ticketsMember | Make a donation

Cuatro

Efrain Vega Puerto Rican
1995
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 684
Electronic adaptations of traditional instruments occur internationally, bringing with them a sense of modernity and revitalization. Here, the cuatro, Puerto Rico’s "national instrument," is transformed with a solid body and magnetic pickups that, when combined with an amplifier, project their sounds across greater distances and larger audiences.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Cuatro
  • Maker: Efrain Vega
  • Date: 1995
  • Geography: New York, New York, United States
  • Culture: Puerto Rico
  • Medium: Maplewood, plexiglas, steel
  • Dimensions: 31 × 10 1/4 × 2 3/4 in. (78.7 × 26 × 7 cm)
  • Classification: Chordophone-Lute-plucked-fretted
  • Credit Line: Gift of Efrain Vega, 2004
  • Object Number: 2004.395.1a–c
  • Curatorial Department: Musical Instruments

More Artwork

More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Electric Guitar, Efrain Vega Puerto Rican, Oak, chestnut, plexiglas, steel, Puerto Rican
Electric Guitar
Efrain Vega
1992
Archtop Guitar, John D'Angelico American, Spruce, maple, ebony, steel, celluloid, mother-of-pearl, American
Archtop Guitar
John D'Angelico
1932
Archtop Guitar, James D'Aquisto American, Maple, macassar ebony, iron, brass, American
Archtop Guitar
James D'Aquisto
1983
Ūd, Toufighe Jahromi American, Wood, metal and nylon strings, celluloid, American
Ūd
Toufighe Jahromi
ca. 1928
Timbales, Calixto Rafael Rivera American, Stainless steel, plastic heads, wood, American
Timbales
Calixto Rafael Rivera
2004

Related Content

Perspectives

Articles, audio, and video from The Met's online magazine.

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.