The history and restoration of this stunningly-beautiful double-manual harpsichord.
Here you will find the details of an amazing Franco-Flemish double-manual harpsichord. This superb instrument was made in Antwerp by Frans van Huffel in 1617. It was given an initial bass ravalement in Paris sometime between 1742 and 1750, by an unknown maker. It then received a major alteration in Paris in 1750 to both its musical and to its decorative state. At this time the exterior was lavishly decorated by the famous French painter, François Boucher, who was the Court Painter to Louis XV, an who is still the most celebrated French artist of the 18th-century . It was also given a bass ravalement by the well-known harpsichord maker François Étienne Blanchet, facteur des clavessins [sic] du roi (harpsichord maker to the king) to increase the compass from G1/B1 to c3 to F1 to d3. Archival evidence shows that Boucher and Blanchet worked together at various times on numerous other projects for Louis XV, many of which were commissioned for the King by Louis' grand maitresse (principal mistress), Mme de Pompadour. The painting of the scene found on the interior of the lid of this instrument (see the image below) is attributed to Jean-Baptiste Le Prince, a pupil of François Boucher, who began working with Boucher in 1750, exactly the same date as that of Blanchet's ravalement of the harpsichord. Later, in 1786, it was given a further treble ravalement by Jacques Barberini and Nicolas Hoffman, also in Paris, extending the treble compass from d3 up to f3.
This unusually-beautiful double-manual harpsichord has been shown scientifically to have been designed and built using units of the Antwerp duim (thumb), the unit of measurement used historically in Antwerp. This unit is used throughout in this instrument to a very high level of accuracy. The use of this unit of measurement therefore indicates clearly that the harpsichord was designed and built in Antwerp. Analysis also shows that it started life as a relatively simple 'transposing' harpsichord made in 1617, the date given in all of the early records of the instrument.
According to the records of the Guild of St Luke, in De Mededelingen van het Ruckers Genootschap, Frans van Huffel was the only active harpsichord maker working in Antwerp in 1617 other than Ioannes and Andreas Ruckers. But many features of the instrument indicate clearly that it was not made by either of the two Ruckers brothers. This harpsichord can therefore confidently be attributed to Frans van Huffel, the only member of the Guild of St Luke in 1617.
At some date between 1742 - 1750 the first grand ravalement widened the case, increasing the bass compass down to F1. It then received a new keyboard by the Parisian harpsichord maker François Étienne Blanchet (who later became the court harpsichord maker to Louis XV) which increased the compass to F1 to d3 .
In 1750 it was
also given its exceptionally lavish decoration by François
Boucher. The harpsichord was given a final grand ravalement in
Paris in 1786 by Jacques Barberini and Nicolas Hoffman, who
extended the treble compass up to f3, and added a fourth
register in peau de buffle. They also gave it new
keyboards with a compass of F1 to f3. It then had the
usual French grand ravalement 5-octave compass with four
registers including 2x8', 1x4', a peau de buffle, as well as a
unique expressive genouillère, not found on any other French
18th-century harpsichord.
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It seems highly likely that it was initially given its extravagant decoration simply because of its stunning, and beautifully rich, sound. It is, indeed, still today, perhaps the finest-sounding instrument in the entire history of French harpsichord making. Almost certainly because of its outstanding sound, it seems to have found its way into the musical life of the French Court at the time of Louis XV, and to have played an important role in the social and musical life there. The harpsichord was later given a final grand ravalement in 1786 by Jacques Barberini and Nicolas Hoffman in Paris. These two makers, who are otherwise unknown except from this instrument, extended the case to encompass the new treble compass from d3 up to f3. They seem also to have added a peau de buffle register and a unique genouillère. This meant that the harpsichord then had the usual French grand ravalement 5-octave compass with four registers including 2x8', 1x4' all in quill and the delicate peau de buffle to contrast with the registers in quill. It was also given a unique genouillère with a mechanism to swell and diminish the sound of the whole ensemble. Unfortunately this genouillère was removed, probably by Arnold Dolmetsch in the early 20th century. Dolmetsch left no trace of the genouillère, nor how it worked, so that it has not been possible to replace or to reconstruct it in the course of the modern restoration. The stand, which has never been enlarged must also date to 1786. The history of the instrument between 1786 and 1883 is unknown. This harpsichord has one of the finest, most harmonious, and most even sound of any French 18th-century harpsichord in the world! Click on the images and links below and at the bottom of this page to see more images and some highly detailed information about this splendid instrument. |
Some of the modern history of the instrument
The instrument has also had an amazing modern history ranging across much of Western Europe, the United States and South America. This part of it's history includes many of the important figures in the modern harpsichord revival. As a result, it therefore turns out to be a very important document in the history of the renewed revival of interest in the harpsichord and its music. Shortly before 1889 it was restored by Louis Tomasini in Paris, and was played in the concerts given by Louis Diémer during the 1889 Exposition Universelle for which the Eiffel Tower was built. Its modern history involves some highly-important political figures who influenced major world events - but not necessarily involving music nor furniture decoration!
Click on the images and links below for more information.
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Click on this image to see details of the 1927 Sotheby's sale catalogue. |
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| The sections below relate to the scientific studies of the paintwork and decoration and to how these relate to the attribution of the various states and OF THE painter/decorators who worked on this instrument | ||||
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Some important personalities in the French court around 1750. |
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The 4 images on the right all show clear evidence of the work of Francois Boucher in the decoration of the instrument. |
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| A large number of scientific analysis have been carried out on the paintwork of the instrument, including UV examination, IR photography, grazing light photography and numerous pigment-composition analyses. In addition a careful dimensional analysis has also been carried out in the course of the study and restoration of this instrument, and this has been published as a technical drawing. | ||||
Listen to the sound of this splendid instrument here - we strongly recommend that you use good quality
earphones to listen to the instrument in order to get the full resonance of the sound!
Important
Features of this harpsichord
A brief history of the musical and decorative states of the Franco-Flemish harpsichord
Details of
the original state of the instrument
Details of the eighteenth-century states of this harpsichord
Details of the modern history of this harpsichord
Problems encountered in the ethical restoration of this harpsichord
This page was last revised on 26 October 2025.
