Épinette des Vosges 1867 - 1900

This Épinette des Vosges was crafted by Amant Constant Lambert, sometime during the 19th century. Its upright, rectangular form, rendered in pale wood, is immediately striking, an almost architectural design that beckons a formal reading. Note the incised lines that frame the instrument's body, creating a contained field of play. This structure emphasizes the linearity of the strings and the regular intervals of the frets. Lambert's design suggests a semiotic grid. Here, each element—the tuning pegs, the sound holes shaped as hearts, the geometric floral motifs—functions as a sign within a broader cultural and aesthetic code. The scale of the instrument invites intimacy, yet its formal geometry hints at larger philosophical inquiries into order and harmony. Lambert's Épinette, therefore, is not merely a musical device but an exploration of structured form.