Vertical Viola Top
Unfinished white viola top, with thickness measurements written on the underside by Carleen Hutchins.
Carleen Hutchins' work in plate tuning is one of her most important contributions to the craft of violin makaing. Her system made use of the vibrational modes discovered at the end of the eighteenth centure y the German physicist Ernst Chladni. These modes become visible when a light powder is sprinkled on the surface of the plate and the plate is made to vibrate. By gradually removing wood from the underside of the plate, these "Chladni patterns" can be made to emerge at optimal frequencies.
Carleen Hutchins' work in plate tuning is one of her most important contributions to the craft of violin makaing. Her system made use of the vibrational modes discovered at the end of the eighteenth centure y the German physicist Ernst Chladni. These modes become visible when a light powder is sprinkled on the surface of the plate and the plate is made to vibrate. By gradually removing wood from the underside of the plate, these "Chladni patterns" can be made to emerge at optimal frequencies.
Artwork Details
- Title: Vertical Viola Top
- Maker: Carleen M. Hutchins (Springfield, Massachusetts, 1911–2007 Wolfeboro, New Hampshire)
- Date: 1998
- Geography: Montclair, New Jersey, United States
- Culture: American
- Medium: Wood
- Dimensions: Overall: 30.8 x 2.5 x 51.3cm (12 1/8 x 1 x 20 3/16in.)
- Classification: Chordophone-Lute-bowed-unfretted
- Credit Line: Gift of Carleen Maley Hutchins, 2002
- Object Number: 2002.571.6
- Curatorial Department: Musical Instruments
More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Carleen M. Hutchins
1969
Carleen M. Hutchins
Carolyn Wilson Field
1986
Multiple artists/makers
1971
Carleen M. Hutchins
Reed Raphael Bernstein
1982
Carleen M. Hutchins
1979
Research Resources
The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.
To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.
Feedback
We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.