Virginal 1595 - 1605

This is a virginal made by C Ruckers, a rectangular keyboard instrument which is part of the harpsichord family. The name "virginal" is thought to allude to young women, or virgins, who were often the players of this instrument, and who were thus considered educated and accomplished. As women were excluded from many aspects of public life, musical accomplishments, and particularly playing keyboard instruments, became a mark of their virtue and refinement, providing them with a carefully circumscribed space for expression. The Latin inscription "Acta Virum Probant" translates to "deeds prove men." What does it mean, then, to put such a phrase on an object so closely associated with women? The decoration would have been a testament to the family’s wealth and status. Such tensions remind us that in the realm of art, even the most beautiful objects carry the weight of societal expectations and gendered assumptions. It invites us to consider the complex interplay between gender, class, and cultural expression.