Double Chromatic Harp 1895 - 1950

Editor: This is the Double Chromatic Harp, made sometime between 1895 and 1950, now at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Just look at the level of detail, and the shimmering gold accents. It seems almost impossibly ornate, but it’s an actual, playable instrument. How do you even begin to unpack a piece like this? Curator: A fair question. Considering the socio-cultural history of decorative arts, what social role did such an ornate musical instrument play? It wasn't meant for a folk musician, certainly. Editor: I wouldn't think so, no. So, was this intended to display status more than create music? Like an artistic centerpiece in a wealthy home? Curator: Exactly. Objects like this harp highlight the complex relationship between art, class, and social institutions. Wealthy patrons commissioning these instruments influenced artistic production. The question then becomes, how does this reinforce or challenge existing power structures? Does the beauty justify the resources it consumes? Editor: That’s a heavy question! I hadn’t considered how a musical instrument could be read through that lens. The level of craftsmanship feels almost...excessive, maybe intentionally so. Curator: Perhaps the excess is precisely the point. These objects often become symbols of their era and the values, both artistic and social, that it holds dear. The museum itself, by displaying this harp, enters into that conversation about value. Editor: So, thinking about where and how it's displayed also matters – it's not just about the object itself, but about the institution choosing to put it on display? Curator: Precisely. Reflect on what this specific object signifies for the Metropolitan Museum's presentation of its collection, then. How is art history made in the present through the politics of display? Editor: Wow, okay, my head is spinning in a good way. Thanks for giving me a new framework to understand art's place in society. Curator: The pleasure was all mine. Now, go forth and interrogate some artistic assumptions!