Clarinet in E-flat 1845 - 1865

This Clarinet in E-flat, now housed at the Metropolitan Museum, is the creation of C. H. Sulz. Consider the series of circular holes that punctuate the instrument's body, each a gateway to sound, a visual echo of the cycles of breath and music that bring it to life. Throughout art history, the circle appears as a symbol of the infinite, of wholeness and completion. Think of Giotto's perfect O, drawn freehand, or the mandalas of Eastern traditions, each a microcosm of the universe. Here, the clarinet's circles invite a different kind of contemplation, they are arranged linearly, not concentrically, to trace a progression, like notes in a scale or the rungs on a ladder. This symbol has shifted and evolved, yet its essence remains, it captures our imagination as a connection to something larger than ourselves.