Virginal

The virginal is an instrument of the harpsichord family of which it is distinguished by its outer morphology, usually of rectangular box. It was especially esteemed in England, mainly in the late sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.

The Museum's virginal integrated the collection gathered by Alfredo Keil. Inside its cover there's a painting representing gallant, hunting and rural scenes, with the city of Antwerp on the horizon.

Judging by the date inscribed in the instrument, it was built by Joannes Ruckers (1578-1642), who signed with the variants: Ioannes, Hans or Jan.

Joannes is one of the members of an important family of Belgian luthiers who built harpsichords, spinets and virginals and who, over the course of three generations, during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, produced high quality instruments and were responsible for major technical developments.