Summary
Record of the photographic survey carried out at the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna, with measurements taken in 1993 and in later years, culminating in January 2005. The aim is to measure the diameter of the bass string holes in the bridges of historic lutes, a key datum for reconstructing the original gauges. The results feed the “Museum Old String Database” curated by Aquila Corde Armoniche.
Key takeaways
- Surveys of the historic lutes at the Kunsthistorisches Museum of Vienna began in 1993 and continued in later years, up to January 2005.
- Systematic measurement of bass string hole diameters in the original bridges.
- The diameter of a bridge hole is the most direct physical clue to the gauge of the string that once passed through it.
- The documentary material was incorporated into the “Museum Old String Database”.
Scope of the survey
Investigations concerning the measurement of the bass string hole diameters in the bridges of the historic lutes held at the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna (carried out in 1993 and in following years).
The survey contributes to the “Museum Old String Database” project (January 2005).
Photographic documentation
The images below document the bridges surveyed; each thumbnail links to the full-resolution photograph.
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