L'organo a muro nei manoscritti miniati dei secoli XV e XVI

• Autores: Erika Martini
• Localización: Rivista di storia della miniatura, ISSN 1126-4772, Nº. 17, 2013, págs. 148-160
• Idioma: italiano
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• Resumen

  • The aim of this essay is to show how illuminated manuscripts can be useful in the study of iconographic subjects, and, particulary, in the reconstruction of the history of the pipe organ. This musical instrument begins to be represented since the 9th century but it appears more frequently starting from the 13th century, in Psalters related to King David and later to the Virgin in the Books of Hours, and also in connection with Saint Cecile, Mercury's sons, and the Music. Particualry interesting is the study of the great gallery organ, which has been found only in few illuminations, realized during the 15th and the 16th centuries, almost all in Flemish and French manuscripts. This seems to sonfirm the most recent hypothesis affirming that this kind of big organ was used in churches starting from the end of the 14th century. Furthermore, the images are useful to understand where these instruments were placed inside the churches that was, quite often, in an elevated position, on the counter-façade or the 'tramezzo'. What is suggested by the images is confirmed also by Italians documents related to the same period. Finally, it is important to point out that it has been possible to find only one illumination representing a gallery organ realized in Italy, in the second half of the 15th century. In my opinion this seems to be related to the Renaissance season, which brought new patterns and a new setting for the scenes, where this instrument could hardly find a place.