ticketsMember | Make a donation

"Spring" from "The Four Seasons" (serial number 201)

2006
Not on view
The "Four Seasons" guitars are a complete musical ensemble conceived and built by the master luthier John Monteleone between 2002 and 2006. Each instrument is a beautiful sounding guitar with its own individual voice that also functions musically with the other members of the ensemble. Spring was built in 2006 and was the final instrument in the quartet. The top is carved out of two pieces of bookmatched quartersawn spruce with a bear claw pattern. It has a cutout on the treble side allowing players to access higher frets on the instrument. The body has a sunburst white to light blue nitrocellulose finish. The soundholes on the top of the instrument are unusual, with three small soundholes on each side of the guitar where traditionally would be found f-holes. The back is carved out of two bookmatched pieces of slab sawn maple with an irregular curly pattern. The bridge is made of two pieces of Macassar ebony with two set screws that allow for adjustment. The fingerboard, headstock veneer, and binding for the body are made of Macassar ebony. Mother-of-pearl and reconstituted turquoise stone are inlaid in floral petal motifs on the pickguard, headstock, and tailpiece. The same materials in triangles are inlaid on the fingerboard as position markers as well as used for the truss rod cover on the headstock. Inlaid diamonds on the side of the neck mark the positions above the 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, 12th, 15th, 17th, and 19th frets. The bass side rib, which faces the player, has two elliptical sound holes that give the musician a better sound experience while playing. Inside, opposite the sound holes, are inlaid flowers of mother-of-pearl and reconstituted turquoise.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: "Spring" from "The Four Seasons" (serial number 201)
  • Maker: John Monteleone (American, Islip, New York born 1947)
  • Date: 2006
  • Geography: Islip, NY, United States
  • Culture: American
  • Medium: Red-tiger maple, Tyrolean spruce, Macassar ebony, curly red maple, mother-of-pearl, red abalone shell, turquoise, diamond, gold plating, blue nitro-cellulose lacquer finish
  • Dimensions: 45 × 18 in. (114.3 × 45.7 cm)
  • Classification: Chordophone-Lute-plucked-fretted
  • Credit Line: Purchase, Abraham J. & Phyllis Katz Foundation Gift, in memory of Michael Allan Katz, 2017
  • Object Number: 2017.179.2
  • Curatorial Department: Musical Instruments

More Artwork

More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
"Winter" from "The Four Seasons" (Serial number 200), John Monteleone American, Tyrolean maple, Tyrolean spruce, curly red maple, Macassar ebony, sterling silver, mother-of-pearl, diamond, nickel plating, natural blonde nitro-cellulose lacquer finish, American
"Winter" from "The Four Seasons" (Serial number 200)
John Monteleone
2002
"Autumn" from "The Four Seasons" (serial number 203), John Monteleone American, Big-leaf maple, Tyrolean spruce, koa, Macassar ebony, curly red maple, stainless steel, spiny oyster coral stone, mother-of-pearl, diamond, gold plating, golden-brown nitro-cellulose lacquer finish, American
"Autumn" from "The Four Seasons" (serial number 203)
John Monteleone
2005
"Summer" from "The Four Seasons" (serial number 202), John Monteleone American, Big-leaf maple, Tyrolean spruce, African red padauk, Macassar ebony, red coral stones, mother-of-pearl, ruby, diamond, gold plating, red nitro-cellulose lacquer finish, American
"Summer" from "The Four Seasons" (serial number 202)
John Monteleone
2004
Mandolin, John Monteleone American, Bavarian spruce, red maple, Italian-American
Mandolin
John Monteleone
1996
Guitar, John Monteleone American, Alaskan spruce; European spruce; Indian rosewood; Honduran mahogany; Gaboon ebony; Bone; Brazilian rosewood; mother of pearl; abalone; grained ivoroid; Schaller tuners; Nitrocellulose lacquer., American
Guitar
John Monteleone
June 1989

Related Content

Perspectives

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

Publications

Books, guides, and catalogues published by The Met.

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.