1496—Venice, Italy

Gentile Bellini’s Procession in Piazza San Marco (Venice, Accademia) depicts a wind band with an instrument that appears to be an alto trombone; notice, in particular, the size of the trombone relative to the player’s body (see below detail; public domain). Given the early date, the image may simply represent an artist’s attempt at a trombone rather than a specific depiction of an alto trombone.

16th century—Poland: A sixteenth-century inventory includes “one large quart sackbut” and “Three small sackbuts” (Przybyszewska-Jarminska, Baroque part I, 65).

16th century—Toledo, Spain: A fresco located in the courtyard called “de la Mona” at the Convent of las Comendadoras del Apóstol Santiago features numerous angel musicians, including an angel playing an instrument diminutive enough in proportion to its player to be an alto trombone or smaller (see detail and full image below; public domain).