I have located and photograped the hidden display case within the Metropolitan Museum of Art containing the only three violins left on display. EGAD!

[BassClef]

The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Department of Musical Instruments closed its doors on February 22, 2016 for renovations. Rumored to reopen in the spring of 2017, the wing and the instruments contained therein are on lock down. Well, after much detective work, I located a hidden display case that museum staff and curators don't want anyone to see. It contains three important violins of Amati, Amati and Strad. The security units noticed me snooping around the showcase but before they could do anything about it I popped off a series of iPhone images. I'm sure these legendary instruments have been presented in a much better light and lens countless times over, but maybe through the glass, with a standard phone camera, in poor lighting, with glare, and under pressure from approaching security, these images might be interesting to a couple of you.

 

And if you're visiting before spring 2017, you'll have to try to find these for yourself. This week they were in room 500 (I didn't tell you that) but after the incident with my iPhone, I think these are likely being moved or put back into storage.

 

 

[BassClef]

Pics continued...

[BassClef]

What is your opinion of these instruments? Has anyone handled these instruments before? Played on them? They look rather nice to me, particularly the Amati Viola.

 

For those jaded luthiers, collectors, enthusiasts, and musicians who've seen it all and just don't get excited by well lit detailed images, these raw, amateur, POV, through-glass candid pics might be just what it takes to tickle your fancy.

 

 

[Addie]

Posts with pictures like these always make my day.  I imagine it makes the day of others, too. 

 

Thanks!

[Urban Luthier]

i expect they move stuff around a fair bit at the met. They have more instruments including a long strad in baroque setup. I have fond memories of my last visit just staring at the Piatagorsky cello. OMG!

[Michael.N.]

I'll have a look at the violins later, I'm still reading the thread title.

[Stavanger]

I'll have a look at the violins later, I'm still reading the thread title.

Hahahaha

[ctanzio]

Are they really that reddish brown to the eye or is it an artifact of the lighting and iPhone camera?

[JacksonMaberry]

Thanks so much! But why is no one playing these beautiful fiddles?

[BassClef]

Are they really that reddish brown to the eye or is it an artifact of the lighting and iPhone camera?

 

The colors in these images are true to how they looked through the glass in that lighting.

[BassClef]

Posts with pictures like these always make my day.  I imagine it makes the day of others, too. 

 

Thanks!

Awww thanks Addie.

[BassClef]

i expect they move stuff around a fair bit at the met. They have more instruments including a long strad in baroque setup. I have fond memories of my last visit just staring at the Piatagorsky cello. OMG!

 

It's pretty crazy how many amazing pieces of art including amazing musical instruments the MET has that never see the light of the museum, kept permanently in the storage tombs.

[BassClef]

I'll have a look at the violins later, I'm still reading the thread title.

***spits out milk***

 

nice one!

[BassClef]

Thanks so much! But why is no one playing these beautiful fiddles?

 

Every important museum instrument should be featured in annual or semiannual concerts put on by cultural institutions or in the museums themselves. It's a shame that we will probably never hear these live in concert. Or am I wrong about that?

[Blank face]

Welcome back, we missed your contributions!

Great pictures, as they used to be.

[Rue]

Thanks!  I enjoyed the 'inside' look at them!

[not telling]

Stealthy! Thanks

[ctanzio]

The colors in these images are true to how they looked through the glass in that lighting.

Thanks! I've been trying to make a varnish to look like that for quite some time. They look fabulous.

Getting the color match is not an issue if I use pigments, but that gives a varnish that is too opaque. Making a reddish-brown AND transparent varnish escapes me. ;(

[BassClef]

Welcome back, we missed your contributions!

Great pictures, as they used to be.

Cheers. It's posters like you that keep me coming back.

[BassClef]

Thanks!  I enjoyed the 'inside' look at them!

 

Thanks Rue! Which of these three do you like the best?

[BassClef]

Stealthy! Thanks

 

I was joking about the security and such. Lovely instruments that are the only three displayed until the wing reopens. Met museum allows non-flash photography in most if not all areas. Cheers.

[BassClef]

Thanks! I've been trying to make a varnish to look like that for quite some time. They look fabulous.

Getting the color match is not an issue if I use pigments, but that gives a varnish that is too opaque. Making a reddish-brown AND transparent varnish escapes me. ;(

 

I will return with a proper camera next time and repost images of these in case it helps to see the color better.

[BassClef]

Here are a couple of other photos of the Strad that I posted some time back in the original room. The lights were much warmer in there and the color looks different in these ones:

 

http://www.maestronet.com/forum/index.php?/topic/332759-more-cool-instruments-at-the-metropolitan-museum-of-art/?p=681715

[J.DiLisio]

In my mind it's the Baltic del Gesu that really steals the show.

The MET could definitely pay more attention to lighting and presentation but at least you can see the backs. 

The violins at the Library of Congress are in cases that are set into the wall, across from windows in a conference room that's only open when not in use. 

Good luck getting a decent photo of the Kreisler del Gesu. 

[BassClef]

Thanks for sharing this. I'm hoping for better lighting also in the MET when the room reopens. A lady at the info desk told me the lighting will not be improved, but when I said I hope the backs are lit better, she said that they won't as not to degrade the instruments...... But the fronts are already well lit, oh well, she was just repeating what she heard from a lecture series that mentioned the renovations. I'll be there maybe on reopening day to report and post all new images.

 

In my mind it's the Baltic del Gesu that really steals the show.

The MET could definitely pay more attention to lighting and presentation but at least you can see the backs. 

The violins at the Library of Congress are in cases that are set into the wall, across from windows in a conference room that's only open when not in use. 

Good luck getting a decent photo of the Kreisler del Gesu.