Mandocello 1916

This is a mandocello, made by the Gibson Mandolin-Guitar Manufacturing Company, sometime around the early twentieth century. Imagine the careful hands of the maker, shaping the wood, bending it just so, in a series of calculated, yet intuitive gestures. Think about the varnishing, layer upon layer, bringing out the rich, deep colors of the wood, like a glaze over a painting. I’m thinking of the way a painter mixes colors, coaxing them into harmony. The maker of this mandocello, in a sense, is doing something similar, creating a visual symphony of form and color. Look at the way the light catches the curves and contours. The grain of the wood is like a brushstroke, guiding our eye across the surface. The dark shades could be a nod to the old masters, the deep browns reminiscent of a Rembrandt. And the bright, gleaming hardware, like the highlights in a Baroque painting, adds a touch of grandeur. It’s all part of this ongoing conversation between makers, across time.