This project has been generously sponsored by the Boston Chapter of Save Venice.

A virginal is a plucked-keyboard instrument in the harpsichord family used as a table model, without legs. It is small and has a simple rectangular form, having only one string per note. The strings run parallel to the keyboard, which is located on the long side of the case.  

The terminology “virginal” could derive from the Latin word virga meaning a rod, in reference to the wooden jacks that rest on the keys, or could refer to sound vox virginalis like a young girl’s voice.  The term was used in the 16th century to indicate various types of harpsichords popular in Europe and England.

The virginal in the Cini Foundation collection is of unknown Venetian origin and dates to the end of the 16th century. It measures nearly 10 inches high, 47 inches long, and 20 inches deep. The instrument is lacquered in an oriental or Persian style of gold decoration, popular in the Venetian Renaissance period, with an application of paint in tones of black, red, and green on top of the gilding. The decorative design is created by removing areas of polychrome to reveal the gilding beneath.

The instrument’s case is made of wood and the keys are in bone and ebony, decorated with gold letters and arabesque decoration. The chords are still present, as well as their mechanisms, but the instrument cannot be played.

The instrument exhibited several condition issues, including cracks in the wooden support and losses along the corner edges. Evidence of a past infestation of wood-boring insects was visible in the form of small holes across various areas. The richly painted surface had been obscured by dark, oxidized varnish and extensive overpainting from an earlier restoration campaign.

Conservator Stefania Sartori addressed these concerns through a multi-phase treatment. She began by eliminating any remaining traces of insect activity, followed by a thorough surface cleaning to remove centuries of accumulated dust and grime. Areas of lifting and flaking paint were consolidated, and structural issues—such as loose wooden elements and cracks—were stabilized using Weldwood synthetic adhesive and Paraloid resins diluted in appropriate solvents.

Non-original restoration layers deemed visually or materially detrimental were carefully removed. Losses in the decorative surface were filled with a mixture of plaster and adhesives, then skillfully retouched using reversible watercolors and conservation-grade paints. A final protective varnish was applied to unify and safeguard the restored surface.

Each stage of the conservation process was meticulously documented through a comprehensive photographic campaign.

Unidentified
Venetian Virginal (Harpsichord)
Late 16th century, tempera on panel, gilding
25 x 120 x 52 cm