Met Museum Press Release

Guitar Heroes Exhibition, Opening February 9, to
Feature Extraordinary Instruments Created by Three
Legendary Modern-day Master Craftsmen

Exhibition Dates:      February 9–July 4, 2011
Exhibition Location: Robert Lehman Wing, court level
Press Preview:         Monday, February 7, 10:00 a.m.–noon

Three New York master luthiers, renowned for their hand-carved stringed instruments—particularly their archtop guitars, which have been sought after by many of the most important guitarists of the last century—will be the subject of Guitar Heroes: Legendary Craftsmen from Italy to New York, on view at The Metropolitan Museum of Art from February 9 through July 4, 2011.  Featuring the extraordinary guitars of John D’Angelico, James D’Aquisto, and John Monteleone, this unprecedented exhibition of approximately 80 musical instruments will focus on the work of these modern-day master craftsmen and their roots in a long tradition of stringed instrument-making that has thrived for more than 400 years and that was first brought to New York from Italy around the turn of the 20th century. 

The exhibition is made possible in part by Mr. and Mrs. Richard L. Chilton, Jr.

The work of Italian luthiers, or makers of stringed instruments, has been highly desired since the 16th century, when lute makers in cities such as Venice and violin makers in places like Cremona supplied instruments for many of the most important personages in Europe.  In subsequent centuries, makers such as the famed Antonio Stradivari continued this tradition.  Stradivari, best known for his violins, built a great variety of stringed instruments, including both mandolins and guitars, one of which will be on loan to the exhibition.

By the end of the 18th century, Naples had become the dominant center for stringed-instrument production on the Italian peninsula, with makers there introducing innovations to both the mandolin and guitar.  Later, in the decades around the turn of the 20th century, many skilled luthiers from southern Italy moved to New York as part of the mass immigration of the time.  These makers set up workshops throughout the region, building traditional-style violins, guitars, and most importantly, mandolins, which experienced a tremendous popularity in America from the 1890s to the 1920s.

A change in musical tastes by the late 1920s meant that many Italian-American luthiers were suddenly forced out of business, but the young John D’Angelico was among a small group who were able to transition to building archtop guitars, an instrument that combined elements of violin construction (carved top, f-holes) with the guitar, based on the models being produced at the time by the Gibson Guitar Company.  The archtop guitar was especially popular with jazz musicians in the days before the electric guitar.  D’Angelico quickly built a reputation for his high-quality, beautifully constructed guitars.  The tradition was carried forward by his apprentice James D’Aquisto, and continues today with the work of the famed mandolin and guitar maker John Monteleone.

Instruments by these makers have been used by some of the most influential guitar players of the 20th century through the present day, including Chet Atkins, Les Paul, George Benson, Paul Simon, Steve Miller, Mark Knopfler, Jim Hall, and  Grant Green, among others.  Guitar Heroes will present more than 50 works by these makers, many of which have been owned by some of these guitar greats. The works will be placed against the backdrop of the Museum’s extensive collection, which includes masterpieces of Italian and Italian-American construction, showing the place of the modern-day masters in this long tradition.

The exhibition is organized by Jayson Kerr Dobney, Associate Curator and Administrator in the Department of Musical Instruments at the Metropolitan Museum.

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