Trombone History: New World Trombone Angels

Added the below image and caption to the 16th Century Trombone Timeline. Not only is it an unusual visual depiction from relatively early in trombone history (1550-1556), but it is from the New World. There is another image in the timeline that’s from 16th century Mexico, a fresco in the church of San Esteban in Tizatlan, Tlaxcala, that features a trombonist-angel, but I have not been able to pinpoint a date more specific than the 16th century.

Posa chapel1550-1556—Huejotzingo, Puebla, Mexico: A stone carving on one of the 4 posa chapels occupying the corners of the atrium of the church of the Franciscan monastery of San Miguel, Huejotzingo features 2 trombone-playing angels (see facing image; public domain) (Viñuales and Gant 23; Donahue-Wallace 12).

Trombone History: More Trombone Angels

Added the below drawing and caption to the Trombone History 16th Century Timeline. I was only able to add the detail of the trombone, not the full image, because of some technical problems (I don’t think WordPress likes how big these pages are getting; I may have to start splitting up centuries), but I’ve included the full image in this post.

All these images of trombonists as angel-musicians (see also posts here and here, as well as the Trombone Timeline in general) seem to reflect the trombone’s role as a sacred instrument, an association that has faded over time, making these images somewhat surprising to modern eyes.

Brizio detailBrizioLate 16th century—Italy: Bolognese painter and engraver Francesco Brizio includes trombone among numerous angel-musicians in his study, Lunette with Musical Angels in the Clouds (see facing detail; public domain) (Bohn 532).

Trombone History: More Trombone Angels

Added the following entry to the 18th Century Trombone History Timeline about an anonymous depiction of an angel-trombonist among other angel-musicians. With the painting mentioned in the last post, it would appear to be rare historically, being one of only a few paintings outside of the 16th and 17th centuries I’ve been able to locate that depict trombonists as angel-musicians. The trombone player, by the way, is on the far-right of the painting.

D'Ongina detailD'Ongina1709—Monticelli d’Ongina, Italy: The church Collegiata di San Lorenzo is refurbished in Baroque style. It is probably at this time that an anonymous artist paints a fresco in the church depicting several angel-musicians, including a trombonist. This painting, along with the painted wood ceiling in Tönning, Germany (see 1704, above), is a relatively late example of trombone being depicted among angel-musicians (see facing detail and full image, below; public domain) (Genesi).

Trombone History: Trombone Among the Angels

A few months ago I added the following painting and entry to the Trombone History Timeline (18th century):

St. Lawrence1704—Tönning, Germany: A painted ceiling by Barthold Conrath at the Church of St. Lawrence depicts a group of angels playing wind instruments and percussion, including a jubilant angel-trombonist on the far left (see above image; public domain) (Bowles, The Timpani 167).

Toenning_laurentius_orgelSince then I have also come across this wikimedia image (public domain) showing a wider view of the interior of the church. The group of musicians pictured originally in the black and white detail is directly above the organ (but not suspended in the clouds). Click on the picture for a larger image.

What’s a little surprising about the painting, in my opinion, is its relatively late date (1704). The majority of similar visual depictions of trombonists among angel musicians–at least those I have been able to locate–originate from the previous two centuries. See 16th Century and 17th Century.