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Tanbūr

Nariman Iranian
ca. 1960
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 684
On loan to The Met
This work of art is currently on loan to the museum.
This instrument was the one most often played by Ostad Elahi, née Nur Ali (1895–1974), a tanbūr master and influential Persian thinker and jurist. Considered sacred by the Ahl-e Haqq order, the tanbūr is used to complement meditation and communication with the divine. Elahi transformed the two-stringed instrument, adding a third string and developing new playing techniques that used all ten fingers.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Tanbūr
  • Maker: Nariman (Iranian, 1923–1982)
  • Date: ca. 1960
  • Geography: Teheran, Iran
  • Culture: Iranian
  • Medium: Mulberry, walnut, wire
  • Dimensions: L. 32 11/16 × W. 6 5/16 × D. 6 11/16 in. (83 × 16 × 17 cm)
  • Classification: Chordophone-Lute-plucked-fretted
  • Credit Line: Private collection
  • Object Number: L.2017.52.1a
  • Curatorial Department: Musical Instruments