Viols in the shape of the “classical” English viol

 

Christopher Simpson: The Division Violist (London, 1659 and 1667)

 

Pieter Breugel: The Senses – Hearing

Notice the stripes on the top. This indicates that this viol was probably constructed according to the traditional English method of bending strips of wood and joining them together, rather than the traditional violin-making method of cutting out the belly from a thick slab of wood. See also article: Bending over Frontwards by Simone Zopf

An extremely rare painting of an English
bass viola da gamba, ca. 1680

 

Treble viola da gamba by William Turner (London, 1656)

 

Treble viola da gamba
by Willam Turner (London, 1647)
Treble viola da gamba
by Henry Jaye, London, ca. 1620)
(before restoration)
Treble viola da gamba
by Willam Turner (London, ca. 1650)

 

 

 

Bass viola da gamba
by Edward Lewis (London, 1687)
Bass viola da gamba
by Willliam Turner (London ca. 1650)
Bass viola da gamba
by Thomas Collingwood (London 1680)

 

 

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