Tañedor de arpa sedente

2800–2700 BCE
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 151
Existen muy pocas representaciones de músicos en el arte de la Edad de Bronce temprana en las Islas Cícladas; esta figura es una de las más antiguas. Los tañedores de arpa probablemente eran importantes miembros de la comunidad que actuaban como depositarios del conocimiento y comunicadores de la historia, la mitología y la música de su pueblo en una época anterior a la escritura. Pueden ser considerados precursores de los músicos profesionales de la heroica era micénica mencionados en los poemas épicos de Homero, tales como la Odisea, y más tarde en la rica tradición poética oral de la antigua Grecia.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Título: Tañedor de arpa sedente
  • Periodo: Final del periodo cicládico temprano I–principio del periodo cicládico temprano II
  • Fecha: ca. 2800–2700 a. C.
  • Geografía: Islas Cícladas
  • Material: Mármol
  • Dimensiones: a. 29,2 cm
  • Crédito: Fondo Rogers, 1947
  • Número de inventario: 47.100.1
  • Curatorial Department: Greek and Roman Art

Audio

Solo disponible en: English
Cover Image for 833. Kids: Marble seated harp player

833. Kids: Marble seated harp player

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Look up at the top shelf of this case. Find the white marble statuette of the man in a chair, holding a musical instrument—there are two very similar to each other. We’re going to look at the one on the left.

Do you recognize that three-sided instrument that he’s holding? Imagine strings running from top to bottom. This man’s playing a harp. His head bends back, as if he’s lost in the music. You’re listening to music played on a modern harp. But we’re not sure what this ancient Greek instrument sounded like. Have you ever tried playing a harp? It takes strong fingers. This figure has big, muscular fingers and arms. He might be a poet as well a musician. The ancient Greek poets spoke their verses out loud, and often accompanied themselves on stringed instruments like the harp.

This sculpture is more than four thousand years old. Like the other sculptures in this room, it comes from a group of islands named the Cyclades. The marble figures from the Cyclades are called Cycladic sculptures. Cycladic sculptures mark the beginning of a long history of Greek and Roman sculptures in marble, as you’ll see in some of the other rooms nearby.

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