c. 1474—Asciano, Italy

Matteo di Giovanni’s The Assumption of the Virgin, the center panel of an altarpiece in S. Agostino, includes what may be an angel-trombonist along with several other angel-musicians. The instrument has what appears to be a slide but no visible bell (see detail and full image below; public domain) (Belán 111). Click on full image to expand.

According to the paintings conservator at the National Gallery in London, below is the angel-musician in its pre-restoration form, a restoration necessitated by water damage. The gilded halo and surrounding area is also non original. According to the conservator (pers. comms., May and September 2024), the painting is now undergoing another conservation treatment.