-brown-stained maple with ivory pins; three later dark red tropical hardwood with ivory pins
Saddle: ebony
Soundholes: C-shaped; inside edges stained dark brown
Linings: linen
Corner blocks: white open-woven cloth
Top block: light hardwood; saw marks visible on face
Bottom block: spruce; narrow; bevelled
Bassbar: spruce; low height; original
Back bracing: wide and low spruce brace in center bout at soundpost position
DimensionsTotal pardessus length: 613 mm
Top length: 348 mm
Upper bout width: 170 mm
Center bout width: 126 mm
Lower bout width: 204 mm
Upper rib height: 50-67 mm
Center rib height: 67-68 mm
Lower rib height: 67-68 mm
Stop length: 188 mm
Vibrating string length: 327 mm
Neck length (bottom of nut to ribs): 136 mm
ProvenancePurchased in 1955 by the donor, Efrim Fruchtman, in Bordeaux, France.
Given to National Music Museum in 1987.
Published References“Gavinies Pardessus Viole,” Journal of the Viola da Gamba Society of America, Vol. 7 (1970), pp. 116-119.
Credit LineGift of Efrim Fruchtman, 1987
Object number04163
On View
Not on view
1700-1800 ca.
1890-1930 ca.
1640-1750 ca.
