A lively scene of nine muses, dressed in colorful togas dancing with Apollo, god of music. This is a copy of Fedele Fischetti's (1732-1792) Parnasse Musical. Unsigned.
Extract translated from Wikipedia:
Musicalischer Parnassus (“Musical Parnassus”) is the title of a collection of 9 harpsichord suites by Johann Caspar Ferdinand Fischer, published in Augsburg in 1738. The evocation of Mount Parnassus refers to the names given to the nine suites, which are those of each of the nine muses of Greek mythology, who had one of their residences on this mountain.
This collection is the second intended for the harpsichord that we have by this composer, more than forty years after the first (Musicalisches Blumen-Büschlein) which is dated 1696. But there is nothing to ensure that others have not been lost since Fischer remained for more than fifty years in the service of the same princely court of Baden, where his duties as Hofkapellmeister (Court Chapel Master) required the continual production of new musical compositions intended to enliven court life.
The work is dedicated to Princess Elisabeth-Augusta (de), daughter of Margrave Louis-Georges of Baden-Bade. We do not know for what precise reason these names were given to the various suites which follow with very little rigor the classical sequence Allemande-Courante-Sarabande-Gigue: only suites N°1 and 9 more or less respect it; the structures adopted are very irregular, as are the performance times (the longest suite - Urania, ending with an imposing passacaglia - lasts about three times longer than the shortest, Erato).
Condition and wear consistent with age and use.
Approx. overall 14¼" high x 32" x 1½" deep.
Approx. overall 36cm high x 81cm x 4cm deep.
