Mandola 1917

This is a Mandola, a musical instrument made by the Gibson Mandolin-Guitar Manufacturing Company. I love seeing the craftsmanship and the history embedded in an object like this. I imagine the maker carefully selecting the wood, shaping the curves, and fitting the pieces together just so. There’s a real intimacy in that process. I wonder if they knew the music this instrument would go on to make, the hands that would hold it, the stories it would tell. Look at the way the varnish catches the light, the intricate detailing on the headstock. The mandola sits somewhere between a painting and a sculpture – an object of beauty and utility. Thinking about the work of instrument makers next to the work of painters reminds me that artists are always in conversation with one another, borrowing ideas and techniques across time. The mandola is a reminder of the endless possibilities of human creativity.